Bhutan guide
Bhutan, explained without the brochure language
The rules, seasons, etiquette and practical details that actually shape a journey here, written by the team who plans them.
Visas and the Sustainable Development Fee
Most international visitors need a visa arranged through a licensed Bhutanese operator, and pay the Sustainable Development Fee for every night in the country. We file both before you fly, so you arrive with the paperwork already settled. Indian passport holders travel on an entry permit with a lower regional fee.
What a journey costs
Our published prices are per person and include the Sustainable Development Fee, visa, hotels, meals, a licensed guide, private transport and entry fees. International flights, travel insurance, drinks and personal spending sit outside the price, and every quote lists them plainly.
Seasons and altitude
Spring brings rhododendrons and clear passes, summer is green but wet, autumn is the steadiest window of the year, and winter is cold and bright in the low valleys. Valley floors sit between 1,200 and 2,600 metres, while road passes reach 3,100 to 3,900, so routes climb gradually.
Etiquette in monasteries and villages
Remove shoes and hats inside shrine rooms, walk clockwise around chortens and prayer wheels, and ask before photographing people or rituals. Dress modestly in dzongs, and never point your feet at an altar. Your guide will quietly keep you right.
Regions at a glance
Paro holds the airport and Taktsang. Thimphu is the capital, with museums and weekend markets. Punakha is warm and low, with the largest dzong in the country. Phobjikha is a glacial valley of cranes and potato fields. Bumthang is the spiritual heart, and Haa and Zhemgang stay quiet and rural.
Insurance and mountain cover
Bhutan no longer requires proof of insurance to enter, but mountain roads cross high passes and Paro flights are daylight-only. Carry cover for medical treatment, evacuation above 3,000 metres and flight delays.