Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet Tour by Air

Swotah runs two ways to see all three countries. The 21-day Best of Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet was built around the overland drive from Kathmandu to Kerung and across the plateau through Shigatse, crossing the Gyatso La at 5,220 m. Since the August 2026 flood closed the Kerung road, that tour also flies to Lhasa for now, and the table below shows its route as planned for when the road reopens. This 18-day tour was designed around the flights from the start.

The air version suits you if you're short on time, worried about altitude, or mainly after Lhasa's monasteries. Go overland, once the road is open, for Shigatse's Tashilhunpo Monastery, Gyantse and the sense of distance you only get from the road. If you'd rather skip Tibet altogether, the 13-day Nepal and Bhutan Tour covers the same Nepal and Bhutan ground.

April, May, October and early November line up best across all three countries. Skies are clearest from late September to November, which matters on the Paro and Lhasa flights and at Sarangkot. Spring brings rhododendrons in Bhutan and warmer nights in Lhasa, though haze often softens the mountain views by late May.

Tibet has its own calendar. The authorities usually stop issuing Tibet Travel Permits for a few weeks between mid-February and late March, and the dates are only announced shortly before. Sensitive anniversaries can also close Tibet at short notice. We confirm permit availability before you pay for flights.

June to August is the monsoon in Nepal and Bhutan. Lhasa is pleasant in summer, but Chitwan's jungle activities shrink, mountain views are rare, and flights to Paro can be delayed by cloud. December and January are cold but clear, with Lhasa nights around -10 C.

Nepal. Most nationalities get a visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport: USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days. Your first arrival and final departure are 17 days apart, so buy the 30-day visa. Nepal tourist visas allow re-entry, so it covers your returns from Bhutan and Tibet. Fill in the online arrival form at nepaliport.immigration.gov.np beforehand to save time in the queue.

Bhutan. International visitors pay Bhutan's Sustainable Development Fee, currently USD 100 per person per night (Indian nationals and some regional visitors pay a lower rate), and needs a visa arranged by a licensed Bhutanese operator. Both are included in your tour price. We need a clear passport scan about 30 days before travel.

Tibet. Two documents are needed. The Tibet Travel Permit is issued in Lhasa by the Tibet Tourism Bureau through our licensed Tibetan partner, and it's included. You also need a Chinese group visa, which is issued in Kathmandu and costs USD 135, or USD 235 for US citizens. A normal Chinese tourist visa in your passport does not replace it, and visa-free entry to China doesn't apply to Tibet. Send us passport scans at least 30 days before departure. The visa application in Kathmandu needs your original passport for a few working days. We plan that around your dates, normally while you're in Chitwan and Pokhara, and adjust it for weekends and Chinese public holidays such as the 1-7 October Golden Week. You can't travel independently in Tibet, and your licensed guide stays with you for every visit.

Lhasa sits at 3,656 m, which is 2,250 m higher than Kathmandu, and you get there in 75 minutes. Expect a mild headache, breathlessness on stairs and broken sleep for the first night or two. That's normal. It's also why Day 13 has only an easy afternoon walk, and why the Potala Palace, with its long climb of steps, waits until Day 14.

The highest point is the Kamba La at 4,794 m on Day 16. You stop there for about twenty minutes and sleep back in Lhasa, which the body handles far better than a night that high. Drink 3 to 4 litres of water a day in Tibet, keep alcohol for Kathmandu, and tell your guide if a headache gets worse or you feel dizzy or confused. Many travellers take acetazolamide (Diamox) as a preventive. Ask your doctor about it before you leave home, because it isn't right for everyone.

Your travel insurance must cover emergency evacuation and hospital treatment up to 4,800 m. We ask for the policy details before departure.

The tour uses four international flights inside the region. Kathmandu to Paro is flown by Drukair or Bhutan Airlines and takes about an hour. On the way out, sit on the left for Everest and Kanchenjunga. The approach into Paro winds between ridges and is only flown in daylight, so weather delays happen. Kathmandu to Lhasa takes about 75 minutes. Swotah books both sectors for you at the best available fare and the cost is billed separately, because prices change with the season.

Baggage on the Paro and Lhasa flights is 30 kg checked plus 8 kg cabin per person. Excess is charged by the airline at check-in. If you upgrade to the Pokhara-Kathmandu or Kathmandu-Chitwan domestic flights, the checked limit drops to 25 kg. Pack one main bag and a day pack and you'll be fine on every sector.

You stay in 3-star hotels throughout, twin sharing, all with private bathrooms. In Kathmandu it's Hotel Nomads, in Pokhara Hotel Aabas, and in Chitwan the Jungle Villa lodge at Sauraha. In Bhutan the plan is Hotel Migmar in Thimphu, Hotel Zangtho Pelri in Punakha and Gawaling Resort in Paro, or hotels of the same standard if those are full. Lhasa hotels are confirmed with the Tibet permit. A single room costs USD 850 extra for the whole trip, and you can upgrade to 4-star in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Meals follow each country's system. Bhutan and Chitwan are full board, because restaurants outside the hotels are thin on the ground. Expect red rice, ema datshi (chillies and cheese) and buckwheat dishes in Bhutan, and dal bhat or a buffet at the Chitwan lodge. Kathmandu, Pokhara and Lhasa are bed and breakfast so you can choose where to eat. Budget around USD 15 to 25 a day for lunch and dinner there. In Lhasa, try yak-meat momos, thukpa noodle soup and sweet milk tea.

The tour price is USD 3,630 per person on twin share on a fixed departure, or USD 4,150 if you book private dates. Both cover all ground transport, hotels, guides, the Bhutan visa and SDF, the Tibet Travel Permit, the meals listed above and the entrance fees in Bhutan and Tibet. The flights and the Chinese visa are quoted separately because they change with the season and your nationality.

For most travellers sharing a room, the total before international flights, insurance and tips comes to about USD 5,150 on a fixed departure, or about USD 5,650 on private dates. Tipping of 10 to 15 percent of the tour cost, shared between guides and drivers across the three countries, is customary.

Each country has its own currency. Nepal uses the Nepalese rupee (NPR), Bhutan the ngultrum (BTN, pegged 1:1 to the Indian rupee, which is also accepted), and Tibet the Chinese renminbi (CNY). ATMs are easy to find in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Thimphu. In Lhasa many shops expect Alipay or WeChat Pay, so carry some cash yuan. Card surcharges of 3 to 5 percent are common in Nepal. Plan on USD 30 to 50 a day for personal spending.

Most hotels have Wi-Fi. In Tibet, Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked unless your home mobile plan roams on a foreign network, so download maps and tell family before you fly to Lhasa. A local Nepal SIM costs a few dollars and works in Chitwan and Pokhara.

The tour moves between Hindu temples in Nepal and three different Buddhist traditions, and the rules overlap. Walk clockwise around stupas, chortens and prayer wheels. Take off your shoes and hat where locals do. Don't point your feet at shrines or touch anyone's head. Only Hindus may enter the main temple at Pashupatinath, so you see it from across the river.

Bhutan's dzongs require long sleeves and long trousers or skirts, with no hats, and your guide wears a formal scarf for the visit. Photography is banned inside most temples in Bhutan and inside the Potala Palace and Jokhang in Lhasa. Ask before photographing monks or pilgrims anywhere. In Tibet, keep political conversations out of public places, and don't carry images of the Dalai Lama, which are illegal there.