When to go · Thimphu
Thimphu in May
Mixed month. Warming, pre-monsoon cloud.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C) / 11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 14
- Crowds
- Medium
- Bhutan overall
- Prices
- Medium
- Bhutan overall
Verdict
Warming, pre-monsoon cloud.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than May?
May is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in May
- ThimphuHighs around 22 °C (72 °F), lows around 11 °C (52 °F), rain on about 14 daysHighs around 72 °F (22 °C), lows around 52 °F (11 °C), rain on about 14 days
- Western valleys, Bhutan · Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Haabest weather
Punakha (1,200 m) stays mild in winter while Thimphu (2,300 m) drops below freezing at night; October–November gives the clearest Himalayan views.
Spring season
Clear skies, rhododendrons, festivals; days warm and nights cool.
Watch: Pre-monsoon cloud in May; festival crowds.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Saga Dawa (fourth lunar month) check
Moves yearly · Temples and chortens
Large circuits at the Memorial Chorten; merit-making.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Bhutan overall
- Medium
- Prices · Bhutan overall
- Medium
Bhutan overall: Warm and green before the monsoon; good trekking at altitude.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Thimphu, side by side.
Verdict
May: Mixed
Mar: Great (better)
Daytime high
May: 22 °C (72 °F)72 °F (22 °C)
Mar: 16 °C (61 °F)61 °F (16 °C)
Night low
May: 11 °C (52 °F)52 °F (11 °C)
Mar: 4 °C (39 °F)39 °F (4 °C)
Rain days
May: 14
Mar: 6 (better)
Crowds
May: Medium
Mar: Medium
Prices
May: Medium
Mar: Medium
Festivals listed
May: 1
Mar: 3
May: Warming, pre-monsoon cloud.
March: Rhododendrons start; festival season begins.
Thimphu: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm layer for the evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast