Weather, temperature, and best time
Spring
Spring in the Himalayas is March, April, and May. It arrives just after the leave of Winter, the chilliest of all seasons. This is one of the best times to visit Nepal. Spring offers pleasant weather, open skies, vibrant landscapes, and bright sunny days. Thus, the months of Spring are so popular.
The temperature of Bhutan is around 13 to 25 degrees in this season. Of all the places, Punakha, Thimphu, and Paro are pretty warm to travel to in Spring. However, the higher sides of Bhutan are also a bit colder in Spring. Bhutan has a welcoming temperature overall.
Likewise, mountains and hills are more visible in Spring. The weather is just so calm and tourable. It only changes in quite a while. With visible mountains and hills in Spring, Bhutan is overwhelmingly picturesque. The abundant flora of the region also blooms at this very time. March to May is the season of Rhododendron, a multicolor Himalayan flower.
Spring is just a fantastic time for Bhutan tours and treks. Travelers in large numbers come to Bhutan during this season. They get warm temperatures, stable weather, beautiful views, and more.
Monsoon
Monsoon is opposite to Spring. Also known as Summer, Monsoon operates in June, July, and August in Bhutan. It arrives after the departure of Spring in Nepal. When it comes, it brings rainy clouds, rainfall, and humid temperature.
Through Monsoon, the temperature is around 20 to 25 degrees. The rainfall amount is also the highest in the season, around 194mm to 260mm. Hot temperatures and rainy weather make this time a low travel time in Bhutan. Most rainfall occurs during night hours. That means sightseeing around Bhutan is still possible in Monsoon. Yet, limited people come to visit Bhutan during Monsoon.
Mountains look pristine and clear during Monsoon post-rainfall. While the lower sides receive rainfall, the higher parts experience snowfall. Once in a while, visitors get refreshing views of landscapes and mountains when clouds open up. The rain-washed landscapes look amazingly beautiful.
In conclusion, Monsoon is preferred by only some, even though it is possible when it comes to Bhutan Tour. Tourists should try the Bhutan Tour in Monsoon if they can handle the rainfall. It can be a new and exciting experience.
Autumn
Next, we have Autumn in the coming. Happening from September to November, it is an excellent time to explore Bhutan. It is also one of the busiest times in the country. The mesmerizing weather, clear mountains, and other conditions make it a dream time.
The temperature around the major places of Bhutan is around 18 to 24 degrees. It is the post-Monsoon season. Hence, the first month of Spring, September, can be slightly rainy. Otherwise, Autumn is an ideal time for Bhutan Tours. The streets of Bhutan are more crowded than ever in this period.
Autumn is known for the most suitable weather conditions. Its offerings include open blue skies, crystal-clear views, and a stable climate. Travelers are sure to catch awe-inspiring views of Bhutan’s nature in Autumn. Thus, it is one of the best times.
Overall, Autumn is an enjoyable time to be in Bhutan. Alongside good weather, Autumn has some famous local festivals and celebrations.
Winter
Winter arrives around the end of the year in Bhutan. Winter is the coldest of all four seasons; it carries snowfall and a cold climate. And it stays until late February, beginning in early December. Being the coldest season, you can expect good snowfall in the higher parts of Bhutan and cold temperatures.
The temperature moderates around 8 to 16 degrees in significant places in Bhutan. It is comparatively cold during the night or evenings. When it is sunny, the days are good for traveling around Bhutan. There is a reasonably low chance of rainfall.
Instead, the snowfall occurs in the higher valleys and mountains of the country.
You will surely see the snowy terrains in Winter. On a clear day, travelers will enjoy incredible panoramas. However, the weather is undoubtedly cold. You must have some warm and cozy clothes for the trip. Winter is a fantastic time to visit Bhutan if the weather is welcoming.
Yet, winter is less popular. Because of the freezing weather, people dodge this season for another one. The lower areas are not cold. You can bear the climate anyway. Bhutan Trip in Winter can be a novel experience, though.
What is the best time for Nepal Bhutan Tour?
From the above information, do you know the best times for the trip? Autumn and Spring are the two most favorable times to be in the Himalayas. You can choose any of them if you want the best weather conditions on Bhutan Tour. These two seasons hardly disappoint.
However, you can opt for Winter or Monsoon as well. These two low times can give you new experiences. Many people do not have a Monsoon or Winter Bhutan Tour experience. If you are ready to handle rain or cold, you can go with these two times.
Nepal Bhutan Tour 7 Days Tour Difficulty
Nepal Bhutan Tour is a tour for everyone. It is a leisurely tour to explore a naturally and culturally beautiful country. If you do several things right, the tour is easy to perform.
First, you should choose the right agency with good experience and network in multi-national tours. In that case, we are experienced and connected with our friends in Bhutan. By choosing us, you will have no regrets at all. The difficulties can increase if you do this tour with some less-experienced and unreliable agency.
The second thing that can bring some problems is the climate. You will have a pleasant and easy travel experience if you choose Autumn and Spring. Nonetheless, you will face unstable weather conditions if you pick Winter and Monsoon. Therefore, choosing the right time for Nepal Bhutan Tour 7 Days makes all the difference. When the weather is fine, your tour will be fine, and vice versa if you enjoy pleasant weather.
Other than these two things, Nepal Bhutan Tour has no significant challenges. The tour is comfortable, suiting all kinds of travelers. You do not have to trek for hours and days. Instead, you’ll just get lost in the magical places of Bhutan. In a sentence, the tour is not demanding—no need to prepare physically. Just manage basic clothes and gear. That is all the preparation required for the tour.
Accommodation in Bhutan tour
Bhutan is a beautiful Himalayan country. Travelers in Bhutan have a wide range of hotels to choose from, from essential to lavish ones. You can choose from basic lodges to high-end hotels per your budget. Thimphu and Paro are the two major cities of Bhutan. You will find many hotels in these cities. While traveling with us, we will stay in 3-star hotels in Bhutan. As per your request, we can manage high-range hotels as well.
Essential Bhutan tour Permits and visa, Visa & Permit
You require a Bhutanese visa to attend Nepal Bhutan Tour 7 days from Nepal. Having just a Nepalese visa doesn't work in the case of the Nepal Bhutan Tour. Hence you will need a permit. We will tell you all the details about Bhutan Visa from Nepal here.
Bhutan Visa
Except for India, Bangladesh, and Maldives nationals, all others require a Bhutanese visa to enter the country. The Bhutanese permit is issued solely by the Immigration Department, Ministry of Cultural and Home Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan. No other foreign embassies can grant this visa. The visas are issued directly from Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan.
The Bhutan government issues tourist visas to those travelers who have booked a trip to Bhutan with local travel operators. That is the only way to apply for a visa. There is no provision for individual visa applications or online visa applications. Thus, it is also called one of the world's strictest visas.
Bhutanese Visas from Nepal
You will get no online, personal application, or on-arrival visa. The only way to get a Bhutanese visa is by booking a tour with a local tour agency. In the case of Bhutanese visas from Nepal, the same goes. Once you confirm your interest in visiting Bhutan, we send a visa request via our close tour partners in Bhutan. Then they take the other visa process ahead.
You will apply for a Bhutanese visa through our partner in Bhutan. And then, the tourism council of Bhutan will evaluate all of the details on your passport. Name, Permanent address, Nationality, Passport Number, Occupation, Date of Passport, etc., will be probed. Your passport-sized photo(electronic copy) and scanned copies of your Passport are the required documents for the visa.
You must apply for The Bhutanese visa 30 days before the travel date. If you meet all the requirements, the foreign ministry of Bhutan will mail a visa clearance number. The tour operator will get the clearance number along with immigration terminals of Paro International Airport, Phuentsholing Border Checkpoint, and two national airlines of Bhutan, Bhutan Airlines and Druk Air.
You can only book a flight to Bhutan when the visa clearance number is issued. The airlines use that number to proceed with the booking process. You will only get tickets if your visa clearance number matches the airlines.
The visa clearance number is an essential part of the Bhutanese visa. After the application through a local operator, you can expect to get the number in around ten days. The operator will provide you with the number at least ten days before the trip date. And the visa stamp is obtainable only on your arrival in Bhutan. For that, you will need passport photos and an eligible passport.
Bhutanese visa fees in Nepal
The fee for a Bhutanese visa is around USD 40 per person. The payment should be made at the time of tour booking via a local tour operator. Ultimately, the tourism council of Bhutan will receive the visa fee. The visa fee from Nepal is similar to that of any other part of the world. The local tour operator will make the visa application; everything will happen once the company lodges it. The operator will lodge once the entire tour package is paid. Hence, you must pay for the whole tour to lodge the visa. There is no other way.
Visa Validity, Extension, and Cancellation
Usually, a Bhutanese tourist visa lasts only 15 days. If you have longer itineraries, the permit will cover the exact duration. You get the same visa validity in the visa clearance letter forwarded by Immigration in the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs in Thimpu.
The visa is extendable with an extra fee. Your tour operator will have to send the details about the extended itinerary and the daily package fee to the bank. Once you have made the payment, the tour operator will provide the package fee and visa extension fee(8 USD per person) to the Tourism Council of Bhutan. And you will get the visa extension.
In the case of visa cancellation, the cancellation policy of your tour operator will be crucial. All the tour bookings for the Bhutan tour need to be done around 30 days before the tour date. Hence, it is impossible to provide a 100% refund. The visa fee itself is non-refundable.
Other visas and Permits required for Nepal Bhutan 7 Days Tour
If you are traveling to Bhutan from Nepal, you also need a Nepalese visa. Except for Indian nationals, a Nepalese visa is a must for travelers to Nepal. Hence, you will require a Nepalese visa—the Nepalese visa costs around USD 30.
Transportation for Bhutan tour
You will use various ways of transportation on the Nepal Bhutan Tour 7 Days. Firstly, you will fly to Bhutan from Nepal via a short flight. For flights, Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines are the two permitted airlines to land in Bhutan. The flight from Kathmandu to Bhutan runs every Thursday, Tuesday, and Saturday. Druk Air runs flights seven days a week.
Alternatively, you can reach Bhutan via roadways. The road trip to Bhutan starts from Kathmandu Buspark to Kakarbhitta, the easternmost part of Nepal. After getting to the border, you will pass through the Raniganj Immigration checkpoint in Panitanki, India. Then you must take a bus to Siliguri, from where you can take a railway to the India-Bhutan Border at Phuentsholing.
The train takes you to Hasimara from New Jalpaiguri. Hasimara is the closest railway stop to the Bhutan Border. After the scenic railway trip, you will reach Hasimara to take a local bus to Jaigaon. Once in Jaigaon, you can cross the border to enter Bhutan from Phuentsholing. And from there, you will get buses or jeeps to Paro or Thimpu. While doing a tour around Bhutan on Nepal Bhutan 7 Days, you’ll be traveling on local buses and private cars.
Meals in Bhutan Tour
You can have a variety of meals during the Bhutan Tour. Indian, Chinese, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Tibet, and Continental as well. You can have dumplings, fried rice, sizzler, pizza, sandwich, burgers, spaghetti, noodles, and more.
When we talk about Bhutanese food, we have to talk about spices. You will taste the extreme chilies in Bhutan if you also love exploring foods. In Bhutanese cuisine, rice is the central part. Alongside, you have vegetables or meat. Although Bhutan is a Buddhist country, meat is prevalent. Some popular Bhutanese meals are Ema Datshi, Momos, Phaksha Paa, Jasha Maru, and Red Rice. So Remember to try one of these.
Drinking water in Bhutan tour
Drinking water during the Bhutan tour is available easily. Your tour manager or agent will manage drinking water throughout the tour. The hotels, lodges, and restaurants all offer drinking water. The water is also available as bottled mineral water. You can get that from local outlets, shops, and marts. While buying bottled water from outlets, check whether the seal is intact.
But, for your comfort, you can carry water purification tablets in your bag. You can use the table whenever you need clarification on the available water. Or you can boil water and drink it.
Ethnicity and Diversity of Bhutan
Bhutan is known for its diverse ethnicity. It is a country of numerous ethnic groups. Ngalop, Sharchop, and Lhotshampa are the major ethnic group. Ngalop is the largest ethnic group in Bhutan. Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan, is the language of the Ngalop group. Likewise, the major religions of the country are Buddhism(84.3%), Hinduism(11.3%), Bon(3.2%) and Christianity(0.7%). The population of Bhutan is diverse, but they live unitedly. That makes Bhutan a particular country.
Diversity in flora and fauna Bhutan tour
When it comes to flora and fauna, Bhutan is a prime country. Bhutan has set an example of how to maintain nature’s gift. Forests occupy around 70% of the land, indicating how rich Bhutan is in flora and fauna. The vast forest is home to many rare and endangered species.
The main animals are Bengal Tiger, Hispid Hare, Sloth Bear, Clouded Leopard, Black Bear, Red Panda, and Golden Langur. Likewise, above 770 species of bird are found in Bhutan. It is sheer joy for a bird lover. Regarding fauna, more than 5000 species of plants are in the country.
Ten protected sites have preserved the enriched flora and fauna of Bhutan. National parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and nature preserves are the protected areas.
Sustainable Bhutan tour
We highly boost sustainable Bhutan tours. We give back to the communities for economic prosperity via our tours. Likewise, we highly minimize environmental impacts from our side. We believe in sustainable tourism and are well aware of its benefits. If we do not promote the responsible tour, we cannot take it for a long time. We must take everything along. Be it economy, culture, tradition, or environment. Thus, when you choose us for Bhutan, you also select sustainable tourism.
Baggage and weight limit for porters Bhutan adventure
For Nepal Bhutan Tour for 7 Days, you do not need porters. Porters are required when you are trekking in the mountains. On this tour, you do not have to walk or hike much. Every place on tour has easy and full road access. Even if you have a heavy backpack or baggage, the vehicle will transport it. Unlike Nepal, porters are hard to find in Bhutan. Even if you find one, they carry around 15 kg of load. That is the weight limit. And you have to pay them a specific daily salary.
Travelers' safety and security
Bhutan is a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayas. India sandwiches it in the north and China in the south. It is also known as “the land of Thunder.” That sounds a bit loud, but Bhutan is quite a peaceful and safe country. The manufacturing and selling of Tobacco are not legal. There are no traffic lights or traffic police in the country. Everyone wears their traditional clothes. You will know how safe this country is by visiting once.
However, you still have to know about travelers' safety and security. The overall risk is low in Bhutan. Threats like terrorism, women travelers, mugging, pickpocketer, and transport are low. But still, you have to be careful about your belongings. The risks of natural disasters or highways are slightly higher during Monsoon or rainy times. In a nutshell, Bhutan is one of the safest countries to visit in the world. The travel and tourism policies make it safe.
Guides and porters' safety and security
A travel agency in Bhutan employs licensed and experienced guides and porters. They are all trained for quality service. You can feel safe when with one of such licensed guides and porters. They will be at your service to guide you around the country. Travel agencies in Bhutan pay their guides and porters good money and benefits. The salary covers insurance, daily wages, commission, and other safeties. However, you can give some money for the excellent service you get.
International Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance is not mandatory to get into Bhutan. However, it is for visitors for any kind of emergency. You never know what can happen while traveling in a new place. Things can turn bad even in the safest country, like Bhutan.
As you know, Bhutan is a beautiful destination in the lap of the Himalayas. The geography of Bhutan is diverse, and so is the climate. The roads of Bhutan are winding. But when you have international travel insurance, it will cover all kinds of emergencies. Emergencies are Emergency evacuation, cancellation, personal accident, medical evacuation, loss of passport, and more.
Bhutan tour altitudes
Nepal Bhutan Tour 7 Days will happen around Punakha Jong, Tiger Nest, Thimphu, Paro, and Punakha. The tour will be around places with altitudes of 1000m to 3120m. The highest place of the entire Bhutan Tour is Tiger’s Nest, which is at 3,120m. Likewise, the capital city of Bhutan, Thimphu, is located at an altitude of 2,334m. Overall, Bhutan Tour is not a high-altitude tour. The elevation gain is not risky. If you take precautions, you’ll easily avoid it.
Altitude sickness and prevention
Altitude sickness is a sickness that happens when you travel to higher places quite quickly. Usually, our bodies need days to acclimate to the changing altitude. If not given enough time, altitude sickness becomes apparent. Also known as Acute Mountain Sickness, Altitude sickness is too risky if not taken precautions and treatment.
The symptoms of altitude sickness start to appear when you reach higher places above 2,500m. Symptoms of the illness are headache, dizziness, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, and dizziness. These symptoms get worse at night.
You can prevent the sickness with certain safeguards. Here are some of them. Avoid traveling straight to higher areas if possible. Likewise, take around 1-2 days to acclimatize if you reach above 2,500m. Only gain up to 300 to 500m elevation a day. Avoid smoking, alcohol, and strenuous exercise. Instead, eat light but high-calorie food. Also, keep your body hydrated. When you do these several things, you are safe from altitude sickness.
Gears to pack for the Bhutan tour
Bhutan is a county in the Eastern Himalayas with varied geography. With elevation, the temperature and climate change. Also, it experiences Summer, Autumn, and Spring. Hence, the packing list varies with the season you pick and the height you reach.
Generally, the below list works for Bhutan Tour. We have mentioned the essential packing list for the Bhutan Tour. Do add or remove as per your requirements and conditions. Make sure you know the weather and the altitude.
- Clothing
- Face masks
- Rain Gear (For Summer or Monsoon)
- Lightweight down jacket
- Warm fleece jacket
- Sport Sandals
- Two-Three pairs of long pants.
- Shorts
- Light sweater or sweatshirt
- Comfortable shoes
- Socks
- Scarf
- Slippers
- Sleepwear
- Neck Buff
- Swimsuit(optional)
- Two-Three Long-sleeved shirts
- Two-Three short-sleeved shirts
- Sun Hat or cap
- Gloves
- Quick drying face towel
Others
- Small Day backpack
- Water bottle
- Umbrella(optional)
- Sunglasses(UV protected)
- Earplugs
- Toiletries
- Insect repellents
- Sunscreen
- Wet tissue
- Hiking pole(optional)
- Camera and extra batteries
- Power bank
- Books
Tipping for guides and porters
Tipping in Bhutan is not mandatory. Yet it is practiced popularly. Throughout a tour, you will enjoy the service of drivers, hotel & restaurant staff, guides, or porters. All these people get good salaries from their employers. However, money tipping from your side can help them to cover their expenses. When you offer a monetary tip to someone, it also becomes a respectful gesture of satisfaction. It can motivate them.
How much to tip is all up to you. You can give any amount. But to help you out here, you can provide around USD 5 to 10 USD per day/service to your guides or porters. Remember, tipping is not compulsory, but service providers like drivers, guides, or porters do expect it. You can give any amount as per the service.
