Private & tailor-made · Planning for 2027
Customized Bhutan Tours 2027
Private tours of Bhutan designed around your dates, interests and budget, by a local team in Thimphu. Every day is planned with you, every rule is explained clearly, and every cost is itemised before you book.
By Chencho Gyeltshen, founder · Kingdom of Happiness Tours, Thimphu · Updated October 2026
Private tours of Bhutan
Every Bhutan tour is private. Yours should also be personal.
Bhutan does not run large coach tours. Under the Department of Tourism’s rules, visitors travel with a licensed Bhutanese guide and stay in certified hotels, so most trips are already private: you, your guide and your driver. What makes a tour custom-made is everything else: the pace, the valleys you choose, where you sleep, and the experiences built around what you care about.
Your dates, your pace
Arrive and leave when it suits you. Spend two nights in a quiet valley instead of rushing to the next stop.
Built around your interests
Your own guide and vehicle
A licensed guide and driver for your group only, with time to answer questions and change plans as you go.
Local connections
Farmhouse meals, village walks, a hot stone bath or time with a local artisan, arranged by a team that lives here.
The rules for 2027
What every 2027 visitor should know
These are set by Bhutan’s government, not by tour operators, and they are the same whichever company you choose. Everything else in your trip is flexible.
US$100
SDF per night
Sustainable Development Fee per adult, set until 31 August 2027. Ages 6–11 pay US$50; under 6 free. Indian nationals pay Nu. 1,200.
US$40
Visa fee
One-time, applied for online before you travel, with up to five working days to process. Indian nationals use an entry permit.
Guide
Licensed guide
The Department of Tourism’s April 2026 notice confirms a licensed guide must accompany visitors, including between districts and at monuments.
Hotels
Certified stays only
An August 2026 notice confirms overnight stays must be at accommodation certified by the Department of Tourism, including homestays and campsites.
Good to know
Common myths, corrected
- There is no fixed daily tariff any more. Since 2022 you pay the SDF plus the real cost of your hotels, guide and transport.
- You do not have to book through a tour operator, but you do need a licensed guide, certified hotels and licensed transport, so most travellers find an operator easiest.
- Travel insurance is no longer required for the visa (withdrawn in April 2024), though we strongly recommend it.
- A 5% GST on goods and services applies in Bhutan from 1 January 2026, and appears on your quote.
How it works
How we plan your custom Bhutan tour
No payment is needed to receive an itinerary. You only pay once you are happy with the plan.
Step 01
Tell us your idea
Send your dates (or rough month), group size, interests and the kind of hotels you like. A message on WhatsApp is enough to start.
Step 02
We design your itinerary
We send a day-by-day plan with hotel options and an itemised quote, with the SDF shown separately.
Step 03
Refine it together
Change the pace, swap valleys, upgrade a hotel or add a festival. We revise until it feels right, at no cost.
Step 04
Confirm and we handle the rest
We apply for your visa, book certified hotels, assign your guide and driver, and meet you at Paro airport or the border.
Mix and match
What could your Bhutan look like?
Most custom-made vacations to Bhutan combine three or four of these. Tell us which ones excite you and we’ll build the route around them.
Dzongs and temples
Punakha, Paro and Trongsa dzongs are still working monasteries and government offices. Your guide explains what you are seeing.
Tiger's Nest hike
The walk to Paro Taktsang takes most of a day. We place it late in your trip, once you are used to the altitude.
Festivals (tshechus)
Time your trip around Paro, Thimphu, Punakha or a smaller village festival. See our 2027 festival calendar.
Treks and day hikes
From day walks to multi-day treks such as the Druk Path and Jomolhari, always with a licensed trekking guide.
Farmhouse stays
Spend a night in a certified farmhouse homestay, share a home-cooked meal and see daily village life.
Hot stone bath
A traditional dotsho: river stones heated in a fire and dropped into a wooden tub of water with herbs.
Phobjikha Valley
A wide glacial valley where endangered black-necked cranes spend the winter, roughly late October to February.
Wellness and meditation
Quiet mornings at a temple, guided meditation and slower days, for travellers who want rest as much as sights.
Starting points
Sample custom itineraries for 2027
Use these as a starting point, not a fixed package. Every day can be moved, removed or replaced.
5 days
A first taste of Bhutan
Paro · Thimphu · Punakha
- Day 1: Arrive Paro, drive to Thimphu
- Day 2: Thimphu, Buddha Dordenma, crafts
- Day 3: Dochula Pass to Punakha Dzong
- Day 4: Paro, Tiger's Nest hike
- Day 5: Depart from Paro
Suits: First-time visitors with limited time, or a stopover from Bangkok, Singapore or Delhi.
8 days
Western Bhutan, slowly
Paro · Thimphu · Punakha · Phobjikha
- Days 1–2: Paro and Thimphu
- Days 3–4: Punakha, farmhouse lunch, valley walks
- Days 5–6: Phobjikha Valley and Gangtey
- Day 7: Paro, hot stone bath
- Day 8: Tiger's Nest hike, farewell dinner
Suits: Couples, families and photographers who want time in the countryside.
12 days
Into the heart of Bhutan
Western Bhutan · Trongsa · Bumthang
- Days 1–4: Paro, Thimphu, Punakha
- Day 5: Phobjikha Valley
- Day 6: Trongsa Dzong
- Days 7–9: Bumthang temples and villages
- Days 10–12: Return west, Tiger's Nest, depart
Suits: Travellers who want Bhutan’s spiritual heartland and fewer visitors.
Customized Bhutan tour cost
What shapes the price of your trip
There is no single price for a custom tour, because you choose the hotels, the length and the activities. Here is what goes into the cost, so you can compare quotes fairly.
Sustainable Development Fee
Fixed by the government: US$100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027. It is the same with every operator.
Hotel category
The biggest variable. Certified 3-star hotels, boutique lodges and luxury resorts can differ several times over in price.
Group size
Your guide and vehicle are shared across your group, so the cost per person falls as more people travel together.
Season and festivals
Spring, autumn and festival dates are busiest. Hotels near major festivals fill early and may cost more.
Activities and treks
Treks need camping crews and pack animals. Special experiences such as a farmhouse dinner or archery are added as you wish.
Visa, GST and flights
US$40 visa fee, 5% GST on services, and flights into Paro, which we can help you book.
Included in our tour price
- Certified hotels of your chosen category
- Licensed guide, private vehicle and driver
- All meals and monument entrance fees on your itinerary
- Visa handling and internal permits
- Arrival and departure transfers
Paid separately
- Sustainable Development Fee and US$40 visa fee (shown separately on your quote)
- International flights to and from Paro
- Travel insurance (recommended)
- Drinks, laundry, shopping and tips for your guide and driver
Personalized tours for every traveller
Who we design trips for
Couples and honeymooners
Boutique stays, private dinners and slower days in Punakha and Paro.
Families
Shorter drives and easy walks. Children under 6 pay no SDF and ages 6–11 pay US$50.
Solo travellers
Your own guide and driver, so you are never part of a stranger’s group.
Seniors and slower travellers
Gentle pacing, fewer hotel changes and help with steps and altitude.
Photographers
Time for early light, festivals and valleys, with a guide who knows the best viewpoints.
Hikers and trekkers
Day hikes or multi-day treks with a licensed trekking guide and camping crew.
Spiritual travellers
Temples, meditation, butter-lamp offerings and conversations about Buddhism.
Travellers from Asia
From Hong Kong, connect via Bangkok or Singapore; from India, fly or come overland through Phuentsholing.
The Kingdom of Happiness difference
A local team, planning with you
We are a Bhutanese company based in Babesa, Thimphu, founded by Chencho Gyeltshen. Your itinerary is planned by people who live here, know the guides and hotels personally, and can change plans quickly if the weather or a road changes.
- Honest, itemised quotes, with government fees shown separately
- Licensed guides matched to your interests
- Certified hotels only, from simple and local to luxury
- Visa handled for you, with clear advice on every rule
- Reachable on WhatsApp before and during your trip
What is a custom-made vacation to Bhutan?
A trip planned around you rather than a fixed group departure. You choose the dates, length, pace, hotels and experiences, and we build a day-by-day itinerary with a private licensed guide and vehicle.
Are all Bhutan tours private?
Most are. Visitors must travel with a licensed guide, so a couple or family usually has its own guide and driver.
How much does a customized Bhutan tour cost in 2027?
It depends mainly on your hotels, group size and season. On top of the tour itself, the government Sustainable Development Fee is US$100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, and the visa fee is US$40. Send us your dates and we will send an itemised quote.
Can I travel in Bhutan without a guide?
Not as a tourist. The Department of Tourism’s April 2026 notice confirms visitors must be accompanied by a licensed guide, including between districts and at monuments. Treks need a licensed trekking guide.
Do I have to book through a tour operator?
It is no longer required by law, but you must use a licensed guide, certified hotels and licensed transport, and pay the SDF. A local operator arranges all of this and your visa in one booking, which is why most travellers use one.
How far in advance should I book?
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most of the year. For festival dates or October and November, book six months or more ahead, as hotels near the dzongs fill first. The visa itself takes up to five working days.
Can I customise a Bhutan tour from Hong Kong or Singapore?
Yes. There are no direct flights from Hong Kong, so most travellers connect via Bangkok or Singapore to Paro. We plan your itinerary around the flight days that work for you.
Can the itinerary change during the trip?
Yes, within reason. Your guide can adjust timings, swap a visit or add a walk. Bigger changes depend on hotel availability, road conditions and weather.
Start planning
Tell us about your Bhutan trip
Share your dates, group and interests. We will send a free day-by-day itinerary and an itemised quote, and revise it with you until it is right.
- Free itinerary and quote, no obligation
- Reply from our team in Thimphu
- Visa handled once you confirm
Plan my custom tour
Free itinerary and itemised quote