Best time to Travel
Spring (March, April and May) and autumn (September, October and November) season are the most favorable time to plan your trip to Bhutan. These two main seasons are recognized to lure maximum visitors besides its natural ambiance. At this time most of the major festivals are scheduled to take placeThe rest of the seasons are also recommended to be fit for the travelers but due to the extreme cold and heavy shower it is has been declared as off season.

Booking a Tour
Visitor must book their tour though a government licensed tour operator like Bhutan Abbot Tours and Travels. They can either approach the agent directly or contact their counterpart in abroad. But your direct booking will ease you more but still there is no harm in contacting our abroad agent as well because they will cover up your corresponding portion once you settle your tour details along with your tour payments.

Getting into Bhutan:
By Air: The best way to get into Bhutan is via air as Bhutan is connected to the Indian state of Delhi and Calcutta, Katmandu, Dhaka and Bangkok by the Nation’s only Air line The Druk Air. For flight schedule click here.
By Surface: Entry or exit is also possible through the southern boarder town of Phuntsholing which serves as your gate way to Bhutan. The nearest domestic airport of Bagdogra in Bengal links the Bhutanese border town which is positioned at the distance of 170 km and three hours drive. Also Phuntsholing serves as out let for those who are scheduled to visit Indian state of Darjeeling and Sikkim.
Samdrup Jongkhar which is located in the extreme south east of Bhutan also serves as exit point to the Guwahati, the capital of Assam state and to some parts of north eastern region of India.

Visa and Passport:
All the visitors except for Indian nationals are required to produce valid traveling passport and visa for entry to Bhutan. Visitors to Bhutan must have a visa approved prior to arriving in the kingdom. Those who have not had a visa approved will not be permitted to board their Druk Air flight to Bhutan.
Bhutanese embassies or consulate abroad do not issue tourist visa. The Druk Air ticket cannot be purchased without first obtaining visa. Visa application at least three months in advance is advisable.
Two week visa costs US$20 and is stamped on the passport at Paro Airport (or entry port) during the immigration process. Visas are approved and issued prior to entry, with the pre-payment of travel itinerary. The visitors are required to produce two passport size photographs. The visa can be extended unto six months in Thimphu. The visitors to Bhutan are advised to finalize their travel plans well in advance.

Pricing:
The daily tour cost for the tourist is regulated by the Tourism Board under the Ministry of Economics Affair. All the local tour operators comply to apply the same rate for all the visitors. The daily tour cost covers up your entire land arrangements like three meals in a day, accommodation in tourist class hotel, transportation and guided service. The cost doest not include your air fare, visa fee, TDF, laundry, telephone, fax and drinks.

Standard daily tariff set by the Tourism Council of Bhutan
Peak season:

• For an individual Traveler: USD 240 per night
• For 2 people in a group: USD 230 per night per person
• For 3 and above people in a group: USD 200 per night per person

Off season:

• For an individual Traveler (FIT): USD205 per night
• For 2 people in a group (FIT): USD195 per night per person
• For 3 and above people in a group: USD 165 per night per person

FIT Surcharges: Individual tourists and smaller groups of less than three persons (FITs) shall be subject to surcharges. Single individual $US 40 per night. Group of two USD 30 per night per person. These surcharges are non-commissionable.

Discount:
The following discount shall be allowed:

• Diplomats from foreign embassies/missions accredited to Bhutan qualify for a 25% discount on the daily rates/tariffs.
• There shall be no charge for children up to the age of 5 years. However, those between the ages of 6 to 12 years accompanied by elders shall be given 50% discount on the daily rates.
• Full time students below the age of 25 holding valid identity cards from their academic institutions shall be given 25% discounts on the daily rates.
• A discount of 50% on daily rates shall be given to one person in a group of 11 to 15 persons.
• Discount shall be given to one member in a group exceeding 16 persons.
• A discount of 10% on the daily rates shall be provided for halts between11 to 20 nights and 20% discount on halts beyond 21 nights.

Accommodation
There are comfortable hotels, lodges and guest houses at tourist destinations. Western Bhutan has better hotels while in central and eastern part of the country, accommodation establishments are simple and offer minimum facilities. There is no star categorization of hotels and five star luxuries are not available. Bhutan Abbot Tours and Travel has carefully selected the list of accommodation units with the best of location, service and ambiance. Away from the towns and villages there are purpose-built huts on some of the principal trekking routes. Otherwise, there is nothing like camping out under the clearest night skies that you have ever seen. Wherever you spend the night, the warm Bhutanese hospitality will make you feel welcome. In the East we also give the option to halt night in the camp and we have very good camp sites.

Transportation
The mode of transportation within Bhutan is by motor vehicle only. There are no domestic airlines or trains. However the main roads are well maintained. The main two lane highway runs from west to east connecting all the major towns and villages. The mountainous terrain and winding roads restrict the average speed of vehicles to less than 40 km/hr. During monsoon and winter months, weather can disrupt travel and unexpected changes might occur in itineraries. Every effort will be made to stay as close to original travel itinerary as possible.

Food and Drinks
The food in Bhutan is served in Buffet style and most of the Bhutanese hotels also serves the traditional Bhutanese dish but for our guests the hotels also serves Chinese, Indian, American and Thai cuisines. Bhutanese traditional dish is very hot and with more of red chilies and local cheese.
Varieties of foreign wines are available in most of the tourist hotels but for you all we have a locally prepared wine called ARA which gives a unique flavor. It is in fact cheaper and easily available.

Guide Service
The uniqueness of tourism policy in Bhutan has resulted in provision of quality services. This has greatly helped in promoting the ultimate motto to maintain “low volume and high quality” tourism in Bhutan. Good profile of Nation is maintained by a well trained guide and he/she will assure that you will have a great time in Bhutan. It is forbidden for a non license guide to lead the group tour and if he/she is caught by the checking team, he/she will be subjected to fine. So every service in Bhutan is well organized and you will really cherish your stay in Bhutan with us.

What to Bring
It is better if could come with ample clothing and we recommend to bring cotton clothing for summer wear. Even the evening in summer will surprise you with certain degree of cold and we suggest you to bring a warm cotton cloth for the evening wear and in fact the winter is very cold we recommend bringing a heavy woolen cloth.
The following information would aid you to bringing the kind of cloths depending on kind of tour you opt in Bhutan

For Trekkers

• Strong and firm trekking boots
• Sunglasses
• Sun screen lotion
• Hat
• Warm sleeping bag
• Flash light
• Insect repellent
• Field Glass
• Rain coat
• Folding umbrella for summer and during the extreme heat of the day

For cultural Tour

• Good walking shoes
• Field Glass
• Sunglasses
• Big hat for sunny days
• Sun guard
• Ear plug

Cancellation
You are liable to pay the cancellation fee as per the norms of Department of Tourism, if you cancel the Booking.

• Within 30 days of tour commencement: no charge
• Within 21 days: 10 % of the rate
• Within 14 days: 15 % of the rate
• Within 7 days: 30% of the rate
• Less then one week/without notice: 50% of rate
• After arriving in Bhutan: 100%