4 Days
Which Are the Best Bhutan Tour Packages for 2026 and 2027?
The best Bhutan tour package is the one that fits your days: we run six, from 4 to 10 days. Four are cultural tours of Paro and Thimphu, two of them with Punakha; one follows the Paro Tshechu festival and one is a camping trek. All six Bhutan tour itineraries start and end in Paro, and prices below are per person for two travellers, with the largest-group rate beside them.
| Package | Days | Route from Paro | Max altitude | 2 people | Largest group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Days Bhutan Tour | 4 | Thimphu | 3,120 m | USD 1,015 | USD 840 (12+) |
| 5 Days Bhutan Tour | 5 | Thimphu | 3,120 m | USD 1,230 | USD 999 (12 to 20) |
| 6 Days Bhutan Tour | 6 | Thimphu, Punakha | 3,120 m | USD 1,399 | USD 1,044 (12+) |
| 7 Days Bhutan Tour | 7 | Thimphu, Punakha | 3,120 m | USD 1,590 | USD 1,290 (12+) |
| Paro Tshechu Festival Tour: 8 Days in Bhutan | 8 | Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha | 3,120 m | USD 2,200 | USD 1,850 (6 to 20) |
| Druk Path Trek | 10 | Thimphu on foot, then Punakha | 4,180 m | USD 2,113 | USD 1,686 (8 to 20) |
The 3,120 m on the cultural tours is Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang), the monastery every package climbs to.
Price per person for two travellers on each of our six Bhutan packages, fee included.
4 Days Bhutan Tour
The 4 Days Bhutan Tour is 3 nights, 1 in Thimphu and 2 in Paro, in 3-star hotels. You see Tashichho Dzong, Buddha Dordenma and the Royal Takin Preserve in Thimphu, then hike to Tiger's Nest on day 3. It is the only package where the USD 40 visa fee is extra.
5 Days Bhutan Tour
The 5 Days Bhutan Tour gives Thimphu a full day: Tashichho Dzong, the National Memorial Chorten, the Zorig Chusum school of arts and the National Textile Museum. Two nights in Thimphu and two in Paro, with the Tiger's Nest hike on day 4.
6 Days Bhutan Tour
The 6 Days Bhutan Tour adds Punakha. You cross Dochula Pass, with a view of the eastern Himalayas on clear days, to Punakha Dzong and Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple, with 2 nights in Thimphu, 1 in Punakha and 2 in Paro.
7 Days Bhutan Tour
The 7 Days Bhutan Tour keeps the same route at an easier pace, with a full day in the Punakha valley: 2 nights each in Thimphu, Punakha and Paro.
Paro Tshechu Festival Tour: 8 Days in Bhutan
The festival tour is built around the Paro Tshechu at Rinpung Dzong, expected from 18 to 22 March 2027: masked cham dances by monks and laymen, then the giant Thongdrel unveiled at dawn on the final morning. It goes on to Thimphu, Punakha and the Phobjikha valley, home of Gangtey Monastery and the black-necked cranes. Festival week sells out, so book four to six months ahead.
Druk Path Trek
The Druk Path Trek is our Bhutan hiking tour: five days on foot and four nights in camp on the old trading route from Paro to Thimphu, past Jele Dzong, Jana Tsho and Phajoding Gompa, over Jangchu La at 4,180 m, with views of Jumolhari and Gangkar Puensum. It ends with a drive to Punakha over Dochu La. Tents, a trekking crew and a cook are included.
Bhutan Tour Package Cost: How Much Is a Bhutan Trip?
A Bhutan tour package costs USD 1,015 to USD 2,200 per person for two travellers, and from USD 840 per person once the tour group reaches 12. Every price already includes the Sustainable Development Fee: USD 300 of the 4-day price and USD 900 of the 10-day trek.
| Package | SDF in the price | Price per person by group size |
|---|---|---|
| 4-day tour | USD 300 | 1 person USD 1,235; 2 USD 1,015; 3 USD 960; 4 USD 935; 5 to 9 USD 920; 10 to 12 USD 899; 12+ USD 840 |
| 5-day tour | USD 400 | 1 person USD 1,385; 2 USD 1,230; 3 USD 1,190; 4 USD 1,130; 5 to 9 USD 1,080; 10 to 12 USD 1,050; 12 to 20 USD 999 |
| 6-day tour | USD 500 | 1 person USD 1,730; 2 USD 1,399; 3 USD 1,350; 4 USD 1,299; 5 to 9 USD 1,250; 10 to 12 USD 1,199; 12+ USD 1,044 |
| 7-day tour | USD 600 | 1 person USD 1,970; 2 USD 1,590; 3 USD 1,480; 4 USD 1,450; 5 to 9 USD 1,410; 10 to 12 USD 1,350; 12+ USD 1,290 |
| Paro Tshechu festival, 8 days | USD 700 | 1 person USD 2,550; 2 USD 2,200; 3 to 6 USD 2,110; 6 to 20 USD 1,850 |
| Druk Path Trek, 10 days | USD 900 | 2 people USD 2,113; 3 USD 1,918; 4 USD 1,817; 5 to 7 USD 1,700; 8 to 20 USD 1,686 |
The 6 Days Bhutan Tour costs less per person as the group grows.
A solo traveller pays the 1-person rate plus a single room: USD 160 extra on the 5-day tour, USD 200 on the 6-day and USD 210 on the 7-day. The Paro Tshechu tour adds 5% GST, shown on your quote.
What Is the Sustainable Development Fee on a Bhutan Tour?
The Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) is USD 100 per person per night, a government levy every visitor pays on top of hotels, meals and guide. It is the statutory USD 200 cut by half under a discount that runs until 31 August 2027, and it is why a trip to Bhutan costs more per night than one in Nepal.
- Nights, not days: a 6-day tour is 5 nights, so USD 500.
- Children: from their 6th birthday until they turn 12 they pay USD 50 a night; under 6 pay nothing.
- Indian nationals: Nu 1,200 a night (the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee), on a permit rather than a visa. Bhutan tour packages from India are built on that rate; ours use the USD 100 rate, so they do not fit an Indian passport holder's trip.
- Refunds: the SDF comes back for nights not spent in Bhutan, less bank charges.
- Quotes: tour companies differ on whether the SDF sits inside the quoted price or on top of it. Ours is inside, on every package.
The fee, the visa, the high point and the lowest price for two.
Book against USD 100 for travel up to 31 August 2027 and confirm the rate for anything later. The full rate table sits at the foot of this page, and Bhutan's Sustainable Development Fee: What You Actually Pay covers every rule with its source.
What Is Included in a Bhutan Tour Package?
All our Bhutan packages include the SDF, a Bhutanese guide, a private vehicle, 3-star hotels and three meals a day. Bhutan holiday packages, vacation packages and travel packages mean the same thing: one price for all of it. In full:
- Airport pickup and drop in Paro, and every sightseeing day by private vehicle
- 3-star hotels on a twin-sharing basis
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner, with drinking water on day tours
- One English-speaking Bhutanese guide, and all transport within Bhutan
- Sightseeing entrance fees, government taxes and agency charges
- The USD 100 a night SDF
- The USD 40 Bhutan visa, on every package except the 4 Days Bhutan Tour
- On the Druk Path Trek: sleeping tents, a dining tent, toilet and shower tents, a trekking crew and a cook
Not included: flights to Bhutan (we can book them), travel insurance, tips, alcohol and soft drinks, single rooms, and extra nights before or after the tour.
Which Bhutan Itinerary Fits 4, 6 or 8 Days?
Take 4 or 5 days for Paro, Thimphu and Tiger's Nest, 6 or 7 days to add Punakha, and 8 days for the Paro Tshechu and the Phobjikha valley. The first five are each a cultural tour; take the Druk Path Trek if you want to walk.
- 4 days: our shortest package, for a first tour to Bhutan, with one night in Thimphu and the Tiger's Nest hike.
- 5-day tour: the same two towns with a full day in Thimphu.
- 6 days: our shortest package with Punakha Dzong, over Dochula Pass.
- 7 days: Punakha at a slower pace, two nights instead of one.
- 8 days: the Paro Tshechu in March or April, plus Phobjikha and the Gangtey Nature Trail.
- 10 days: five days on foot, camping at up to 4,180 m.
Every package includes the Tiger's Nest hike: about 6.4 km round trip and 540 m of ascent, around four hours at a steady pace. Ponies carry riders to the halfway cafe at extra cost.
Can You Do a Bhutan Tour From Nepal?
Yes. Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly between Kathmandu and Paro in well under an hour, and we operate on the ground in both countries: a Nepal operator with our head office in Kathmandu, and a Bhutan tour operator through our licensed office in Thimphu. We put the flight, your Kathmandu hotels, sightseeing and the Bhutan package on one booking. Bhutan has two international airports, Paro and Gelephu, served by Drukair and Bhutan Airlines; all our packages fly into Paro. Pair any Bhutan package with one of our Nepal Tour Packages to see Nepal and Bhutan in one trip. Still choosing between the two? Our Nepal vs Bhutan comparison sets cost, visas, trekking and crowds side by side.
Booking a Bhutan Tour From the USA, UK or Australia
Book a Bhutan tour from the USA, UK or Australia in four steps, and allow at least five working days for the visa.
- Pick a package and dates. Every price on this page is in US dollars per person, with the SDF inside it.
- Send your passport details. We file the USD 40 visa, and the SDF is paid with the same application. A complete application takes up to five working days.
- Book flights to Bhutan. Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly into Paro; Kathmandu is under an hour away, and we can book that leg with your Kathmandu hotel.
- Buy travel insurance. It is not mandatory, but cover for rescue and evacuation is strongly recommended.
For the Paro Tshechu, book four to six months ahead: festival week sells out.
Which Nepal and Bhutan Tours Combine Both Countries?
Two of our tours join Nepal and Bhutan, both with Tibet: the Highlights of Tibet Nepal Bhutan Tour By Flight, 11 days from Lhasa through Kathmandu to Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, and a 15-day tour from Paro through Kathmandu to Lhasa. Both are priced on request. Every multi-country trip we run, with Tibet or without it, is on Nepal Tibet Bhutan Tours. For Nepal and Bhutan alone, book a Bhutan package after a Nepal tour and we join the flights.
Best Places to Visit on a Trip to Bhutan
Western Bhutan holds the sights every package covers: Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, plus Phobjikha on the festival tour. The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, measures itself by Gross National Happiness, keeps more than 70% of its land under forest, and controls visitor numbers, so its dzongs and monasteries rarely feel crowded. Bhutan tourism runs on a High Value, Low Volume policy, and the festivals show the living culture of Bhutan at its fullest.
- Paro Taktsang (Tiger's Nest): a monastery on a cliff about 900 m above the Paro valley, where the Buddhist master Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated after flying there on a tigress in the 8th century. Phones and cameras stay in lockers at the entrance.
- Thimphu: Tashichho Dzong, the Buddha Dordenma statue and the Centenary Farmers Market by the Wang Chhu, where farmers sell dried yak cheese, red chillies and red rice.
- National Museum of Bhutan: housed in Ta Dzong, a round watchtower built in 1649 above Paro Rinpung Dzong.
- Punakha Dzong: a landmark of dzong architecture, built in 1637 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal where the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers meet. It was the capital for over 300 years, and every King of Bhutan has been crowned there since 1907.
- Phobjikha valley: the glacial valley below Gangtey (Gangteng) Monastery, winter home of the rare black-necked cranes.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Bhutan?
The best time to visit Bhutan is March to May and September to December, the months our trip pages list for every tour. Spring in Paro brings mild, sunny weather, cool mornings, rhododendrons in flower and the Paro Tshechu. Autumn, September to November, brings clear mountain views and the Thimphu Tshechu in late September. For the Druk Path Trek, our trip page lists spring and mid September to December. Festival dates follow the Bhutanese lunar calendar, so confirm them with us before you book flights.
Bhutan Travel Rules: Do You Need a Visa?
Yes, you need a visa to visit Bhutan unless you are an Indian national; Indian nationals enter Bhutan on a permit. The visa costs USD 40 per person, one-off, and a complete application takes up to five working days; we file it for you. Bangladeshi and Maldivian nationals may also apply on arrival. Two more rules bind every tour:
- A licensed guide is required for the whole of your visit, so all tours in Bhutan are guided tours.
- Travel insurance is not mandatory since 23 April 2024, but we strongly recommend cover for rescue and evacuation on any Bhutan trip, above all the Druk Path Trek.
