Nepal & Bhutan: Two Himalayan Kingdoms

Days 15
Tour Code NAB
Tour Type Private Journey
Tour Price From $ 1
Best Time
Destinations Kathmandu (3) | Pokh... Kathmandu (3) | Pokhara (2) | Chitwan (2) | Kathmandu (1) | Thimphu (2) | Punakha (2) | Paro (2)

Tour Overview

Embark on an extraordinary journey through Nepal and Bhutan, two of the Himalayas most enchanting kingdoms, each offering its own unique blend of spirituality, culture, and breathtaking natural beauty. Begin in Kathmandu, where ancient royal squares, sacred stupas, and vibrant temples reveal Nepal’s centuries-old heritage. Enjoy a heartwarming cultural immersion as you learn to make momos and share dinner with a local family. Continue to the charming lakeside city of Pokhara for serene sunsets over Lake Phewa, visits to mystical caves and cascading waterfalls, and sweeping Himalayan panoramas from the Peace Stupa. Then venture into the wild heart of Chitwan for thrilling jungle adventures—jeep safaris, canoe rides, and nature walks amid lush forests alive with wildlife. Fly onward to the tranquil kingdom of Bhutan, where Thimphu welcomes you with majestic monuments, sacred monasteries, and vibrant craft markets set against pristine mountain landscapes. Journey through scenic passes to Punakha, where riverside fortresses, suspension bridges, and peaceful temple hikes capture the essence of Bhutan’s timeless charm. Conclude your Himalayan odyssey in Paro with a visit to the iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery—an unforgettable climax to a journey filled with wonder, culture, and spiritual beauty.

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Highlights

ITINERARY

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What’s Included

What’s not Included

How to Get Tourist Visa
- A Complete Guide

To enter Bhutan, everyone needs a Visa except the citizens of India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.

It is a mandatory to book a tour with tour operator. You can book any Bhutan tour mentioned on this website (Private Journey or Group Journey) and your Visa for Bhutan will be taken care of by India Tours and Travels.
Your passport must be valid for at least another six months starting from the day you enter Bhutan
You must submit your occupation proof.
You must provide your contact information and address.

India Tours and Travels will take care of your Bhutan Visa.
Once you are book with India Tours and Travels for any Bhutan Tour, you will be asked the details and related documents as per Bhutan Visa Requirements through
an email by one of our dedicated account managers.
After receiving the details and related documents, we will submit the visa application on your behalf at the Tourism Council of Bhutan which will reviewed by Tourism Council officials and issues a Visa Clearance Letter which you to print and bring it to the airport.
Upon taking the flight to Bhutan, you need present this Visa Clearance Letter to the immigration officers which will be reviewed and stamped with the actual Bhutan Visa on your Passport.

Maximum 06 (Six) months

Usually it takes 01 – 02 weeks to get your application processed but there is no exact timeline provided by the Tourism Council officials. We recommend to book Bhutan Tours at least 04 to 05 months in advance.

The tourist visa fee is just only 40-45 USD per person which is already included in the price mentioned for each Bhutan tour on this website. You don’t have pay it separately.

Essential Travel tips

Some of the Essential Travel Tips and Suggestions, you should know before planning your trip.

Foreign tourists travelling to Nepal will need a valid passport and Nepal tourist visa. Your passport should have at least 6 months validity left on it, beyond your expected departure date.

You can obtain a Nepal tourist visa from the local embassy or consulate or on arrival at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan airport (or other major arrival points in Nepal). You’ll need a valid passport, 2 passport size photos, and a completed visa application form. A Nepal tourist visa is valid for 15 days, 30 days or 90 days from date of issue.

If you’re planning on venturing out into the mountains on a trek during your Nepal travels, you’ll need to apply for a trekking permit. By issuing these permits the Nepalese immigration office can monitor the number of people out on a trek at that time. Permits are arranged by local agents and the costs are included in your land itinerary.

All visitors entering Nepal by land must use these designated entry points and may not enter from any other point:
o Kakkarvitta
o Birgunj
o Belhiya, Bhairahawa
o Nepalgunj
o Dhangadi and Mahendranagar in the Nepal-India border and Kodari in the Nepal-China border.

All baggage must be declared and cleared through the customs on arrival at the entry point. Personal effects are permitted free entry. Passengers arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) without any dutiable goods can proceed through the Green Channel for quick clearance without a baggage check. If you are carrying dutiable articles, you have to pass through the Red Channel for detailed customs clearance.

Apart from used personal belongings, visitors are allowed to bring to Nepal free of duty: cigarettes (200 sticks) or cigars (50 sticks), distilled liquor (one 1.15 liter bottle), and film (15 rolls). You can also bring in the following articles free of duty on condition that you take them out with you when you leave: binoculars, movie or video camera, still camera, laptop computer, and portable music system.

The export of antiques requires special certification from the Department of Archeology, National Archive Building, Ram Shah Path, Kathmandu. It is illegal to export objects over 100 years old, such as sacred images, paintings, manuscripts that are valued for culture and religious reasons. Visitors are advised not to purchase such items as they are Nepal’s cultural heritage and belong here.

The mainstream banks in Kathmandu and Pokhara all have a cash machine where you fill your wallet 24 hours a day using your normal bankcard or Mastercard / Visa. Smaller banks such as the Himalaya Bank also have cash machines, though we would recommend only using these machines during bank opening hours so as not to run the risk of losing your card if the system crashes.

Major credit cards are generally accepted in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Standard Chartered Bank and several smaller banks such as Nabil Bank and the Himalaya Bank will give an advance in rupees on your Mastercard or Visa. It’s wise to carry some US dollars and rupees in small denomination notes in the smaller towns where you can’t use your credit card.

You can purchase Travellers Cheques at 1% or 2% commission. Both American and European Travellers Cheques are widely accepted at most major banks in the smaller towns. The good thing about Travellers Cheques is that in the event of loss you will receive new cheques within 24 hours.

Major towns have electricity and the voltage available is 220-volts and 50 cycles. Load shedding or power cut is scheduled during the dry season and eases off once it begins to rain. However, most major hotels have uninterrupted power supply through their own generators.

Travelling to Bhutan: You can enter Bhutan by plane through the internationals airports of Bangkok (Thailand), Calcutta/Kolkata (India), Gaya (India), Siliguri (India), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Yangon (Myanmar) or Kathmandu (Nepal). Paro Airport in the south west of the country, is Bhutan’s one and only international airport. From there a drive of approximately 1.5 hours takes you to the capital of Thimphu. Bhutan’s one and only national carrier is Druk Air.

In general, Druk Air flies about three times a week. However, their flight schedule changes regularly and delays do frequently occur because of the changeable Himalayan weather. This means your program possibly has to be adjusted after the booking. It’s best to build an extra day or two in your itineraries in case of flight cancellations. You must confirm your travel during festival seasons (March, April, September, October, November) at least four months in advance with your ground agent or tour operator to ensure seats with the airline. Before you can purchase your Druk Air tickets, your visa first has to be issued.

For visitors wishing to enter Bhutan by road, the main land entry point is through the southwest border town of Phuentsholing, adjacent to West Bengal (India), or Samdrup Jongkhar, the southeastern border town bordering Assam.

If you enter Bhutan by land, one of the first things you need to do is obtaining a Bhutanese visa. Go to the visa officer in the drungkhag (subdistrict) office and present your passport, two photos and a US$20 fee. Indian nationals need to fill in two copies of a form, and bring five photos and photocopies of their identification document (passport, driver’s licence or voting card) to the office of the Indian embassy.

All tourists (Group or Individual) must travel on a pre-planned, prepaid, guided package tour or custom-designed travel programme. Independent travel is not permitted in Bhutan.

Other than Indian and Bangladeshi nationals, all visitors to Bhutan require a visa; all visas are issued from Thimphu; visas are issued only to tourists booked with a local licensed tour operator, directly, or through a foreign travel agent. Applications for tourist visas are submitted by the tour operator. Visa clearance from Thimphu must be obtained before visiting Bhutan. Visa clearance takes at least 10 days to process. Air tickets to Bhutan cannot be purchased without visa clearance.

Bhutanese currency is the Ngultrum (nu). The approximate exchange rate is 45 ngultrum for 1 USD (this will vary by plus or minus 1 or 2 nu. The ngultrum is on par with the Indian rupee (both the nu and the Indian rupee can be used in Bhutan). U.S. dollars and other world currencies as well as traveller’s cheques can be exchanged at banks in the larger towns and at the larger hotels. You will need ngultrum or rupees for purchases in the rural towns and villages. Note: INR (Indian Rupees) denominations of 500 and 1000 are not accepted in Bhutan.

Don’t count on using a credit card in Bhutan. They are accepted at the government-run Handicrafts Emporium, a few other handicraft shops and some of the larger hotels in Thimpu, but these transactions take quite some time. Also, credit card companies charge high fees and the verification office is only open from 9am to 5pm.

The Bhutanese authorities strictly monitor the export of any religious antiquities or antiques of any kind from the kingdom (100 years or older). Visitors are advised to be cautious in purchasing old and used items. Custom authorities will not allow items to be taken out of the country if they have not been officially certified as non-antique – look for the government seal or stamp. Personal videos, cameras, personal computers, portable telephones, and any other electronic device should be registered with the customs authorities on arrival at Paro and will also be checked on departure.

Upon arrival you will be issued a “customs form” that should be completed and returned to authorities before leaving the kingdom. Imported plants, soils, and so on are subject to quarantine regulations. These items must be declared on arrival. All tobacco products will be subject to a custom tax upon arrival. Sale of tobacco products in Bhutan is prohibited.

All major towns are well connected with electricity that runs on 220/240 volts with round hole two-pin and three-pin power outlets. It is recommended that you bring flat-to-round pin converters for your electronics if necessary; however, most hotels offer multi plug sockets. Bhutan is a carbon neutral destination. The energy is clean and green generated by hydro power.

Bhutan has a changeable climate, so bring a layered wardrobe, rain gear and warm clothes for the evening, just like good walking shoes or hiking boots, even if you’re not hiking. Also bring a hat or cap and a good pair of sunglasses. A water bottle, binoculars and polarising filter for your camera can be very useful, as well as a day pack or shoulder bag and a telescoping, aluminum or composite walking stock.

The Bhutanese deeply respect their king. Keep this in mind when you talk with local people.

Sacred objects: always pass mani stones, stupas and other religious objects with your right side nearest to the object and turn prayer wheels in a clockwise direction. Never sit on mani stones or stupas.

Clothing: if you visit temples, remove your shoes and head gear and wear clothing that expresses respect for the sacred nature of the site. You will need to wear pants and long shirts.

Donations: it’s a custom at monasteries to make a small donation to the monks as a sign of respect. Also donate to the Buddhist statues as a means of developing a generous and spacious mind. There are many places in each temple where you can donate, and it is expected that you donate to each place. Remember to have small notes for this gesture, although it’s not mandatory.

Smoking is illegal at monasteries and in public places. Don’t bring cigarettes or chewing tobacco to sacred sites.

Book & Travel With Confidence

24/7 Support:

Travel with confidence knowing that our dedicated support team is available around the clock while you are on the tour. Whether you need assistance during your journey or require help in unforeseen circumstances, we're here to ensure a seamless experience.

Flexible Booking Options

You're free to make changes to your travel plans at no additional cost up to 45 days before your tour’s departure.

Payment Flexibility

Secure your tour by making an initial payment of only 20% at the time of booking, with the remaining 80% of the balance due 45 days before departure.

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Nepal & Bhutan: Two Himalayan Kingdoms

Tour Overview

Want to Go For A Memorable Holiday?

Highlights

Day-by-day

What’s Included

What’s not Included

How to Get Tourist Visa - A Complete Guide

Essential Travel Tips

Customize Your Trip

Technical Notes

Book & Travel With Confidence

24/7 Support:

Flexible Booking Options

Payment Flexibility

Book Group Journey

How to Get Tourist Visa
- A Complete Guide

Customize Your
Trip