Bhutan is small and compact mountainous country located along the borders of India and China. It is a unique place that offers tranquility and peace as well as an ideal breathing space from the daily hussle bussle and respite from noisy surroundings.
A perfect destination for first time visitors to indulge in it’s picturesque landscapes and interesting historical architectures.
Apart from the beautiful topography there are many good reasons why you should travel to the kingdom once in a lifetime – such as it’s captivating nature, topography that’s well suited for trekking, it’s distinctive hot and spicy food, festivals and historical museums.
If you are planning to visit the country, here is a list of things you need to know before you fly off:
- Cost of travel: The Bhutanese government imposes a minimum daily fee of $250 for an individual who wants to visit Bhutan. So make sure you are informed beforehand about the costs and expenses.
It incorporates essentially everything – your lodging, your meals for each day, a tour guide and driver, admission charges, and even filtered water.
When you have paid this charge, you will require practically no additional cash during your trip, besides purchasing gifts or any additional food. So when you consider it, Bhutan may not turn out that costly.
- Hire a tour company: Tourist visiting from the west must contract a tour company to get their visas to Bhutan affirmed. That as well as once you’re in Bhutan, you’re not permitted to meander unreservedly between urban communities.
There are checkpoints between regions (areas) where your visa is checked. It is ideal to travel with your tour guide.
- Obtaining visa is quite a simplified process: Actually, you don’t generally need to do anything since your tour operator will sort this out for you.
Simply send your tour operator the details of your passport and they will deal with the rest. A couple of days before the departure, they will send you a visa affirmation which you have to print and carry along.
Once you enter Bhutan, it will be replaced with a printed visa in your passport.
If possible, plan your Bhutan trip during masked dance festivals: Tshechus – the annual masked dance festivals, are a great piece of Bhutanese culture and tradition. These celebrations go back right to the sixteenth century.
The dances were initially performed to curb evil spirits, or commend unique events. However, yet they are quite vibrant and wonderful to watch. It doesn’t cost you any extra money to incorporate this in your Bhutan travel schedule.
- You Should Prepare Yourself for High Altitudes: Because Bhutan is located in the Himalayas, in the midst of precipitous territory, the elevations are a lot higher than those which you are regularly used to. As a matter of fact, in the range of 3000 to 5000 meters above ocean level.
Due to the fact that altitude influences everybody in various ways, a few people may encounter cerebral pains and dizziness, while others are totally determined. It is useful to carry some proper medicine before takeoff.
- Expect some really spicy food: Bhutanese have chili for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is said that any meal without chili is a dishonorable meal.
If you like spicy food, you’re good. However, if spicy food isn’t your thing, you can request that they make non-spicy food. They would happily oblige.
- Mountaineering is forbidden in Bhutan: Climbing is possible up till 6,000m in rise. The peaks below that height are considered trekking crests. Anything over that is viewed as mountaineering, and it is illegal as the mountains are regarded as sacred for the Bhutanese people.
Snow capped peaks are viewed as the space of the divine beings and goddesses, and it is trusted that on the off chance that you go there, they’ll get aggravated – bringing hail storms, dry season, floods, and so forth.
- Get a local SIM card: While there is a mobile network in the nation, their service is still unreliable. Some mobile service providers from your home country may allow roaming service there, while most do not.
On the other hand, you can get a local SIM card to stay connected. You’ll require your passport to obtain it. However, once more, the administration is hit and miss and just works in the city. A few lodgings have Wifi, yet it is additionally not so solid and for the most part, moderate.
- Avoid smoking weed: Cannabis grow almost everywhere throughout the country, openly. Sufficiently fascinating, Bhutan was the last nation to present the radio – in 1988 -and the TV and web came in 1999.
Bhutanese didn’t think about weed smoking until the TV came and they saw Bob Marley as a motivation for it. Presently it is viewed as illicit, and whenever found in possession and key it could arrive you five years in jail.
- Don’t disrespect the royals: Bhutan is a monarchy since the year 2007. Speaking bad and criticizing the royal family is nearly considered as profanity and blasphemy since they are viewed as manifestations of divine beings.
Other than this, your guide, who will dependably be dressed with the traditional dresses will bolster you huge amounts of valuable data about religion, culture, and anything you need to think about Bhutan.
- Compromise a little on your non-veg habits: Since Bhutan is a Buddhist nation, there are no slaughterhouses inside its outskirts, and all meat is imported (generally from India).
What’s more, fishing is just permitted on a catch-and-discharge premise. Luckily, the local food is astounding, so there will be a lot of Bhutanese delights to test (particularly on the off chance that you like chilies).
Visiting a country blessed with natural beauty always offers a chance to witness stunning views of unclimbed snow-capped mountains.
Whether you are looking for a glimpse of the Himalayas or long treks, or your cliff-top retreat and never-ending picturesque views, we at BookMyTour have it all, and so much more, for you.
About the Author: Ram Narayan Mandal, is a content manager at the BookMyTour. He basically used to write about the topic that helps people to understand better about Bhutan.
