Nepal and Bhutan Tour

Spring (March to June) and autumn (September to November) are the recommended seasons for this tour. Both offer good weather across Nepal and Bhutan, with clear mountain views, comfortable temperatures and active wildlife in Chitwan. Spring brings flowering rhododendrons in the Bhutan hills from March to May; autumn has the clearest post-monsoon skies and excellent mountain panoramas from Dochula Pass.

In Nepal, Kathmandu spring temperatures range from around 12°C / 53°F to 29°C / 84°F and autumn from 11°C / 52°F to 25°C / 77°F. Pokhara and Chitwan, at lower altitudes, are warmer: Pokhara in spring runs 21°C to 32°C / 70°F to 90°F and Chitwan can reach 26°C to 40°C / 79°F to 104°F in peak spring—hot, but the wildlife viewing is excellent. In Bhutan, Thimphu and Paro have a mild, pleasant climate: spring and autumn temperatures range from around 10°C / 50°F to 20°C / 68°F.

The monsoon (late June to September) makes roads unreliable and clouds out mountain views; air transport to and from Bhutan can be disrupted. Bhutan's winter can be extremely cold. Swotah recommends spring or autumn for this tour.

Nepal: Most nationalities receive a tourist visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. The current fee is USD 30 for 15 days or USD 50 for 30 days (bring two passport-size photos and the fee in USD cash). The Nepal visa fee is not included in the tour price.

Bhutan: Bhutan restricts tourist arrivals to protect its environment and cultural heritage. All international tourists (except citizens of India, Bangladesh and Maldives) must enter Bhutan through a registered Bhutanese tour operator and pay a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of USD 100 per person per night. The SDF was reduced from USD 200/night in September 2023 and is fixed at this rate until August 2027. The SDF covers a royalty contribution, sustainable tourism levy and carbon offset. A separate Bhutan visa fee of USD 40 per person also applies. Both the SDF and Bhutan visa cost are included in the tour price. Bhutan visa applications are arranged by Swotah before departure; your visa is issued on arrival at Paro Airport.

All entrance fees to heritage sites, dzongs, monasteries and national parks in Bhutan are included in the tour price. Kathmandu heritage site entrance fees (Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath) are payable on the day.

In Nepal, accommodation is in comfortable 3-star hotels with Wi-Fi, heating and cooling, and en-suite bathrooms. In Kathmandu and Pokhara, breakfast is included. In Chitwan National Park, you stay in a jungle lodge suited to the natural environment—comfortable with private facilities and full board.

In Bhutan, all hotels are government-approved 3 or 4-star properties in Thimphu, Punakha and Paro. These meet international standards: Wi-Fi, hot water and comfortable rooms. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in Bhutan. If you require a single room, please advise at booking; Swotah will confirm availability and any single-supplement charge.

Nepal has a wide variety of food. The standard local dish is dal bhat takari—lentil soup with rice and vegetable curry—eaten everywhere across the country. In Kathmandu and Pokhara, there is a wide variety of Continental food in the restaurants and cafes catering for international visitors. Vegetarian food is widely available. Breakfast at your hotels consists of cereal, toast, eggs, fruit, tea and coffee. Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara are at your own expense—USD 40 per day is more than enough to cover meals and extras in these cities.

Bhutan traditionally includes a lot of meat—yak, chicken and pork—but the most famous dish is Ema Datshi: green chillies and soft cheese served with rice, which is vegetarian. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided in all Bhutan hotels. Please inform Swotah at booking if you are vegan—vegan food is available throughout tourist areas in Nepal and can be arranged at Chitwan and all Bhutan hotels. Bottled drinking water is available everywhere; water purification tablets are a lightweight backup.

Transport within Nepal is by tourist bus between cities (Kathmandu to Pokhara, Pokhara to Chitwan and Chitwan to Kathmandu) and by private vehicle with a driver for all airport transfers and sightseeing. Kathmandu to Pokhara is approximately 200 km; current journey times are 7 to 9 hours due to ongoing road construction along the Prithvi Highway. Pokhara to Chitwan is approximately 145 km and takes 5 to 6 hours. Tourist buses make stops for food and facilities. If you prefer a private vehicle for all road legs (Kathmandu–Pokhara–Chitwan–Kathmandu), this is available at an additional charge of approximately USD 350 for up to 3 people.

The international flight from Kathmandu to Paro, Bhutan (and the return) is included in the tour price, operated by Drukair (Royal Bhutan Airlines) or Bhutan Airlines. The flight takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes and lands at Paro International Airport—one of the world's most dramatic airport approaches, threading through narrow mountain valleys. All transport within Bhutan is by private vehicle with your Bhutan guide.

Bhutan has taken a deliberate decision to preserve its culture and identity. Traditional dress is not reserved for festivals—the Gho (for men) and Kira (for women) are national attire for everyday wear, dating back to the 17th century when Bhutan was unified. In public buildings and at religious sites, wearing the Gho or Kira is compulsory for Bhutanese; as a visitor you are expected to dress modestly. On a man's Gho, the white turned-back sleeves at the cuffs indicate social standing: the larger the white cuff, the higher his rank in the community.

Bhutan's largest ethnic group are the Ngalop (sometimes called Bhote), making up around 50% of the population and tracing their origins to Tibetan migration from the 9th century onwards. The official language is Dzongkha, related to classical Tibetan. Bhutan remains a constitutional monarchy and one of the last Himalayan kingdoms. The concept of Gross National Happiness—a philosophy measuring national progress through environmental sustainability, cultural preservation, good governance and living standards alongside economic growth—was developed here.

In Nepal, traditional dress depends on caste and location. For men, the Daura Suruwal (a long shirt over tight trousers, usually worn with a Dhaka Topi hat) is the formal and traditional dress. Nepal has one of the world's most ethnically diverse populations: from the high-mountain Sherpas to the lowland Tharus of Chitwan, and the Gurungs of Pokhara—many of them veterans of the British and Indian armies, chosen for their strength and loyalty. Both Nepal and Bhutan have large Buddhist populations, though Nepal is predominantly Hindu. In the Kathmandu Valley, Hinduism and Buddhism blend in a way unique to the region.

Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu is the most sacred Hindu site in Nepal and among the most important Shaivite temples in the world. Built on the banks of the holy Bagmati River, it is the main cremation ground for Hindus and attracts thousands of sadhus (holy men), pilgrims and devotees, particularly during the festival of Shivaratri. The Bagmati is believed to spring from the hair of Lord Shiva in the Shivapuri Hills north of Kathmandu.

Boudhanath Stupa is among the largest stupas in the world and the most sacred site in Nepal for Tibetan Buddhists. Morning and evening, hundreds of devotees circle the stupa in prayer. The surrounding area is home to dozens of Tibetan monasteries and is a centre of Tibetan Buddhist scholarship and culture.

Tiger's Nest (Taktsang Monastery) is one of the holiest sites in Vajrayana Buddhism. Guru Padmasambhava—the master who brought Buddhism to Bhutan—is said to have flown here on the back of a tigress in the 8th century and meditated in a cave for three months. The monastery was built in 1692 around that cave. At 3,120 m / 10,240 ft, the white buildings cling to a 900 m vertical cliff face above the Paro valley.

Chimi Lhakhang (Temple of Fertility) is associated with the Buddhist saint Drukpa Kunley—the Divine Madman—and is visited by couples seeking blessings for fertility. Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan's oldest monasteries, dates to the 7th century and was built by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo. It houses an original 7th-century statue of Jowo Sakyamuni, considered one of the valley's most sacred treasures.

Dzongs are the defining architectural feature of Bhutan—massive whitewashed fortress-monasteries that served historically as administrative, religious and military centres and continue to house both the monastic body and district government offices today. Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu, the current seat of the Bhutanese government, houses the throne room of the King and the Cabinet Secretariat. Its courtyards and whitewashed towers are the ceremonial heart of the capital.

Punakha Dzong, built in 1637 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal—the man who unified Bhutan—sits at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers at 1,293 m / 4,242 ft. It served as the seat of government and religion for the Bhutanese state; the first National Assembly was held here in 1953. The dzong is still used for religious ceremonies and is one of the most beautiful in the country.

Paro National Museum (Ta Dzong), renovated and re-opened in 2020, holds collections of Bhutanese art, religious thangka paintings, handicrafts, armour and natural history exhibits. Bhutan's traditional arts—thangkas, woodcarving, weaving and pottery—are practised in traditional workshops and available in markets and craft shops in Paro and Thimphu.

Dochula Pass at 3,100 m / 10,200 ft on the drive from Thimphu to Punakha is the tour's highest road point. The 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens—memorial stupas built by Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck and consecrated in June 2004—stand in a line at the pass. On a clear day in late autumn or early spring, the panoramic view of the Himalayan peaks including Gangkhar Puensum (7,570 m), Bhutan's highest mountain, is outstanding.

Chitwan National Park was Nepal's first national park, established in 1973, covering 952 km² of sub-tropical sal forest, riverine grassland and oxbow lakes at around 200 m elevation. It holds 68 species of mammals and around 544 recorded bird species.

Two of Chitwan's great conservation success stories are the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)—almost guaranteed to be seen on the jeep safari—and the Gharial Crocodile (Gavialis gangeticus). The Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is present and sightings are possible. Asian Elephant, Mugger Crocodile and various deer species are also regularly seen. A canoe ride on the Rapti River at dawn is an excellent way to spot animals coming to drink and to see waterbirds along the banks.

The indigenous people of the Chitwan area are the Tharus—a distinct ethnic group with their own language and traditions, who have lived alongside these forests and rivers for centuries. Their traditional homes are built from mud, clay and bamboo with thatched roofs to stay cool in the hot summers. A walking tour of a traditional Tharu village and a Tharu cultural dance show after dinner are included in the Chitwan segment of this tour.

Bhutan's Sustainable Development Fee is itself a responsible-tourism mechanism: the USD 100 per person per night goes toward conservation, environmental protection and the preservation of Bhutanese culture. Keeping tourist numbers lower than competing destinations is a deliberate policy. Bhutan remains one of the world's few carbon-negative countries. At religious sites, dress modestly (no shorts, bare shoulders or revealing clothing), remove shoes before entering temples and monasteries, and do not photograph inside without permission.

In Nepal and Bhutan, Swotah follows the principle of leaving nothing behind and taking nothing away except memories and photographs. Do not damage or remove prayer flags, mani stones, statues or religious objects. Do not give money or sweets to children; if you wish to donate to a local school or charity, Swotah can advise. Tipping guides and drivers is customary and appreciated; Swotah will brief you on appropriate amounts on arrival.

Safety and altitude: No significant altitude-related problems are expected on this tour. You reach above 3,000 m only twice: crossing Dochula Pass by vehicle (briefly) and during the Tiger's Nest hike. Neither involves enough time at altitude for acclimatisation issues to develop for most people. Bring a small extra supply of any daily prescription medication as a precaution against travel delays. Travel and health insurance including medical evacuation cover is required.

Budget in Nepal: USD 40 per person per day covers all meals and personal expenses in Kathmandu and Pokhara beyond your inclusions. ATMs are available in Kathmandu and Pokhara. In Bhutan, all meals are covered; you only need cash for souvenirs, drinks and tips.

Communication: Wi-Fi is available in all hotels throughout the tour. A Nepal SIM card (available at the airport on arrival) gives 4G coverage in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan. In Bhutan, a local SIM can be purchased on arrival at Paro Airport for coverage across the Bhutan leg.