The usual way from Nepal to Bhutan is a direct flight from Kathmandu to Paro, which takes a little over an hour. You need a Bhutan visa arranged before you fly, and you pay a $100 per night Sustainable Development Fee for every night in the country.
This guide covers the flight, the visa, insurance and the best months to go. It also explains how to fit Bhutan around a trek in Nepal. For prices, see our separate Bhutan tour cost guide.
What’s Inside This Guide
- Flying from Kathmandu to Paro
- How the Bhutan Visa Works
- The Sustainable Development Fee
- Do You Need Travel Insurance for Bhutan?
- Can You Travel Overland from Nepal to Bhutan?
- Best Time to Visit Bhutan from Nepal
- Arriving in Bhutan: Practical Tips
- Fitting Bhutan Around a Nepal Trek
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Planning Guides
Flying from Kathmandu to Paro
Two airlines fly the route: Drukair and Bhutan Airlines. Both land at Paro International Airport, at 2,235m. Paro is the only international airport in Bhutan, so every flight from Nepal lands there.
Book the flight once your tour dates are confirmed. It isn’t included in our packages, and fares change with demand. Our cost guide lists what tickets currently run.
For mountain views, ask for a seat on the left side of the plane going from Kathmandu to Paro. On a clear morning you may see peaks along the eastern Himalaya, but cloud often blocks them.
How the Bhutan Visa Works
You can’t turn up in Bhutan and buy a visa at the airport. The visa is approved before you travel, through Bhutan’s online immigration system. On our tours, we apply for you.
What we need from you:
- A clear scan of your passport’s photo page
- A recent passport-size photo
- A passport valid for at least six months from the day you leave Bhutan
Once the visa is approved, we give you the clearance letter in Kathmandu before you fly. Keep a copy, printed or on your phone, for check-in and Paro immigration. The visa fee is $40 per person, non-refundable, and already in our package prices.
The Sustainable Development Fee
Bhutan charges most international visitors $100 per person for each night in the country. It’s a government fee, not a tour cost. Children under 5 are exempt.
The current rate applies until 31 August 2027. On our 3-day tour you pay it for two nights, and on the 4-day tour for three. In both cases it’s already in the package price.
Do You Need Travel Insurance for Bhutan?
Bhutan’s Department of Tourism dropped its compulsory travel insurance rule in April 2024. Some immigration pages still list insurance among the visa documents, though, so the official information isn’t fully consistent.
Our advice is simple: travel with a policy that covers medical treatment and evacuation, and keep a copy on your phone. If you’re also trekking in Nepal, one policy can usually cover both, as long as it covers the trek’s maximum altitude.
Can You Travel Overland from Nepal to Bhutan?
It’s possible, but not direct. Nepal and Bhutan don’t share a border, so the road route crosses India to the Bhutanese border town of Phuentsholing.
Most nationalities need an Indian visa for this, and it takes far longer than the flight. Our Bhutan tours are flight-based for that reason.
Best Time to Visit Bhutan from Nepal
Bhutan’s best months line up with Nepal’s trekking seasons. March to May and September to November bring clearer skies and comfortable days. That makes it easy to pair Bhutan with a trek in either season.
The table shows average conditions in Paro (station at 2,406m), where our tours start and end.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13°C | -1°C | 7mm |
| February | 15°C | 1°C | 13mm |
| March | 18°C | 4°C | 22mm |
| April | 21°C | 8°C | 34mm |
| May | 23°C | 11°C | 59mm |
| June | 25°C | 15°C | 81mm |
| July | 25°C | 16°C | 161mm |
| August | 25°C | 16°C | 113mm |
| September | 23°C | 14°C | 88mm |
| October | 21°C | 9°C | 49mm |
| November | 17°C | 5°C | 2mm |
| December | 15°C | 1°C | 3mm |
November and December are the driest months, with cold nights. July is the wettest, with the most cloud. Winter is a good choice if you don’t mind the cold, since Punakha stays mild while Paro and Thimphu drop below freezing on midwinter nights.
Arriving in Bhutan: Practical Tips
- Kathmandu airport: arrive at least 2.5 hours before your Paro flight. Drukair opens check-in 3 hours before departure and closes it strictly 1 hour before.
- Meeting your guide: your Bhutanese guide waits outside the Paro terminal with a name placard.
- Money: Bhutan uses the ngultrum (BTN), pegged to the Indian rupee at the same value. Indian rupees are also commonly accepted.
- SIM cards: B-Mobile and TashiCell both have counters at Paro airport. Bring your original passport, and your guide can help if needed.
- Power: Bhutan uses type D, F and G sockets at 230V. Bring a universal adapter, and check your chargers are rated 100–240V.
- Wi-Fi: available at most hotels, but speed varies by location.
- On the move: drink plenty of water and walk at a steady pace, especially on the Tiger’s Nest hike, which climbs about 900m.
Fitting Bhutan Around a Nepal Trek
Bhutan before your trek
This is the lower-risk order for an Everest trek. Lukla flights depend on the weather, and delays of a day or more are common. With Bhutan first, a Lukla delay can’t make you miss the Paro flight. Allow at least one day in Kathmandu after you land from Paro.
Bhutan after your trek
This works too, but leave two to three spare days in Kathmandu between your Lukla return and the Paro flight. For treks that end by road, as most Annapurna treks do, one spare day is usually enough.
One booking for both
We’re based in Kathmandu, so we can arrange the trek, the Bhutan tour and the airport transfers together. If you’re short on time, the 3-day tour fits more easily than the 4-day tour with Punakha.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not without approval in advance. The visa is processed before you fly, and you show the clearance letter to immigration when you land at Paro.
No. A left-side seat gives you the best chance, but it depends on cloud and the flight path on the day. Clear mornings outside the monsoon give the best odds.
Only a little. You sleep between 1,242m and 2,320m in Bhutan, well below the altitudes on most Nepal treks. It won’t replace the acclimatisation days built into your trek itinerary.
Tell us as soon as the delay starts, and we’ll help you move the flight and tour dates. Any airline change fees are set by the airline. Leaving two to three buffer days avoids this in most cases.
Related Planning Guides
- Bhutan Tour Cost from Nepal: package prices, the daily fee, flights and extra costs
- Bhutan Tour Package (3 days): Paro, Thimphu and Tiger’s Nest
- Bhutan Tour Package with Punakha (4 days): adds Dochula Pass and Punakha Dzong
- Things to Do in Nepal Without Trekking: for spare days in Kathmandu
Our Bhutan tours from Kathmandu run from $525 to $960 per person, with the visa and the Sustainable Development Fee included. Choose between the 3-day tour and the 4-day tour with Punakha. If you’re planning a trek too, send us both sets of dates on WhatsApp and we’ll check the timing works.