Springtime in Bhutan

Next to the fall period of October and November, March and April are the two most popular months of the year for travel to Bhutan.

And rightfully so, springtime in the Himalayas is truly a splendid period of the year. As the nature awakens after long winter, flowers bloom and the fresh air is a joy.

This March also promises to see a great number of foreign visitors. Paro Tsechu is along with Thimphu Tsechu the most visited event in Bhutan and at this point pretty much all seats on Druk Airways, whether coming from Kathmandu, Delhi, Kolkata or Bangkok, are all sold out.

All the best hotel rooms in Paro have been long booked and the Paro Dzong is expected to teem in foreign tourists who will likely outnumber the locals.

As it is well known, all foreign tourists have to arrive on pre-arranged trips to Bhutan and part of each tour booking is having your own vehicle with a driver and a guide.

While being driven around is enjoyable, with the wonderful weather one should ask his booking agent to include some day hikes in the program.

But if your are the outdoor type you should consider a cycling trip in Bhutan. One of the most awsome itineraries involves the traverse of the country, bicycling from Western to Eastern Bhutan with as exit to Assam in India.

This itinerary can certinly be done all driving and each year more tourists once in Guwahati, Assam, opt to add a side trip to the remarkable Kaziranga National Park in eastern Assam.

With the new airport being constructed in Eastern Bhutan near Trashigang, the thus far much less visited part of Bhutan will soon receive lot more tourists. But for now, most tourists backtarck overland to Paro in order to depart Bhutan from there.

The south-eastern Bhutan exit option allows for convenient flight connections back to Delhi or to Bangkok via Kolkata, and if you prefer to miss some of the crowds that are expected to descent upon Bhutan this Spring, the Eastern Bhutan itinerary alternative is the one to consider.