Are there mosquitoes in Bhutan? Few in the high valleys, more in the south.

Are there mosquitoes in Bhutan? Yes, but mostly in the warm southern foothills along the border with India. Paro, Thimphu and Bumthang sit in high valleys where surveys haven't recorded the dengue mosquito, so the usual circuit carries little mosquito-borne risk. Phuentsholing and Gelephu in the south are where dengue recurs, busiest from May to November.

The southern foothills: dengue and the border towns

In 2019 Bhutan had its largest dengue epidemic and its first nationwide one, with 5,935 cases between April 29 and December 8, a 2021 study found. Phuentsholing was the epicenter. Aedes aegypti has been reported in Chukha, Phuentsholing's district, and in Samtse, Samdrup Jongkhar and Wangdue Phodrang, and the tiger mosquito in 16 of Bhutan's 20 districts.

Recent years have been far quieter. A World Health Organization regional bulletin from October 2026 puts Bhutan's confirmed cases at about two dozen a month at most from October 2025 through August 2026, below the same months a year earlier, with the usual rise from May. Bhutan isn't on CDC's global dengue notice. The dengue mosquito bites by day, with peaks after sunrise and in the late afternoon, so in Phuentsholing, Gelephu and other southern towns put repellent on in the morning and again before sunset. Our dengue & Zika routine has the full schedule.

CDC's Bhutan page lists no malaria medicine and names no risk areas. Its one mention reads, "Malaria is a risk in some parts of Bhutan. If you are going to a risk area, fill your malaria prescription before you leave." A 2026 study found 81% of Bhutan's 693 malaria cases from 2013 to 2024 were imported, most from India, with hotspots that include the major entry points. Bhutan's health ministry says the country has applied for World Health Organization malaria-free certification and reports no local cases since late 2021. If you're entering or leaving overland through Phuentsholing, or spending time in the southern border districts, ask a travel clinic 4–6 weeks before departure. Our India briefing covers the other side of the border.

Paro, Thimphu, Punakha and Bumthang

Surveys haven't recorded the tiger mosquito in Paro, Thimphu or Bumthang, and bites on the Tiger's Nest hike or in Thimphu tend to be rare. Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang sit lower and warmer among rice terraces, and the tiger mosquito lives there. Rice fields are also where Culex tritaeniorhynchus, the main Japanese encephalitis mosquito, breeds. It's documented in the southern districts, and JE mosquitoes occur in some interior ones too. Repellent before dinner covers a short summer stay, and CDC's JE vaccine advice is in the questions below.

On rural walks and farm stays in the lower valleys, wear long pants and don't sit on the grass. Chiggers there spread scrub typhus, which has increasingly affected Bhutan since it was first detected in 2008.

When to go

March to May, the dry spring, and late September to November tend to be the most comfortable months. Dengue in the south is low before May and in 2025–2026 ran highest from July to November, so a fall route through the south still needs the daytime routine. July and August are the monsoon peak, with heavy rain and the most dengue and JE exposure in the southern foothills. December to February is cold, with frost and snow above about 9,800 feet (3,000 m), and the central valleys tend to be close to bite-free.

Where you're going

How the four usual stops compare in any month.

Adding Nepal? Our Nepal briefing covers Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan.

One more rule outlasts the trip. Any fever during or after your trip means a doctor visit, and you tell them you were in Bhutan and whether you went south or crossed overland from India.

Traveler questions