Bhutan

Bhutan does not compete for your attention the way most destinations do. This is the last Himalayan kingdom, where happiness outranks GDP, and a holiday here feels less like sightseeing and more like deliberately slowing down. Snow-capped peaks, cliffside monasteries and a culture that has chosen to stay unhurried are waiting.

From the prayer flags fluttering over Thimphu's valleys to the meditation caves clinging to cliffs above Paro, Bhutan reveals itself gradually. Dzongs double as fortress and monastery, monks still walk the same stone courtyards their predecessors did centuries ago, and the Himalayas are visible from almost every window.

At Travenza Holidays, we design Bhutan holidays around your travel style, pace and preferences, whether that's an unhurried week centred on Paro and Thimphu, or a longer journey east into Bumthang's quieter valleys.

Bhutanese food centres on ema datshi, a stew of chillies and melted yak or cow's cheese that turns up in some form at nearly every meal, alongside red rice grown in the high valleys and buckwheat dishes that are a Bumthang speciality. Momos, suja (salted butter tea) and ara, a home-distilled rice or grain spirit, round out a typical spread, and yak meat appears more often the further east and higher you travel.

It's spicier than most visitors expect, chillies are treated as a vegetable here rather than a garnish, so milder versions are easy to ask for if you're travelling with family.

Travenza tip: Ask for your ema datshi at half-heat the first time. You can always go hotter on day two once you know what you're working with.

Bhutan's markets favour craft over mass production. Look for hand-woven textiles, particularly kira and gho fabric from weaving communities in the east, thangka paintings, hand-made deysho paper, and carved wooden masks used in tshechu performances. Red rice, wild honey and chilli-based condiments make good, packable food gifts, alongside prayer flags for those who want a genuine piece of the trip rather than a souvenir shelf item.

Bhutan also bans the sale of tobacco and plastic bags nationwide, so don't expect either at shops, and steer clear of anything claiming to be made from wild animal parts, even where it's offered; possession of such items can cause serious problems at customs on either side.

Travenza tip: Buy your textiles in the weaving villages rather than the airport. You'll pay less, and often meet the person who made it.

Indian nationals do not need a visa, and there is no visa fee, to enter Bhutan. A valid passport with sufficient remaining validity, or a voter ID card, is all that's required as proof of identity. That said, you will still need to arrange an online travel permit before you travel, and a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) applies for any travel beyond the border town of Phuntsholing, which covers essentially every Bhutan itinerary, Thimphu, Paro, Punakha and beyond. The SDF for Indian nationals is charged at a lower rate than for other nationalities, but the exact figure is revised from time to time, so we confirm the current rate with you directly when planning your trip rather than quoting one here.

Travellers of other nationalities need a full visa, arranged in advance through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator, in addition to paying the SDF.