Bhutan is a small Buddhist kingdom set in the Himalayan mountains between India and China. The best time to visit Bhutan is either in the spring (between March and May), or in the autumn (from September to November). Paro is a valley town in Bhutan (west of the capital, Thimphu) which has the only international airport (PBH) in Bhutan.
Things to know before planning a trip to Bhutan
- Travelers from the U.S. must obtain a 90 day e-Visa before traveling to Bhutan since there is no visa on arrival (https://visit.doi.gov.bt/).
- The visa application requires a $40 nonrefundable fee, a scanned copy of your passport (valid at least six months past your visit to Bhutan), a passport photo and all the travel details (flight, hotel information and proof of travel insurance).
- US travelers must pay a daily Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of $200USD, which subsidizes Bhutan’s national health care and education services.
- The SDF is exempt for children under 5 years of age and there is a concessionary levy rate of 50% for children between the ages of 6-12 years.
- You can make the final payment (visa plus SDF) on the website with an international credit card for additional 4.75% processing fee.
- As of September 2023, you must have a tour guide to travel within Bhutan.
Travelers to Bhutan between June 2023 and December 2024 can benefit from exclusive long-stay incentives (Press Release).
- 4 + 4: Pay the SDF of USD 200 per night, per person, for four nights, and receive up to four additional nights free.
- 7 + 7: Pay the SDF of USD 200 per night, per person, for seven nights, and receive up to seven additional nights free.
- 12 + 18: Pay the SDF USD 200 per night per person, for twelve nights, and receive up to eighteen additional nights free.
Best countries to stop over on the way to Bhutan
There is no way to book award connecting flights from the US to Bhutan since international airlines are not permitted to fly into Bhutan. I recommend spending some time in Nepal, India or Thailand before heading over to Bhutan. Nepal is the closest country to Bhutan with splendid nature and it is worth planning a trip to cover both places at the same time.
Award booking flights to Nepal
Turkish Miles & Smiles charges the lowest for business class flights to Nepal.
Aeroplan can be used to book Star Alliance flights if you have no Miles & Smiles.
Qatar Airways business class is the most luxurious way to reach Nepal (book early for the award space).
Flights from Kathmandu (KTM), Delhi (DEL) and Bangkok (BKK) to Paro (PBH)
Cash flights to Paro are expensive for foreigners and are priced lowest from Kathmandu (Google Flights). Google Flights will not show calendar availability until you click on a date and the results won’t reveal the price. You must visit the airline’s website (Bhutan & Druk) to view and complete the booking. No matter how early you book, expect to pay at least $600 for round trip between KTM-PBH and even more for Delhi and Bangkok flights.
Bhutan Airlines allows flight bookings 11 months ahead of time (https://www.bhutanairlines.bt/).
Druk Air allows bookings only 6 months ahead of time (https://www.drukair.com.bt/)
Bhutan Award Hotels
Hyatt lovers will enjoy a stay at Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, an all-inclusive SLH property that includes one daily spa treatment (https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/bhutan/slh-bhutan-spirit-sanctuary/pbhyb). They have wide open award availability and represent great value for staying 4-8 nights to explore Bhutan.
Marriott Properties in Bhutan
There are two Marriott properties in Bhutan located in Paro and Thimphu.
(https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/pbhpr-le-meridien-paro-riverfront/overview/)
(https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/pbhmd-le-meridien-thimphu/overview/)
Best places to explore nature in Bhutan
60% of Bhutan is covered by forests and the country has 5 national parks. Phrumsengla National Park is a bird-watcher’s paradise and Royal Manas National Park is home to tigers, elephants, rhinos and leopards. Paro’s adventure activities include rafting along crystal-clear rivers in the valley.
Chele La Pass
Chele La is the highest motorable point in Bhutan surrounded by mountain ranges from all sides, sitting 3,988 meters above sea level.
Paro Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest)
The most popular trek in Bhutan is Paro Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) which can be done as a daytrip from Paro or Thimphu. Along with other treks in Paro (https://www.alltrails.com/bhutan/paro), this trek is also rated hard and requires climbing several hundred stairs.
Zuri Dzong Fort
Rinpung Dzong Monastery
Great Buddha Dordenma
Thrangu Tashi Choling Monastery
Buddha point, Thimphu
Drukgyel Dzong Monastery
Drukgyel Dzong is an ancient fortress located at the upper end of the Paro Valley.
Conclusion
If you are a couple visiting Bhutan for 4 nights, you should expect to pay $1600 in SDF, $100 for visa processing, $1200-2000 in flights between other Asian countries and Bhutan. You should also plan on spending additional money on exploring tourist attractions (guide mandatory) while in Bhutan. After setting aside a budget of 4K for 4 nights, miles and points will take care of the rest (i.e., flights from the US to Nepal, India and Bangkok along with accommodation in Bhutan).