What to Pack for Bhutan

Pack for a place where the temperature depends more on the height and the hour than on the month. In Thimphu an April day reaches about 22°C and the night falls to about 8°C; cross a pass or wait for the sun to go down and you will want everything you brought. Layers are the answer in every season.

For any trip

• A warm layer and a windproof or waterproof jacket
• Long trousers, and shirts or tops with long sleeves, for temples and dzongs
• Comfortable walking shoes with a good grip
• Shoes that slip on and off easily, and socks: you take your shoes off at every shrine
• A sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. The sun is strong at this height
• A small day pack and a water bottle
• A plug adaptor. Bhutan uses three kinds of socket: British (type G), European two-pin (type C) and Indian three-pin (type D)
• A torch or head torch
• Any medicine you take regularly, with a copy of the prescription
• Something for travel sickness, if winding roads affect you

What to wear at temples and dzongs

There are no rules about what visitors wear in general. At religious sites you are asked to dress respectfully: covered from the shoulders to the knees, and with long sleeves and long trousers inside a temple. Hats come off, and so do shoes. A shirt or light jacket that you can put on over a T-shirt at the gate is enough.

By season

• December to February: a down or other insulated jacket, a hat, gloves and thermal layers. Winter nights fall below freezing in Thimphu, and Bumthang and Phobjikha are higher and colder still.
• March to May: layers, and a waterproof from mid-April.
• June to August: a proper rain jacket, quick-drying clothes and shoes you do not mind getting wet.
• September to November: layers again. Days are warm; evenings are cold by November.

For the Tiger's Nest and other walks

Walking shoes or boots that you have already worn in, a day pack, at least a litre of water, a hat and a light jacket. Walking poles help on the way down. The path climbs a little over 500 m.

For a trek

A trek needs proper boots, a warm sleeping bag and warm clothing for nights that are cold in every season. Each of our trek pages has its own list, with the sleeping-bag rating that route needs. We supply the tents, mats and cooking gear.

What to leave at home

• A drone. Visitors are generally not allowed to bring one in without a permit obtained in advance.
• Too much luggage. If your trip includes a domestic flight, the allowance is 20 kg in economy.

Documents

Your passport, valid for at least six months; your visa, which we send you; your flight tickets; and the details of your travel insurance. Keep your passport with you during the trip, not in the hotel.