Before you book
Questions we get asked
Visas, the daily fee, flights, altitude and what travelling in Bhutan actually involves.
Booking and visas
What you need to arrange before you fly.
Yes, unless you hold an Indian, Bangladeshi or Maldivian passport. We process it for you once the trip is confirmed: we need a scan of your passport photo page, and your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates.
More than you used to be able to, less than you can elsewhere. Since 2022 visitors may book hotels and apply for the visa themselves, but a licensed guide is still required for dzongs, monuments and treks, which is most of what you come for. You are not escorted every waking minute (you can walk around town on your own), but almost everyone still travels with a guide, transport and route arranged in advance.
Six to nine months for October, November, or any festival trip. Three months is comfortable for other times of year. Ask even if it seems late: we have arranged trips at a fortnight's notice.
Not by law any more: since Bhutan reopened in September 2022 you may book hotels and apply for the visa yourself. In practice almost everyone still uses an operator: a licensed guide remains mandatory for dzongs, monuments and treks, and an operator arranges the guide, transport, permits, hotels and route in one go. We are registered with the Department of Tourism, Bhutan.
There is no cap on numbers. The government protects the culture and the environment through the High Value, Low Impact policy instead: the aim being visitors who respect the place, rather than simply fewer of them.
The visa fee and the Sustainable Development Fee are paid to the Royal Government through the Department of Tourism's system when your visa is processed. The trip itself is paid to us by bank transfer, and we set out the schedule in writing with your quote before you pay anything.
Money and what it costs
The daily fee, what is included, and what is not.
A per-person, per-night fee set by the government, separate from the cost of the trip itself. It funds free healthcare, free education and environmental work. The current rate is US$100 per night for most international visitors (half for children aged six to twelve, free under six). We confirm the figure that applies to your dates with every quote.
Transport with a private vehicle and driver, a licensed guide, accommodation, all meals, all entry fees, the visa fee, the Sustainable Development Fee, and all internal taxes. On treks, all camping equipment, the camp crew and pack animals too.
International flights, travel insurance, drinks, laundry, personal expenses and tips. We ask every guest to arrange travel insurance, and for treks it must cover emergency evacuation.
The ngultrum, whose value is tied to the Indian rupee. Rupees are also widely accepted, though large-denomination Indian notes may not be.
It is not obligatory and nobody will be awkward about it. It is customary and appreciated. Your guide can advise on what is usual if you ask.
On the ground
What the days are actually like.
A small, landlocked country in the eastern Himalayas, between India and China. The landscape runs from subtropical plains and forest in the south to subalpine forest and snow peaks in the north. It is predominantly Buddhist, and is known as the last stronghold of Mahayana Buddhism.
Standard trips use government-approved three-star hotels, which are clean, comfortable and usually locally run. Luxury properties (Amankora, Six Senses, Como Uma and others) are available at additional cost. In the east, standards are simpler across the board.
Bhutanese food is chilli-based: ema datshi, chillies and cheese, is the national dish and is genuinely hot. Hotels serve a buffet that mixes Bhutanese, Indian and Continental dishes, so you will not go hungry if chillies are not for you. Vegetarian is easy; tell us about any other requirement and we will pass it on.
Wifi in most hotels in the west, patchier in the east, none on trek. Mobile coverage is good in the valleys and absent on the high routes. A local SIM is cheap and easy to arrange on arrival.
Layers, whatever the season: mornings and evenings are cold even in summer. Comfortable walking shoes with grip for Taktsang. Something with sleeves and long trousers or a long skirt for visiting dzongs and temples. Sunscreen and a hat: the sun at altitude is strong. We send a full list with your confirmed itinerary.
You may photograph almost anything outdoors. Inside temples and dzongs it is usually not permitted, and during religious ceremonies it depends. Your guide will tell you where the line is: please ask rather than assume.