The mountainous Kingdom of Bhutan is situated in the eastern Himalayas, bordered on the north by China and on all other sides by India. Bhutan's early history is obscure but, since at least the 12th century, it has been colonised by a succession of rival Buddhist religious orders from Tibet. The currently-ruling Drukpa sect became established in the 17th century. In a treaty signed in 1910, Britain undertook not to interfere in Bhutan's internal affairs in return for British control of Bhutan's external affairs. This role was assumed by India after independence, and formalised in a Friendship Treaty in 1949.

The monarchy attained its current form in 1907. Bhutan remains an absolute monarchy, without a written constitution. The move toward democracy began in 2000, when the King decreed that day-to-day affairs would be handled by a council of ministers. The King appointed a 39-member Constitution Drafting Committee that submitted its second draft Constitution to the King for consideration in June 2003. What could be the world's smallest constitution, with just 34 articles, is expected to be distributed to the populace for debate during the course of 2005.

In order to tour Bhutan, you are obligated by the government to do so through a licensed Bhutanese tour company. You cannot tour the country on your own. Travelers to Bhutan must be tourists or guests of the government. All tourists must travel on a pre-planned, pre-paid guided tour. Travelers must book their travel through one of the registered tour operators in Bhutan. You may contact the tour operators directly in Bhutan, or you can contact their representatives abroad.

Obtaining a Visa:
All visitors traveling to Bhutan are required to obtain a visa. The cost of the visa itself is US$20. You will pay this fee at the Paro airport when you arrive in Bhutan. At that time, your visa will be issued and stamped in your passport. You cannot obtain your visa prior to your arrival in Bhutan. Your visa clearance will be forwarded to Druk Air once the visa has been processed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We will handle the visa procedures for you. What we will need from you is a completed visa application. We will provide you with a visa application once your travel dates and itinerary have been confirmed. At that time you must submit your trip payment in full. A visa clearance will not be issued by the government of Bhutan until all tariff and Druk Air fees have been received.

Visa applications must reach Bhutan at least four weeks prior to your arrival date to allow time for processing. When completing the visa application, be sure to print your name and other information exactly as it appears in your passport, or Druk Air will not allow you to board the plane. You will also need to bring two passport-size photos for each individual traveling in your group. You will present these at the airport to the immigration desk when you request your visa.

When to Visit Bhutan:
The most popular times to visit Bhutan tend to be the spring months of March, April, and May and the autumn months of September, October, and November because the weather is more mild and many of the largest festivals take place during these months. In the autumn the skies are clear and blue, affording views of the high Himalayas from passes and various other vantage points. Autumn is also the time of year when the black-necked cranes migrate to central and eastern Bhutan for the winter. The skies are less clear during the spring, but the flowers are in bloom. The downside of traveling during these peak months is that there are more tourists in general, and Druk Air reservations need to be made well in advance to ensure availability.

Dochu La, The summer months of June, July, August, and even early September are typically the monsoon months, so you may encounter rain. The winter months of December, January, and February can be cold, but the skies are clear and blue. Some treks are closed during these months due to the weather conditions. The upside of traveling during the off-peak months is that reservations are easier to secure, and there will be fewer tourists around. Bhutan is spectacular any time of the year, and your trip will be a great adventure no matter when you decide to visit!