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Facts for Travellers:

Undoubtedly the best way to visit Bhutan is arriving by air. Druk Air is the only airline allowed to fly into Bhutan so there is not much choice there, but it is a good one. The Druk Airline consists of two British Aerospace jets, BAe 146s, perfectly designed and crafted for high altitude landings and takeoffs. Druk Air has a spotless safety record due to the fact that all pilots are specially trained and internationally licensed for mountain flying. The aircraft are impeccably maintained.

The flight to Bhutan has to be the most spectacular in the world offering spectacular views of the Himalayas, Mount Everest and Chomolhari. Flights into Paro International Airport, one of the highest in the world, arrive several times a week from Bangkok, Kathmandu, Delhi & Calcutta and sometimes Dacca. Check our schedule page for the latest dates and times. Druk Air Schedules here

We will book your Druk Air reservation in and out of Bhutan as a compliment to our tour services without the added commission that outside travel agents charge. To do this we book in advance as soon as you confirm your trip so we can avoid the peak season rush of the spring and autumn festivals. Tickets can only be issued once the Ministry of Foregin Affairs approves your visa. Don't worry about getting approved our staff will hand carry your passport details and personally book your tickets. Make sure the visa information you send for your ticket is EXACTLY the same as it is on your passport or you won't fly. Druk Air is very sticky about that.

The alternative of coming in to Bhutan by road is now allowed to tourists wanting to combine their visit to Bhutan with other places in India such as Sikkim & Darjeeling. Entering and departing Bhutan by surface road through the border town of Phuentsoling is the only official point of entry other than flying. Now travelers are also allowed to fly into Bhutan and exit by road through Phuentsoling, or vice versa.

Air tickets will be issued only after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs approves your visa. To expedite this procedure, it is essential that you send us all passport information required to apply for your Bhutan visa (see below). The air-tickets cannot be issued until the visa is approved - and this process takes a week or more.

NOTE: During monsoons, unpredictable weather forces can delay flights and travelers are advised to include an extra day in their itinerary.
NOTE: Entry / Exit one way has to be by air.

Tourist Visas
Your visa has to be approved prior to air ticketing and your arrival in Bhutan. Once you are ready to confirm your tour arrangements we will apply for your visas. We will need all of the following details. Visa Form ( in word Document)
  01: Your full name (EXACTLY as it appears in your passport)
  02: Permanent address
  03: Occupation
  04: Nationality
  05: Passport number
  06: Date of issue and expiration of passport
  07: Date and place of birth
Your Bhutan visa will be stamped in your passport only when you arrive in Bhutan. You will have to pay US$ 20 cash upon arrival and present a passport photo with your passport number written on the back. We can process a visa extension for you if necessary.

NOTE: Visas cannot be obtained at Bhutanese embassies.

CUSTOMS
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. Personal videos, cameras, personal computers, portable telephones or any other electronic device should be registered with the customs authorities on arrival at Paro and will be checked by the same on departure. Upon arrival you will be issued a "customs form" this form must be filled out, with declarations, and returned to authorities before leaving the kingdom. Import of plants, soils, etc., are subject to quarantine regulations. These items must be declared on arrival.
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CLIMATE
It is difficult to accurately generalize the climate of Bhutan because of the variations in elevations and seasons. Southern Bhutan has a tropical climate with hot humid monsoons. Spring in the higher valleys (mid-March to May) has warm days (20 °C) and cool nights. June marks the beginning of summer when day temperatures warm up to 27 - 29 °C. By July, the rainy season starts and continue till mid-September. The autumn months of September to November are ideal for trekking with clear skies and mild weather. In December temperatures fall, but the days are warm and the clear, azure winter skies serve a striking background to the snow-capped peaks. On a sunny day, temperatures reach about 16-18 ° C. The nights, however, are cold with temperatures falling below freezing.

What to Bring
Druk air limits your luggage to 20 kg (44 lbs or 30 kg or 66 lbs on business class). You should try and keep to this allowance. Even if you are willing to pay for excess baggage, your extra luggage will be listed as standby and may be off loaded for the next flight. The less you carry the better. One small suitcase and an even smaller carry-on are best. There is not much room for over-head storage in the air cabin.

Comfortable casual clothes are great, but you may want to bring some semi-formal clothes (jacket and tie for men, dresses for women) just incase you are invited to a Bhutanese home for a social function. Thimphu and other towns in Bhutan have a small-town atmosphere, and you might easily find yourself in the company of a high government official. Many of our guests have been invited to big social functions or get to meet with government officers. If you have scheduled your trip during a festival, you definitely should carry a set of dressy clothing. Bhutanese people dress quite formally at these occasions, and dirty jeans just do not fit-in.

Even in the summer, it can be cool in Bhutan, and it is very cold in winter. Days can be quite warm, especially in the lowlands of Punakha and Phuentsholing, and you could start off driving in the cold of dawn and become uncomfortable midmorning. Use the layering system, starting with thermal underwear and adding a shirt, pile jacket and wind-breaker (or parka) as necessary. If you are not trekking, you will need:

· Long Underwear (for cold weather from November to March)
· Cotton trousers
· Cotton skirt for women (at least one)
· Pile jacket or sweater - even in summer
· Down jacket - in winter; not needed in summer
· T-shirts or short sleeved cotton shirts (not sleeveless)
· Sturdy Sneakers or walking shoes
· Sandals or flip-flops
· Rain jacket (Gore-Tex if possible), otherwise a poncho or nylon jacket
· Dress-up clothes for festivals
· Sun hat and sunscreen
· You probably won't need bug repellant, but if you do a small bottle of liquid drops is best.

All hotels provide sheets, blankets or quilt, and a pillow. Unless you are trekking, you won't need to carry a sleeping bag. Hotels provide heating in winter; either an electric heater or a wood stove which will keep you quite warm.
You will be outside a lot, much of the time at altitudes above 2,500 m (7,800 ft); so there is plenty of sun and wind. Bring a supply of sun cream and lip protection, such as Blistex; these items are not readily available in Bhutan.

Essential Extras
A folding umbrella; especially if traveling during the monsoons of mid June to late September. Rain is possible any time, and is almost certain from June through August.

Be sure to carry earplugs (and spares) for when you sleep. There are a lot of dogs in Bhutan as the Bhutanese consider them next mankind in the cycle of life. These dogs don't realize this and will sometimes bark at night.

There are occasional electric outages throughout the country; so you should always keep a torch (flashlight) beside your bed.
Make sure you bring a pair of good sunglasses for protection in the high altitude.
A Swiss style army knife is a good thing to bring, but with the recent concerns over air travel you may want to bring a folding utility tool such as a Leatherman and make sure to put it in you check-in luggage.
Bring a small alarm clock if you need help waking up after all those barking dogs. Not all hotel rooms have telephones or wake-up service. Our guides will make sure you are not late for anything.

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ELECTRICITY
220 Volts, 50 cycles A.C. current is available. And electricity in Bhutan is reasonably reliable, but we advise you to bring a small surge protector for delicate electronic equipment. In many parts of Bhutan electricity is generated through hydro electricity, either from larger projects, such as Chukha dam, or mini hydro plants.

CURRENCY
Bhutanese currency is the ngultrum (Nu). The approximate exchange rate is Nu.45.00 for one US dollar. The ngultrum is on par with the Indian Rupee (both the Nu and Indian Rupee can be used in Bhutan). US Dollars and dollar traveler's cheques can be exchanged at banks in the larger towns (hours 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, Mon to Fri) and at the larger hotels. In the capital town of Thimphu some of the smaller bank branches are open Saturday and Sunday for currency exchange. Ngultrum or rupees will be what you will need for your purchases while in the more rural towns and villages.

CREDIT CARDS
Visa and American Express credit cards are excepted in a few shops, but their use is limited. Travelers cheque are accepted in most places.

TIME DIFFERENCE
Bhutan standard time is 6 hours ahead of GMT. Bhutan time matches with Bangladesh time.

ACCOMMODATIONS
Comfortable hotels and lodges built in traditional architectural style are available in the major towns. Most of the hotels and guest lodges are now equipped with international direct dial telephones and fax machines. International Direct Dial calls can be made to or from Bhutan to anywhere in the world.

CUISINE
Spicy chilies (ema) mixed with a cheese sauce called emadatse is the national dish of Bhutan. Chilies are treated as a vegetable rather than a seasoning in the Bhutanese diet. A wide variety of fresh vegetables are a daily staple of the Bhutanese diet. Red and or white rice is served at all meals. Meats, poultry and fish (usually in the form of stews) are also found on many Bhutanese menus along Tibetan momos and noodle dishes. Bhutan's professional chefs temper their natural tendency to over spice dishes by preparing food more suitable to western taste ranging from Continental to Chinese and Bhutanese to Tibetan and Indian.

COMMUNICATION FACILITIES
Reliable telephone and fax services are available in all towns in Bhutan. International connections are excellent. Now internet and e-mail facilities are also available in most of the places.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Carry plenty of films and batteries. Photo shops in Bhutan do not sell equipment or accessories of quality. Only few things are available in some places.

LANGUAGE
Dzongkha, the language of the western region, is the national language. English is the medium of instruction and is spoken by all government officials and businessmen. Nepali is prevalent in the south while Bumthangkha, Khyengkha and Sharchopkha are common dialects. Our guides and few staff are trained to speak Japanese, French and little Spanish.

INSURANCE
To protect against unforeseen accidents and mishaps, we advise you to have Travel insurance policy from your country. It should adequately cover helicopter evacuation and medical assistance. We regret the unavailability of such policies in Bhutan.

SAFETY
The crime rate in Bhutan is very low; the country lives up to its nickname of the Land of Peaceful Dragon. Even so there are Police Stations in almost all regions.

SHOPPING
Traditional handicrafts, textiles, jewelleries, baskets, masks. Paintings and woodcarving make good buys.

Guides
Guests of the kingdom are required to have guide accompaniment throughout their stay in Bhutan. You will have a very fluent English-speaking guide and driver at your disposal at all times. This is not to say you have to have your hand held everywhere you go. We are very accommodating and we can be flexible.
Our guides have all been trained and licensed by the DoT (Department of Tourism). Our trekking guides and cooks undergo additional mountain training, including safety and first aid. None of our guests have ever needed a rescue, but we have helped lost trekkers from other tour agencies get out of the high passes safely. We have been successfully leading groups through the Bhutan highlands ever since tourism was privatized.

Daily Tour Costs
The DoT (Department of Tourism) regulates all tourism activities and the daily tariff in Bhutan. All tour operators must be registered with the DoT. Thirty-five percent of the daily tariff goes directly to the DoT. These funds are used by the government for the socioeconomic development of Bhutan. Hospitals, schools, and roads are built and maintained with that income. DoT releases a travel information booklet detailing their role and the regulations by which all tour operators are governed.

The normal rates for tours in Bhutan is as below:
-- Three or more persons traveling together: US$ 200 per person per day.
Additional surcharges are charged smaller groups:
-- Two persons traveling together + US$ 30 per night per person
-- One person traveling alone + US$ 40 per night per person
Contact us if you have any questions regarding the tour costs. The daily rate may sound high at first, but remember that this includes all your accommodations, meals, guided tours, and all ground transportation in Bhutan.

TRANSPORT
Again, all ground transportation is already included in your daily tariff. We use only clean, comfortable and well-maintained cars, vans and coaches to transport our guests. Our experienced drivers are trained and licensed by the DoT and the department of motor vehicles in safety and mountain driving in Bhutan. You will be at ease riding in the mountains of Bhutan unlike the experiences you will have had in Nepal and India. Sanity on the road prevails, and drivers are courteous to each other.

Packing
If you are on a cultural tour, it's OK to bring a hard suitcase, though a soft bag is more versatile and easier to pack into the luggage space of a vehicle. For those trekking in Bhutan a strong duffel bag as luggage is best. You will also want a small rucksack (back pack) or waist pack to carry your camera, water bottle and other essentials in the vehicle and when you are walking around town or visiting monuments.

PRE DEPARTURE INFORMATION
Once your tour or trek in Bhutan is confirmed we will provide you with all Pre Departure Information and any other details that will help you prepare for you tour/trek in Bhutan.

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