All tourists visiting Bhutan are required to travel through an authorized tour operator on a pre-planned, pre-paid, guided package tour. Independent travel is not permitted. The government stipulates a high minimum all-inclusive entry fee per day. The tour operator is responsible for all logistical arrangements during your stay in Bhutan.

Bhutan Tourism Policy: The Kingdom of Bhutan opened its doors to tourism only in 1974 under a regulated programmed. In 1991, the Royal Government of Bhutan privatized the tourism to encourage increased private sector participation in the tourism industry. Today there are more than 150 licensed tours operators in the country. After the privatization, the Department of Tourism, under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Bhutan was established with the primary responsibilities as the facilitating and regulatory body.

The Royal Government of Bhutan has been always aware that an unrestricted flow of tourist can have adverse impacts on Bhutan’s unique culture and traditions and its pristine environment. Bhutan, therefore, adopted a policy of "Low Volume and High Value" tourism, on the principle of sustainability, meaning that tourism must be environmentally and ecologically friendly, socially and culturally acceptable and economically viable. Having given such importance and controlling the flow of tourists right from the beginning, Bhutan is now a living Museum, rich in culture, tradition, religion, history and has successfully preserved its environment in its pristine form. Though there is no quota or limit on the number of tourists allowed to visit Bhutan, the volume of tourists visiting to Bhutan is rather regulated to a manageable level because of the constraints of tourism infrastructure and high tourist tariff set by the Royal Government of Bhutan.

Get in/Get out by Air: The national air carrier, Druk Air, operates several flights per week from Kathmandu, Bangkok, Delhi and Kolkatta to Paro that offers spectacular views of the highest mountains in the world. Paro International Airport is about an hour drive from the capital city, Thimphu.

Get in/Get out by Land: The only land entry point for tourists is through Phuentsholing, on the southwestern border with India. If special arrangements are made it may be possible to enter and exit via Samdrup Jongkhar in the east.

Passport and Visa: A valid passport is required for entering Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the expected date of return. We suggest making a copy of the first two pages of your passport and keeping them in a separate bag as a back up. A copy should also be left with your emergency contact.

All foreign nationalities require a visa for Bhutan. Bhutan Visas are not issued by Bhutanese embassies abroad and no visa is entertained upon arrival. It is mandatory to get the visa for Bhutan clearance in advance, before departing for Bhutan. All visa applications must reach Bhutan at least 4 weeks prior to the visitor’s intended travel date. Nepal Adventure Point arranges visas on behalf of our clients to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bhutan, upon the receipt of full tour payment.

The actual visa will be issued in your passports at the entry points; either Paro airport or Phuentsholing. Upon arrival, you will need copies of your passport and 3 passport-sized photographs and US$20 in cash. If required, visas can be extended, upon the additional payment of US$15.00

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Government of Bhutan do not issue visa until the full tour payment is being made to the concerned account and without visa clearance the “Druk-Air” will not issue the air ticket. You can download the visa application form and either fax or e-mail us after filling up the visa details. Otherwise you can also fill up the visa application details as follows and e- mail to us.

Best Season to visit Bhutan: Bhutan has four seasons in a year; winter from December until February, spring from March to May, summer from June to August and autumn from September until November. Though it is possible to visit Bhutan throughout the year, the best seasons to visit Bhutan are in spring and autumn. During these months of the year, Bhutan has not only favorable and pleasant climatic conditions but also has lot of on-going festivals and events within the country.

Spring and autumn are also the peak season amongst the tourist and unless the tour reservation is made 2 months before the departure date to Bhutan, it is usually very difficult to visit Bhutan within short notice of your reservations. This is because of limited seat capacity in Druk-Air, the only airline that flies in and out of Bhutan and constraint of accommodation facilities and other infrastructures within the country.

Insurance: Bhutan is a high-altitude country, we strongly recommend that you purchase comprehensive insurance and have a complete medical check up before you leave home. Please inform us of any pre-existing medical condition. Also, as a precaution, please consult a specialized medical centre for vaccination against Typhoid, Hepatitis, Tetanus and Meningococcal Meningitis. Ensure that you have sufficient supplies of any prescription medicine you are taking. Some drugs might have side-effects at high altitude, so consult your doctor. If you have special dietary requirements, give us a comprehensive list of what you can and can’t eat, so that we can provide for you.

Medical & Health: Anyone who enjoys out door life and is physically fit can participate on our treks and tours. How ever some treks maybe rigorous and difficult because of high altitude and therefore a good training of fitness for at least a month at home is required for treks going to an altitude in excess of 4000m. There are no compulsory vaccinations for Travel to Bhutan or within the continent. However it is recommended that you be protected against Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis A, Malaria, especially if you are traveling out of Bhutan. If you have heart condition, please check with the doctor to ensure that it is ok to undertake high altitude treks.

Tour Guises/Tour Escorts/Trekking Guide: All tour groups will be accompanied throughout their stay in Bhutan by an English speaking guide in accordance to government regulations. Guides meet their group’s arrival in Bhutan and remain with them until their departure. Our guides are trained and licensed by the Royal Government of Bhutan and undergo periodic examinations to upgrade their knowledge and services. Our guides are all high school and university educated English speaking guides. Arrangements for other foreign language speaking guides can also be made upon receipt of prior notification.

Accommodation and Food: All the tourist hotels, resorts, guest houses and lodges are selected and approved by the Government of Bhutan. We have selected the best tourist-standard hotels, lodges and guesthouses available. They are comfortable and built and decorated in the traditional Bhutanese style. The best hotels are found in western Bhutan while in the central and eastern parts of the country, accommodation is simpler. Recently some luxury hotels have been built in Bhutan and can be booked for a supplementary charge.

All Government approved hotels are clean and well maintained with hot and cool water facilities, telephones and fax with international dialing. Bhutanese, Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisine are available in most of the hotels. Bhutanese Delicacies are limited with spicy Chilies and Cheese. However you will be served a Buffet of continental food with some local dishes too. On treks, our trained cooks prepare dishes suitable to western tastes ranging from continental to Chinese and Bhutanese to Indian.

Drinks: It is safer to drink bottled or boiled and filtered water. A variety of soft drinks are available in hotels, restaurants and shops in most towns. Bhutanese whisky and rum are produced commercially to a very high standard. The locally distilled alcoholic drink is known either as “Ara” or “Chang” and is made from wheat, millet, corn or rice. Since the degree of alcohol varies, please take care not to drink too much!

Transportation: There is no connecting railway transport or domestic flight in the country, except the car road. All the tourist destinations of Bhutan are accessible by road only. Despite high mountains and steep slopes, Bhutan has a fairly well developed network of roads. The roads along the rugged terrain and mountains limit the car speed to 30 km/hour and with tourist buses driving even slower. En-route, you will have spectacular views of landscapes, snow capped mountains, lush green valleys, unpolluted and crystal clear rivers, farmlands and villages.

Guests are provided with 4WD Japanese Toyota vehicles such as Helix and Land-cruiser for a group 1-2 persons, Hiace bus for a group of 3- 7 persons and Deluxe Coaster bus for group 8 - 20 persons. All these vehicles are periodically checked and maintained. The transportation cost is included in the tariff.

Single Room Supplement: Rooms and tent camp accommodations are provided on double occupancy basis. If you wish to reserve a single tent or Hotel room, an additional surcharge is applicable.

Clothing: Due to wide range of temperature and climatic conditions, it is advisable to bring appropriate clothing. May to September - cotton clothes are sufficient, plus a woolen sweater or light jacket. November to April - you will need very warm clothes including long underwear or woolen tights to wear under trousers, and down jacket or coat. During visit to the monasteries, Dzongs and other religious institution, you should not wear shorts, hats and should be properly dressed.

What to pack: Clothes as per season, sunglasses/spare glasses or contact lenses, pair of casual shoes, washing kit, shaving kit, towel, hat, umbrella, camera, film and accessories, maps, insect repellent, hand cream, small sewing kit & safety pins, torch or flash light with spare batteries, mirror, sun screen cream, lip salve or soluble aspirin, antiseptic cream, preparation for the relief of sunburn. You may not be tuned to the Asian drugs so it is always better to bring own brand.

Dress Code: Visitors are advised to dress comfortably as Bhutan is generally a formal place. Shorts, skirts and revealing tight clothing are to be avoided. The Bhutanese people wear their full traditional dress and formal wear to Dzongs and to temples. Visitors should wear long pants (even if jeans), shirts with full sleeves, and more formal skirts below the knees to these places. Slippers and sandals are discouraged. Sun caps are also not permitted inside Dzongs and temples.

Photography and Filming: Bhutan is perhaps one of the most photogenic places in the world. The landscape, nature, architecture and the people make it a photographer’s paradise. You can always ask by gesture, if it’s ok to take pictures. Also while visiting Dzongs, monasteries, and religious institutions; please follow your guide’s instruction carefully. Photography inside the Dzongs and monuments are not allowed.

The rules and rates for filming in Bhutan differ from that of normal treks and tours. Tourists or professionals intent on filming in Bhutan must abide by the Bhutanese Filing Regulations, 1995, available with the implementing agency, the Tourism Council of Bhutan. Applications for a filming permit must be submitted to the Tourism Council of Bhutan.

Electricity: All towns in the urban areas of Bhutan have a mains power supply. The supply of electricity to villages some distance from the road is an ongoing project so many outlying towns are not connected yet. Trekking will take you far from electric supplies. The voltage supply is 220/240 and a two-pinned round plug is used, as in India. Please bring your own travel adaptor since they are not readily available in the shops.

Money: The unit of currency is the ngultrum (Nu), which is equivalent to one Indian Rupee. The Indian rupee is also legal tender. Major convertible currencies and Travelers' Cheques can be exchanged at banks in all major towns. Certain credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, & American Express) are accepted at a few large hotels and some shops.

Airport Tax: Airport tax of US$20.00 per person is payable at the time of departure. It is subject to change.

We hope that visitors who make the journey to Bhutan enjoy their experience and return home with glowing memories.