Bhutan is set high in the Himalayas between India and China; where snow-capped mountains, verdant valleys, dense jungles and crystal-clear rivers combine with a calming ancient Buddhist culture. This beautiful country is one of the top ten biodiversity hotspots in the world and the centre of 221 Global Endemic Bird Areas, has over 120 Butterflies, 28 endemic to the Eastern Himalayas and 750 plant species also endemic to Eastern Himalay a s. Bhutan is truly a wonderful destination; the perfect escape from daily routine.

People
Bhutan has a multi-ethnic population of around 700,000, of whom 100,000 live in the Thimpu district. Although Bhutan is now serviced by road, once deep river gorges created isolation for the different valleys; leading to a multi-lingual society with nineteen different dialects.
Broadly speaking, there are four main divisions of people within the land

Bhutan has never had a rigid class system. Both men and women have equal rights, unaffected by rank or birth. Schooling is free, which is hoped will raise the literacy levels especially in the more remote areas. Drilam Namzha, or traditional etiquette, remains important for all Bhutanese. The wearing of traditional garments in Dzongs, offices and schools is required: men, the gho, a knee-length robe tied around the waist; the kira for women, an ankle length garment formed from a rectangular piece of brightly coloured and intricately woven material, wrapped around the body over a Tibetan styled blouse. It is fastened at the shoulders by silver broaches and tightened at the waist with a belt with a short jacket worn on top. Material for both of these garments is traditionally hand-loomed

When to visit Bhutan

March, April, May, September, October, and November are classified as high season. These are the busy months mainly because the weather is milder and the most important festivals are held.

Spring (Mar, Apr, May, Jun) is cloudier, but there is abundant wildlife and flowers are at their best. An ideal time for birding, photography, trekking and culture/festival tours.

Autumn (Sep, Oct, Nov) the weather is pleasant, breathtaking scenery from the passes. Ideal for trek/photography/culture/festival tours.

Winter (Dec, Jan, Feb) can be very cold at night, but the skies are clear and mountain views at their most stunning. Ideal for photography/arts/crafts/festivals tours.

Summer (Jul, Aug) monsoon season. A paradise for tourists interested in botany.

Note: Minimum of 60 days advance booking is recommended in order to secure hotel and Druk Air flights should your tour dates overlap with important festivals.

Entry by Air

Drunk Air, the national carrier, is the only airline that operates flights into Paro international airport.

Flights available from: Kathmandu, Nepal; Delhi and Calcutta, India; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Yangoon, Myanmar and Bangkok, Thailand.

Entry by Road

Visitors can also enter/exit Bhutan by road through:
Samdrup Jongkhar, an hour’s drive from Guwahati airport in Assam, India.
Phuntsholing, 5 hours drive from Darjeeling, Sikkim and Bagdogra airport in West Bengal, India.