Traveling in Bhutan: What You Need to Know Before You Go

bhutan for tourism

Unless you're from a select few countries, such as India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives, travel to Bhutan is expensive and not easily undertaken. However, the distinctive Buddhist culture, unspoiled scenery, and fresh mountain air make it very worthwhile. The number of people visiting Bhutan is increasing every year, reflective of growing interest in the country as a tourism destination. Here's what you need to know to plan your trip.

Tours and Independent Travel

The Bhutanese government is hesitant about allowing visitors into the country. Independent travel to Bhutan is opening up, but it's not something the government encourages. Generally, visitors to Bhutan must either be tourists or guests of the government. The only other options for visiting the country are to receive an invitation from "a citizen of some standing" or a volunteer organization.

With the exception of passport holders from India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives, all tourists must travel on a pre-planned, prepaid, guided package tour or custom-designed travel program.

Getting a Visa

Everyone traveling to Bhutan must obtain a visa in advance, except for passport holders from India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. Passport holders from these three countries are classified as "regional tourists" and can obtain a free Entry Permit on arrival upon producing their passport with a minimum of six months validity. Indian nationals can also use their Voters Identity Card. Citizens of these countries must still pay a Sustainable Development Fee of $17 per day. An exemption applies to tourists visiting 11 specific districts in eastern Bhutan, from Trongsa to Trashigang. The Bhutanese government is aiming to increase tourism in this region.

For other passport holders, the Sustainable Development Fee is $65, which is included in the "Minimum Daily Package" rate (see below). The visa cost is $40. The visas must be applied for and paid for in advance, from registered tour operators (not embassies), at the same time as booking the rest of your trip. You should make your travel arrangements at least 90 days before travel to allow time for all the formalities to be completed.

The visas are processed through an online system by the tour operators and are approved by the Tourism Council of Bhutan once full payment of the cost of the trip has been received. Tourists are issued a visa clearance letter to be presented at immigration upon arrival at the airport. The visa is then stamped in the passport.

Getting There

The only international airport in Bhutan is located at Paro, about an hour's drive from Thimphu. Currently, two national airlines operate flights to Bhutan: Drukair and Bhutan Airlines. Departure points include Bangkok (Thailand), Kathmandu (Nepal), New Delhi and Kolkata (India), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Yangoon (Myanmar), and Singapore.

It's also possible to travel to Bhutan from India overland by road. The main border crossing is Jaigaon-Phuentsholing. There are two others, at Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar.

The minimum price of tours (called a "Minimum Daily Package") to Bhutan is set by the government to control tourism and protect the environment, and can't be negotiated. The price includes all accommodations, meals, transportation, guides and porters, and cultural programs. Part of it also goes towards free education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation in Bhutan.

"Minimum Daily Package" prices vary according to the season and the number of tourists in the group.

High Season: March, April, May, September, October, and November

  • $250 per person per day for a group of three or more people.
  • $280 per person per day for a group of two people.
  • $290 per day for single individuals.

Low Season: January, February, June, July, and August

  • $200 per person per day for a group of three or more people.
  • $230 per person per day for a group of two people.
  • $240 per day for single individuals.

Discounts are available for children and students.

Do note that each tour operator has their preferred hotels. These are often the ones that cost less. Therefore, tourists should find out the hotels they've been assigned to, do some research about hotels in Bhutan, and ask to switch hotels if they are not satisfied. Most people assume they're stuck with a fixed itinerary and the hotels allocated to them. However, tour companies will, in fact, accommodate requests in order to keep business.

Tour Companies

The Bhutan Tourist Corporation Limited (BTCL) is highly recommended for making travel bookings to Bhutan. This company is owned by members of the royal family and advertises itself as Bhutan's number one travel agency since 1991. The drivers, guides, and accommodations provided are excellent. If you're interested in photography, see what Rainbow Photography Tours of Bhutan has to offer.

The Tourism Council of Bhutan also has a list of registered tour operators on its website.

The Bhutanese currency is called Ngultrum (BTN) and its value is linked to the Indian Rupee. The Indian Rupee can be used as legal tender in Bhutan, but the Ngultrum is not legal tender in India. There are a limited number of ATMs available.

Development in Bhutan

Bhutan is rapidly changing with a great deal of construction going on, particularly in Thimphu and Paro. As a result, these places have already started to lose their charm and authenticity. Visitors are advised to fly internally from Paro to Bumthang, in the heart of Bhutan, in order to experience the traditional Bhutan. If you're thinking about visiting Bhutan, it's better to go sooner rather than later!

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7 Days In Bhutan Travel Itinerary: Best Things To Do & See

Bhutan is a wonderful, secluded little country in the Himalayas. It’s definitely not the easiest country to visit, but it’s worth the effort if you’re looking for a really unique travel experience. I spent one week in Bhutan recently and enjoyed every moment.

Most people spend 5 to 7 days in Bhutan, and an itinerary like that gives you enough time to see many of the top highlights of the country, although you’ll still probably be sad to leave.

Bhutan is full of interesting culture and nature, and yet it’s pretty unspoiled by tourism. Even places that would normally be very crowded and touristy, like the Tiger’s Nest Monastery , still feel refreshingly authentic and personal.

In this travel blog, I’ll share my ideal Bhutan itinerary and some of the best things to do if you have one week in the country! This is basically the same itinerary I used in Bhutan, with a few improvements based on my experience.

Contents hide 1) Best Bhutan Tour Company 2) Bhutan Itinerary Day 1: Paro Acclimatization 3) Bhutan Itinerary Day 2: Thimphu 4) Bhutan Itinerary Day 3: Gangtey Valley 5) Bhutan Itinerary Day 4: Punakha & Wangdue 6) Bhutan Itinerary Day 5: Revisiting Thimphu 7) Bhutan Itinerary Day 6: Tiger’s Nest Monastery 8) Bhutan Itinerary Day 7: Paro Farewell 9) 5 Days In Bhutan Itinerary 10) More Bhutan Travel Tips

Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do Tigers Nest Monastery Hike Paro Taktsang

The Tiger’s Nest Monastery hike was one of my favorite experiences in Bhutan

Best Bhutan Tour Company

For most nationalities, the only way you can visit Bhutan is with a visa and tour organized by a local Bhutanese tour company. There’s also a daily tax of $100 USD per person, which is a rule established by the Bhutanese government to try to ensure ‘quality over quantity’ tourism.

I visited Bhutan with this tour company on GetYourGuide. It was a great experience, and I would happily recommend them to anyone! The owner of the company, Tsenrig, helped me craft the perfect 7-day Bhutan itinerary, with a visit to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery and lots of other great sights around the country of Bhutan.

Their most popular itineraries are 5 or 7 days , but they also have tours of 9 or 10 days , or even as long as 15 or 20 days. The itinerary is very flexible and you can choose the sights you most want to see on each day you spend in the country of Bhutan.

My private tour guide, L. Dorji, was fantastic and very helpful, staying at my side every step of the way. He even kindly insisted to carry my heavy backpack for me, and helped me swap between my camera lenses whenever I was taking pictures.

Dorji knew every detail about the history of Bhutan, and he’s been giving tours for decades. He was one of the best tour guides I’ve had anywhere in the world. Overall, I would highly recommend this company for your travel to Bhutan!

Book Now: Bhutan Tour 5 / 7 / 9 Days

Bhutan Itinerary Day 1: Paro Acclimatization

Welcome to Bhutan! You’ll probably be tired after your flight to Paro. Start your itinerary with a low key visit to Ta Dzong, located just a 20 minute drive from the airport.

This odd looking cylindrical building is a 17th century watch tower that now serves as the national museum of Bhutan. Inside, there are Bhutanese paintings, statues, weapons, and other artifacts.

For me, the best part was seeing the outside and the view of the valley below.

Ta Dzong Paro Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

Ta Dzong — the national museum of Bhutan

• Paro Dzong

For most tourists, the Paro Dzong will be your first real experience with a Bhutanese fortress-monastery (called a ‘dzong’). These are kind of like the castles of Bhutan.

Also known as the Rinpung Dzong, this is the main fortress and monastery in Paro town, and it was built in the 17th century overlooking the river and valley. The name basically means “fortress of the heap of jewels.”

The outside walls are impressive, and so is the inside of the courtyard. Don’t miss the giant bee hives hanging from the windows!

You can walk through this fortress in just 30 minutes or so, but it’s well worth a visit! The best photo spot is on the path leading to it.

Rinpung Dzong Paro Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

The 17th century Rinpung Dzong in Paro

• Kyichu Lhakhang

Kyichu Lhakhang is a small Buddhist temple that dates back to the 7th century, making it one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.

This one is just a 10 minute drive north of Paro town, so it’s easy to visit even if you’re short on time.  

• Archery Match

Archery has been the national game of Bhutan since 1971, and the locals are always practicing their skills with a bow and arrow. It’s fun to watch an archery match and some of these guys are really skilled.

I decided to skip this since I was exhausted and wanted to save energy for other things, but I still got to witness some archery matches from a distance later on when we were driving around the countryside of Bhutan.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities to see archery while you’re traveling in Bhutan.  

• Paro Town

If you still have energy, you can spend the rest of the day roaming around Paro town and shopping for souvenirs. There are lots of shops on the main street and they have a good selection of Bhutanese crafts, plus the usual shirts and fridge magnets, and other items for sale.  

• Overnight In Paro

Stay overnight in Paro, which has an altitude of about 2,200 meters (7,200 ft). I stayed at Hotel Olathang, which is a historic 3-star hotel on a hill, surrounded by pine forests and overlooking the Paro valley. It was a little dated, but the location is nice.  

Bhutan Itinerary Day 2: Thimphu

• drive to thimphu.

After breakfast, you’ll drive to Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. Even though the distance from Paro to Thimphu is only 45 kilometers, the drive takes 60-90 minutes because of the winding mountain roads.

Along the way, you’ll pass another monastery across the river called Tachog Lhakhang, as well as an old iron suspension bridge. Your guide can make a quick stop to let you take some photos of it before continuing to Thimphu.  

• Taschichho Dzong

The Tashichho Dzong is a giant fortress-monastery that also serves as the seat of the government in Thimphu.

I was lucky to visit Bhutan during the annual Tshechu festival, which is usually held in Thimphu in late September or early October, so I was able to watch the mask dance here, together with thousands of locals wearing their colorful national clothes.

It was pretty fascinating, and I consider it one of the highlights of my trip to Bhutan!

Tashichho Dzong Tsechu Festival Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

Thousands of locals gathered at Tashichho Dzong for the annual Tsechu festival

Tashichho Dzong Tsechu Festival Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

Mask dance at the Tsechu festival

• Cheri Monastery

The Cheri monastery hike is a nice little excursion into the forest near Thimphu, where you can see some wildlife and a 17th century monastery on the hillside.

This hike takes about 45-60 minutes going up, depending on your pace, and a bit less going down. Most of it is uphill, but it’s not as hard as the famous Tiger’s Nest hike , so most people won’t have any problem with it.

We saw birds, mountain goats, and langur monkeys here. My guide told me you could sometimes hear tigers roaring in the distance during the 1980s, and they still occasionally see Himalayan black bears in this area since it’s on the edge of the Jigme Dorji National Park.

Cheri Gomba Tango Monastery Hike Chagri Dorjeden Thimphu Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

Cheri Monastery requires a bit of hiking

Grey Langur Monkey Wildlife

We saw grey langur monkeys near the monastery

• Overnight In Thimphu

Stay overnight in Thimphu, which has an altitude of about 2,300 meters (7,500 ft). I stayed at a 3-star hotel called Kisa Villa, which has a garden and close up views of the Taschichho Dzong. You can even see the dzong lit up at night.  

Bhutan Itinerary Day 3: Gangtey Valley

• dochula pass & drukwangyel.

Day three begins with the drive from Thimphu to Phobjikha. This takes about 3 hours because of the usual zigzag roads of Bhutan, but there’s lots of great scenery to enjoy along the way.

After about 45 minutes of driving, you’ll stop at Dochula Pass, a high mountain pass with an altitude of 3,150 meters (10,335 feet). Morning is the best time to come here.

On a clear day, you can get some great views of the snow capped Himalayan mountains in the distance. One of these is Gangkhar Puensum, the highest mountain in Bhutan and the highest unclimbed mountain in the world!

There’s also a monastery at Dochula Pass with 108 stupas, which were built to commemorate 100 years of monarchy in Bhutan. The weather was cloudy when I went, but we were still able to catch some glimpses of the mountains in the distance.

Dochula Pass Drukwangyel Temple

Drukwangyel temple in the clouds

• Gangtey Monastery

After more driving, you’ll reach Phobjikha and visit the Gangtey Monastery, a colorful 17th century building that overlooks the valley.

When I visited, the place was packed with locals and they were practicing their dance moves for another upcoming festival.

Gangtey Monastery Phobjika Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

Another festival at the Gangtey Monastery

• Kwewa Village Nature Trail

From the Gangtey monastery, there’s a nice little point-to-point nature trail that goes down the hill, through the forest, and across the valley of Phobjikha.

Most of this hike is mild and easy, but it takes about 1 hour or more to reach the end of the trail, where your driver will be waiting for you and your guide.

You can see horses in the valley, and black necked cranes also migrate here during the months of November to February.

Phobjikha Valley

Phobjikha valley

• Black Necked Crane Center

After seeing the Phobjikha valley, you have the option to visit an information center for the black necked cranes that tells more about the birds, and they also have telescopes for bird watching.

I decided to skip this and rest at the hotel, since the black necked cranes were out of season when I visited in September.  

• Overnight In Phobjikha

Stay overnight in the Phobjikha valley, which has an altitude of about 3,000 meters (9,800 ft). This is the highest place you’ll stay in this Bhutan itinerary.

I was expecting the hotel here to be a little rough since it’s a more remote location, but actually it was very comfortable. I stayed at the 3-star Gakiling Guest House, which had nice views of the valley, fast WiFi, good food, and friendly staff.  

Bhutan Itinerary Day 4: Punakha & Wangdue

• punakha dzong.

After breakfast, it’s time for the 2 hour drive from Phobjikha to Punakha, which will start to take you back west again, in the same direction you came from earlier.

The first place to visit in Punakha is the Punakha Dzong, which is one of the oldest and biggest fortresses in Bhutan. The view from across the Mo Chu river is an iconic photo of Bhutan.

You can go inside this dzong and wander the courtyard. There are lots of nice details on the inside, including an impressive gold door. Overall, I’d say it’s the best dzong I visited in Bhutan.

The altitude in Punakha is only roughly 1,200 meters (about 4,000 feet), so it’s a lot lower than the other places you’ve visited in Bhutan so far. That also means it’s warmer, so you may want to dress lighter here.

When I visited Punakha in September, I was hot even without a jacket! I felt like swimming in the river to escape the heat.

Punakha Dzong River

The iconic view of Punakha Dzong across the river

• Chimi Lhakhang

The Chimi Lhakhang is probably one of the oddest temples in Bhutan. It’s a fertility temple with phalluses and other sexual symbols, established by the ‘divine madman’ in the 15th century.

Childless couples often come here to pray for a child, and when you go inside the temple, they even have a bizarre tradition where they bop you on the head with a wooden phallus as a blessing.

The temple is set on a hill, so in order to reach it you have to do a mini trek up the hill for about 15 to 30 minutes, making it a bit harder to access than some of the other temples in Bhutan.

Chimi Lhakhang

Chimi Lhakhang

• Pho Chu River Bridge

One of the best sights in the Punakha area is the bridge over the Pho Chu river, which is actually known as the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan!

You can walk across the entire 200 meter bridge to the other side, and it has wonderful views of the valley and the turquoise glacier water of the Pho Chu river.

Phochu River Suspension Bridge Punakha Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

Amazing views at the Pho Chu river bridge

• Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten

My favorite view in the Punakha area was on our last stop of the day, when we hiked up to a stupa in the mountains. The name of this one is hard to say: Khamsum Yulley Namgyal.

Hiking to this spot takes about 1 hour, and it’s all uphill. Along the way, you get some amazing views of the rice terraces and the Punakha valley. The top has a 30 meter tall stupa and great views of the mountains.

If you’re reasonably fit and don’t mind a bit of hiking, this spot should definitely be on your Bhutan itinerary. It’s one of the best things to do in the country!

Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

Mountain view at the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal

Punakha Rice Fields Mountains

Green rice fields of Punakha

• Overnight In Punakha

Stay overnight in Punakha, which has an altitude of about 1,200 meters (4,000 ft). I stayed at a new hotel called Divine Heritage House, which had lots of windows so you could enjoy the views of the rice terraces.  

Bhutan Itinerary Day 5: Revisiting Thimphu

• buddha dordenma.

After breakfast, retrace your route back to Thimphu by driving over the Dochula Pass again. The drive will take a total of about 2 hours from Punakha to Thimphu. Welcome back to the capital!

Start your fifth day of sightseeing in Bhutan with a visit to the giant golden Buddha statue on the hill overlooking Thimphu valley. It’s one of the famous icons of Bhutan.

The Buddha Dordenma statue, as it’s called, is also one of the biggest Buddha statues in the world, with a height of 52 meters (169 feet). At a cost of more than $100 million USD, it was built to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Bhutan’s fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.

Buddha Dordenma Statue Thimphu Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

The giant Buddha Dordenma statue

• Sangay-gang Viewpoint

En route to the Takin Preserve, make a quick stop at the Sangay-gang viewpoint for a good picture of Thimphu city from above.

After a 20 minute drive up the mountain, you can see the entire city of Thimphu below you, and there are some nature trails here if you want to explore a bit longer.  

• Motithang Royal Takin Preserve

The Takin (pronounced ‘tah-kin’) is the national animal of Bhutan. Before my trip, I didn’t even know these animals exist! They look kind of like a cross between a goat and a buffalo.

The Takin Preserve near Thimphu is home to almost two dozen takins, plus a few sambar and barking deer. There’s a metal walkway that runs along the outside of the sanctuary, so you can get a good view of the animals and easily take pictures.

The Takin is a protected animal in Bhutan, and they’re not seen very often in the wild except in places like Jigme Dorji National Park. The Takin preserve allows you to photograph them from a fairly close distance, while still giving them space to roam around and be themselves.

Royal Takin Preserve Thimphu Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

The Takin is the national animal of Bhutan.

Royal Takin Preserve Thimphu Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

Another photo from the Takin Preserve

• National Memorial Stupa

After the Takin Preserve, we made a quick stop at the National Memorial Stupa, which is located in the center of Thimphu city.

This white stupa was built in 1974 to honor the third king of Bhutan, and elderly Buddhist believers come here to circumambulate (walk around the stupa) in a clockwise direction while praying.

Memorial Chorten Stupa Thimphu

The Memorial Stupa in Thimphu city. Notice the people walking around it in circles.

• Zorig Chusum Arts & Crafts School

Zorig Chusum is a school in Thimphu where young people in Bhutan learn how to make traditional arts and crafts. This includes things like calligraphy, painting, carving, sculpting, textiles, and more.

There’s nothing for sale here, but you can watch the students working and training, which is interesting to see. Each room has a different art being practiced, and some of their designs are very good.

Zorig Chusum Arts Crafts School

You can see all kinds of arts and crafts at the Zorig Chusum school in Thimphu

• Farmer’s Market

Our last stop of the day was at the farmer’s market in Thimphu, where we saw all kinds of fruits and vegetables for sale.

There was quite a selection and it was fun to walk through all the aisles and look at everything, even though I didn’t buy. Chili peppers were everywhere since they’re such an important ingredient in Bhutanese food.

There were even some of the more exotic fruits for sale, like dragonfruit, which I didn’t expect to see in a mountain country like Bhutan.

Farmers Market Tomatoes Vegetables Thimphu

Veggies for sale at the farmer’s market

Stay overnight in Thimphu once again. I was happy to be back at the familiar Kisa Villa, enjoying the good food and nice views of the Thimphu fortress from my window.  

Bhutan Itinerary Day 6: Tiger’s Nest Monastery

• drive to paro.

It’s your sixth day in Bhutan, and that means it’s time to head back to the town of Paro where you started. After breakfast, you’ll drive approximately 1.5 hours to Paro and then a short distance past Paro to do the hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery.  

• Tiger’s Nest Hike

It’s finally time for the grand finale of your Bhutan itinerary: the Tiger’s Nest Monastery !

A lot of tours in Bhutan save this for the end of the trip because it’s such a special place, and also because it gives you more time to become acclimated to altitude before attempting the hike.

The Tiger’s Nest Monastery is an amazing 17th century building that clings to the side of a steep 900 meter cliff. It almost looks unreal.

This is easily the most famous and photogenic place in Bhutan, and I consider it one of the most amazing day hikes anywhere in the world.

Tigers Nest Monastery Hike Paro Taktsang Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

The famous Tiger’s Nest Monastery

You will need to spend a full day visiting the Tiger’s Nest since the hike takes about 4 to 8 hours, not including the time spent taking photos and touring the inside of the temple.

You can have lunch at the halfway point of the hike, where there’s a cafeteria with great views of the mountain. The whole experience is awesome.

The hike is a bit challenging, but most people of average fitness won’t have a problem with it. I wrote a complete guide for the Tiger’s Nest hike, which you can read in the link below.

Read More: How To Do The Tiger’s Nest Monastery Hike

Tigers Nest Monastery Hike Paro Taktsang Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

Up close view of Paro Taktsang — the Tiger’s Nest Monastery!

• Bhutanese Cooking Class (Optional)

In the evening, if you’re interested, you can join a Bhutanese cooking class and learn how to make local dishes like Ema Datshi, Kewa Datshi, and Jasha Maru at a farmer’s house.  

• Hot Stone Bath (Optional)

Another activity I was offered at the end of the day is a hot stone bath, where rocks from the river are heated up over a fire and then put in a wooden tub with herbs.

It’s a good way to relax and unwind at the end of your Bhutan trip, especially after hiking to the Tiger’s Nest earlier in the day.  

Spend your last night in Bhutan back in Paro, relaxing and soaking up the views at Hotel Olathang. This location was one of my favorites.  

Bhutan Itinerary Day 7: Paro Farewell

• dzongdrakha monastery (optional).

It’s your last day in Bhutan. If you still have time and energy, you may want to do something extra before you leave. In my case, my flight back to Bangkok with Druk Air was at 4:20 PM, so that gave me a bit of extra time to use.

Another special place you can visit in the Paro area is the Dzongdrakha Monastery. This is a cliffside monastery similar to the Tiger’s Nest, although it’s a shorter and easier hike. Not as many tourists know about it, so you might have the place all to yourself.

Keep in mind the tour providers in Bhutan normally don’t include any activities like this on the last day of the trip, so there may be an extra charge to add it to your itinerary.  

• Go To Airport

After a wonderful 7 days in Bhutan, my driver and guide brought me to the airport, and it was time to say goodbye. Bhutan was a special experience and I was sad to leave.  

Tashichho Dzong Tsechu Festival Bhutan Travel Itinerary 7 Days Best Things To Do

Mask dancer at the Tsechu festival in Thimphu

Forest Shrine Guru Rinpoche Rock Painting Cheri Tango Chagri Dorjeden

Shrine in the forest on the way to Cheri Monastery

5 Days In Bhutan Itinerary

If you’re not able to spend a full 7 days in Bhutan, a 5 day itinerary can be a good compromise, and it still allows you to see some of the highlights of the country.

Here’s what a good 5 day itinerary for Bhutan could look like:

  • Day 1. Paro acclimatization. Visit the Ta Dzong and Paro Dzong. Watch an archery match and then explore Paro town and shop for souvenirs.
  • Day 2. Paro to Thimphu. On the drive to Thimphu, see the Tamchog Lhakhang monastery and suspension bridge from a distance. Once you reach Thimphu, visit the National Memorial Stupa, the Buddha Dordenma statue, and the Tashichho Dzong, plus the farmer’s market and any other sights that interest you in Thimphu city.
  • Day 3. Thimphu to Punakha. On the drive to Punakha, stop at the Dochula Pass and visit Drukwangyel monastery for views of the Himalayan mountains. Then in Punakha, visit the Punakha Dzong, the Pho Chu river bridge, Chimi Lhakhang, and the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal.
  • Day 4. Punakha to Paro. Drive back to Paro where you started, and hike up to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. If you still have time afterwards, visit Kyichu Lhakhang and then enjoy a hot stone bath in the evening.
  • Day 5. Leave Bhutan. No sightseeing activities on this day unless you have extra time available.

Tsechu Festival Bhutanese Local Girls

Kids at the Tsechu festival

Chagri Dorjeden Cheri Gomba Chorten

Stupa on the Cheri Monastery hike

More Bhutan Travel Tips

Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoyed this 7 day Bhutan travel itinerary. These are some of the best things to do in Bhutan if you have a week.

I’ll be adding more Bhutan tips to my travel blog , so don’t forget to bookmark it and check back later!  

  • Tiger’s Nest Monastery In Bhutan: Complete Hiking Guide
  • 7 Day Bhutan Tour By GetYourGuide

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Everything you need to know about visiting Bhutan

Ryan Smith

For travelers craving unspoiled nature, a less-crowded destination or an escape from life's hustles, Bhutan is an ideal destination. Visiting the Land of the Thunder Dragon isn't a simple or inexpensive trip to arrange, however, thanks to its remote location in the Himalayas.

Still, that complexity more than makes the effort worth it, as it adds to Bhutan's charm. You won't find giant shopping malls overrun with tourists, and you won't encounter heaps of trash, either, as the country banned plastic bags back in 1999.

This way of life is intentional: The country prioritizes "Gross National Happiness" rather than gross domestic product. This means the Last Shangri-La (as it's often called) limits how many tourists can visit annually — and it only opened to foreign tourists in 1974. Bhutan has strict rules in place to preserve its identity and its tranquility, so it can continue to offer idyllic experiences in a relatively untouched setting.

While this approach was easy to maintain during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, when Bhutan decided to fully close its borders to foreigners, after nearly two years, the country started welcoming visitors again Sept. 23, 2022. But with that reopening came an overhauled set of tourism rules.

If you want to have a memorable trip to this picturesque destination, here's everything to keep top of mind when planning a trip to Bhutan, one of TPG's best places to travel in 2023 .

Bhutan's tourism rules

Visitors from Bangladesh and the Maldives don't need permission to visit Bhutan, and Indian citizens only need preapproval from the government to enter. However, citizens from all other countries need a visa and must obtain it before traveling to Bhutan, as there is no option for getting one on arrival.

bhutan for tourism

Additionally, all foreigners will need to pay a daily sustainable development fee, which subsidizes Bhutan's national health care and education services for citizens and helps with the country's "high value, low volume" approach to tourism . For Indians, this daily fee is 1,200 Bhutanese ngultrum (roughly $14.50). For other nationalities, the fee is now $200 per day for adults, with a 50% discount for children ages 6 to 12 (fees are waived for children 5 and younger).

Before September 2023, the visitor fee was $65 per day, though tourists also were required to book tour packages with government-established prices typically ranging between $200 and $300 per day — a policy that's no longer in place. The removal of this tour package requirement, which included guides, meals and lodging, is welcome news to travelers who prefer to pick services a la carte and those who can use rewards points to cover some costs. It also makes it easier to budget for your trip, as the tour package fee would fluctuate depending on your chosen travel dates, unlike the revised visitor fee, which remains a set price no matter when you plan on visiting.

How to get a visa to visit Bhutan

Aside from the visa exemptions noted above, foreigners will need to pay a $40 visa application fee to visit Bhutan. It's possible to pay for the visa application fee and the daily sustainable development fee online via the Bhutan Department of Immigration website .

To apply for a visa, you'll need to submit a scanned copy of your passport (which needs to be valid for at least six months past your visit to Bhutan), plus a passport photo and proof of travel insurance covering your visit.

After providing your travel details, such as flight and hotel information, and uploading your documents, you'll have two options for payment: bank transfer or credit card. The website does not charge a fee for bank transfers, but your bank may assess a fee for international wire transfers. For payments made with an international credit card, you'll incur a 4.75% fee, though this fee is often less than what banks will charge for international wire transfers. For example, my credit card fee was $20.90, well below the $35 fee my bank would've required had I opted to pay by international wire transfer.

bhutan for tourism

Payments will report as "general" or "other" on your credit card statement when paying by credit card. Thus, you should use your favorite credit card for everyday spending since you won't earn extra points through bonus categories.

How to get to Bhutan

Although this landlocked country shares borders with India and Tibet, only the border with India permits land crossings at three points: Phuentsholing (in western Bhutan), Gelephu (in central Bhutan) and Samdrup Jongkhar (in eastern Bhutan).

There are no trains in Bhutan, so land crossings are only possible by bus or car. Road permits are required for tour operators, though these aren't needed if you arrive by bus.

Buses are available between Phuentsholing and two cities in India: Kolkata (roughly 18 hours away) and Siliguri (about four hours away). Once you arrive in Phuentsholing, you can then take a bus or taxi to Bhutan's larger cities — but take note of the requirement for guides (covered below) when traveling through these regions.

Arriving by air is also possible. Most tourists get to Bhutan by traveling to Paro International Airport (PBH) near Paro, Bhutan's second-largest city.

bhutan for tourism

Paro's airport is served by just two airlines: Bhutan Airlines (a private company) and Drukair (the national airline also known as Royal Bhutan Airlines). Both airlines fly between PBH and the following airports:

  • Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in New Delhi .
  • Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) in Kolkata.
  • Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Kathmandu, Nepal.
  • Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in Bangkok .

Drukair also offers domestic connections between PBH and Bathpalathang Airport (BUT) in Jakar, Gelephu Airport (GLU) in Gelephu and Yongphulla Airport (YON) near Trashigang, plus routes to these international airports:

  • Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) .
  • Bagdogra International Airport (IXB) in Bagdogra, India.
  • Gaya Airport (GAY) in Gaya, India.
  • Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (GAU) in Guwahati, India.

Ticket costs range from $110 per person each way for the shortest international flights to $550 per person for flights to Singapore. International airlines are not permitted to fly into Bhutan, which creates complications for award travel. You can't book these flights with your favorite Oneworld or SkyTeam partners, and you won't find these flights through the American Express travel portal or the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal . You must book directly with the airlines.

If you're looking to use points and miles for flights to Bhutan, you have a few options for reimbursing yourself after buying a ticket:

  • You can cash out points for a statement credit .
  • You can redeem points and miles to cover travel purchases at elevated rates (with select Capital One credit cards and Bank of America cards , for example).

Where to stay in Bhutan

While using points and miles for flights to Bhutan is tricky, there are a few solid options for booking award stays at hotels in Bhutan.

If you have World of Hyatt points you're hoping to use for your trip, consider redeeming them for a stay at the Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary near Paro. You can also use a Category 1-7 free night award to bed down at this Small Luxury Hotels of the World property .

bhutan for tourism

For travelers with Marriott Bonvoy points, there are two Marriott -affiliated properties to choose from as well: Le Meridien Paro, Riverfront and Le Meridien Thimphu. Both hotels are bookable with 35,000-point free night certificates most nights of the year.

bhutan for tourism

IHG has a few Six Senses properties in Bhutan, too, but unfortunately, none of them can be reserved with IHG One Rewards points. Additionally, stays at these Six Senses outposts in Thimphu, Punakha, Paro, Gangtey and Bumthang do not come with elite benefits if you have status with IHG's loyalty program.

There aren't any options for using points from Hilton Honors , Wyndham Rewards or Best Western Rewards , but you can find hotels in the travel portals for American Express , Capital One , Chase and Citi , making it possible to use credit card points to pay for accommodations.

None of Bhutan's hotels are available with American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts , Amex's The Hotel Collection or Capital One's Premier Collection . One hotel is available in Chase's Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection , but you can't redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for these bookings.

Related: A comparison of luxury hotel programs from credit card issuers: Amex, Chase and Capital One

bhutan for tourism

To get around this issue of using points for hotel bookings, consider reimbursing yourself for expenses after making your hotel reservation.

The best things to do in Bhutan

Trekking in the mountains is an extremely popular activity in Bhutan, and you'll find a range of trails for all skill levels, all seasons and all budgets.

bhutan for tourism

If you're interested in experiencing nomadic life and the birthplace of yeti myths, visit Merak village in the far east. This area only opened to tourism in 2012 and is the home of the seminomadic Brokpa people, many of whom have stories of personal encounters with the fabled yeti.

Travelers who want to enjoy nature can find plenty of it in Bhutan thanks, in part, to the government mandating 60% of its land be covered by forests . Head to one of Bhutan's five national parks to take in the stunning scenery.

Phrumsengla National Park, in the center of the country, is a bird-watcher's paradise, while Royal Manas National Park, near the border with India, is home to tigers, elephants, rhinos, leopards and golden langurs. Allot more than one day for wildlife viewing in case you don't spot the critters you wish to see during your first outing.

bhutan for tourism

The most popular site in Bhutan may be Paro Taktsang (the Tiger's Nest). It was built in 1692 on the site where locals believe Guru Rinpoche (a national hero who brought Buddhism to Bhutan in the eighth century) prayed and meditated for three months before fighting an evil that was afflicting the locals. According to legend, he arrived by flying on a tigress — thus the site's name.

It's possible to visit the Tiger's Nest during a daytrip from Paro or Thimphu, though you'll need to have at least a moderate fitness level to access the site, as it's built into the side of a mountain. The hike starts at a parking lot next to a ticket booth that sits approximately 7,000 feet above sea level, so you may want to wait at least one day after arriving before taking this trip if you're unaccustomed to high altitudes.

The temple is another 1,700 feet up the mountain, and reaching it typically requires two to three hours of walking for most people, plus several hundred stairs.

bhutan for tourism

Hikers should begin when the ticket booth opens at 8 a.m. to avoid hiking during the hottest part of the afternoon. Guides advise that visitors with moderate fitness ability can return to their hotels for a late lunch, while those who move slower or take many breaks will need longer to see the site and can expect to return to their hotels at dinner time.

Determining whether to hire a guide

Is hiring a guide necessary for visiting Bhutan? In short, no.

Still, Bhutan's Department of Tourism says, "A guide is strongly recommended."

"Guides ... help look after the safety and security of the visitors, as there are wild animals in the countryside, and the altitude and landscape can sometimes pose unique challenges."

Though the Department of Tourism says guides don't need to accompany visitors for activities such as dining at restaurants and shopping, it's "recommended" that guides are employed "for experiences such as visiting temples and local places of interest, and it is mandatory to have a guide for all trekking activities and for any journeys that extend beyond Thimphu and Paro."

And, as mentioned earlier, visitors who enter Bhutan through land borders are required to have guides when leaving the border towns.

"If visitors follow the itineraries or journeys set by hotels," the Department of Tourism adds, "they will not need a guide as they will already have a guide who will be arranged by the hotel."

Based on this guidance, it's possible to visit Thimphu (the capital and largest city) and Paro (near the international airport) without a guide. Hiring a guide is recommended but not required in these areas, meaning you can find your own transportation and travel more independently. Beyond these areas, guides are mandatory.

If you don't hire a guide in Thimphu or Paro, ensure you have the phone number of your hotel with you at all times, as you will need to give this to go inside temples and at passport control when entering Bhutan.

The best time to visit Bhutan

Before September 2022, costs for the sustainable development fee fluctuated. Prices were higher during peak tourist times and lower during the offseason. Thus, traveling during the cold winters could lead to savings.

Now, the visa and sustainable development fee costs are the same throughout the year, meaning there's no longer a financial advantage to braving the Himalayan snowfalls and chilly winters.

bhutan for tourism

So, when should you visit Bhutan? Here's what to expect for each season in terms of trekking and festivals:

  • Winter: It's possible to hike and trek throughout the year in Bhutan. Plan for low-altitude, shorter treks in winter to avoid snow and unpredictable weather at higher altitudes. Dec. 17 is National Day, which is tied to the coronation of the first king, Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck, in 1907. On Jan. 2, you can attend the Nyilo festival, which celebrates the sun's return and is a traditional day of offering. February sees Losar, Bhutan's Lunar New Year festival, and birthday festivities for Bhutan's current (fifth) king, the Druk Gyalpo, on Feb. 21.
  • Spring: Thanks to the abundant flora and fauna, spring is one of the best times for trekking in Bhutan. However, trails may still be wet from the recent snowmelt. In April or May, Zhabdrung Kuchoe celebrates the life of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, who unified Bhutan. May 2 also is a holiday: the birthday of Bhutan's third king.
  • Summer: This is monsoon season. Treks are difficult and unpredictable but can provide great opportunities for reaching religious landmarks and ceremonies in Bhutan's less-visited regions. Several summer festivals have dates that change yearly based on the lunar calendar, including Lord Buddha's Parinirvana (the date Buddha attained enlightenment).
  • Fall: Autumn is an ideal time for hiking through Bhutan's mountains. Trails begin to dry out and are at their best quality of the year, and the weather is excellent. Clear skies provide breathtaking views of the mountains. Near the end of September, Blessed Rainy Day celebrates the end of the rainy season and the autumn equinox. The Dashain festival in October is the most important holiday for the country's Hindus, as it's when believers celebrate Rama's victory over evil. Nov. 1 is the anniversary of the king's coronation, and Nov. 11 is the birthday of the fourth king. Additionally, Lhabab Duchen, which celebrates Buddha's descent from the heavens to Earth, happens every year in October or November.

Bhutan's many festivals are a highlight but also draw more tourists, making hotel rooms difficult to find. Plan ahead when visiting around these holidays, and be sure to check specific dates, as the dates for many holidays shift annually.

Getting around Bhutan

Unfortunately, tourists can't rent a car or drive in Bhutan. Public transportation is also lacking in many areas, though taxis are available for rides between Paro (including the international airport) and Thimphu (the capital).

bhutan for tourism

When you combine the transportation issues with the requirement for a guide when traveling beyond Paro and Thimphu, tourists who want to visit Bhutan independently won't have access to large portions of the country.

However, visitors with a guide will have a few options aside from driving. There are guided treks and cycling tours, as well as a limited number of domestic flights and helicopter charters.

The cost of traveling to Bhutan

When planning a trip to Bhutan, you'll need to consider multiple factors: flights, hotels, visas, meals, daily tourist fees, entrance charges for select attractions and tour guide services. Ultimately, though, the amount you spend will depend on how long you stay in the country, with each day costing at least $200 per adult before other details are accounted for.

One-way flights start around $115 per person and can climb to above $500 per person, depending on how far you're flying. While shorter distances lead to cheaper prices, don't forget to factor in the ease and cost of reaching those destinations. It may be easier (and therefore a better option overall) to transit through Bangkok or Singapore instead of Kathmandu or New Delhi.

Remember to look into visas for countries you fly to on the way to or from Bhutan as well, since some destinations require you to clear customs to check in for your next flight. This can add extra costs on top of the $40 visa fee and the $200 daily sustainable development fee Bhutan charges.

As for lodging, cash prices at Bhutan's hotels vary greatly depending on the property you choose. You could pay as little as $15 per night for basic accommodations or more than $1,500 per night at all-inclusive properties providing guests with meals, spa services and activities.

The advantage of booking hotels where meals are included — or where there's an on-site restaurant — is that you won't need to search for places to eat, carry cash to pay for food and arrange transportation to and from dining venues. Factor this into your decisions when budgeting for meals. If you decide to stay at a hotel where food isn't provided, expect to pay anywhere from $3 for fast food to $20 per dish at an upscale restaurant.

Many of Bhutan's monasteries, temples and museums require foreigners to pay admission, so be sure to factor visits to these attractions into your budget as well. You can find the entrance costs for popular sites here . Most entry fees will set you back about $13 per person.

Should you decide to hire a guide, expect to pay approximately $100 for a guided daytrip to regional temples and a hike to the Tiger's Nest; longer guided treks will be more expensive and should be negotiated in advance.

How to pay for trip expenses

It's possible to pay for flights, the sustainable development fee and visa applications online with a credit card. It's also possible to pay by card at larger, tourist-focused hotels — though you may incur a convenience fee for credit card payments.

bhutan for tourism

However, cash is required to pay entrance fees at attractions, buy food at local restaurants and hire a taxi. If you don't order currency before your trip, you can exchange foreign currency at the airport and most tourist-centric hotels, or withdraw money from an ATM in Paro's airport.

Additional tips for visiting Bhutan

Before you apply for your visa and pay the sustainable development fee, you should confirm your travel plans. That's because your visa will be issued for the exact dates of your trip — the dates you stated as your arrival and departure, backed up by tickets and hotel reservations. It will not be approved without these, and it will be issued only for the days you can prove you are visiting Bhutan.

Once you've decided on your dates, check flight schedules with Bhutan's two airlines for availability based on your proposed itinerary, as seats on flights to and from Bhutan fill up quickly. Some destinations are served multiple times a week (such as Delhi, with six flights per week), while others operate seasonally. After finding flights into, out of and within Bhutan, check these against flights from your home airport. You will need to fly to India, Thailand, Singapore or Nepal before your trip to Bhutan.

After confirming your flights, finalize any plans with a guide (if you're using one) and book your hotels. If you're using a guide for your entire trip, the guide can apply for your visa on your behalf and take a single payment covering everything other than flights, including hotels, meals, activities and the daily sustainable development fee.

Following the submission of all the required documents, you should receive your visa within a week of applying. Ensure the information is correct, then print this document. You'll need to show it when checking in for your flight to Bhutan and at passport control.

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The Best Bhutan Travel Guide| Everything You Need to Know About Kingdom of Bhutan

Bhutan-travel-guide

Bhutan is one of the most preserved, small yet highly valued countries to travel to. The enigmatic mountains, the colourful festival and the peaceful clean cities create a lot of curiosity for foreign tourists.

As the country has strategically implemented a high-value low impact tourism policy, it has become a country be sought after in many travellers’ bucket lists. Bhutan’s tourism industry is almost worth $4.83 million dollars each month contributing greatly to the employment and revenues of the country.

If you’re looking to explore Bhutan’s stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage, you’ve come to the right place! As a seasoned traveller to this beautiful country, I’ve compiled a comprehensive Bhutan travel guide to help you plan your perfect trip. From must-see attractions to hidden gems, I’ve got you covered. Let’s get started!

WHAT IS COVERED IN THIS ARTICLE?

Best time to visit Bhutan .

best-time-to-visit-bhutan

Regional differences in Bhutan

Bhutan, a small country in the Himalayas, has distinct regional differences in climate and geography. The southern region of Bhutan experiences a hot and humid subtropical climate with temperatures ranging from 15-30 degrees Celsius throughout the year.

In contrast, the central parts of the country have a cooler and more temperate climate due to their higher elevation. These regional differences also influence the local culture and traditions of the Bhutanese people.

Seasonal differences in Bhutan

Bhutan experiences four distinct seasons throughout the year, each with its own unique characteristics. In addition to these seasonal changes, there are also regional differences that contribute to the country’s diverse climate and landscape.

Weather in Bhutan from October to January is best for visiting as the weather is clear and the roads are perfect for travelling. In the southern parts of Bhutan, you will experience a subtropical climate with sunshine and forests and mountains in the middle part of the country will have cold winter while the mountains in the Northern parts of the country will be covered with thick snow if you travel in the winter.

Plan your itinerary while discussing with your operator to make your visit memorable and hassle-free. If you want to truly discover every aspect of the country, points of attraction, tourist places, activities and the local culture you can plan a month-long visit to this country.

Is it safe to travel to Bhutan?

If you’re wondering whether travelling to Bhutan is safe, the answer is a resounding yes! This small Himalayan kingdom is known for its peaceful and welcoming culture and has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. So, whether you’re exploring the stunning natural landscapes or immersing yourself in Bhutanese culture, you can rest assured that you’ll be safe and secure throughout your travels.

What are the requirements for Bhutan Travel?

What-are-the-requirements-for-Bhutan-Travel

Because of Bhutan’s tourism policies citizens of countries other than India , Bangladesh and Maldives require to pre-arrange their tour of a minimum of $250 with a Bhutanese registered travel agency and obtain their hotel bookings and the visa their after.

You can arrange your Bhutan travel only through the tour agencies that are approved tour operators by the Bhutan Tourism Council as listed on their official websites.

You will find different tour operators offering tours based on your interest in culture, nature, adventure and wellness.

What is the Bhutan visa policy ?

Bhutan visas are expensive as most countries have to obtain them after choosing a tour package of a minimum of $250 through a registered tourist agency. However, citizens of Maldives, Bangladesh, and India only have to pay a sustainable Development Fee of around $17. It’s important to plan ahead and budget accordingly for your Bhutan adventure.

Bhutan Visa Requiremen ts:

Here are the documents you will require while applying for a Bhutanese visa :

  • You have to book your stay through a registered Bhutanese agency .
  • You have to book a tour package which has nightly charges of at least $250.
  • Validity of your existing passport for minimum six months.
  • You have to submit the document for proof of your occupation.
  • Provide contact information and address.

Application process : Through a registered travel operator

Cost: $40 just for the visa for each person and $250 per night for the tour

Time Validity : Single-entry with six months validity

Extension: Through your tour operator

SDF: Sustainable Development Fee is abducted from regional

Bhutan Tour Booking Guide

Bhutan Tour Booking Guide

One of the few things you should remember while booking the tour package through your agency is to read the company policies and the refund policies if your visa gets cancelled. As per the tourism council of Bhutan, here are the necessary steps for tour booking in the Bhutan travel guide.

Step 1:  Select the TCB registered tour operator you want to choose from the official website.

Step 2: Plan an itinerary or a tour package with your tour operator.

Step 3: Pay the amount for the tour package in advance along with the $40 for the one-time visa, through the international partners of Bhutan National Bank.

Step-4: The tour operator will complete your visa application and most of the time the visa is issued mostly within 1 week.

Step-5: Receiving the visa once approved through the mail.

Here is the list of Registered Tour Operators

Bhutan travel packages

Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, is a unique and mystical destination that offers visitors a glimpse into a world unlike any other. If you’re planning a trip from Malaysia , there are a number of travel packages available that can help you make the most of your journey.

From exploring ancient monasteries and temples to trekking through the stunning Himalayan landscapes, these packages offer a range of experiences that are sure to leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.

Here are some package tours from Viator:

Glimpses of Bhutan – 4 Days Tour

7 Days Western Bhutan Tour

Photography Tour in Thimphu and Dochula Pass

A Journey to the Center of Bhutan

5 Nights 6 days Bhutan Tour

Types of Accommodation in Bhutan

Types-of-Accommodation

When you are choosing your tour package with your choice of tour agency you will have to choose your accommodation or stay. If you arrive through the Paro International airport and create an itinerary where you decide to stay at a hotel in Paro, here are some options for choosing accommodation.

Accommodation for visitors is of a few categories’ hotels, farm-stays, homestays, resorts, and guesthouses.

All the registered tour operators provide foreign tourists with at least 3-star hotels. Bhutan’s government has a preset system to rate hotels based on their service, hospitality and the set guidelines by the government.

Here is a list of the top-rated hotels you can consider to stay:

Zhiwa Ling Hotel (Address: Satsam Chorten, Paro, Bhutan)

Le-Meridian Paro (Address: Paro thimphu hwy, Shaba, 12001, Bhutan)

Gangtey Palace (Address: CCF7+R4J, Paro, Bhutan)

Terma Linka resort & spa (Address: Babesa-Thimphu Expressway, Thimphu 11001, Bhutan)

If you are from visa-free countries travelling to Bhutan, you can choose some of the budget options as most of them are two or three stars.

Foreigners from countries other than India, Bangladesh and Maldives may not be able to choose the budget hotels because of the set amount by TCB in Bhutan travel guide.

Here is a list of the best-rated budget hotels:

Khamsum Inn (Address: Phenday Oudpel Lam, Thimphu, Bhutan)

Zambala Riverview Hotel (Address: Bondey, Paro, Bhutan)

Centennial Hotel (Address: V97H+FXW Lower Market, Phuensum Lam, Phuentsholing, Bhutan)

Hotel Shantideva Bhutan (Address: Norzin Lam 1, Thimphu, Bhutan)

Guest-houses:

Guesthouses are one of the best options if you are looking for a traditional yet cosy environment. Many top-rated guest houses are located across the country which you can discuss with your tour operator. The guest houses are similar in terms of services offered by the hotel.

Farm-stays : Many tourists enjoy experiencing farm stays in Bhutan which will give you the experience of the locals and you can include it in your itinerary. Many farm-stays will ensure your experience of authentic meals, sighting of century-old farming traditional in the mountains.

Types of tours Bhutan Travel Guide

Cultural tour in bhutan:.

Bhutan Travel Guide

If you are planning your trip to Bhutan to understand the culture and heritage of the country you must visit the UNESCO heritage sites in Bhutan like the National Museum of Bhutan in Paro and the National Library , Royal Textile of Bhutan and the Dzongs .

As the primary religion of Bhutan is Buddhism their lifestyle, art,and customs are deeply influenced by Buddist values. Along with pristine rivers, Rocky Mountains you will also visit a lot of monastries, shortens and Ihakhangs in your Bhutan travel guide.

As far as Bhutanese lifestyle and traditions are concerned most Bhutanese love to live simply, worship their deities, enjoying their colourful traditional festivals, Bhutan is one of the countries in the world promoting sustainable tourism and living. The main sources of economy in the country is agriculture, hydropower and forestry.

Most cultural tour packages in Bhutan are planned highlighting Here is an exemplary of 5-day itinerary for Bhutan you can work with for the cultural tour of Bhutan :

Arrival and move to Thimpu : Arrive in Paro and move to the capital Thimpu. In Thimpu, you will visit the Zulekha Nunnery, National Emporium, Thimpu Dzong, the Motithang Takin Preserve.

Sightseeing in Thimpu : Visit the most appreciated tourist places in Thimpu like the Memorial Chorten, National Library, Handicrafts emporium, Institute of traditional medicine.

Thimphu to Punakha via Dochula la : In the drive, through the Dochul La, you will get a scenic view of the Himalayas and visit Wangduephodrung, Mehsina village, Chime Lakhang or Temple of fertility. After reaching Punakha visit the stunning Punakha Dzong in the mountains.

Punakha to Paro : Embark on a journey from Punakha to Paro and discover the vibrant local culture by wandering through the enchanting streets of Paro City.

Paro sightseeing : Visit its most popular heritage and historical sites like Tanpung dzong which is the residency of the Desi Tenzin Ragbye , Rinpun dzong and Nya-Mey Zam bridge.

Adventure tour in Bhutan:

Adventure tour in Bhutan

Activities to do in Bhutan: If you want to enjoy the mountains, rivers at their best and the sheer thrill of adventure sports Bhutan has a lot to offer. Here is the ultimate list of adventure sports to try in Bhutan.

Rock Climbing in the Nose in Thimpu: The climbing route of ” The Nose ” ranges from 12 meters to 27 meters where rock climbing is conducted by Vertical Bhutan Club. It has 13 routes of climbing which you can choose from.

Whitewater rafting in Mo Chuu and Pho Chuu: This is one of the most fun adventure sport anyone can try. If you are a beginner at kayaking and rating in Mochu is advised as the water is calmer with fewer currents. The rafting starts at the bridge that leads to Khansum valley in Punakha and the rafting course stretches about 5.6 miles.

Kayaking in the Wang Chuu and Puna Tsang Chuu : Wang Chuu and Puna Tsang Chuu are two of the rivers in Thimpu that you can enjoy rafting on according to Bhutan Travel Guide. Wang Chuu is one of the tributaries of the Bramhaputra river. Rafting on Wang Chuu also gives you the chance to get the sight of Samteling palace and SAARC buildings.

Trekking and hot springs in Paro: Trekking to the Tiger’s Nest monastery is one of the enthralling activities you must try. There are also other one-day hiking routes such as Bumudra Hike, Chumpu Ney Hike in Paro that you can also attempt.

Paragliding in Kamshet near Ura valley : If you really want to feel the pumps of your heart and try adrenaline-induced paragliding near Kamshet where you will get a glance of the Sahyadri ranges of Himalaya.

Mountain biking: You can try mountain biking near Punakha, where the classic biking route famous among tourists are Khuruthang-Samdiingkha and Punakha etc.

Crossing suspension bridges in Punakha : One of the oldest and historically valued suspension bridges in the world, the Punakha suspension bridge surely should be one on your list. This 160-meter bridge will give you extreme thrill as you cross the bridge and you will see many Buddhist prayer flags.

You may not be able to include all of the above-listed activities in your itinerary but water rafting, rock climbing, crossing suspension bridges are unavoidable if you are a seeker for an adventure. Here are three adventure activities anyone can try if you are not anything scary.

Fishing in Thimpu, Punakha, Bumthang

Archery in villages near Paro

Wildlife Safari at the Royal Manas National Park

Nature Tour and Off-beat places:

As stunning as the country with the bliss of mountains Bhutan has a lot of offbeat and popular places where you can rest your wearing heart. If you are focusing on healing and absorbing the energy of nature while visiting Bhutan here is your Bhutan travel guide tips.

1. Plan your trip including the best places for nature and wildlife.

2. Include hikes with the tour operators to the rugged mountains and trekking in the valleys.

3. Try to get a glimpse of offbeat places like Haa, Phobjika valley, Jangtsa Dhumtseg Lhakhang, the 4. 4. Paro Taktsang to imbibe the memories deep in your heart.

5. Visit the National Handloom Project run by the Bhutanese National Women’s Association.

The ‘ Peaceful country of Dragons ” is surely one of the high-value countries that you can travel to. The picturesque trails, traditional architecture, green environment-friendly lifestyle will surely enthrall you. If you are from South Asia, then Here is a complete Bhutan Travel Guide for South Asians.

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Bhutan reopens: 5 things to know for travellers

By Saumya Ancheri

The trek to the Tiger's Nest monastery in Paro Bhutan is an unforgettable experience.

Starting 23 September 2022, travellers can again take in one of the world’s most beautiful descents, flying down to Paro airport in the Himalayan mountain kingdom of Bhutan . After closing borders as the world went into COVID-19 lockdown over two years ago, Bhutan is now reopening with even more on offer. The country is a magnet for its pristine nature and wildlife, rich culture and deep spirituality–not to mention restorative hot stone baths and gorgeous hotels . Earlier this year also saw the launch of the Trans Bhutan Trail , restored and reopened after 60 years; travellers can get permits to walk or go mountain biking to some of the Bhutan’s most remote locations and popular sites, on the historic 403-km route once used by armies, traders and pilgrims for thousands of years. There are a few changes to keep in mind for travellers to Bhutan this year.

Five things to know as Bhutan reopens to travellers in 2022

Covid protocol

While the Bhutan government recommends that visitors are vaccinated against COVID-19 to help curb the pandemic, there are no COVID-19 vaccination requirements for anyone to enter Bhutan. There is no quarantine period. There is a health declaration in the entry formalities. Adults and children aged 12 years and older entering Bhutan may be subjected to random RT-PCR testing at the points of entry or at a worksite to maintain COVID-19 surveillance for new variants; there will be no testing fee. Those who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to quarantine at the hotel at their own expense until they test negative. The additional PCR tests will also be paid for by the traveller, however the Sustainable Development Fee will be waived during quarantine. Bhutan does not have any COVID-19 protocol for travellers leaving the country, although it is advisable to check for any rules at the port of arrival.

There’s a Sustainable Development Fee

The SDF is the Sustainable Development Fee, a daily levy paid by visitors that, as the tourism website says, helps “ensure that tourists visit us in sustainable numbers and that we can continue to offer guests tranquillity and an intimate experience. The SDF is collected by the national exchequer and funds are allocated to various projects that enhance facilities, services and infrastructure for Bhutanese nationals and visitors, as well as funding free healthcare and education ”. Indians will need to pay 1,200 ngultrum/Rs1,200 daily, while other foreign nationals will pay US$200 per person per night. Children aged six to 12 at the time of travel receive a 50% concession; those aged five or younger are exempt. Day visitors to the Bhutanese towns bordering India (in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Sikkim) are exempt from paying the SDF up to a point that is designated by the Bhutanese government. The SDF for cancelled or shortened trips will be refunded after the traveller leaves the country, following their refund application on the visa portal .

Visa and entry permits for Indians

Indian passport-holders don’t need a visa but they do need a permit to enter Bhutan. While the permit can be obtained on arrival, it is recommended to apply for the permit online before departure. You will need a digital copy of your passport or Voter ID if applying online (or the hard copy if applying in person). The passport needs to be valid for six months from the intended date of departure from Bhutan. Those aged under 18 can use a birth certificate or passport to apply and must be accompanied by a legal guardian. Valid travel insurance is necessary for the duration of the visit.

Travel to, and around, Bhutan

Direct flights on Bhutan’s two national airlines, Drukair and Bhutan Airlines, operate between Paro and the Indian airports at Bagdogra, Guwahati, Kolkata and New Delhi. Travellers entering from India by road have four official checkpoints: Samtse, Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar. Remember that it is not possible to hire a self-drive vehicle in Bhutan. You can hire a vehicle and driver from a car rental or a tourism service provider. While your hotel can make the arrangements, you can also book a local driver, transport service provider, as well as hotels and tour operators on the Druk Ride app . Alongside Paro International Airport, there are three domestic airports, though departures can be unreliable due to the high-altitude mountain conditions. You can also privately hire the Royal Bhutan Helicopter Services .

Bhutan accepts multiple currencies

The Bhutanese ngultrum is equivalent in value to the Indian rupee, which can be used (although it might be more convenient to use smaller denominations than the Rs2,000 note). Cash in US dollars is also widely accepted. Carry some cash in either currency or in ngultrum; you can exchange foreign currency for ngultrum at Paro airport or at banks, larger hotels and authorised currency exchange businesses in Thimphu. International credit cards are widely used in urban areas of Bhutan. ATM and banks accept Visa and Mastercard. The Bank of Bhutan has a digital wallet app called goBoB that can be used with a local SIM card, and is widely accepted across the country. For more details, from local customs to ensuring any artefacts you acquire are legal to take out of the country, check the tourism website .

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Travel Advisory June 23, 2023

Bhutan - level 1: exercise normal precautions.

 Reissued with updates to health information.

Exercise normal precautions in Bhutan.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Bhutan.

If you decide to travel to Bhutan:

  • Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
  • Review the  Country Security Report  for Bhutan.
  • Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel.
  • Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

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Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

The Tourism Council of Bhutan sets a non-negotiable minimum daily tariff for all visitors to Bhutan.  The rate includes all accommodations, all meals, transportation, services of licensed guides and porters, and cultural programs where and when available. The rate is the same for both cultural tours and treks. Travelers should contact the Tourism Council for the latest daily tariff. 

  • Your passport must be valid for at least six months following the date of your arrival to Bhutan.
  • You need a Bhutanese visa to enter and exit Bhutan.  All visas are approved in the capital, Thimphu, and are only issued to tourists who have booked travel with a local licensed tour operator, either directly or through a foreign travel agent.  Applications for tourist visas are submitted by the local tour operator.  
  • All visitors, including those on official U.S. government business, must obtain visa clearance from Thimphu before travelling to Bhutan.   Visa clearance takes at least 7 days to process and airplane tickets to Bhutan cannot be purchased without visa clearance.
  • At your point of entry into Bhutan, immigration authorities will stamp a visa into your passport upon payment of $40 U.S. or Nu.2500.  You will also need to provide two passport photos. Tourist visas are usually granted for the scheduled travel period.
  • More information, including a list of authorized tour operators in Bhutan, may be obtained from the Tourism Council of Bhutan , PO Box 126, Thimphu, Bhutan, telephone 00975-2-323251, 2-323252, 2-337098, fax 975-2-323695, email: [email protected]

For the most current information on entry and exit requirements, please contact the Bhutan Mission to the United Nations (Consulate General), 343 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017, telephone (212) 682-2268, fax (212) 661-0551. 

Dual Citizens:  For information related to dual citizens traveling to Bhutan, please see our page on dual nationality .

HIV/AIDS : Some HIV/AIDS entry restrictions exist for visitors to and foreign residents of Bhutan. For stays longer than two weeks, applicants must present the results of an HIV/AIDS test completed within the six months prior to their visit. The test can also be administered by Bhutanese officials upon arrival. Travelers should verify this information with the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United Nations before they travel.

Customs:  For information related to customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page .

Information about or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. 

Safety and Security

CRIME:  There is relatively little crime in Bhutan. Reasonable precautions should be taken when visiting major towns and, in particular, when going out at night. 

  • Petty crime, such as pick-pocketing and purse snatching is occasionally reported though crime is uncommon. 
  • Burglaries, theft, robbery, stolen vehicles, and assault related to skin color, ethnic origin, and religion have increased in recent years. 
  • Police report an increase in the number of drug/alcohol abuse and marijuana-related arrests.
  • Police report an increase in the number of reported rape cases. 
  • Tobacco sale is unlawful. Foreigners caught selling tobacco products to Bhutanese nationals can be charged with smuggling and the tobacco seized treated as contraband.

VICTIMS OF CRIME:  If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. 

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line for Bhutan police in Bhutan is 113. The emergency number for ambulance service is 112.  

For more information:

  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program so we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements.
  • Follow the Bureau of Consular Affairs on Twitter and Facebook .
  • Bookmark the Bureau of Consular Affairs website , which contains the current Travel Advisories  as well as the Worldwide Caution .
  • In the event of an emergency, contact us at 1-888-407-4747 toll-free within the United States and Canada, or via a regular toll line, 1-202-501-4444, from other countries.
  • Take some time before traveling to consider your personal security and checking for useful tips for traveling safely abroad .

The U.S. Embassy can:

  • help you find appropriate medical care
  • assist you in reporting a crime to the police, but only local authorities can investigate and prosecute crimes
  • contact relatives or friends with your written consent
  • explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
  • provide a list of local attorneys
  • provide information on victim’s compensation programs in the U.S.
  • provide an emergency loan
  • help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
  • replace a stolen or lost passport. However, because there is no U.S. Embassy presence in Bhutan, getting your lost or stolen U.S. passport replaced can be complicated and costly, and U.S. citizens are advised to take extreme care with their passports. To replace a passport, you must gain permission to exit Bhutan, and also obtain permission to enter a receiving country that has a U.S. Embassy without a passport. Immigration authorities may not grant permission. If permission is not granted, a consular officer from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the receiving country may be able meet you at the receiving country airport, at significant additional cost in addition to passport fees.

More info: See our webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas.

Please see our information for victims of crime , including possible victim compensation programs in the United States.

Tourism: The tourism industry is unevenly regulated, and safety inspections for equipment and facilities do not commonly occur. Hazardous areas/activities are not always identified with appropriate signage, and staff may not be trained or certified either by the host government or by recognized authorities in the field. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is typically available only in/near major cities. First responders are generally unable to access areas outside of major cities and to provide urgent medical treatment. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance . 

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:  You must obey all Bhutanese laws while you are traveling in Bhutan.

  • If you violate them, even without knowing you did, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.
  • Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Bhutan are severe, including long jail sentences and heavy fines, or death.
  • You may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you or if you take pictures of certain buildings.
  • Driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail.
  • Some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law. For examples, see the Department of Justice website. 
  • Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States .

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our webpage for further information.

Currency Issues:  

  • Visitors are advised to carry cash or travelers checks, though credit cards are becoming more widely accepted in Bhutan.
  • Indian rupees are usually accepted for purchases in Bhutan, although most shopkeepers and businesses do not accept Indian rupees in denominations above 100. A limited number of ATMs are available in Bhutan’s main cities.
  • Bhutanese customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Bhutan of items such as firearms, ammunition, explosives and military supplies; narcotics and drugs (except medically prescribed drugs); tobacco products; wildlife products, especially those of endangered species; and antiques.
  • It is advisable to contact the Bhutan Mission to the United Nations (Consulate General), 343 East 43 rd Street, New York, NY 10017, telephone (212) 682-2268, fax (212) 661-0551, for specific information regarding customs requirements.  Please see our Customs Information page.

Women Travelers:  If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our travel tips for Women Travelers .

Students:  See our Students Abroad page and FBI travel tips .

LGBTI Travelers: Although there are no laws that explicitly prohibit consensual same-sex sexual activity, laws against “sodomy or any other sexual conduct that is against the order of nature” exist. Under the penal code, a person can be imprisoned for as long as one year for engaging in such acts.  There have been no reported cases of such charges. See our LGBTI Travel Information page and our Human Rights Report for further details.

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance: While in Bhutan, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. Persons with physical disabilities living in or traveling to the country may find that Bhutan lacks the necessary infrastructure to accommodate their disability.  

Insurance:  Make sure your health insurance plan covers you when you are outside of the United States.

  • We cannot pay your medical bills.
  • U.S. Medicare does not pay overseas.
  • Doctors and hospitals often expect cash payment for health services.
  • We strongly recommend  supplemental insurance  to cover medical evacuation, since medical transport out of the country can be prohibitively expensive or logistically impossible.
  • Tuberculosis is a serious health concern in Bhutan. For further information, please  consult the CDC's information on TB .
  • See our webpage for more information on insurance providers for overseas coverage.

Medical Care:

  • Medical facilities in the populated areas in Bhutan such as Thimphu and Paro are available but may be limited or unavailable in rural areas.  
  • U.S. citizens in need of urgent medical care should try to get to the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in the capital city, Thimphu.  For emergency services in Thimphu, dial 113 for police or 112 for ambulance. 
  • Medical services may not meet Western standards, and some medicines are in short supply. Certain emergency medical services are provided free of charge to all tourists.

Trekking in Bhutan:

  • We strongly urge you to ensure that your medical insurance covers evacuations, which can be extremely expensive. 
  • Visitors planning to trek in Bhutan should pay special attention to the risk of altitude illness. Altitude sickness is a risk above 8,000 feet and travelers to that altitude should consult an appropriate health care provider 4 to 6 weeks before their trip.
  • Treks in Bhutan can take visitors days or weeks away from the nearest medical facility. Limited helicopter evacuation from remote areas in Bhutan is available at the U.S. citizen’s expense. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi can also help arrange evacuations through private companies at the U.S. citizen’s expense.

Vaccinations:

  • Be up-to-date on all recommended vaccinations, per CDC’s information.
  • The Government of Bhutan recommends that visitors obtain tetanus, typhoid, and hepatitis A inoculations before traveling to Bhutan. Hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis, and rabies vaccines are recommended for prolonged stays for people at risk. The influenza vaccine is also recommended.

You can find detailed information on vaccinations and other health precautions on the  CDC website . For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the  World Health Organization (WHO) website . The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including  detailed country-specific health information .

The Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan has initiated a travel and medical plan solely for visitors to Bhutan. When booking your trip, you should get detailed information about the insurance plan from your travel agents in Bhutan. You may also visit their website at www.ricb.bt .

Travel and Transportation

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:  

Road Conditions:

  • General road conditions outside urban areas are poor, and emergency services generally are not available. Because of the mountainous terrain, roads tend to have steep drop-offs and blind curves.
  • During heavy rains there is a risk of falling rocks and landslides which can block roads.  Because Bhutan requires tourists to arrange their trips through registered tour operators and travel in groups with experienced drivers, most U.S. tourists will not drive themselves.
  • Please refer to our Road Safety page , Tourism Council for Bhutan , and Bhutan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs for more information.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:   As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Bhutan, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Bhutan’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards.  Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page .

  • Flights into and out of Paro Airport are restricted to daylight hours and are dependent on weather conditions.
  • Flights can be delayed or cancelled due to weather conditions, particularly during the monsoon season between May and September.
  • Passengers are advised to allow at least 24 hours' transit time for connecting flights to and from Paro Airport and to travel on non-restricted air tickets so that they can be rebooked on the first available air carrier if a connecting flight is missed.
  • Passengers transiting through India will need a transit visa if they intend to leave the airport or spend a night in India.

For additional travel information

  • Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
  • See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
  • Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
  • See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

For additional IPCA-related information, please see  the International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act (ICAPRA)  report.

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Top 7 Reasons Why You Should Visit Bhutan

Bhutan is regarded as the only remaining Himalayan kingdom, where tourism was closed until 1974. It is a country that protected its culture and tradition well, where you will find people still wear traditional clothes. People in Bhutan respect their religious beliefs. It has magnificent temples and spiritual centers, typically featuring dzong-style architecture.

The government of Bhutan measures economic prosperity by the GNH (gross national happiness) instead of by its GDP. The government of Bhutan take a lot of care to ensure their people live happily, it has passed laws providing free education and healthcare. While travelling in Bhutan talk to Bhutanese people and hear about their values and priorities.

In order to protect its unique cultural heritage from the negative impact of tourism, Bhutan practices a "High Value, Low Impact" policy, in which travelers need to pay a travel cost of $200–250 per person per day (includes accommodation, food, transport, and a knowledgeable guide). This makes Bhutan appear to be an expensive destination, and provides it with less tourists.

Is Bhutan worth visiting? Yes. We present to you reasons why you should visit Bhutan at least once in your lifetime to explore the uniqueness of traditional Himalayan life.

1. The Country That's Carbon Negative

Bhutan is a country concerned with its ecological nature. According to government law, at least 60% of the country must be covered by forests, however, it holds steady at 70%. Because of this, Bhutan is the only carbon negative country in the world. It means that more carbon dioxide is absorbed than produced.

Most of Bhutan's land is made up of protected areas established since the 1960s. Jigme Dorji National Park and Manas National Park are good examples of forests with incredible flora and fauna. Located at the foot of the majestic Himalayas, their dense forests provide a wonderful experience for anyone who enjoys nature.

Jigme Dorji National Park

Jigme Dorji National Park covers an area of 4,316 square kilometers and covers most areas of Thimphu, Punakha, Wangdue Phodrang, and Paro. It is the second-largest national park in Bhutan. It provides you with opportunities to see animals and beautiful plants thrive in their natural environment.

Witness snow leopards, antelope, tigers, black bears, blue sheep, pandas, and other animals in their natural habitat. Besides animals and birds, the flora here is also very active. Orchids, azaleas, and blue poppies are just a few of the many plants here.

Walking is an ideal option to explore Jigme Dorji National Park. A good time to spend exploring would be around 2-3 hours, so you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. You will go through the thick green cypress forest, be met by many birds, butterflies, and animals on the way.

Location: It is in Punaka, a 5-hour drive from Paro or a 4-hour driver from Thimphu.

Travel information: Spring season (April-May) is the best time to visit Jigme Dorji National Park.

Royal Manas National Park

Royal Manas National Park has only been open to the public in recent years. The park is the oldest reserve in Bhutan. It borders on Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park to the north. The park, rich in wildlife, is the birthplace of Bhutan's tropical and subtropical ecosystems.

It is a haven for animals, birds, and plants. There is a wide variety of wildlife and plant species there, such as Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, Himalayan black bears, and many others. There are more than 900 species of plants recorded, and it makes the park ecologically rich.

There are many activities you can participate in, such as bird watching, where you can see hornbills, pigeons, swifts, bustards, and more. You can mountain bike and camp in the beautiful environment of the park.

Location: Located in South Central Bhutan.

Travel information: All months, aside from monsoon season (June-September), is a good time to visit the park.

2. The Only Country in the World that Has an Official Ministry of Happiness

Bhutan is the only country in the world that measures happiness as output. In Bhutan, GNH (gross national happiness) is considered more important than GDP. The king and the government of Bhutan are very careful to ensure that their people live a happy and fulfilling life. People's quality of life depends on spiritual values.

Dzong -style architecture represents spiritual values, with huge fortress designs, large iron and wood entrances, trumpet-shaped roofs, and internal courtyards. There are many beautiful dzongs where you can seek spiritual peace in Bhutan.

Punakha Dzong

Literally "Happiness Palace," Punakha Dzong is located at the confluence of the Mo Chhu and Po Chhu rivers. It is considered the most beautiful fortress in Bhutan. The dzong is both the second oldest and largest dzong in the kingdom. It was the seat of the central government until 1907.

It is now the winter residence of the royal official monk group. The white walls of this dzong provides a picturesque view of lilac and red-robed monks that wander around in the courtyard. The beautiful and colorful murals painted on the interior walls give insight into the history and beliefs of Bhutanese Buddhism.

Location: Punakha Dzong is in Punakha Valley, a 5-hour drive from Paro or a 4-hour drive from Thimphu. 

Travel information: Photography at Punakha Dzong is prohibited.

Trongsa Dzong

Located in central Bhutan, Trongsa Dzong is the largest fortress in Bhutan. For a long time, it has been the official headquarters of religious government, and the key to controlling the Kingdom. This is also a monastery complex with more than 200 monks.

Aside from the striking presence of the dzong, the town also offers a range of beautiful walks, offering opportunities to soak up the mountain views. The nearby watchtower also houses a fantastic museum with royal memorabilia and Buddhist artwork, as well as a far-reaching view of the dzong and valley below.

Location: It is in Trongsa district, a 6-hour drive from Paro or a 5-hour drive from Thimphu.

Travel information: As dzongs are religious places, you need to follow a proper dress code. It is recommended to wear clothing that fully covers your arms and legs.

Paro Dzong, also known as Rinpung Dzong, is located on the banks of the Paro Chhu river and is accessible by a small bridge. It is the official office for the government of the Paro district. It may not be Bhutan's grandest dzong, but it is one of the best representations of traditional Bhutanese architecture.

The central watchtower looms over the surrounding buildings and is a strategic architectural component shared by all clans in the country. Many of the shrines in this dzong are closed to the public. The paved courtyard outside is the stage for Paro Tsechu, where people worship the statue of Padmasambhava and perform various traditional dances to commemorate the celebration of the festival.

Location: Paro Dzong is located in Paro city.

Travel information: Paro Dzong has several halls and courtyards where you are required to remove your footwear before entering.

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3. The Country Keeps Its Culture in the Best Way

Bhutan is a country where ancient culture flourishes in the best way! Bhutanese have made slow and steady progress, but they have always lived based on their beliefs and traditions. For example, Bhutanese people must wear Bhutanese traditional clothing when visiting any official or religious place in Bhutan.

Bhutanese are also good at various arts and crafts, such as textiles, painting, making sculptures, and archery. All of these play an important role in their profound history and heritage. Archery is the most popular national sport in Bhutan! There are many cultural things to do in Bhutan, such as trying on traditional clothes, buying handicrafts, and more.

Get Photographed in Bhutanese Traditional Dress

Bhutanese are required to wear traditional clothes in public. The men wear a heavy knee-length rope call gho and women wear a long dress called kyra. You can even tell a person's social status by their clothing. Ordinary people wear a white scarf, while aristocrats wear a yellow scarf.

Thimphu and Paro are full of locals in traditional clothes. During the Tsechu Festival, these colorful Bhutanese traditional costumes are a visual pleasure. You can buy a pair of gho or kyra as a souvenir. Wearing traditional clothes for the festival is a great way to honor the wonderful Bhutanese people!

Location: Thimphu and Paro

Travel information: You can purchase traditional clothing on Norzim Lam Street. The main market in the city has shops on both sides that remain open until 9 PM. A hand-woven dress is of high quality and will cost more than a machine-made one.

Shop for Handicrafts

Shopping in Bhutan has become one of the popular things to do. You can take home parts of Bhutan and learn a lot about its culture. Bhutanese crafts include textiles, paintings, wood carvings, and paper products. These handicrafts are the cultural heritage of the Bhutanese community.

Location: National Handicraft Emporium (Thimphu) and Chencho Handicraft & Weaving Center (Paro).

Travel information: Don't buy antique crafts, because you are not allowed to take antiques abroad.

Try the National Sport — Archery

One of the best ways to experience Bhutanese culture is by attending an archery competition. While wandering through the streets, you'll see colorfully dressed people gathering in their traditional robes to shoot arrows. Archery competitions attract many people who love to participate in this social activity.

Bhutan's archery continues to see its evolution through people's efforts to master the art with their skills. This is a wonderful glimpse into their culture.

Location: Thimphu and Paro have archery classes.

Travel information: Courses can be customized based on level of experience, ranging from beginner to advanced.

4. Bhutan Has Charming Trekking Paths.

Located in the eastern Himalayas, there is no better way to enjoy Bhutan's mountains than trekking. The kingdom is home to some of the most beautiful treks in the world. March to May, September, and October are the best months for hiking.

There are different levels of trekking trails to suit any style, from easy to difficult. If you are a novice trekker, the Druk Path Trek is the best option.

If you have previous hiking experience, then you can choose the moderate Jhomolhari Trek. If you are an avid hiker and want a challenge in Bhutan, the Snowman Trek will be perfect for you.

Druk Path Trek — 4–6 Days

The Druk trail has a remote mountain view for hiking and includes the Mount Gangkar Puensum, the highest mountain in Bhutan, which can't be climbed. The path runs through pine forests, azalea forests, villages, and ancient dzongs. It's a fairly easy trek, and reaches a height of 3,500 m (11,500 ft).

Location: Paro

Travel information: March–June and September–October are the best times for this trek.

Jhomolhari Trek — 8 Days

As one of the most popular and moderate treks, Jhomolhari is known for providing incredible views of the Jhomolhari mountains. This hike will provide charming scenery, such as pastoral alpine meadows and green valleys. This long journey will take you through the Tak-hung La Pass at 4,520 m (14,830 ft).

Location : Drukgyel in Paro

Travel information: April–May and September–November are the best times for this trek.

The Snowman Trek

It is known as "the most difficult trek in the world." This trail leads you through valleys, alpine meadows, pastures, orchards, and azalea forests. You will pass impressive waterfalls and lakes. See animals in their natural habitat, such as blue sheep, yaks, and griffins. The path passes through 11 gates, four of which are more than 5,000 meters (16,000 feet).

Travel information: September and October are the best time for this trek.

5. Bhutan Has Many Festivals Throughout the Year

Bhutan is a prosperous and happy country with primitive beauty and fascinating traditions. Bhutan's festivals are known for their richness, vitality, and joy. Most of these festivals celebrate Guru Rimpoche, the saint who introduced Bhutan to Buddhism.

Mysterious mask dances and thangka paintings are the most important ways to celebrate the festivals in Bhutan. In this country, at least one festival is celebrated every month, so make sure your travel date is in line with these fun festivals.

6. The Country Has No Traffic Lights

Bhutan is one of the least polluted countries in the world. This is a country without traffic and people don't honk their horns on the road. Most importantly, because the road discipline is so devoutly observed, there are no traffic lights. While travelling in Bhutan, pay attention to direction from traffic police. Taking photos of the white-gloved traffic police has become a popular thing to do.

The other things worth your time are the National Memorial Chorten, TashiChhoe Dzong, and Weekend Market.

National Memorial Chorten

This huge Chorten is loved by many Bhutanese and is one of Thimphu's most prominent landmarks. The Tibetan pagoda was built in 1974 to commemorate the third king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (1928–72). You will see people dressed in a gho or kyra (traditional clothing) and holding an oil lamp that is used for kora (ritual detour).

Location: southern-central part of Thimphu

Travel information: The kora lasts into the evening and you can see it by 8 PM.

TashiChhoe Dzong

The home of the Bhutanese government, Tashichhoe Dzong is a huge fortress built in the 17th century. It is an office building for his Majesty the King of Bhutan. In addition to the administrative functions of the fortress, it also has niches that make it a sacred place.

Location: north of Thimphu

Travel information: It´s possible to visit after 4 PM when the government has gone home for the day.

Centenary Farmers Market

Centenary Farmers Market, known as the Sunday market or weekend market. Up to 80% of the local population is engaged in agriculture, which is still the main source of livelihood for the majority of the population. As a result, farmers across the country try to market their products over the weekend, a trend that has evolved into a sustainable trade.

Wandering around the market, you will find collections of vegetables, fruits, meat (mostly dried), dairy, and other local organic products. People chat and laugh while they do their shopping. This is not merely a market, but also a lifestyle for the Bhutanese.

Location: central Thimphu

Travel information: This market is only open on the weekends.

7. The Country with "High Value, Low Impact" Tourism

One reason is Bhutan's "High Value, Low Impact" tourism policy. This is to protect the unique cultural heritage of the country and minimize the negative impact of mass tourism. Such a policy is very suitable for such a small country with a fragile ecosystem. Bhutan has been trying to maintain its status as an admired travel destination.

Travelers have to pay the daily tariff of US$200 or US$250/ per person, per day seasonally (including the use of private guides and drivers, 3 meals a day, 3-star accommodation, and entrance fees). The quality of food and service is usually excellent. Tourists are treated as VIPs in Bhutan.

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bhutan for tourism

It was a whirlwind across a number of cities, but a very comprehensive experience across the many sides and cultures of China. Most days had sufficient activities, but weren’t overwhelming, which was great.Across cities, we had excellent tour guides, like Kitty (Beijing), Jenny (Xian), William (Guilin/Yangshuo), Kris (Shanghai), and Tony (Yellow Mountains.)

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From the time we landed in Beijing until we left, we were well taken care of. My wife and I had Lily Liu as our guide and she was amazing. From arranging visits to all the different sights, to teaching us the history, it was fantastic.

The tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history

We made a private tour through South China in January 2024. Altogether Chengdu was the highlight. We had an incredible day at Emeishan. In Chengdu our guidewas Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.

Other highlights are too many to mention but here are a few Ken taking us to the Terracotta Warriors and our food tour in Xian was amazing,

Our day volunteering at the Panda Base was truly unforgettable. Helen, our guide, provided us with invaluable insights about Chengdu and the pandas, enriching our tour with her knowledge and expertise. We're grateful to Helen for accompanying us throughout the day and showcasing the highlights of China.

We had a booking with China Highlights through Silvia Ye who guarenteed a perfect organisation. In Chengdu our guide was Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.

We traveled to China during the Chinese new year and we had Kris as our guide and he is simply knowledgeable,helpful and great.

We visited Guilin for 2 days and stayed in the Guilin Waterfall hotel. Guilin was absolutely beautiful! Our guide, William, was very knowledgeable and kind! He taught us so much about Guilin and the surrounding area! We really enjoyed trying the specialty rice noodles of Guilin. Our highlight was the Li river cruise.

Amazing tour and the guide Mr. 贺霄 was very accommodating with our needs and request as we have bought our 2 years old with us. Well explained for all the place we visited. Any additional cost were informed well ahead and didn't felt any pressure if we opt not to go for additional detour. The trip was relaxing/ laid back/no rushing with zero shopping!

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How Bhutan aims to balance economy and environment through tourism

Bhutan is already 72% carbon negative, meaning it absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it produces.

Bhutan is already 72% carbon negative, meaning it absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it produces. Image:  Pexels/Soonam Wooeser

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Stay up to date:, travel and tourism.

  • Bhutan, a tiny Himalayan kingdom known for its pristine environment and sustainable development, will cap tourist numbers at 200,000 a year from 2023 to protect its natural resources and fight climate change.
  • The move is part of the country's efforts to become carbon neutral by 2025.
  • Bhutan is already 72% carbon negative, meaning it absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it produces.
  • The government said the cap would be enforced through a quota system, with each tourist paying a daily fee of $250. The money will be used to fund conservation and development projects.

In the scenic Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, cleaning squads patrol forests and mountain trails on the lookout for litter left behind by tourists, removing empty water bottles and crisp packets stuck in bushes and trees.

The money to run these teams comes from a tourist tax Bhutan has levied for decades to avoid over-tourism and preserve its status as South Asia’s only carbon-negative country - meaning it absorbs more emissions than it produces annually.

Bhutan halved the daily “Sustainable Development Fee” (SDF) - to $100 - last week as it strives to strike a balance between supporting the local economy and jobs, and protecting nature and the environment in the face of worsening climate change impacts.

Under the country’s principle of “high-value, low-volume” tourism, Bhutanese officials told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that the tax goes towards upgrading infrastructure, preserving natural and cultural treasures, and investing in electric transport to cut fossil fuel dependency.

While the tiny country of fewer than 800,000 people is currently in the spotlight, it is far from alone in this regard.

A 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found we have until 2030 – just 11 more years – to avert climate change.

The run-up to 2020 is a crucial period for delivering sufficient climate action to limit global warming to 1.5°C, as countries move to expand their climate commitments.

To help meet this global challenge, the World Economic Forum's 2019 Sustainable Development Impact summit has made Accelerating Climate Action one of four focus areas.

Following the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit this month, this meeting will bring together stakeholders to cap global warming at 1.5°C through innovative partnerships and smart technologies. The action areas include heavy industries and transport, energy innovation, nature-based climate solutions, restoring ocean health and the role cities, among others.

As nations globally seek to revitalise their tourism sectors after the COVID-19 pandemic, there is growing debate about how best to attract more visitors and boost revenues without causing overcrowding and fuelling pollution and harm to the environment.

Sustainability experts said the traditional approach of evaluating tourism through visitor numbers alone was outdated and damaging to the sector, and urged governments to consider ways of welcoming people for longer and more-considered stays.

“(A) sustainability fee is one of the ways to ensure a destination does not degrade,” said C.B. Ramkumar, vice chairman of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, a U.S.-based non-profit. “It is a good tool for conservation.”

While many countries and cities have some form of tourist tax, few places have followed Bhutan’s lead in ensuring that the cash goes towards conservation or sustainability efforts.

New Zealand in 2019 introduced a NZ$35 ($21) tourist tax to fund conservation and infrastructure projects, while Indonesia’s holiday island of Bali is to impose a 150,000 rupiah ($10) fee from 2024 to help preserve its culture and environment.

Using the tourist tax to boost conservation efforts

Tourism is responsible for around 8-11% of global greenhouse gas emissions - mostly due to transportation - according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), an international forum.

It is also among the most vulnerable sectors to the impacts of climate change, with researchers citing soaring temperatures and rising sea levels that can affect visitor numbers.

For example, about 20,000 foreign tourists were evacuated from the Greek island of Rhodes in July, where a wildfire burned resorts and hotels. Greece has said it will offer a week’s free stay on Rhodes in 2024 to visitors whose vacation was cut short.

Overall, demand for eco-friendly tourism is growing, yet very few people are willing to pay more for sustainable travel, according to recent studies and warnings from sector executives.

In Bhutan, the SDF has been revised over the years - with discounts available for visitors making longer trips.

When Bhutan reopened to tourists in September 2022 after more than two years of COVID-19 closure, it raised the tax to $200 from the $65 it had charged for about three decades - saying the money would offset the carbon generated by visitors.

This fee hike, coupled with the pandemic’s impact, hit tourist numbers and resulted in losses for tour operators, hotel owners, and handicraft and souvenir shops in the country.

Bhutan welcomed nearly 60,000 tourists between January and August this year, earning the nation $13.5 million in revenue from the SDF, according to government data.

In 2019, before the pandemic, there were about 316,000 tourists, generating $88.6 million in SDF revenue.

When Bhutan announced the SDF reduction this month, the government said the move aimed to revive the tourism sector, generate employment, and earn the country foreign exchange.

Bhutan plans to lift tourism’s contribution to its $3-billion economy to 20% from about 5% now - yet no time-frame has been set.

Dorji Dhradhul, the director general of Bhutan’s tourism department, said the tourist tax is vital to stepping up the nation’s conservation efforts as it faces climate change threats of melting glaciers and ever-more unpredictable weather.

The SDF has led the country to explore “solutions to balance its revered ecological conservation practices with socio-economic progress”, Dhradhul said by email.

The tax funds free healthcare and education for the country’s citizens and is used to offset the carbon footprint of visitors by planting trees, cleaning and maintaining trails, and electrifying Bhutan’s transportation sector, Dhradhul said.

“Our future requires us to protect our heritage and forge fresh pathways for forthcoming generations,” he said.

Bhutan’s “carbon negative” approach began in the 1970s, when its then-king pushed for an economy built in part on sustainable forest management - balancing conservation and development.

Its forests absorb more than 9 million tonnes of carbon each year, while its economy, which is designed to cut fossil fuel use and waste, emits less than 4 million tonnes, Dhradhul said.

Have you read?

3 ways hotels and tourists can work together to decarbonize travel, how global tourism can be more sustainable, how bhutan could provide the blueprint for climate-smart forest economies, what can bhutan teach the world about climate action, tour operators and local businesses fear for future.

Bhutan has long been a prime holiday destination for Indian travellers in particular. Entry for Indians had been free until 2022, when a daily tax of 1,200 rupees ($14.50) was introduced.

Mumbai-based tour operator Rakesh Kalyani has a longstanding collaboration with hoteliers in Bhutan, and said he was not surprised by the move to impose a tax on Indian tourists.

“Tourists littered, someone even climbed a stupa (Buddhist shrine) and took pictures. How do you stop that?” asked Kalyani, who said he now has no bookings for Bhutan with many clients instead preferring to visit nearby northeastern Indian states.

The fee for Indian tourists will remain in place for at least another two years as Bhutan prioritises the wellbeing of its environment, culture and people over “quantity in tourism”, according to Dhradhul.

As more and more places worldwide consider tourist taxes, they run the risk of excluding those seeking affordable travel.

“They want to preserve their culture, but not everyone is able to travel now,” said Arjun Verma, who runs Bhutan Divine Tour agency in Siliguri, a district in India’s eastern state of West Bengal, which serves as the country’s gateway to Bhutan.

“As tour operators, we are facing a lot of problems.”

In Bhutan, Jigme Tshering, chairman of the Hotel and Restaurant Association, a national federation, said that while the SDF was aligned with the country’s vision of sustainability, it also posed challenges in terms of “the impact on businesses”.

He said he hoped the reduced tax will help the tourism industry grow at a faster pace than in previous months - a view echoed by local businesses seeking more customers and income.

In Bhutan’s Paro, the picturesque valley home to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, handicraft shop owner Tashi Lhamo said she had cut down spending on family holidays and new clothes due to the loss in business over the past year as tourist numbers dropped.

“Most of our customers are Asians and few are from the United States,” Lhamo said in a phone interview.

“But I am hopeful for more international tourists to come now that they have reduced the SDF. Indians buy small items, but our main business comes from international tourists,” she added.

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Eco Tourism

bhutan for tourism

Eco Tourism Nature Activities

There is a global push for sustainable tourism that does not disrupt the natural environment and local communities. Bhutan currently maintains a 70% forest cover and has been blessed with abundant biodiversity and pristine nature. The country is further protected by a vast network of protected areas. To maintain this status quo, this Himalayan nation is looking to become a premier ecotourism destination.

The Royal Government of Bhutan defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas and habitats, which conserves the environment, respects the culture and traditions of its people, and improves the overall well-being of its citizens within the overall concept of Gross National Happiness.” To implement this, the national tourism policy is that of ‘high-value low-volume’.

The Department of Tourism's GEF Ecotourism Project covers two protected areas of Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary and Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary, and five districts of Lhuentse, Mongar, Trashigang, Trashi Yangtse and Zhemgang. The project aims to boost the rural economy by promoting wildlife-based tourism, creating employment opportunities and increasing community resilience and connection to nature.

Other ecotourism projects being developed include homestays, birdwatching sites, nature-based activities and community festivals. Visit Bhutan to experience sustainable tourism that conserves the environment for its wildlife inhabitants, community members and future generations.

The GEF Eco Tourism project’s flagship species for ecotourism are red pandas, black-necked cranes, Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory butterflies, golden langurs, golden mahseers, and other exotic birds of Bhutan.

Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory

The Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary in Trashiyangtse is home to this endangered species of butterfly. It is the national butterfly of Bhutan and is commonly seen in the months of August and September. This eastern district is also known to be a haven for birds like Ward's Trogon, Babblers and Pheasants.

Swallowtails of Bhutan

Swallowtail butterflies are large and striking butterflies identified by their forked tails. In Bhutan you can find 42 of 550 species of these majestic butterflies. They are commonly seen in Trashiyangtse in Autumn.

Black-necked Cranes

Black-necked Cranes are a globally threatened species. To locals, their arrival signifies good luck and good harvest. Their presence also indicates healthy agricultural land and surrounding ecosystems. They can be spotted in Phobjikha Valley in Western Bhutan, Bumthang in Central Bhutan and in Bumdeling in Eastern Bhutan. They migrate to these winter roosting sites in the months of September and October and fly back to Tibet between February and March.

Bhutanese believe that seeing a red panda in the wild will bring good luck on your travels. Found in temperate Himalayan forests, these globally threatened mammals have been seen in 17 districts of Bhutan including 7 protected areas and all 8 biological corridors.

Golden Langur

One of the world's most threatened primates, experts estimate that there are about 6000 golden langurs in Bhutan. Half of the current population is protected within the Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, Royal Manas National Park and Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary. On your way to Zhemgang, you can occasionally see these monkeys frolicking by the side of the road.

Birdwatching in Bhutan

Bhutan is a paradise for bird lovers and birdwatchers. More than 700 species of birds have been recorded. The country also harbors more than 16 species of vulnerable birds. Bhutan is also home to many species of birds that are in danger of extinction, including the Imperial Heron, one of the fifty rarest birds in the world and the rare Black-Necked Crane.

Golden Mahseer Fishing

There two types of Mahseer found in most Bhutanese rivers are chocolate and golden mahseer. A migratory fish, the Golden Mahseer is seen at elevations as high as 1000 meters during the spawning season in summer but return to lower elevations in winter months. To boost local income, Bhutan is working to develop recreational catch and release fishing of the Mahseer.

Despite severe population declines elsewhere, the golden mahseer is flourishing—thanks to Bhutan’s strong environmental protections and the religious reverence bestowed upon it. Among anglers, the golden mahseer is one of the world’s most prized catches. Up to nine feet long and golden-hued with big scales, it has a reputation as one of the world’s hardest fighting fish.

Based on the findings from the Mahseer research works carried out in Bhutan from 2015-18, and following the recommendations from the first International Mahseer Conference held in Bhutan in 2018, the ban on Mahseer fishing was lifted in Bhutan since February 2022 for exclusive catch and immediate release. Mahseer recreational fishing and for that matter, any fishing requires a permit from the Department of Forests and Park Services, Royal Government of Bhutan. For any foreign angler, a certified local fishing guide is required. The best time for fishing golden mahseer is between March – June, and September – November.

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A photo journey into the remote communities of eastern Bhutan

This less travelled corner of the small Himalayan nation reveals soaring mountains, imposing monastic fortresses, and diverse cultures.

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It just got (much) cheaper to visit Bhutan – start planning that dream trip

Joe Bindloss

Aug 31, 2023 • 11 min read

Tachog Lhakhang Iron Chain Bridge with colourful prayer flags on each side of bridge. River crossing. Himalaya mountains in the background.Between Paro and Thimphu Bhutan

Bhutan is a destination only lightly touched by tourism © Mark Paulda/Getty Images

Since tentatively opening up to tourism in 1974, the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has earned a reputation as one of the most pristine – and expensive – places to visit on the planet.

Tight controls on tourism and high daily tourist fees have helped to preserve a traditional Buddhist culture that is rapidly vanishing from other parts of the Himalayas. And in 2022, those fees climbed even higher, as Bhutan opened its borders to travelers following the pandemic.

Now, almost a year after this sudden price hike, the Bhutanese government has announced another shake-up to the daily tourist fees – but this time, fees are coming down significantly. For travelers deterred from visiting Bhutan’s ancient fortress monasteries and immaculate mountain valleys by the high price tag, this is welcome news, but what exactly are the new rules, and how do they affect travelers?

If Bhutan has long been on your bucket list and you’re ready to go, here’s what you need to know about the new fees, including what you will be charged for and where the money ends up.

What was the old system for visiting Bhutan? 

Until 2022, tourists to Bhutan were charged a daily tourist fee of $250 ($200 in the low season) for every day spent in the country. This might sound expensive, but the fee covered food, accommodation, transport, guide fees and most of the other essentials tourists needed for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Also included in the daily charge was a $65 Sustainable Development Fee, funding far-reaching social programs in a nation famed for measuring progress in terms of Gross National Happiness rather than Gross National Product.

In September 2022, Bhutan reopened to un-quarantined tourists for the first time since the start of the pandemic – but the Sustainable Development Fee increased to $200 per day, with additional charges for accommodation, food, transport, entry to sights and guides. Lower fees applied for tourists from neighboring India , but for most other visitors, the cost of travel to Bhutan doubled from an already high baseline.

For some, Bhutan was no longer a once-in-a-lifetime destination tantalizingly within reach, but an unattainable dream, particularly with the soaring cost of flights and the post-COVID-19 cost-of-living crisis. For a while, it seemed that Bhutan’s unique experiences would be reserved for the high-flying elite; Himalaya fans with smaller budgets folded away their maps of alpine valleys and prayer-flag-draped monasteries and looked elsewhere for their dose of mountain magic.

In fact, the blow was soon softened by a series of discounts offered to travelers staying more than four nights in Bhutan, with additional days exempt from the daily fee once visitors reached a certain threshold. But as of September 2023, cheaper – if not exactly cheap – travel to Bhutan is back in the cards. Here are the changes, and what they mean for travelers dreaming of Bhutan's pure mountain air and timeless Buddhist architecture.

Getting the best out of your trip to Bhutan

Jomolhari Base Camp in Thimphu, Bhutan

What is the new system starting in September 2023?

After increasing by 200% in 2022, the daily Sustainable Development Fee will be cut in half from September 1, 2023 to a more affordable US$100 per day. Children ages six to 12 will pay $50 per day, and there’s no fee for children age five or under. This is a significant price drop – but travelers will still have to budget for meals, transport, guide fees, entry charges at dzongs (fortress-monasteries) and museums, and hotels – which can cost anything from $40 per night for a budget hotel in the capital, Thimphu , to nearly $2000 per night for the lavish, palace-like Amankora Paro Lodge in Paro .

Then there are flights, with the trip from New York to Paro coming in at around $2000, transferring in either India or Nepal to a Bhutan-bound flight with Bhutan Airlines or Druk Air – the only airlines licensed to fly into the international airport at Paro. You should budget a minimum of $300 per day for a trip to Bhutan, and considerably more to stay in superior classes of hotel, in addition to the cost of your flights.

However, this high price tag gets you access to a destination only lightly touched by tourism. Only around 40,000 tourists visited Bhutan in the first six months after the country reopened following the pandemic, with more than half of these visitors coming from India. For comparison, Nepal received nearly 500,000 visitors over the same period, and India saw more than four million arrivals.

With the low visitor numbers, sights in Bhutan – such as the majestic dzongs in Paro, Thimphu and Punakha and the gravity-defying monastery at Taktshang – only become truly crowded when locals are gathering for one of the country’s colorful Buddhist festivals. While the influence of the modern world is creeping into Bhutan, particularly in Thimphu, your prevailing memories will be of peace, silence and clear mountain air scented by the aromatic resin of blue pines. For travelers seeking Shangri-La in real life, the experience is priceless.

Are there any changes for travelers from India, Bangladesh and Maldives?

Visitors from India, Bangladesh and Maldives are subject to different rules. Travelers from India, who make up 73% of all visitors to Bhutan, can visit with a special permit – available through the Bhutanese government’s visa portal – paying a low daily fee of ₹1200 (about $15). Bangladeshi and Maldivian citizens must apply for a visa, on top of the same special daily fee. No changes have been announced to this system.

  In Bhutan, a historic Himalayan route opens to hikers for the first time in 60 years

Paro Taktsang, a sacred Vajrayana Himalayan Buddhist temple in Paro, Bhutan

What if I want to go trekking?

With its lofty Himalayan valleys and remote monasteries, Bhutan is a spectacular trekking destination, but the daily Sustainable Development Fee still applies. The most practical way to trek is to make arrangements through a Bhutanese tour operator, who will provide guides, support staff, pack animals, tent accommodation and meals for the duration of your trek.

With a support team to transport your bags and put up your tent and a hot breakfast waiting for you when you wake up every morning, the experience is more like glamping than wild camping, and the trails are delightfully uncrowded – particularly if you attempt more ambitious routes such as the 28-day Trans-Bhutan Trail . You’ll also get to meet local people following a traditional way of life, far from the tourist bustle.

What about my visa?

Applying for a visa for Bhutan is a little different from applying for a visa for most other countries. Visas are not issued by embassies overseas but are stamped into your passport on arrival, on production of a pre-approval letter confirming you have paid the daily tourist fees and the $40 visa-processing fee. The easiest way to obtain this letter is to make arrangements through an approved Bhutanese tour operator; you can also apply online via the government's visa portal (you’ll also need mandatory travel insurance for the duration of your trip).

Be aware that you will have to pay the Sustainable Development Fee for every day of your stay at the same time as you apply for your visa. Many travelers feel more comfortable applying through a tour agency, rather than making a payment of hundreds or even thousands of dollars via an online form. Using an agency will also allow you to talk through your itinerary with an experienced local expert. It’s the best way to ensure that you get maximum value from the daily fee (for instance, you don't want to squander $100 days backtracking to places you have already visited).

Dancers at Gangtey Goemba in the Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan

Why has this decision been made now?

When the daily fee was increased in 2022, the government announced that funds raised would be used to offset the carbon footprint of tourism, reduce fossil-fuel dependency, improve carbon-neutral infrastructure and up-skill workers in Bhutan’s tourism sector, supporting Bhutan’s recovery from the pandemic. 

However, in the first few months following the reopening, international visitor numbers fell markedly compared to before COVID-19, attributed to the new fee structure, worldwide inflation and economic uncertainty linked to the war in Ukraine. Nearly 60,000 people visited Bhutan from January to August 2023, compared to 315,600 travelers for the whole of 2019. The economic foundation of Bhutan’s “high value, low volume” tourism model no longer seemed quite so secure.

According to a government statement, the new fee reduction announced in 2023 reflects the “important role of the tourism sector in generating employment; earning foreign exchange; realizing the potential for spillover benefits for ancillary industries; and in boosting overall economic growth.” 

Commenting on the change, Dorji Dhradhul, director general of the Department of Tourism Bhutan, said: “ Amid the global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing European conflicts, and economic challenges affecting key markets, we’ve attentively considered feedback from our guests, industry peers and global travel partners."

"Consequently, we’ve decided to temporarily reduce our Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) to rejuvenate our tourism industry. This will not only make our nation more accessible to potential visitors but will also ensure sustained funding for the numerous projects supported by the SDF."

It’s a valid stance for the government to take. In 2019, the Sustainable Development Fee contributed nearly $89 million to the Bhutanese economy. During the eight months from January to August 2023, the Sustainable Development Fee delivered a more modest $13.5 million into the national coffers. 

Another issue was the lack of warning provided by the authorities when Bhutan reopened to tourism after the pandemic. The government announced the doubling of the daily fee just weeks before the borders opened in September 2022 – for a destination where tourists typically spend up to six months planning a trip. 

The current reduction in the daily fee has also been announced on short notice, but the lower rate will apply until August 31, 2027, giving tourists some certainty when planning ahead for a trip to Bhutan.

Escaping Thimphu: where to go to find Bhutan’s hidden treasures

Terraced rice farming in Punakha, Bhutan

Where will my money go?

Bhutan’s unique tourism model has delivered significant benefits for the people of this remote Himalayan kingdom. On top of free healthcare and education, the Sustainable Development Fee has funded everything from conservation to carbon-neutral infrastructure and organic farming. These projects have contributed to Bhutan becoming the first carbon-negative country on earth – actually absorbing more carbon dioxide than it produces.  

What does sustainable development look like on the ground? With tourism reducing the pressure on agriculture to sustain the economy, Bhutan has managed to keep 71% of its territory under forest cover, compared to just 25% in Nepal and 11% in Bangladesh . Some 95% of Bhutan’s electricity is produced using hydropower, and almost 100% of the population has access to electricity and clean water.

In exchange for opening their mountain home to high-value, low-impact tourism, the Bhutanese have achieved a high standard of living compared to their neighbors. Bhutan spends nearly 40% more than Nepal on education, with half the unemployment rate and half as many people living under the poverty line. And the adult literacy rate is growing at 10% per year – not bad for a country where 61% of people live in remote mountain villages. 

Bhutan is also famous for its Gross National Happiness – an innovative model for assessing the successes and achievements of Bhutan’s part-monarchy, part-clergy and part-elected government. Using such measures as job satisfaction, sense of community, psychological well-being and religious karma, Bhutan is rated as the happiest country in the world. 

Know your gompas: a Lonely Planet guide to Tibetan Buddhist monasteries  

Monk in the courtyard of Paro Dzong, Bhutan

So is Bhutan still worth visiting? 

Of course! While visiting Bhutan will always be an expensive option, the lower daily fee makes travel here more affordable – just not quite as affordable as it was before the pandemic. In truth, Bhutan was always a plan-ahead-and-save-up kind of destination, and with the lower Sustainable Development Fee fixed until 2027, travelers have a clear target to aim for over the next four years. 

Looking at things objectively, tourist fees are increasingly the future of travel. Barcelona has had a tourist tax since 2012, Thailand imposed a $9 tourist tax in 2022, Manchester introduced a daily tourist charge in 2023, and Venice and Valencia are poised to levy new tourist charges during the 2023–24 season. The primary difference in Bhutan is that you need slightly deeper pockets.  

If the lower daily fee succeeds in luring more people to Bhutan, visitor numbers will still be small by international standards, and the government will have more funds for worthy social and environmental initiatives such as new hydropower projects and the electrification of public transport. In the future, that famously clean mountain air may become even cleaner and more keenly fragranced by the scent of glacial meltwater and blue pines. 

This article was first published August 2022 and updated August 2023

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  • Bhutan introduces Druk Neykor programme for spiritual travellers

The Druk Neykor programme kicks off with tours to 16 significant sites within Thimphu, including the revered Wangditse Lhakhang, Tshelung Ney, and Talangkha Drugyel Goenpa. These sites are conveniently accessible either by road or through scenic hikes, with various accommodation options nearby such as hotels, guesthouses, and campsites ensuring a comfortable stay for visitors.

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Bahrain Tourism Authority introduces "Ramadan in Bahrain" guide for global tourists

The guide features a diverse range of tourist events, including iftar and suhoor offerings, as well as luxurious accommodation packages, ensuring an unforgettable experience for tourists during the holy month of Ramadan. From live performances to traditional bazaars, food and beverage vendors, and more, participants can immerse themselves in the essence of Ramadan in Bahrain.

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Top Sustainable Destinations for Eco-Conscious Travelers

I f you're looking to make your travel a little greener, you've got plenty of company. A 2023 survey from the online travel agency Booking.com showed that 76 percent of respondents want to travel more sustainably—taking trips that minimize impact on the environment and also respect and give back to the local culture.

Options are, in fact, proliferating for eco-conscious travelers as the global sustainable travel market takes off: It's expected to nearly triple in size over the next decade, from $3.3 trillion in 2023 to $11.4 trillion by 2032, according to Allied Market Research. The challenge is finding the destination that suits you best from all the choices out there—one that offers a winning combination of eco-friendly activities and accommodations and all the other factors you look for in a vacation, at a price you can afford.

To help you narrow your choices, Newsweek has identified five great sustainable travel destinations, at different price points. To make the cut, the places we chose had to meet the following criteria: All have strong government programs or laws in place to support environmental protection; they have businesses invested in ecotourism that provide accommodations and activities you can feel good about patronizing; and they are spots with tremendous natural beauty, so that you can remember what it is that we're all working to preserve.

Here are the top five sustainable destinations.

If you're looking for a vacation destination with lush terrain—rainforests, waterfalls and more than 200 miles of island-spotted Caribbean coastline—combined with diverse wildlife and rich culture, Belize delivers on all counts.

On land, the country shares the largest swath of jungle in Central America with Guatemala and Mexico. This tropical wilderness is populated by hundreds of bird species, such as keel-billed toucans and ruby-throated hummingbirds. In the sea, the second-largest barrier reef in the world runs the length of the country, supporting turtles and stingrays and attracting divers with the Great Blue Hole, an underwater sinkhole 1,000 feet wide and 400 feet deep.

The stunning beauty of Belize's natural resources is matched by the fervency with which the government, in partnership with community and business leaders, works to protect it. Nearly 40 percent of the country's land mass is under government protection via nature preserves and wildlife sanctuaries—all places that travelers can visit.

What Makes It Sustainable

"Belize has a great record environmentally and with human rights," says Jeff Greenwald, founder of Ethical Traveler, a nonprofit that seeks to use the buying power of the tourism industry to protect the environment.

In 2017, the country worked to restore the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a significant part of the Mesoamerican Reef system—the largest barrier reef system in the Western world. After coastal construction and offshore oil extraction damaged the reef nearly to extinction, more than 450,000 volunteers worked with environmental agencies to ban offshore drilling and secure regulations that would protect Belize's mangroves, a staple of the country's ecosystem. In 2018, their efforts paid off and Belize's beloved barrier reef was removed from the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger.

What Makes the Experience

"There's so much to do that first-time visitors are often overwhelmed with the choices they have," says Greenwald.

Belize's Toledo Ecotourism Association offers tours and one- or two-night stays in Mayan villages that include experiences such as cocoa chocolate grinding, tours of cocoa farms and a traditional cooking or crafting lesson. Explore caves with underground waterfalls or spend an afternoon with a guide taking you through ancient Mayan temples. Hiking the waterfalls and jungles could lead to a crocodile, howler monkey or tapir spotting.

As for accommodations, eco-tourist lodges abound. Among them: Chaa Creek , powered by 156 solar panels; Copal Tree Lodge , which plants thousands of trees annually; or the Green Globe-certified Xanadu Island Resort, which employs green energy, composting, recycling and other environmentally sound practices throughout the property in addition to policies that support local restaurants, bars, tour operators and animal protection and preservation initiatives.

One U.S. dollar converts to about two Belizean dollars. With that favorable exchange rate, plus the short distance from the United States (just over 1,400 miles, or two-and-a-half hours by air, from the shortest point in Florida), Belize makes a great destination for those looking to keep costs low.

With more than 26 national parks, 58 wildlife refuges and 32 protected zones, Costa Rica alone comprises 5 percent of the earth's biodiversity, making this a great destination for travelers interested in the natural world.

It's also a global eco-conscious leader, one of the first countries to produce the energy it needs entirely from renewable energy sources , such as hydropower.

"Everywhere you go, you're aware that there's a strong value on protection," says Greenwald. "And it's absolutely beautiful. It's a place where there are many, many opportunities to explore and enjoy in a sustainable and really delightful way."

Costa Rica has introduced multiple sustainability initiatives over the past several years. These include land protection—over 25 percent of the country's 19,730 square miles are protected from future development—and incentive programs such as the Ecological Blue Flag Program , which evaluates each of Costa Rica's beaches on strict environmental criteria (like ocean water quality, waste disposal and tourist safety) and annually awards the Blue Flag only to those with a score of 90 percent or better.

Costa Rica's government-run tourism institute also promotes the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) , which gives a sustainability rating to hotels and tour agencies. Assessment criteria include electricity consumption, conservation actions, waste management and cultural protections.

Stay at the locally owned Arenal Observatory Lodge , the only hotel located within the Arenal Volcano National Park, to support an organization that maintains almost 700 acres of natural forest and reforested areas. The Life for Life Hostel , meanwhile, started as lodging for volunteers protecting baby sea turtles. Its tours , from scuba diving to horseback riding to zip lining, support their sea turtle conservation project.

Costa Rica is known as the most expensive country to visit in Central America. For the budget-minded, though, there are ways to keep costs down, including taking fewer guided tours; going in the fall, which is the off- or rainy season there; and staying on the Caribbean side versus the Pacific side, which boasts a greater number of national parks, wildlife refuges and forest reserves.

PARK CITY, UTAH

When you think of a snow-blanketed ski vacation, you're probably already picturing Park City. Visit in the winter and you'll be skiing or snowboarding in the place ranked third in TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice awards for Best Places to Ski in North America. In the summer, the mountains provide a top spot for hiking, mountain biking and fishing.

What you might not know, however, is the city's commitment to being a sustainable travel destination, one that shows how local charm can mix with green initiatives to create an unforgettable vacation experience.

"So far, this is the most engaged destination I've visited," says Elaine Villatoro of the sustainably focused website Live More, Travel More . "They encourage and value businesses that have initiatives that help the community and environment."

Park City's City Council passed a sustainability plan in 2019 that aims for the city to hit net-zero carbon emissions and run on 100 percent renewable electricity for the entire community by 2030. Its current fleet of zero-emission buses makes it easy and cheap for tourists to get around without renting a car and it's already reduced the city's carbon footprint since 2005 by 70,000 tons—equivalent to taking 14,000 cars off the road for a full year.

Last year, the city also put in place an ambitious sustainable tourism plan that aims to give the same weight to community and environmental considerations as economic benefits in developing Park City and the surrounding county as a top travel destination. Eighty-three projects are currently underway, ranging from initiatives to implement sustainable water, housing, energy and transportation policies to investments in local organizations fighting climate change.

For sustainable spots, Villatoro recommends having a night cap at Alpine Distilling (Recycle Utah's Business of the Year in 2022); eating treats from Ritual Chocolate , a small-batch chocolate maker that uses ethically sourced cacao from growers with high environmental standards; taking a naturalist-led walk on the Swaner Preserve & Ecocenter, a combined nature preserve, farm, state-of-the-art environmental education facility and wildlife refuge with 10 miles of trails; and a visit to the fulFILLed zero waste and refill shop.

As for places to stay, she says, you can't beat the Treasure Mountain Inn, which has won Utah's Business Recycler of the Year twice and donates 1 percent of revenues from every stay to the Summit Land Conservancy to protect open space.

It doesn't get much more picturesque than Palau, located in the Micronesia region of the western Pacific Ocean. This collection of over 500 coral and volcanic islands, popping green out of the Pacific, attracts divers from around the world to its reefs and shipwreck sites.

No one feels the pressure of the sustainability clock more than island nations, and the 18,000 residents of Palau have found ingenious ways to make everyone part of keeping their country pristine for generations to come.

You'll notice the commitment to building a sustainable future as soon as you land, with a stamped pledge in your passport promising that you'll act in an ecologically and culturally responsible way while there. The pledge is addressed to the children of Palau.

This island nation turns sustainability into a game with the Ol'au Palau app, a unique tourism initiative that rewards visitors for participating in activities or behaviors that care for Palau's culture and climate, such as adding culturally significant sites to your itinerary, dining on sustainably sourced local fare and answering quiz questions about Palau's biodiversity and culture. Your care is rewarded with deeper access to the island, letting you into places and experiences normally reserved only for locals. Whereas in most cases, the bigger the budget, the more opportunities, this app allows you to open up exclusive opportunities based on how you treat the environment and culture.

"I think as a scuba diver, I found Palau to be the most exciting and magnetic destination," says Greenwald. "I've never been on more beautiful dives."

Sam's Tours is a Palauan-owned dive center with a zero-trace tour operator, meaning you leave the natural landscape the way you found it, with a no-disposable-plastics policy. Underwater, check out the Blue Corner, one of the world's top diving sites and swim in Jellyfish Lake , filled with millions of the creatures (don't worry—the stinging cells of the particular species in the lake are not powerful enough to cause harm to humans).

Above ground, you'll want to visit the Belau National Museum , the oldest museum in Micronesia, and Etpison Museum , housing indigenous art and artifacts, past and present. Stay at one of more than a dozen sustainable hotels certified by ETIC Hotels , a project that develops and encourages sustainable and ethical behavior based on international standards. Among them: the Palau Pacific Resort , which uses rainwater and wells, gets its power from solar panels and recycles plastic into oil for its tiki torches.

A $100 environmental fee will be added to the already long and expensive flight to Palau. With that, plus the higher cost of goods often found on island destinations, Palau can be a pricey but bucket list-worthy option.

Cradled by the Himalayas, Bhutan is famously known as the happiest country on earth. Less well known: Bhutan is the only country in the world that is carbon negative , absorbing more carbon dioxide than it releases—a reflection partly of geography but also of its commitment to policies and practices that protect the environment.

That is part of the reason that Bhutan often makes lists of top sustainable destinations. But the more compelling draw is the diverse and unique experiences that the 100,000 tourists who visited the country this year got to engage in: seeing the hand-woven fabrics that are an integral part of Bhutanese culture; tasting the national dish of cheese and hot chilies; seeing the amazing array of wildlife (Bengal tigers, leopards, elephants, red pandas, monkeys and black bears, among others); enjoying active-travel adventures like hiking, trekking, rafting and mountain biking in lushly scenic settings; and meeting the only people in the world who measure their domestic success via a gross national happiness index.

Measuring happiness "shifts [Bhutan's] priorities," says Jim Sano, vice president of travel, tourism and conservation for World Wildlife Fund. "And so, maintaining the culture, maintaining the integrity of their natural areas, is a big priority."

By constitutional mandate, at least 60 percent of Bhutan's land must be covered by forest. In practice, 70 percent of the country's land is protected under forest cover.

"You don't find that in any other country to that extent," Sano says.

A combination of low carbon emissions, carbon sequestration and hydroelectricity exports is what makes Bhutan the only country to be carbon negative. That sustainability does come at a cost to travelers, though, in the form of a daily Sustainable Development Fee, which may make this a trip you have to really save up for. However, they recently announced incentives for staying longer in the country that dramatically reduce the daily cost the longer you stay.

Take a high-altitude trek to the base of Gangkhar Puensum , the tallest unclimbed mountain in the Himalayas. "You may be [one of] only a handful of travelers who go there a year, in contrast to the Everest Trail, which is 30,000 travelers a year," says Sano.

Get a taste of the Bhutanese culture of textiles, visit a 169-foot Buddha statue and experience the architecture in the capital city of Thimphu.

Then go west to visit the famous hillside Tiger Nest's Monastery , with its colorful prayer flags stretching over the valley, or east to tour the sacred valley of Bumthang, with its national parks and festivals.

Chances are you'll leave the happiest country on earth happier than when you arrived.

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Belize's lush terrain includes rainforests, waterfalls, more than 200 miles of island-spotted Caribbean coastline and the second-largest barrier reef in the world. Here, a view of the Laughing Bird Caye National Park on the outskirts of Placencia village,

These New Airports Are Making Bucket-List Destinations More Accessible

By Jessica Puckett

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The most difficult leg of a trip—especially on long international journeys —is making that last flight connection or lengthy ground transfer to your final destination. Those final couple hours in transit, when the effects of jet lag are rearing up and patience is running thin, can be laborious and time-consuming, but are often necessary in order to reach some of the world's most remote destinations .

Now, a new crop of well-located airports seek to make some of these historically out-of-the-way regions more accessible to international travel. Forget about the shuttle bus or puddle-jumper flight: these eight new airports—which have either just opened or are currently under construction–will make it that much easier than ever to reach bucket-list destinations around the world.

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Previously, most international travelers flew into Cancún and drove two hours in order to reach Tulum.

Tulum, Mexico

Thanks to the new Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport, it is easier than ever for international travelers to reach the seaside escape of Tulum , one of Mexico's most popular tourist hubs. The airport officially opened to domestic flights in December 2023 and will welcome international airlines beginning March 28, 2024. Multiple routes from American Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue, and Spirit will launch throughout the year. Previously, travelers would typically need to fly into Cancún and drive about 80 miles south to access Tulum, a two-hour road trip that the new facility will mercifully eliminate for many passengers.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

In November 2023, Cambodia inaugurated a brand new airport in Siem Reap , the gateway city to Angkor Wat, the UNESCO-listed ancient temple complex that’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. The new airport, which replaces an older Siem Reap facility built in the 1930s, is about 25 miles east of the Angkor Wat temple complex. That’s further away from the archeological site than the original airport, which sat just over three miles away, but the new airport will make it easier for more tourists to access Angkor Wat . Thanks to its size, it can handle larger planes used on nonstop international flights and accommodate up to seven million passengers annually, with plans to grow that capacity to a whopping 40 million people per year by 2040.

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The new Amalfi Coast airport opens this July, with the first flights operated by the Spanish airline Volotea.

Amalfi Coast, Italy

Starting this summer, visiting the candy-colored buildings perched high above the azure waters of the Amalfi Coast will be less of a headache for travelers. That's because the popular tourist spot in Southern Italy is finally getting its own commercial airport. The town is converting what used to be a military airport, and later a private airport, to a facility to be used by everyday travelers. The first flights are set to take off on July 11 and will be operated by Spanish airline Volotea, with routes from Nantes, France, and Cagliri, Sardinia , according to CNN . However, the complete renovation is not scheduled to be complete until 2026, and other airlines and routes will be added along the way.

Nuuk, Greenland

In one of the country’s most significant moves to enhance tourism , Greenland is debuting a major expansion of the airport in its capital city, Nuuk. The new airport’s runway will be double the size of the old one—big enough to handle nonstop flights from destinations in North America and Europe . That means much more simplified travel for international visitors, who would previously have to transit through the small town of Kangerlussuaq. The new terminal building is expected to be operational by May 2024, with the full facility up and running by the end of November.

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Dominica's first international airport is scheduled to complete construction by 2026.

The “Nature Island” of the Caribbean— Dominica —started construction on its first international airport in late 2023. It’s set to be one of the island’s largest construction projects ever. When it’s completed by 2026, the new airport will replace the current regional facility that has just three gates. By contrast, the international airport is slated to serve more than 20 airlines from the Caribbean, Europe, and North America, each of which will be able to fly directly to Dominica, the country’s prime minister said in 2022 , making it easier for far-flung tourists to access the island without needing to make a connection.

Dominica is one of our Best Places to Go in North America & the Caribbean in 2024 , part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024 —find more travel inspiration here .

Western Sydney, Australia

‌A second airport in Australia’s capital is set to bring a host of advantages when it starts operations in 2026. The Western Sydney airport, also called Nancy-Bird Walton airport, is currently being constructed further inland from Sydney's current airport. For locals who live farther on the outskirts, that means not having to trek all the way into eastern Sydney to catch your flight. For visitors, the airport’s location on the western edge of the city will be an ideal gateway for travelers wanting to explore the nearby Blue Mountains National Park , known for its striking cliffs, waterfalls, and unique sandstone formations. Plus, it could mean less crowded airport spaces, too. The facility on the opposite side of the city will also take some capacity pressure off of the current Sydney airport: Western Sydney airport will be able to handle 10 million passengers a year when it launches.

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The Chinchero airport will serve as an international gateway to Machu Picchu, but it is not without its controversies.

Peru's Sacred Valley

For the more than 1.5 million travelers who visit Machu Picchu every year, a simpler transit option will be available starting in 2026: Chinchero airport, located smack dab in Peru’s Sacred Valley. Currently, international visitors to Machu Picchu usually must fly into Lima and connect to Cusco, which doesn’t accommodate many international flights and sits about 46 miles away from the archaeological site. They then must take a train the rest of the way. Chinchero airport will be able to serve nonstop flights from North America and major cities throughout South America and act as a direct gateway to Machu Picchu. The project is not without its controversies , however. Critics of the Chinchero airport say its construction is endangering ancient Incan archaeological sites, as activists voice concerns that the noise pollution from the planes and subsequent traffic will cause irreparable damage to the fragile environment.

Gelephu Mindfulness City, Bhutan

The Himalayan Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan has announced it’s building a second international airport as part of an ambitious project to create a brand new modern city from scratch. The sustainable community, called Gelephu Mindfulness City , will see the construction of a new 1,000-square-kilometer economic and tourist hub near the current town of Gelephu, which sits on the country’s southwestern border with India . In addition to the new international airport, the large city will feature a new university, spiritual and cultural centers, and healthcare facilities. Although there is not yet a set date for the completion of the airport, when it opens it will be an important new option for tourists wishing to explore the southern and western regions of Bhutan, home to attractions like Royal Manas National Park and Phrumsengla National Park.

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IMAGES

  1. An Insider's Look: The Kingdom of Bhutan

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  2. 10 Best Tourist Places to Visit in Bhutan

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  3. 9 Photos of Bhutan's Attractions that Show Their Beauty

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  4. What You Need to Know Before You Go to Bhutan

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  5. 50 stunning photos of Bhutan that make you want to go

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  6. The Ultimate Bhutan Travel Guide

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COMMENTS

  1. 23 things to know before going to Bhutan

    1. Independent travel is finally possible, but a tour operator is still the way to go. Since reopening in 2022, Bhutan has scrapped its all-inclusive tour-package minimum, and initially raised the Sustainable Daily Fee (SDF) to US$200 before reducing it to US$100, valid now through September 2027.There is a 50% discount for kids ages six to 11, with no SDF for those under six.

  2. Welcome to Bhutan Travel

    Welcome to Bhutan. In a world that is always on the go, Bhutan provides sanctuary. Here, you can find earthly pleasures: archery and age-old crafts, dishes of home-made cheese and fearsomely hot chillies, breathtaking treks and restorative hot-stone baths. But there's another Bhutan, too - the one hinted at by the prayer flags strung across ...

  3. Planning your visit to Bhutan

    Bhutan's tourism mantra has long been "high value, low impact," and its aim is simple: to maximize the financial benefits of tourism while minimizing its environmental and cultural impact. It's a perfect example of the country's guiding policy of "Gross National Happiness.". The country kept its doors locked tight during the Covid ...

  4. Bhutan travel

    23 essential things to know before visiting Bhutan. Feb 2, 2024 • 15 min read. This quick guide navigates the cultural landscape, customs and quirks of the country known locally as Druk Yul, the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Budget Travel.

  5. Traveling in Bhutan: What You Need to Know Before You Go

    The Bhutan Tourist Corporation Limited (BTCL) is highly recommended for making travel bookings to Bhutan. This company is owned by members of the royal family and advertises itself as Bhutan's number one travel agency since 1991. The drivers, guides, and accommodations provided are excellent.

  6. Visit

    Travel in the country. The most convenient way to travel in Bhutan is to hire a vehicle and driver from a car rental company or a tourism service provider. It is not possible to hire a self-drive vehicle in Bhutan. You can also book a local driver or transport service provider (as well as hotels and tour operators). ...

  7. 7 Days In Bhutan Travel Itinerary: Best Things To Do & See

    3) Bhutan Itinerary Day 2: Thimphu. 4) Bhutan Itinerary Day 3: Gangtey Valley. 5) Bhutan Itinerary Day 4: Punakha & Wangdue. 6) Bhutan Itinerary Day 5: Revisiting Thimphu. 7) Bhutan Itinerary Day 6: Tiger's Nest Monastery. 8) Bhutan Itinerary Day 7: Paro Farewell. 9) 5 Days In Bhutan Itinerary.

  8. How to Plan a Trip to Bhutan

    The cost of travel in Bhutan is much more expensive than other Southeast Asian countries. Because the government requires that all incoming travelers must book a tour with a travel agency and set a minimum daily cost of US$200 per person during low season and US$250 during high season. General speaking, if you are planning for a comfortable ...

  9. 10 Things You Should Know Before You Visit Bhutan

    Bhutan was awarded 1st place among the 2018 Sustainable Destinations Top 100 'Earth Award' Series in recognition of its efforts towards responsible tourism and distinctive appeal. Contact me for further information. :) Cheers, Bivatsu ( [email protected]) Elita said 4 years ago. Bhutan is the place where I want to go back again ...

  10. Bhutan Travel Guide

    Bhutan is a joy to travel to, this tiny country straddling the Himalayas. It is a feast for the eyes and an amazing cultural experience. Explore the dzongs, marvel at the Himalayas, eat chilies and cheese, learn about Buddhism, and have one of the most unique travel experiences of your life.

  11. Things to know about visiting Bhutan

    While this approach was easy to maintain during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, when Bhutan decided to fully close its borders to foreigners, after nearly two years, the country started welcoming visitors again Sept. 23, 2022. But with that reopening came an overhauled set of tourism rules.

  12. The Best Bhutan Travel Guide| Everything You Need ...

    As the country has strategically implemented a high-value low impact tourism policy, it has become a country be sought after in many travellers' bucket lists.Bhutan's tourism industry is almost worth $4.83 million dollars each month contributing greatly to the employment and revenues of the country.. If you're looking to explore Bhutan's stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage ...

  13. Bhutan reopens: 5 things to know for travellers

    The fine details from COVID protocol to visa permits and fees. Starting 23 September 2022, travellers can again take in one of the world's most beautiful descents, flying down to Paro airport in the Himalayan mountain kingdom of Bhutan. After closing borders as the world went into COVID-19 lockdown over two years ago, Bhutan is now reopening ...

  14. FAQs

    Bhutan is a year-round destination. There are four seasons: summer (June to August), autumn (September to November), winter (December to February) and spring (March to May). But because of the range of altitudes in the country, and the influence of the north Indian monsoons, the climate is incredibly varied. In the south, the humid, subtropical ...

  15. Bhutan Is Back And Ready For Tourism

    Bhutan, a bucket-list destination for many adventure travelers, closed its borders on March 22, 2020, due to the global pandemic. They have since reopened with a new tourism strategy, focusing on ...

  16. Bhutan International Travel Information

    The Tourism Council of Bhutan sets a non-negotiable minimum daily tariff for all visitors to Bhutan. The rate includes all accommodations, all meals, transportation, services of licensed guides and porters, and cultural programs where and when available.

  17. Top 7 Reasons Why You Should Visit Bhutan

    7. The Country with "High Value, Low Impact" Tourism. One reason is Bhutan's "High Value, Low Impact" tourism policy. This is to protect the unique cultural heritage of the country and minimize the negative impact of mass tourism. Such a policy is very suitable for such a small country with a fragile ecosystem.

  18. How Bhutan aims to balance economy and environment through tourism

    Bhutan, a tiny Himalayan kingdom known for its pristine environment and sustainable development, will cap tourist numbers at 200,000 a year from 2023 to protect its natural resources and fight climate change. The move is part of the country's efforts to become carbon neutral by 2025. Bhutan is already 72% carbon negative, meaning it absorbs ...

  19. Tourism in Bhutan

    Tourism in Bhutan began in 1974, when the Government of Bhutan, in an effort to raise revenue and to promote Bhutanese unique culture and traditions to the outside world, opened its isolated country to foreigners. In 1974 a total of 287 tourists visited the Kingdom of Bhutan. The number of tourists visiting Bhutan increased to 2,850 in 1992 ...

  20. Eco Tourism in Bhutan

    Visit Bhutan to experience sustainable tourism that conserves the environment for its wildlife inhabitants, community members and future generations. The GEF Eco Tourism project's flagship species for ecotourism are red pandas, black-necked cranes, Ludlow's Bhutan Glory butterflies, golden langurs, golden mahseers, and other exotic birds of ...

  21. Bhutan Is Reopening to Tourists, But Only a Select Few

    Bhutan is already one of the most exclusive tourist destinations in the world. The kingdom only opened its borders to foreigners in 1974, adopting a "high value, low volume" tourism policy.

  22. A photo journey into the remote communities of eastern Bhutan

    A Buddhist kingdom lying in the Himalayas between China and India, Bhutan has some 700,000 residents, most of whom live in the cities of Thimphu and Paro in the west. The six dzongkhags (districts ...

  23. Bhutan tourist fees now cost less

    Until 2022, tourists to Bhutan were charged a daily tourist fee of $250 ($200 in the low season) for every day spent in the country. This might sound expensive, but the fee covered food, accommodation, transport, guide fees and most of the other essentials tourists needed for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Also included in the daily charge was a ...

  24. Bhutan reducing its daily tourist tax for visitors who stay longer

    Bhutan will lower the nightly fees it charges tourists who stay more than four days, in an attempt to boost visitor numbers that are still a fraction of the level before the COVID-19 pandemic.

  25. Bhutan introduces Druk Neykor programme for spiritual travellers

    The Department of Tourism in Bhutan has unveiled the Druk Neykor programme, an enriching tourism experience encompassing 108 sacred sites and monuments across the country. Designed to offer a profound exploration of Bhutan's rich history, culture, and spirituality, the programme welcomes travelers of all ages seeking a deeper understanding of the nation's unique heritage.

  26. Top Sustainable Destinations for Eco-Conscious Travelers

    BHUTAN. Cradled by the Himalayas, Bhutan is famously known as the happiest country on earth. ... But the more compelling draw is the diverse and unique experiences that the 100,000 tourists who ...

  27. These New Airports Are Making Bucket-List Destinations More Accessible

    In November 2023, Cambodia inaugurated a brand new airport in Siem Reap, the gateway city to Angkor Wat, the UNESCO-listed ancient temple complex that's one of the most popular tourist ...