How To Visit The Kingdom Of Bhutan And What To See
What You Need To Know To Visit Bhutan!
About Bhutan
I have been to almost 100 countries and Bhutan is one of the most fascinating places I have ever seen. Famous for being the happiest country in the world and the most expensive to visit, Bhutan is a curious place.
It is a blend of a rapidly modernizing kingdom and a deeply preserved culture. In the capital of Timphu you see modern shops but built in the traditional style. Men wearing there traditional Goras and women in flowing Kiras walk the streets.The king is deeply revered here and seen as a living god. He and his familys portraits are everywhere from street poles to peoples homes.
The people are extremely respectfull and seem legitmately motivated to be the best selves they can be. Meghan I joked it was impossible to carry our own bag or open a door anywhere. Everyone wants to make sure you are as happy as they are and expects nothing in return.
Bhutan is 100% worth visiting sooner rather than later.
Where Is Bhutan
Bhutan is located in asia roughly between Nepal, the Indian states of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and China. Despite being close to Bangladesh India and Chian, Bhutan had a distinctly south asian feel.
How To Get To Bhutan
It is possible to get to Bhutan by land via the state of West Bengal in India but by far the best way is to fly.
Drukair operates conveneint flights from Dubai, Bangkok, and Singapore to the Bhutanese town of Paro.Durkair was suprisingly nice and I highly recommend it. Paro is one of the most dangerous airports in the world so we were happy to go with the guys who fly the route everyday. The flights usually leave early in the morning for the best chance of good weather landing in Bhutan.
Best Flight Views In The World
We chose Druk Air and the inflight views on our Dubai to Paro leg were absolutely insane. Make sure you sit on the left side flying DXB to Paro and on the right returning. We saw the entire Himalayan range from Nepal through Sikkim to Tibet and Bhutan. Everest, Makalu and Kanchenjunga were visible for about 40 minutes from our flight. I have done a lot of scenic flights and have never seen views like this before. Druk Air was actually very comfortable and had great inflight food. The economy seats were spacious and the baggage restrictions were generous. If you are heading to Bhutan they were a great choice.
Just Casual views of Mt Everest and a very happy Meg safely arriving in Paro Bhutan
Best plane views I have ever seen
How To Visit Bhutan
Currently the only way to visit Bhutan is with a tour. Tours usually include your transport, all meals and lodging. It can seem expensive upfront but it’s important to remember once you get to the country there is nothing you have to pay for. All tours will expect to pick you up from Paro airport. Paro is a great place to start your trip and we recommend this option.
Choosing A Tour
I have to confess we are not usually tour people. But tours being the only way to visit Bhutan we had to go for it.
We used the Bhutan Travel Center and could not have been happier.
Literally every single thing was taken care of for us. Sharma helped us plan all aspects of our trip including the flights and confusing visa process.
Our tour guide and driver were waiting for us at the airport with signs ready to start our trip. The tour was private and the car was modern and very comfortable. We had a great time and would not hesitate to recommend them. I would highly recommend the 4 star accommodation option. It is worth the extra cost and makes the trip feel like a luxury experience. Bhutanese 4 star is much nicer than a 4 star hotel in the west.
All the tours with them included all expenses on the ground inc, entrance fees, meals water, hotels, and transport. Drinks were extra but most places included masala or milk tea if you asked. If you hate being nickel and dimed Bhutan is for you. What you pay for is refreshingly what you get!
Tourist Fees To Visit Bhutan SDF
Bhutan is unique in that the government has decided to pursue what they call high value low impact tourism. Although not amazing for your wallet, these fees have real benefits in Bhutan. The government reinvests these SDF fees heavily in social programs and it is really visible on the ground. These fees are tied in with their GNH gross national happiness, the scale that they use to measure their country’s output.
It also means that Bhutan is not crowded with tourists so you get a very different experience.
The current SDF fee is 65$ USD, effectively a tax for each day you spend in Bhutan.
What Kind of food is in Bhutan
Bhutan has a mix of many foods. This is a traditional spread a lovely homestay made for us.
Bhutanese food was excellent and not what I expected at all. Rice is the main staple and Chili pepper is used liberally. Rice is usually served with sides like Chile and Cheese, Curries, soups, and steamed and sauteed vegetables with a protein.
. Chili and cheese (emma datsi) one of the national dishes was amazing. It consisted of green chilli peppers cooked in a cheese sauce that tasted like cream cheese. The whole thing ended up tasting like healthy jalapeno poppers. Sounds weird but it was amazing on rice.
Chili and cheese with a view!
Our tour took us to lunch spots that they called continental. We learned this meant a buffet of various Bhutanese and Indian dishes. We were always happy with this option so never asked to change. Some places felt almost like Chinese food and others felt much more Indian. Most meals include milk or masala tea.
If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea there was most always a western option at most restaurants. We never really explored the western options. I mean your in Bhutan why get the same meal you can get at home.
What To See in Bhutan
Bhutan has incredible natural beauty and incredible architecture. The government mandates that all buildings have to be built in the traditional style so everything looks like you’re in another century. The highlights for us were temples, forts, cultural events, The Tiger’s Nest Hike, spending the night in a monastery and hiking. If you visit in spring Bhutan is also famous for purple Flowers. We unfortunately missed the flowers but visited in the best season for clear mountain views and low crowds (Feb)!
We visited Western Bhutan and saw rolling hills, the himalayas and grand valleys and rivers.
Central Bhutan – Similar to the west with rugged forests and more remote terrain
East and South Bhutan – Rolling hills and less mountainous with lots of vegetation and sub tropical areas. There are safaris you can do here with chances of seeing Tigers, Rhinos, and Elephants.
Tigers Nest Hike
A 6km return 400 m elevation gain hike to the active Taktsang Monastery. Incredible views with a good trail and ½ way restaurant to eat at. Read more about our hike to Bhutan most spectacular temple here!
Dodeydra Monastery Overnight hike and stay
Our favourite experience in Bhutan. 3.3km 600 m elevation gain hike up to the beautiful Dodeydra Monastery where you can participate in active prayer, mediation and stay overnight. You get to eat in the common lunch room, meet the monks and see them at prayer. Very unique and surprisingly authentic experience.
Money In Bhutan
The Bhutanese use the Nultrum. There are 60 Nultrum to a CAD $ and 80 to a USD. Credit card was widely accepted in the cities but more rural places cash was the only option. The money changing at hotels and the airport was more than fair and we routinely got a rate better than what we saw online. TLDR bring some cash for souvenirs.
What Language Is Spoken In Bhutan
The Bhutanese national language Dzongklah is similar to Tibetan and widely spoken. Most people can speak good English, especially the younger crowd.
Best Time To Visit Bhutan
Due to its location Bhutan has mild weather by western standards all year.
The only period I would recommend skipping is the monsoon June – Aug. The rains make trekking and road access difficult due to frequent mudslides and flooding. We went in Feb and loved that it wasn’t crowded and we had good views. If we returned we would love to go in fall to see Bhutan looking green and summery after monsoon.
The high season in Bhutan is the spring and fall.
Winter ( Dec – Feb) A bit chilly but clear skies and great views throughout the country.
Spring (Mar-May) – Pre monsoons, Rhododendrons are in bloom and a great time to trek before it gets too hot. Spring is a great time for Festivals.
Monsoon ( June – Aug) – Very wet with frequent road access issues. Still relatively busy due to the European summer tourism.
Fall season (Sept – Nov) – The de facto high season offers clear skies, great weather and a lush green landscapes after the summer rains.
Is Bhutan Cheap Or Expensive
Bhutan was a surprisingly affordable country when you are on the ground. The Daily visa fee and the flights are what give the country an expensive reputation. We felt everything was good value and people were honest with prices once we were there.
Cost Examples
Cappuccino $1.70
Milk Tea $1.0
Fridge Magnet $1.0
High end meal in Thimphu $12
Handmade Scarf $25
Is Bhutan A Rich Or Poor Country?
The average GDP per person in Bhutan is a rapidly increasing $5,000 USD. This put Bhutan in the wealthier subsection of south asia and far richer than their neighbor India. You can expect good roads, a reliable power and water system and a clean country without trash problems.
Why Are People In Bhutan So Happy?
Bhutan is the only country in the world that doesn’t measure success with GDP. They use a system called GNH (Gross National Happiness). GNH is made up of markers like psychological well being, cultural preservation, community, and education.Their kingdom is a democratic monarchy and investment is driven by these pillars. When we were there people seemed to legitimately love their king and praised the decisions he made.The kings photo is EVERYWHERE, it’s kind of surreal to see.
The whole tourist visa fee goes right back into cultural retainment programs and is kind of nice to see. As a visitor I didn’t love paying the fee but it was nice to see it wasn’t just disappearing. Many programs that teach people to become things like artisan to maintain their traditional buildings, temples and ways of life are funded with these programs.
TLDR – They have a deeply preserved culture that is promoted by the government that helps people retain their traditions, ways of life and values.The government also promotes individual achievement and personal development through the principles of Buddhism. Having a clear cultural identity, job and community seems to keep people happy. Take notes Canada.
How Long Do You Need In Bhutan
Depending on your time there are three different tour options you can do.
6-8 Days – Western Bhutan
8-10 days – Western + Central Bhutan
10+ days – Western + Central +South + Eastern Bhutan
Trekking In Bhutan
If you have 10+ days consider adding in some trekking options. Trekking in Bhutan is done by tent and porter system with donkey and horse trains. These treks are like legitimate expeditions and can take you deep into the mountains. The Snowman trek, the most difficult trek in the world, is here in Bhutan. The snowman is over 340km long with 11 passes over 4500m and gets very remote.
There are lots of easier options far less extreme like the 2 day Bumdra trek which walks into the backside of Tiger’s Nest Monastary.
Elevation In Bhutan
Elevation in Bhutan is definitely a factor for anyone visiting. If you are not trekking it’s nothing like Nepal but you do get pretty high. The capital city of Thimphu sits at 2400m and Paro where you will most likely land sits at 2200m. We were feeling a little short of breath for the first couple days and it took some getting used to. I am sure flying in from sea level Dubai did us no favours. The high point of our trip was Dochula Pass at 3100m.
Tips for altitude adjustment
Drink lots of water,
Avoid alcohol until acclimatized,
Prioritize sleep,
Ascend slowly,
Takes breaks and pay attention if feeling dizzy, nauseous or out of sorts
Make sure you eat enough
Pace yourself when exercising
Some people benefit from medications like Diamox but we find it unnecessary below 4000m
Can You Drink Tap Water In Bhutan
Tap water is not considered safe to drink in Bhutan. Your tour, hotels and all restaurants will give you bottled mineral water as part of your package. We suggest sticking to this.
Bhutan 7 Day itinerary
Day 1 – Fly into Paro drive to Thimphu visit: Buddha Dordenma, Tashichho Dzong
Day 2 – Explore Thimphu Hike to Dodedyra Monastary
Day 3 – Drive to Punakha via Dochula Pass visit: Punakha Dzong, Fertility Temple, Punakah suspension bridge
Day 4 – Drive to Phobjikha visit: Gangtey Nature Trail, Gangtey Goenpa, Punakah valley
Day 5 – Drive to Paro visit: Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum, Kyichu Lhakhang, explore Paro
Day 6 – Hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, explore Paro town, traditional hot stone bath
Day 7 – Fly Home
Don’t miss one of the highlights of Bhutan – Spending The Night In A 300 Year Old Monastery.
