Don't do the last minute booking! 5 Reasons to Book your Bhutan tour in advance.

A trip to Bhutan is one of the most exciting and adventurous tours in the world, and this exclusive destination is fast becoming a popular holiday choice for tourists from around the world.

Some travelers want to make their Bhutan tour plan after they arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal or any other transfer cities that have direct flights to Bhutan, to get a last-minute deal. However, while it is possible to get a last-minute trip to Bhutan, it is not always as straightforward and clear-cut as for other destinations. And for most people that want a last-minute trip to Bhutan, it rarely works out if it is left too late for booking the trip. Here are some important reasons why you should always consider booking your lifetime Bhutan trip well in advance.

Reason 1: Your Date of Arrival and Departure are affected by the Flight Schedule

Flights to Bhutan are not daily and only offered by a few cities in Asia

Simply put, there are not always direct flights to Bhutan every day, and there are only a few of the nine cities in five countries that have daily direct flights into the Land of the Thunder Dragon. If you are flying in from a certain airport, and flying out to the same airport after the tour, you are limited to the schedule of flights for your trip duration. Arriving and departing from Bhutan cannot always be done on the dates you want, so you may need to prepare your flight schedule in advance to make sure that you can match the flights with the tour itself.

Bhutan flight tickets are limited

The number of flights into Bhutan is also limited, as is the number of available tickets on each flight. As one of the most dangerous airports in the world to land at, it takes specially trained pilots to bring the aircraft safely into the land between the mountains of the Himalayas. And with only a limited number of pilots available for this flight, the number of flights that can land daily is also limited. The weather of Bhutan can also play a part in the flights, which can be easily canceled due to fog or bad weather over Bhutan.

Expensive business class ticket or no ticket for last-minutes booking

Paro International Airport can only support flights from smaller Airbus aircraft, due to the altitude and length of the runway. These aircraft only carry up to 150 passengers, for all flight classes together. This means that you may not be able to get seats on the flight of your choice if you try to book last-minute, or can only book expensive first or business class seats.

Reason 2: It takes time to customize your trip before do the full payment

Bhutan Visa application required the confirmation and full payment of your Bhutan tour

The Bhutan Visa cannot be issued until you have booked your tour and paid the full amount. This is one of the requirements of the Bhutanese government since the visa is applied for by the travel agency, not by yourself personally. Processing the visa can also take up to a week, at least, from the time of application, so you will have a wait before receiving your Visa Invitation Letter, which you need to book your flights to Bhutan. Only those with the invitation letter can book flights on Bhutan’s two airlines, which are the only airlines permitted to land at Paro International Airport.

Leave more time to build your own Bhutan tour itinerary as USD 200 per person per night is not a cheap price

Before you can pay for the tour, you need to decide on and confirm your Bhutan tour itinerary and make sure that your tour details are the right ones for you. Only when that is complete and confirmed can your tour be booked and paid for. Since the minimum daily cost of Bhutan tours (UDS 250 per person per night in peak season and USD 200 per person per night in low season) is not a cheap price, it is suggested to leave more time building your own route and make sure that your itinerary covers all the things that you want to see and do, rather than rushing and being disappointed later. And deciding on homestays, trekking routes, archery lessons, hot stone baths, and other activities can take some time to work out all the details.

Reason 3: Need Time for Bank Transfer

Payments for a Bhutan tour cannot be made with credit cards, PayPal payments, or any other online payment system if you book the tour directly with a Bhutan local travel agency. The only way to pay for the trip is to make the payment directly to the Tourism Council of Bhutan’s approved bank account by direct bank transfer (or inter-bank payment over the counter in an approved bank in your home country in some cases). No matter you book your Bhutan tour online or through a local travel agency in Nepal or India, it takes time for bank transfer. This can take from three days to a week, depending on the banks involved. Few banks around the world can make this kind of international transfer immediately.

Reason 4: At least 7 working days are required to Get Your Bhutan Visa

Even you can book your Bhutan tour without hesitating, it still takes 7 working days to get your Bhutan Visa. In some cases, an urgent application process can be made to have the visa approved in just 3 days. But that is still three days wait before receiving the Visa Invitation Letter. However, if you have a clear digital image of your passport’s information pages and have made full payment, then it is not hard to get the visa approved.

When the visa is approved, both Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines get the notification that your visa has been approved, and you will need to quote the reference to make your flight booking. You will also need to print the visa approval to show at the airport when you are boarding the flight to Bhutan. Without this, attempting to travel to Bhutan in impossible.

Reason 5: Don’t let the hassle and stress destroy your vacation

Finally, it should be noted that last-minute vacations rarely work out well for most people. Especially when it comes to booking a tour of Bhutan. Rushing around to get everything done faster only makes for missed opportunities and mistakes, and Bhutan is really not the sort of place you want to rush. The pace of life is slower and more relaxed in Bhutan, and if you start the vacation rushing, you may find that you are unable to relax into the serene atmosphere of this beautiful Himalayan Shangri-La.

Aside from the fact that spending more than 200 dollars per night, each requires some careful consideration (unless you have more money than you know what to do with), many things can go wrong when rushing your planning for a place as amazing as Bhutan. Changes can be hard to arrange, flights can suddenly be sold out, hotels maybe already fully booked, and delays in bank transfers between international banks can often happen.

Traveling to Bhutan should be an exciting journey of discovery, and a trip that is worth looking forward to. Bhutan is a land of Buddhist serenity and calm, peaceful life, and should not just be a quick respite from the chaos of your normal life on the road. While you can rush around many tourist destinations across the globe, Bhutan demands your undivided and relaxed attention, and is one of the most outstanding places on the planet, if you are in the right frame of mind. If you are stressed, it will just seem like everywhere else.

Conclusion of Booking Your Bhutan Tour in Advance

While it is important to make sure that you plan your trip to Bhutan carefully, it is actually possible to arrange a trip within a short period of time, as long as you are not looking for a cheaper holiday in the kingdom.

If you are willing to pay higher prices for everything, and premium rates for flights and hotels if necessary, it is possible to arrange the whole trip within a week, as long as nothing goes wrong.

However, why rush into a last-minute option at all? For tourists to Butan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, ruled over by the Dragon King (Druk Gyalpo), should be booked at least one month in advance, to allow you time to plan your lifetime dream trip properly. Then you will be able to fully enjoy your own personalized trip to the last true Himalayan kingdom and the real Shangri-La.