Plain answers about visiting Bhutan.

Logistics

Do I need a visa for Bhutan?

All international travellers (other than Indian, Bangladeshi, and Maldivian nationals on the separate regional regime) require a Bhutan visa, issued by the Department of Tourism. The visa is arranged by a licensed Bhutanese operator — we manage the application on your behalf once your booking is confirmed. Indian, Bangladeshi, and Maldivian nationals enter under a different process with separate fees.

How do flights to Bhutan work?

Paro is the only international airport. Two carriers fly in: Drukair (KB) and Bhutan Airlines (B3). Common routings from Asia include Bangkok, Singapore, Kolkata, Delhi, and Mumbai; Drukair adds Kathmandu and Dhaka. Schedules are limited and capacity-constrained — we hold a Drukair seat-block for confirmed bookings and ticket on your behalf at the prevailing rate.

When is the best time to visit Bhutan?

Four seasons, each with its own character. Spring (March–May) brings the rhododendron and jacaranda bloom; autumn (September–November) gives the clearest skies and festival peak; Green Bhutan (June–August) is wetter, quieter, and lush; Clear-Sky Bhutan (December–February) is cold but offers the year's strongest Himalayan visibility. October and April are the most-asked-for months; January for photographers willing to layer; June for travellers who want the country to themselves.

How long should I plan for?

A week in Bhutan (7 nights) is the right shape for most travellers — Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, and back to Paro for the Tiger's Nest. Five nights works for anniversaries and milestone trips; ten nights opens up Gangtey (Phobjikha) and slower pacing. We don't sell trips under five nights as a Bhutan journey; the country asks for the time.

What about altitude?

Paro sits at 2,200 m, Thimphu at 2,300 m, Punakha at 1,200 m. Dochu La (the pass between Thimphu and Punakha) crosses 3,100 m; Tiger's Nest (Taktsang Palphug) tops at 3,120 m. None of these requires special preparation, but if you have any altitude history, tell us at intake and we'll pace the days accordingly. We don't take travellers above 4,000 m on our Year-1 itineraries.

Is Bhutan safe for solo travellers and families?

Bhutan is among the safest destinations in Asia, including for solo women travellers and families with children. There is no organised street crime in any of our circuit towns. Children aged seven and up handle Bhutan comfortably; we pace the days for the slowest natural walker in the party.

The circuit

Why only Bhutan?

Our journeys today cover Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, and (for trips of seven nights and longer) Gangtey in the Phobjikha valley. This is where Bhutan's most considered lodges sit, where our most senior guides live, and where the country's foremost cultural and natural touchpoints are. East Bhutan and Bumthang are extraordinary but logistically slower, and we don't recommend them for a first visit. We'll open these routes in a later year.

Can we add the Snowman Trek or East Bhutan?

Not as a Year-1 standard journey. The Snowman is a 23-day high-altitude trek requiring specialised preparation; we partner with dedicated trek operators for the rare client who's truly ready. East Bhutan and Bumthang we'll add when our guide network can support that breadth with the same standard we promise on Bhutan. Ask us if it's truly the right trip for you, and we'll either route you to a specialist or honestly tell you the season isn't right yet.

What festivals are worth planning around?

Three reliably. Paro Tshechu falls in late March or the first week of April. Thimphu Tshechu falls in late September or the first week of October. Punakha Drubchen (followed by Punakha Tshechu) falls in February or early March. Festival dates are set on the Bhutanese lunar calendar and shift each year by five to ten days; we confirm the year-specific dates in your proposal and pace the week around them if your dates align.

About Private Journeys to Bhutan

What does "Private Journeys to Bhutan" actually mean?

We are a licensed Bhutanese tour operator running a premium concierge model: hand-picked itineraries, senior matched guides, full visa and SDF handling, and a senior-team review of every proposal before it reaches a client. The "Private" is the operational discipline — small numbers, hand-picked guides, no marketplace, no template trips. Every journey is written specifically for one traveller or party.

How long has Private Journeys to Bhutan been operating?

The licensed entity is registered in the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan; senior team members have over twenty years' guiding and operating experience in-country. We don't oversell our age — premium Bhutan operators measure tenure in decades. We measure ours in considered relationships with the lodges and guides who define quality.