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Curious About Costs, Connectivity, Cuisine, and Culture? Find Every Answer You Need to Plan Your Trip.
Everything you need to know before you begin your journey.
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) bring the clearest mountain views and the country’s major festivals, or tshechus. Both seasons pair well with a wellness itinerary, since daytime temperatures are mild enough for valley walks and early monastery visits.
Yes. All non-Indian visitors need a visa arranged in advance through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator, which is processed alongside your Sustainable Development Fee. We handle this as part of your booking — you’ll receive approval before you travel, and your visa is stamped on arrival.
Handled for you
Most travellers fly into Paro International Airport, the country’s only international airport, tucked into a narrow Himalayan valley. Flights connect through Delhi, Kathmandu, Bangkok, Singapore, or Kolkata. Overland entry from India is also possible via the southern border towns.
Bhutan has very low rates of crime against visitors, and every itinerary includes a licensed guide who stays with you throughout. Solo travellers often find the guided structure reassuring rather than restrictive — it’s also how you’ll get access to sites closed to the public.
The SDF is a nightly fee paid by every international visitor, funding Bhutan’s free healthcare, education, and environmental conservation. It’s separate from your package cost and is confirmed at the time of visa processing. We quote it clearly, line by line, before you commit to anything.
Accommodation, a private guide and driver, all ground transport, entry fees to dzongs and monasteries, and the wellness programming specific to your itinerary — be it a silence retreat, a trekking route, or a hot stone bath tradition. Flights and personal spending are the main exceptions.
Within reason, yes. Because your guide and permits are arranged around your route, changes made more than three weeks out are usually straightforward. Closer to departure, we’ll always tell you plainly what’s possible and what isn’t rather than promising flexibility we can’t deliver.
Several nights at a working monastery guesthouse, with mornings set aside for meditation alongside resident monks and afternoons left unscheduled. Meals are simple and vegetarian. It suits travellers who want structure without a packed itinerary.
No prior experience is expected. Guides adjust pacing to the group, and the monastic teachers we work with are used to welcoming complete beginners. What matters more is a willingness to sit still for a few hours a day.
It depends on the itinerary. A traditional hot stone bath or a silence retreat asks little of the body. A trek to a cliffside monastery like Taktsang involves several hours of uphill walking at altitude. We grade every itinerary by effort level before you book, so there are no surprises.
Layers are essential — valley floors and mountain passes can differ by 15 degrees in the same afternoon. Bring sturdy, broken-in walking shoes, a warm mid-layer even in summer, and modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees for temple visits.
Paro sits at roughly 2,200 metres and some monastery hikes climb well above that. Mild breathlessness on ascents is normal; genuine altitude sickness is uncommon at these elevations but not impossible. Your guide carries basic supplies and will always slow the pace before pushing through discomfort.
Most travellers fly into Paro International Airport, the country’s only international airport, tucked into a narrow Himalayan valley. Flights connect through Delhi, Kathmandu, Bangkok, Singapore, or Kolkata. Overland entry from India is also possible via the southern border towns.
Coverage is reliable in towns like Thimphu and Paro and patchier in the mountains, which many guests come to appreciate rather than resent. Most hotels offer Wi-Fi; remote guesthouses on multi-day treks generally do not.
Shoulders and knees covered, no hats indoors, and shoes removed before entering shrine rooms. Bhutanese visitors often wear the national dress, the gho and kira, for formal occasions — you’re not expected to, but modest, respectful dress goes a long way.
Generally no, inside shrine rooms and around religious statues — this is treated seriously, not as a formality. Courtyards and exteriors are usually fine. Your guide will tell you exactly where the line sits at each site.
A slight bow with hands together is always welcome, though a warm smile carries just as far. Bhutanese hospitality is famously unhurried — accepting tea or a moment of conversation, rather than rushing to the next stop, is part of the experience.