The Best of Bhutan: Hidden Treasures of a Himalayan Kingdom

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

A passport and two visas are required for your program: -Nepal - secured by participant -Bhutan - secured in advance by Road Scholar

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

Bhutan

• Your passport must have 2 blank passport page(s) for entry/exit visas in this country.

• A travel visa is required and it must be obtained in advance.

• This visa is included in the cost of your trip.

• You’ll receive detailed information about your required entry documents in the information packet we send after you enroll.

Please note: The Bhutan Visa is a group visa. Each participant must provide a color copy of their passport photo ID page and a recent passport-sized photo at least six weeks before departure. Ensure that there are two blank pages in your passport available for the Bhutan visa and entry/exit stamps. You will receive a copy of the group visa while in Nepal, and the actual visa will be stamped in your passport upon arrival in Bhutan. Please send a single email with two attachments: one containing the color copy of your passport photo ID page (making sure all text and numbers are visible and free of glare), and the other being a color passport-sized photo (portrait style, with a white background, no border, and taken within the last six months). Email these documents to rsasiaprograms@roadscholar.org at least six weeks prior to your departure. Be sure to include your program number and departure date in the email.

Nepal

• Your passport must have 2 blank passport page(s) for entry/exit visas in this country.

• A travel visa is required and it may be obtained upon arrival.

• The cost of this visa is not included in the cost of your trip.

Please note: Participants should complete an online "On-arrival Visa Application" at https://nepaliport.immigration.gov.np/on-arrival/IO01. Submit your application no earlier than 14 days prior to your arrival in Nepal. The hotel information needed for the online visa application is located in the program notes section of the participant mailings. After submitting the form, print the confirmation receipt that includes your Submission ID Number and keep it with your travel documents. You will need to present this receipt at the Kathmandu Airport along with your payment. The Nepal visa is a multiple-entry visa. The cost is USD $30 for a 15-day visa or USD $50 for a 30-day visa. Bring clean USD notes in exact change to pay for your visa upon arrival. Once you arrive, proceed to the visa payment counter with your payment and your Submission ID Number receipt. We also recommend bringing an extra passport photo with you in case there is an issue with the photo kiosks when you arrive.

In preparation, begin exercising as far in advance of travel as possible. As well as being in good physical condition, practice increasing your respiratory rate, which will help you to acclimate to the reduced oxygen at high altitude. The better cardiovascular shape you are in prior to your trip, the better you will be able to withstand exertion at elevation. Practice drinking plenty of water as hydration is also important at higher elevations. When traveling to altitudes ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 feet, such as in Bhutan, it is advisable to consult your personal physician well in advance of travel for advice. There are no specific vaccinations required to enter Nepal and Bhutan unless visitors are coming from a contaminated area. However, it is always a good idea to check with your personal physician before going abroad. Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for Covid-19, influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, MMR, and DPT, are given at all stages of life and should be up-to-date. The CDC recommends Hepatitis A and Typhoid. Malaria pills are a consideration. A tetanus booster is wise, as is a gamma globulin (or "immune serum globulin") inoculation, which is helpful in alleviating the symptoms of Hepatitis A. Please check with your doctor or travel clinic.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on December 1, 2027

Meet the group at Dusit Princess Kathmandu in Kathmandu

Start of Trip:  2:00 p.m. hotel check-in available. Dinner at own arrangements. Due to late night arrivals, Orientation and Welcome Dinner will happen the following day in Bhutan.

Getting to the site: Participants who purchase Road Scholar airfare and arrive on the official program start date (Day 2) will receive an arrival transfer from the airport to the first program hotel. Participants who have not purchased Road Scholar airfare or who arrive a day or two early will need to arrange and cover their costs of transfers via taxi or private transfer. For more information about taxi and private transfer options, please refer to the taxi and private transfer details provided at the end of the first and final mailing packets. Hotel check-in is available at 2:00 p.m. on the program start date (Day 2). If you arrive a few hours early, the hotel can store your luggage at the front desk until check-in time. If you prefer to check in upon arrival in the morning or if you arrive a day before the program starts, we suggest booking any additional pre-program nights in advance with Road Scholar Travel Services at 1-800-241-1404, directly with the hotel or via a third-party website.

Your trip ends on: Wednesday, December 15, 2027 in Paro at Khangkhu Resort

End of Trip: 5:00 p.m. dinner followed by transfers to Kathmandu International Airport. The hotel in Kathmandu (Dusit Princess Kathmandu) is booked for the full night for any departures the next day.

Getting to the airport: On the last day of the program (Day 16), participants will fly from Paro, Bhutan, to Kathmandu, Nepal, arriving around midday. An airport transfer to the Dusit Princess Kathmandu will be provided for the day and overnight stay, accommodating evening, late-night, and next-day departures. Final hotel check-out is on Day 17 at 12:00 noon to accommodate those with late departures. If departing in the day or evening on Day 17, the hotel can store your luggage until you leave for the airport. Alternatively, you can book an additional night through Road Scholar Travel Services at 1-800-241-1404, directly with the hotel, or through a third-party website. Only participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare and who are departing on Day 16 or Day 17 will be provided a departure transfer from the last program hotel to the airport. Participants who have not purchased Road Scholar airfare or who plan to extend their stay in Nepal will need to arrange and cover their costs of transfers via taxi or private transfer. For more information about taxi and private transfer options, please refer to the taxi and private transfer details provided at the end of the first and final mailing packets.

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.