Things to do in Thimphu in September

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Overview

September is a great time to visit Thimphu. The weather is usually moderately chilly, humid but cool, with temperatures ranging from 47—63°F (9—17°C). There are plenty of events to check out and activities to try in Thimphu during this time. Some of our top recommendations: take a scenic drive to the Dochula Pass, visit the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan, explore the Changangkha Lhakhang temple, and more!

Thimphu has plenty to offer for visitors of all ages and interests. In this article, we tell you the top things to see and do for your September trip to Thimphu. Get inspired by the events, activities, attractions, and experiences unique to September. We’ll let you know where to explore events based on your interests, whether that’s food, culture, art, music, sport or others.

We’ll let you know everything you need to prepare for the weather in Thimphu in September. Learn about what to wear and pack for your trip, the average temperatures throughout September, temperature changes from morning to evening and much more.

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Best events and things to do in Thimphu in September

Top experiences in September
Take a scenic drive to the Dochula Pass
The Dochula Pass is a breathtaking mountain pass located on the road from Thimphu to Punakha, offering stunning panoramic views of the Himalayas. In September, the weather is clear and the skies are usually free of clouds, providing the perfect conditions for a scenic drive to the pass. The road is lined with prayer flags and colorful rhododendron flowers, creating a picturesque and serene atmosphere. At the Dochula Pass, visitors can take in the majestic views of the snow-capped peaks, visit the 108 chortens built in honor of Bhutanese soldiers, and enjoy a hot cup of tea at the nearby cafe. Taking a scenic drive to the Dochula Pass in September allows you to witness the natural beauty of Bhutan and appreciate its awe-inspiring mountain landscapes.
Visit the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan
The Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan is a cultural institution dedicated to preserving and promoting the art of traditional Bhutanese weaving. In September, the academy hosts special exhibitions and events showcasing the intricate and beautiful textiles created by local artisans. Visitors can explore the museum, admire the stunning textile displays, and even watch weavers at work, creating intricate patterns and designs. The academy also offers workshops and classes for those interested in learning more about Bhutanese weaving techniques. Visiting the Royal Textile Academy in September allows you to appreciate the craftsmanship and artistry of Bhutanese textiles and gain a deeper understanding of the country's cultural heritage.
Explore the Changangkha Lhakhang temple
Changangkha Lhakhang is one of the oldest temples in Thimphu and holds great significance in Bhutanese religious and cultural history. The temple is dedicated to the protective deity Tamdrin, and it is a popular pilgrimage site for locals and tourists alike. In September, the temple is surrounded by blooming flowers and lush greenery, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere. Visitors can explore the temple grounds, admire the intricate murals and carvings, and even receive blessings from the resident monks. Exploring the Changangkha Lhakhang temple in September allows you to witness the beauty of Bhutanese religious architecture and immerse yourself in the country's spiritual traditions.
Visit the National Memorial Chorten
The National Memorial Chorten is a prominent religious monument and a popular tourist attraction in Thimphu. The chorten, or stupa, was built in memory of the third king of Bhutan and serves as a place of worship and meditation for locals. In September, the chorten is surrounded by colorful prayer flags fluttering in the breeze, creating a picturesque and spiritual setting. Visitors can walk around the chorten, spin the prayer wheels, and observe locals performing their daily prayers and rituals. The National Memorial Chorten is a peaceful and serene place to visit in September, allowing you to experience the spiritual side of Bhutanese culture and witness the devotion of its people.
Hike to the Tashichho Dzong
Tashichho Dzong is a majestic fortress and monastery located in Thimphu, and it serves as the seat of the Bhutanese government. In September, the weather is perfect for a hike to the dzong, as the monsoon season has passed, and the lush greenery surrounding the fortress is at its most vibrant. The Tashichho Dzong is an architectural marvel, with its intricate woodwork, beautiful gardens, and stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Visitors can also witness the daily flag lowering ceremony, which is a unique and memorable experience. Hiking to the Tashichho Dzong in September allows you to appreciate the natural beauty of Bhutan while exploring its rich history and culture.
Sample traditional Bhutanese cuisine at a local restaurant
Bhutanese cuisine is a unique and flavorful blend of spices, herbs, and locally sourced ingredients, and sampling traditional dishes is a must-do experience in Thimphu. In September, many local restaurants offer special menus featuring seasonal ingredients and traditional recipes. Visitors can try
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Holidays in Thimphu in September
September
  • Thimphu Drubchoe (September 9)
  • Thimphu Tshechu (September 1315)
  • Blessed Rainy Day (September 23)
Other notable holidays
  • Dashain (October 12)
  • King Jigme Khesar Namgyel's Coronation (November 1)
  • Birth Anniversary of the Fourth Druk Gyalpo (November 11)
  • Descending Day of Lord Buddha (November 22)
  • National Day (December 17)
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Weather in Thimphu in September

Temperatures on an average day in Thimphu in September

The average temperature in Thimphu in September for a typical day ranges from a high of 63°F (17°C) to a low of 47°F (9°C). Some would describe it as moderately chilly, humid but cool.

For comparison, the hottest month in Thimphu, June, has days with highs of 65°F (19°C) and lows of 49°F (10°C). The coldest month, January has days with highs of 45°F (7°C) and lows of 22°F (-6°C). This graph shows how an average day looks like in Thimphu in September based on historical data.

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Historical temperature average in September
63°F
highs
47°F
lows

General weather summary

Moderately chilly, humid but cool
Feels like
97%
Chance of rain
1.253 in
Amount
7.8 mph
Wind speed
100%
Humidity
12.4 hrs
Daylight length
5:45 AM
Sunrise
6:06 PM
Sunset
25%
Cloud cover
Sweater, rain coat and rain boots
What to wear
What to wear in September
With an average high of 63°F (17°C) and a low of 47°F (9°C), it generally feels moderately chilly, humid but cool. There might also be a very high chance of rain. With that in mind, most people would dress in something moderately warm like a sweater and top it off with a rain coat and rain boots
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Best attractions for Thimphu in September

Besides the array of exciting events and activities Thimphu has to offer for travelers in September, we want to remind you of the classic attractions in Thimphu that are great to visit at this time of the year as well! You can’t miss these iconic landmarks, local favorites, and places rich with cultural heritage. We hope to give you insights and inspiration into the best things to see and do to make the most of your visit. Here is a list of our top attractions in Thimphu for September.
Dochula Pass
1. Dochula Pass
4.8
(187)
Mountain pass
Outdoor Activities
Buddha Dordenma Statue སྟོན་པ་རྡོར་གདན་མ།
2. Buddha Dordenma Statue སྟོན་པ་རྡོར་གདན་མ།
4.7
(3811)
Buddhist temple
Sights & Landmarks
Towering Buddha statue overlooking the valley & perched above a temple filled with art & exhibits.
National Memorial Chhorten རྒྱལ་ཡོངས་རྗེས་དྲན་མཆོད་རྟེན།
3. National Memorial Chhorten རྒྱལ་ཡོངས་རྗེས་དྲན་མཆོད་རྟེན།
4.5
(1210)
Buddhist temple
Sights & Landmarks
Iconic Buddhist stupa featuring a gilded spire, a vase-shaped upper story & 4 ornate portals.
Royal Takin Preserve
4. Royal Takin Preserve
3.8
(1159)
Nature preserve
Nature & Parks
This wildlife reserve with trails is home to takin, an antelope-goat which is the national animal.
Tashichho Dzong
5. Tashichho Dzong
Building
Sights & Landmarks
Bhutan Postal Main Office
6. Bhutan Postal Main Office
4.0
(200)
Post office
Sights & Landmarks
Clock Tower, Thimphu
7. Clock Tower, Thimphu
4.4
(1074)
City park
Sights & Landmarks
Town square featuring a clock tower covered in Bhutanese carvings, plus fountains & prayer wheels.
Royal Textile Academy རྒྱལ་འཛིན་ཐག་རིག་སློབ་སྡེ།
8. Royal Textile Academy རྒྱལ་འཛིན་ཐག་རིག་སློབ་སྡེ།
4.3
(409)
Non-profit organization
Museums
Traditional Bhutanese textiles are the focus at this academy, which features a museum & classes.
Folk Heritage Museum Kawajangsa
9. Folk Heritage Museum Kawajangsa
4.2
(623)
Heritage museum
Museums
Folk heritage exhibits & demonstrations in a restored 18th-century house, plus educational programs.
Changangkha Lhakhang
10. Changangkha Lhakhang
Building
Sights & Landmarks
Bustling temple complex known for its vibrant murals, prayer wheels & sweeping views.
National Library & Archives of Bhutan
11. National Library & Archives of Bhutan
4.3
(44)
National library
Libraries
Choki Traditional Art School
12. Choki Traditional Art School
4.7
(14)
Art school
Sights & Landmarks
Simtokha Dzong སེམས་རྟོགས་ཁ་རྫོང་།
13. Simtokha Dzong སེམས་རྟོགས་ཁ་རྫོང་།
4.5
(403)
Fortress
Sights & Landmarks
17th-century fortress & monastery featuring many ornate carvings & chapels with colorful murals.
Tango Buddhist University
14. Tango Buddhist University
4.6
(25)
University
Sights & Landmarks
Simply Bhutan
15. Simply Bhutan
4.4
(959)
Heritage museum
Museums
Museum resembling a Bhutanese village, featuring traditional cuisine, demonstrations & performances.
National Institute for Zorig Chusum
16. National Institute for Zorig Chusum
4.2
(30)
Art school
Sights & Landmarks

Looking for day-by-day itineraries in Thimphu?

Get inspired for your trip to Thimphu with our curated itineraries that are jam-packed with popular attractions everyday! Check them out here:

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