Know before you go
The practical basics for planning a trip to Bhutan - season, packing, money, and etiquette, in one place.
Four seasons, two peak windows
Bhutan's weather is driven by altitude as much as by month - what follows is the valley picture, and your guide adjusts for wherever the route climbs.
- Mar - May
Spring
The most popular window - rhododendrons bloom, skies are clear, and several major tshechu festivals fall in this stretch.
- Jun - Aug
Summer
Monsoon rains bring lush, green valleys and fewer travellers, but obscured mountain views and muddier trekking trails.
- Sep - Nov
Autumn
The clearest skies of the year and peak trekking conditions - the busiest season alongside spring, so book early.
- Dec - Feb
Winter
Cold but crisp, with the best long-range Himalayan views in the west and the quietest dzongs and trails of the year.
One airport, a few land routes
Bhutan is harder to reach than it is to travel once you're inside - the arrival leg is the part worth planning first.
- Flying into Paro
- Bhutan's only international airport, served by Drukair and Bhutan Airlines from hubs including Delhi, Kathmandu, Bangkok, and Singapore. The approach threads between Himalayan ridgelines and only a small number of certified pilots fly it - book the route before your onward international ticket, since frequencies are limited.
- Crossing by land
- Overland entry from India runs through border towns such as Phuentsholing in the southwest, with eastern crossings used far less often. It costs a day of driving over a flight, but it suits travellers already moving through the region.
- Getting around inside
- Every trip on this site includes a private vehicle and driver - there is no self-drive rental market for visitors, and roads are winding mountain highways where distances are measured in hours, not kilometres. Domestic flights link Paro with Bumthang and the east.
What to bring
Bhutan's climate swings with altitude and season - layers do more work than any single piece of gear.
Wear & layer
- Warm midlayer (fleece or down) for mornings and evenings
- Waterproof, broken-in walking shoes
- Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees for dzongs and temples
- Sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen - UV is strong at altitude
Bring along
- A universal power adapter (Type D/G/F sockets, 230V)
- A reusable water bottle - tap water isn't potable, but boiled/filtered water is offered everywhere
- A small daypack for temple visits and short walks
- Any personal medication - pharmacies outside Thimphu/Paro are limited
The part worth reading twice
Most of our cultural routes sit low enough that altitude never comes up. The treks are a different question, and we'd rather over-explain it here than reassure you into a route that doesn't suit you.
- Altitude, taken seriously
- Most cultural routes stay between 2,200 m and 3,200 m, where mild breathlessness is normal and altitude sickness is rare. Trekking itineraries cross far higher passes, so every one of them builds in acclimatization days - we won't compress a trek's schedule on request.
- Before you fly
- No vaccinations are required for entry from most countries, but a travel-health consultation four to six weeks ahead is worth it, especially if your route drops into the subtropical south. Bring any prescription medication in its original packaging, with enough for the full trip.
- Water and food
- Tap water isn't potable. Boiled and filtered water is offered everywhere, including on trek, so a reusable bottle replaces buying plastic. Bhutanese cooking leans hot - ema datshi is chillies as a vegetable, not a seasoning - and every kitchen will cook milder on request.
- Insurance and evacuation
- Travel insurance covering medical evacuation is strongly recommended on any trip and effectively essential on a trek: hospitals cluster in Thimphu and Paro, and evacuation from a remote camp means a helicopter. Check that your policy names the maximum altitude of your route.
Cash, cards, and staying online
Currency
The ngultrum (BTN) is pegged 1:1 to the Indian rupee, and INR is widely accepted alongside it. USD is used for the SDF and larger prepaid costs.
Cards & cash
ATMs and card payments are common in Thimphu and Paro but scarce elsewhere - carry enough ngultrum or INR cash for rural stops and small vendors.
SIM cards & wifi
Tourist SIMs (Tashi Cell, B-Mobile) are sold at Paro airport with decent 4G in towns; expect patchy signal on trek. Most hotels offer wifi.
Local customs
None of this is enforced on visitors - your guide will steer you either way. Knowing it in advance just means you spend the trip watching rather than checking.
- Dress modestly, and remove shoes and hats before entering shrine rooms.
- Walk clockwise around chortens, stupas, and prayer wheels.
- Ask before photographing people, and check with your guide before photographing inside temples.
- Smoking is banned in all public spaces; Bhutan is one of the only tobacco-free countries in the world.
- Tipping guides and drivers is customary and appreciated, though not obligatory.
Frequently asked
Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) bring the clearest mountain views and most festivals. Summer is lush and green but wetter; winter is cold and quiet, with the clearest skies of all in the west.
Layers - mornings and evenings are cool even in summer, and passes can be cold year-round. Sturdy walking shoes, a warm midlayer, sun protection, and modest clothing for dzong and monastery visits (covered shoulders and knees) cover most of the trip.
Local SIMs are cheap and easy to buy on arrival at Paro airport, with decent 4G coverage in towns and patchier signal on trek. ATMs are common in Thimphu and Paro but scarce elsewhere, so carry ngultrum or USD cash for rural stops.
Dress modestly, remove your shoes and hat before entering shrine rooms, and always walk clockwise around chortens and prayer wheels. Photography is usually fine outdoors but often restricted inside temples - your guide will flag where.
Your Bhutan, Your way
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