How Much Does a Bhutan Holiday Cost?
One of the first questions we’re asked when people start thinking about travelling to Bhutan is: how much does a Bhutan holiday cost?
A tailor-made Bhutan holiday currently starts from around £3,900 per person with Travel Differently, while luxury and longer journeys can cost £5,000–£6,000+ per person.
Our 10 years of experience designing Bhutan trips
Bhutan is a real Travel Differently destination in every sense. It’s not your typical holiday destination where you may know several friends or family members who have been, and a trip here is more expensive than many other destinations in Asia.
But there is a good reason for this. Bhutan has deliberately chosen a different and uniquely sustainable approach to tourism, limiting mass tourism and focusing on a more meaningful style of travel.
We have been designing trips to Bhutan for over 10 years now, and the good news is that there are different ways to experience Bhutan. A trip here is also more affordable than it has been in the past, with options ranging from a classic two-week journey staying in homely local properties, through to extraordinary luxury lodges, remote valleys, trekking adventures and longer slow-travel itineraries.
We’ve asked our Bhutan expert Holly: what exactly does a Bhutan holiday cost, and what do you get for your money?
Pricing guide
From around £3,500 per person, you can have an incredible adventure. Increase your budget to £5,000, £7,500 or £10,000 per person and we can start adding more specialist experiences, remote lodges, private guides and longer, more immersive journeys.
At £15,000+, the possibilities become even more extraordinary, including expedition travel to Antarctica and extended trips lasting several weeks or even months.
Here’s what we think you can expect at different budgets.
How much should I budget for a holiday to Bhutan?
Below are our current example holidays and give you a useful idea of the different price points available. All our Bhutan holidays are ideas rather than fixed packages, and everything is tailor-made around your dates, accommodation preferences, interests, fitness level and the experiences you want to include.
| Bhutan Holiday | Duration | From |
| Classic Bhutan Holiday | 14 days | £3,903pp |
| Trans-Bhutan Trail Hiking Holiday | 15 days | £4,401pp |
| Bhutan Hiking, Cycling & Rafting Adventure | 14 days | £4,668pp |
| Bhutan Trekking & Festival Holiday | 16 days | £5,276pp |
| Luxury Bhutan Holiday | 11 days | £5,357pp |
| Slow Travel Bhutan Beyond the Highlights | 21 days | £6,103pp |
| Nepal & Bhutan | 15 days | £3,889pp |
| North India & Bhutan | 23 days | £8,143pp |
| Luxury Rajasthan, Bhutan & Nepal | 31 days | £10,926pp |
Why is Bhutan more expensive than other Asian destinations?
In our experience, this is probably the most common question we hear.
Bhutan has deliberately avoided becoming a destination for mass tourism. Instead, the country has developed a tourism model designed to protect its environment, culture and way of life.
Part of the cost of visiting Bhutan is the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF). For most international visitors, this is currently US$100 per person per day, paid to the Bhutanese government. There is also a one-off US$40 visa application fee.
This trailblazing SDF contributes towards Bhutan’s wider development, including protecting its traditions, environment and heritage, improving infrastructure and creating opportunities for future generations.
Really, this model should be adopted by all countries globally that accept tourists.
We always tell our clients to think of the SDF as more than simply another holiday expense. Your visit contributes directly to Bhutan’s approach to responsible tourism and helps the country protect the very things that make it so unique.
What does a Bhutan holiday include?
The price of a Bhutan holiday isn’t simply the cost of a hotel room.
A tailor-made journey typically brings together your accommodation, private transport, a local guide who is with you throughout your trip, excursions and experiences.
For example, our Classic Bhutan Holiday includes 14 days travelling through Thimphu, Punakha, Trongsa, Bumthang, Gangtey and Paro. It includes accommodation, excursions, transport and private guides.
This means you are not simply booking a hotel and arranging everything yourself when you arrive. Everything is planned in advance, which is an important part of how travelling in Bhutan works.
You have a private guide and driver throughout, a carefully planned itinerary that fits your interests and fitness level, and the flexibility to change the pace or experiences to suit you.
We’ve found over the years that this is particularly valuable in Bhutan, where the journey between destinations is part of the experience and adapting to different weather conditions is vital.
You might spend one day exploring a monastery or market, the next walking through a remote valley, and another meeting local people or visiting a traditional village.
How much does a classic Bhutan holiday cost?
We tell our guests who are looking for a first-time trip to Bhutan to look at our Classic Bhutan Holiday as a great starting point.
Our current example is 14 days from £3,903 per person.
This is our flagship Travel Differently Bhutan trip, designed to include many of the classic Bhutan experiences without rushing from one place to another.
You can explore Thimphu and Punakha, travel further east to the quieter valleys of Trongsa and Bumthang, spend time in Gangtey and finish in Paro with the famous hike to Tiger’s Nest.
Accommodation is in charming, comfortable properties rather than the most expensive luxury lodges.
When our Bhutan expert Holly last visited, she found that some of the most memorable stays were at the more basic, homely hotels, where chatting to the local owners and staff was a real highlight of the trip.
It’s a great option for travellers who want to experience the culture, scenery and landscapes of Bhutan without necessarily choosing the most luxurious hotels.
Holly’s Bhutan Trip:
Some of the highlights of my last Bhutan trip were quiet time spent chatting to my guide in between activities, hearing about his family and everyday life
How much does a luxury Bhutan holiday cost?
Many of our guests who have travelled with us before ask about the more luxurious lodges in Bhutan.
For example, clients often ask us about Gangtey Lodge, which has been recognised internationally by organisations including Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Fodor’s and the Michelin Guide. It has also previously appeared in Travel + Leisure’s list of the world’s top hotels.
For those looking for something more luxurious, we currently offer our Luxury Bhutan Holiday from £5,357 per person for 11 days.
Bhutan is home to some extraordinary hotels and lodges, and upgrading your accommodation can transform the experience. We absolutely love independent luxury hotels like Dhensa in Punakha and Amba Paro, which has wonderful views towards Tiger’s Nest. And, oh, have we mentioned Gangtey Lodge already?
Holly’s number one hotel choice in the world! Take a look at our other favourite Bhutan hotels and lodges.
Rather than simply choosing a five-star hotel in a city, luxury in Bhutan can mean staying in beautiful properties surrounded by mountains, forests and remote valleys.
It’s all about the views in Bhutan, and luxury lodges offer these in droves.
What does a longer Bhutan holiday cost?
One of the best ways to experience Bhutan is to slow down.
Where possible, rather than trying to see everything in a week, spending two or three weeks in the country gives you time to travel further into the less-visited valleys and experience a different side of Bhutan.
This is where our real Bhutan expertise comes in: creating longer, slower and more immersive trips to Bhutan.
Our Slow Travel Bhutan Beyond the Highlights itinerary is currently 21 days from £6,103 per person.
It includes time in Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Trongsa, Bumthang, Haa and Paro, as well as hiking, rafting, local experiences and part of the historic Trans-Bhutan Trail.
These longer, more mindful trips are one of the reasons we set up Travel Differently.
Doing things better and slower, travelling at a pace that really allows you to learn and lean into the country, and leaving with a unique understanding of this magical Kingdom.
This is the type of holiday we recommend for our guests who don’t simply want to tick off the main sights.
There is something very special about having the time to sit in a quiet valley, walk through a small village and meet local people, spend longer with a local guide, or simply enjoy the views without having to rush on to the next destination.
How much does a Bhutan trekking holiday cost?
Bhutan is an exceptional destination for walking and trekking.
There are gentle day walks suitable for most travellers, as well as challenging multi-day Himalayan treks.
Our current example Bhutan Trekking & Festival Holiday is from £5,276 per person, while our Trans-Bhutan Trail Hiking Holiday starts from £4,401 per person.
The cost will depend on the trek, number of days, accommodation and whether you would like to combine your trekking with comfortable hotels and cultural experiences.
Some of our guests like to combine the basic nature of camping on a trek, then splurge on epic hotels afterwards with massage treatments and fine dining.
On a multi-day trek like the Druk Path Trek, for example, you still have the daily SDF to account for, as well as your own guide and your trekking team of chefs, assistants and helpers.
So while a trek can cost more than simply staying in a 3* hotel, you are getting a lot more for your money in terms of the number of staff supporting you and the logistics involved.
Plus, you get to experience some of the most untouched, peaceful and astonishing trekking routes on earth.
We can also tailor the level of walking to suit you. You don’t need to be an experienced mountaineer to enjoy Bhutan’s landscapes.
In fact, our Bhutan expert Holly has produced a handy guide to the best treks in Bhutan, which helps you pick the right trek for you.
What isn’t included in the price?
This is an important question to ask when comparing Bhutan holidays.
Our Travel Differently online example itineraries currently include:
- Accommodation
- Private guides
- Private transport
- Excursions and experiences
- Visa costs and daily SDF
International flights, travel insurance, and tips are listed separately on our example itineraries. We can, of course, help arrange the flights and take care of the practicalities of getting you to Bhutan.
In fact, around 80% of our clients ask us to include their flights into and out of Bhutan within the total holiday price, so you have one clear figure to work from.
There are currently no direct flights from the UK to Bhutan, so most journeys connect through destinations such as Delhi, Kathmandu or Bangkok. We generally recommend allowing a night either side rather than making a tight connection. This also gives you the opportunity to add another destination to your holiday.
When is the cheapest time to visit Bhutan?
This is a great question, as there can be a significant difference in Bhutan holiday costs depending on the time of year you travel.
October and November, along with February to April, are generally popular high-season periods because of the favourable weather and excellent conditions for hiking and enjoying Himalayan views. These months also coincide with some of Bhutan’s most famous festivals, which can get booked up well in advance.
The summer months can be wetter, but they can also offer greener landscapes, fewer visitors and potentially better-value accommodation. Bhutan’s tourism authorities also highlight the lush landscapes and trekking opportunities available during the summer months.
Our Bhutan expert Holly visited last in August, following the rains. This meant vivid green landscapes rich in flowers, colours and life. Hotels were quieter, and the hike up to Tiger’s Nest Monastery was considerably quieter than during the peak months.
Yes, it’s a bit risky with the rainy season as you may get those daily downpours, but bring a raincoat and you can experience a cheaper holiday in Bhutan with fewer people around.
If you are flexible with your dates, talk to us about when to travel. Sometimes changing your dates by just a few weeks can make a meaningful difference to the experience you have.
Is a Bhutan holiday worth the money?
Absolutely.
However, Bhutan isn’t a destination we would recommend simply because it is luxurious or exclusive.
The real value of Bhutan is in the experience.
It is the feeling of walking through a quiet Himalayan valley and barely seeing another traveller.
It is visiting a monastery where centuries-old traditions are still very much part of everyday life.
It is sitting down with local people, seeing archery competitions, walking through forests and villages, and discovering landscapes that feel almost untouched.
And, of course, there is the unforgettable hike to Tiger’s Nest, perched dramatically above the Paro Valley.
For many of our guests, Bhutan is less about how many sights they can see and more about how they feel while they are there.
How much should I budget for my Bhutan holiday?
As a very rough starting point, we would suggest thinking in terms of:
Around £4,000 per person
A classic two-week Bhutan journey with comfortable accommodation and a good mix of culture, scenery and walking.
Around £5,000–£6,500 per person
A more luxurious or active Bhutan experience, a higher standard of hotels, multi-day trekking, festivals or more remote areas.
£7,500+ per person
A luxury journey, a longer itinerary, some incredible hotels, or a combination of Bhutan with another destination such as North India or Nepal.
These figures are simply a starting point. Your final holiday price will depend on your dates, accommodation, experiences, flights and how you would like to travel.
So, how much does a Bhutan holiday really cost?
The short answer is: from around £3,900 per person for a two-week tailor-made Bhutan holiday, with luxury and more immersive journeys costing £5,000–£6,000+ per person and multi-country adventures considerably more.
But rather than trying to fit your holiday into a standard package, we believe Bhutan is best experienced your way.
Perhaps you want to spend longer hiking in the Himalayas.
Perhaps you want to stay in some of the world’s finest eco-luxury lodges.
Perhaps you want to experience a Bhutanese festival.
Or perhaps you simply want two or three weeks to slow down and explore this extraordinary country without rushing.
To sum up:
That’s where we come in.
At Travel Differently, we create 100% tailor-made Bhutan holidays around your interests, pace and budget. We work with trusted local guides and drivers, hand-picked accommodation and carefully selected experiences to create a journey that is personal to you.
If Bhutan has been on your wish list, speak to our Bhutan experts, Holly and Sam, and we’ll help you work out what your ideal trip could look like.
Why Book With Travel Differently
Passionate and experienced
- Each member of the team has over a decade of experience in the industry
- Our 5* client reviews reflect our service & standards
- We are a fully independent & owner-run tour operator
- Our holidays include full financial protection & ATOL coverage
- We are destination experts, ensuring authentic & reliable advice
Committed and Responsible
Tailor-made and Personal
- No two trips are the same, our holidays are 100% bespoke
- We design personal, genuine cultural connections & experiences
- From planning to travel, you’ll have one dedicated point of contact
- Our support is available around the clock during your holiday
- We take care of the details, so you don’t have to