Bhutan trip planner · Updated for 2027

Plan Your Trip to Bhutan in 2027

Everything you need to plan a trip to Bhutan, in one place: the 2027 rules and fees, how to get there, how long to stay, what it costs and practical tips from our team in Thimphu. Then tell us your plans and we’ll send a free itinerary.
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By Chencho Gyeltshen, founder · Kingdom of Happiness Tours, Thimphu · Updated October 2026

Bhutan at a glance

The essentials for a 2027 trip

The fees and rules below come from Bhutan’s Department of Tourism and Department of Immigration. They apply to every visitor, whichever company you travel with.

US$100

SDF per night

Sustainable Development Fee per adult, until 31 Aug 2027. Ages 6–11 pay US$50; under 6 free. Indian nationals pay Nu. 1,200.

US$40

Visa fee

Apply online before you travel; allow up to five working days. Indian nationals need an entry permit instead.

Guide

Always required

A licensed guide must accompany visitors, including between districts and at monuments (DoT notice, April 2026).

Hotels

Certified only

Overnight stays must be at accommodation certified by the Department of Tourism (DoT notice, August 2026).

Paro

Only international airport

Flights with Drukair and Bhutan Airlines from Bangkok, Delhi, Kathmandu, Kolkata and more.

Ngultrum

Currency (BTN)

Pegged one-to-one to the Indian rupee. Cards work in larger hotels; carry cash for small shops.

UTC+6

Time zone

Bhutan Time is 30 minutes ahead of India and one hour behind Thailand.

Spring & autumn

Best seasons

March to May and late September to November are clearest and busiest. Winter is dry and quiet.

How to plan a trip to Bhutan

Plan your Bhutan trip in 7 steps

Work through these in order and you will have a realistic plan, a budget and everything ready for your visa.

01

Choose when to go

Spring (March–May) brings rhododendrons and festivals; autumn (late September–November) has the clearest mountain views. Winter is quiet and dry; summer is the monsoon, green and cheaper. See our best time to visit guide.

02

Decide how long to stay

5–6 days covers Paro, Thimphu and Punakha. 7–9 days adds the Phobjikha Valley and a slower pace. 10–14 days reaches Bumthang in central Bhutan or a multi-day trek.

03

Pick your travel style

Culture and dzongs, a tshechu festival, trekking, wellness, birding or luxury lodges. Most trips mix two or three. Festival dates for 2027 are in our festival calendar.

04

Set your budget

Your total is the tour price (hotels, guide, vehicle, meals) plus the SDF for each night, the US$40 visa fee and your flights. Hotel category and group size make the biggest difference.

05

Book your guide and hotels

You need a licensed guide, certified hotels and licensed transport. A local operator like us arranges all three in one booking and gives you an itemised quote.

06

Get your visa

Your visa is applied for online through the Department of Immigration (immi.gov.bt), usually by your operator. Your passport must be valid for six months from the date you leave Bhutan.

07

Book flights and pack

Book flights into Paro once your visa is cleared. Pack layers, comfortable walking shoes, and clothes with long sleeves for visiting dzongs and temples.

Short on time?

Send us your dates and interests. We’ll handle steps 3 to 6 and send you a free day-by-day itinerary.
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Getting to Bhutan

How to get to Bhutan in 2027

Most visitors fly into Paro. Travellers coming through India can also enter overland at two border crossings open to international passports.

Fly into Paro

Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly to Paro from Bangkok, Delhi, Kathmandu and Kolkata. Drukair also flies from Singapore, Dhaka, Bagdogra, Guwahati and, in winter, Gaya. On a clear day you may see the Himalaya from the plane.

Overland via Phuentsholing

The main land border, opposite Jaigaon in West Bengal. The nearest airport is Bagdogra, about 4–5 hours away. From Phuentsholing, Thimphu is about 5–6 hours by road.

Overland via Samdrup Jongkhar

In the south-east, opposite Darranga in Assam, about 3.5–4 hours from Guwahati. A good start for trips to eastern Bhutan.

Flight tips

  • Book flights only after your visa is cleared, and 3–6 months ahead for October and spring festival dates.
  • Choose morning flights where possible; afternoon wind and monsoon cloud cause most delays.
  • Leave a buffer day before any long-haul connection on your way home.

Bhutan trip cost

How much does a trip to Bhutan cost in 2027?

There is no fixed daily rate any more. Your cost has four parts: the tour itself (hotels, guide, vehicle, meals and entrance fees), the Sustainable Development Fee for each night, the one-time visa fee, and your flights.
  • Hotel category is the biggest variable, from certified 3-star hotels to luxury lodges.
  • Travelling as two or more lowers the cost per person, as the guide and vehicle are shared.
  • A 5% GST applies to most tourism services from January 2026, but not to the SDF.

Worked example

6 Days Bhutan Cultural Tour, per adult

Tour price (from)

US$1,450

SDF: 5 nights × US$100

US$500

Visa fee (one-time)

US$40

Estimated total before flights

US$1,990

Based on our published “from” price for the 6 Days Bhutan Cultural Tour. Your quote depends on dates, hotels and group size.

Before you go

Practical tips for travelling in Bhutan

Small things that make a big difference, from our guides in Thimphu.

Dress for dzongs and temples

Long sleeves and long trousers or skirts, no hats inside. Your guide wears a formal scarf and will tell you what to expect at each site.

Altitude and fitness

Paro sits around 2,200 m and some passes are over 3,000 m. Take the first day gently and save the Tiger’s Nest hike for later in your trip.

Money

Carry some cash (ngultrum or Indian rupees in small notes) for markets and small shops. Larger hotels accept cards, and there are ATMs in the main towns.

Phone and internet

Local SIM cards from B-Mobile or TashiCell are easy to buy with your passport. Most hotels have Wi-Fi, though it can be slow in rural valleys.

Photography

Photos are usually not allowed inside temples and dzong shrine rooms. Ask before photographing people, and follow your guide at festivals.

Local customs

Walk clockwise around chortens and prayer wheels, don’t point at religious objects, and accept food or tea with both hands.

Traveller stories

What our guests say

★★★★★

“I’m happy to report a great trip with kingdom of happiness tours. We arrange this trip independently using email and WhatsApp we picked Kingdom of happiness over many alternatives.”

Giles Smith

★★★★★

“Absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. This trip to Bhutan exceeded all expectations. We had the chance to discover a truly unique culture, and everything was perfectly organized. The guides were outstanding — knowledgeable, kind, and deeply passionate about their country.”

Jean Hollaender

★★★★★

“We had unforgettable experience travelling beautiful Kingdom of Bhutan. Thanks to our tour operator "Kingdom of Happiness Tours" for providing us knowledgeable and friendly tour guide Ms Chenco and team, due to them we were very comfortable and informed throughout our journey of Bhutan.”

G Lakshmisha

FAQ

Planning questions, answered

More detail in our Bhutan visa guide, best time to visit and customized tours pages.

How do I plan a trip to Bhutan?
Choose your travel month, decide how many days you have, pick your interests and budget, then book a licensed guide and certified hotels (most travellers do this through a local operator). Your visa is applied for online, and you book flights into Paro once it is cleared.
Five to six days is enough for Paro, Thimphu and Punakha. Seven to nine days adds the Phobjikha Valley at a relaxed pace, and ten days or more lets you reach Bumthang or do a multi-day trek.
You pay the tour price, plus the Sustainable Development Fee of US$100 per adult per night (until 31 August 2027), a one-time US$40 visa fee and flights. For example, our 6 Days Bhutan Cultural Tour starts from US$1,450 per person, so with five nights of SDF and the visa it comes to about US$1,990 before flights.
There is no legal requirement to use a tour operator, but you must travel with a licensed guide, stay in certified accommodation, use licensed transport and pay the SDF. An operator arranges all of this and your visa together, which is why most visitors use one.
March to May and late September to November have the best weather and the biggest festivals. December to February is dry and quiet, and June to August is the monsoon, green and less busy.
No. Indian nationals need an entry permit instead of a visa and pay an SDF of Nu. 1,200 per night. Bring a valid passport or voter ID card.
It is no longer required for the visa; the requirement was withdrawn in April 2024. We still strongly recommend insurance that covers medical care and evacuation.
No. We are Kingdom of Happiness Tours, a Bhutanese tour company based in Babesa, Thimphu, founded by Chencho Gyeltshen. Please check the company name carefully before you book with anyone.

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Tell us your dates, group and interests. Our team in Thimphu will send a free day-by-day itinerary and an itemised quote, with government fees shown separately.
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