Bhutan, The Dragon Kingdom — Self-Launched (Nepal & Bhutan)
10 days · Nepal & Bhutan
Passage Holidays charges £2,340
No-markup version: ~£2,050 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 10-day version of Passage Holidays' "Bhutan, The Dragon Kingdom" circuit, covering Kathmandu's UNESCO temple sites and Bhutan's Thimphu, Punakha and Paro valleys. The big difference is cost structure: Bhutan requires an independent-traveller Sustainable Development Fee (SDF, currently USD 100/night, ~£78) for most nationalities plus a licensed local guide arrangement in practice, so this is the one trip where you can't fully DIY the guiding — but you can book it directly through a Bhutanese ground agent (or your own SDF + hotel + transport) and skip the ~£2,300 operator markup. Kathmandu is fully DIY. Costs are approximate 2025 backpacker/mid-budget rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive Kathmandu — Thamel at your own pace
Kathmandu, Nepal
Land at Tribhuvan International Airport and take a prepaid taxi (~NPR 800-1,000 / £5-6) to Thamel. Check into a guesthouse or hostel. Spend the late afternoon wandering the Thamel lanes, sorting a Nepali SIM/eSIM (Ncell or NTC, ~£3 for data) and pre-booking your Kathmandu temple sites on GetYourGuide or directly at the Durbar Square ticket offices. Eat dal bhat at a local bhojanalaya (~£3).
🚌Airport taxi ~£5; walking in Thamel
🛏Thamel guesthouse or hostel dorm/private room, e.g. Alobar1000 or Hotel Family Home area (£10-16)
- →Thamel orientation walk
- →Buy local SIM/eSIM
- →Evening aarti at Pashupatinath (free, sunset)
Kathmandu's UNESCO trail — Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhu, Durbar Squares
Kathmandu & Patan, Nepal
Start early at Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple, ~£2 entry, climb the 365 steps) before the crowds. Then Boudhanath stupa (~£2), lunch in the Tibetan bakeries around the kora. In the afternoon take a £1-2 local bus or Pathao ride to Patan Durbar Square (~£6 foreigner ticket) and finish at Kathmandu Durbar Square (~£6). Optional licensed guide for the day via GetYourGuide (~£25) — otherwise use an audio guide app. Return to Pashupatinath (~£6 entry) for the 6pm Bagmati aarti ceremony.
🚌Local buses + Pathao/InDrive rides, ~£5 total
🛏Same Thamel guesthouse (£10-16)
- →Swayambhunath
- →Boudhanath stupa & kora
- →Patan Durbar Square
- →Kathmandu Durbar Square
- →Evening aarti at Pashupatinath
Fly Kathmandu → Paro, transfer to Thimphu
Paro → Thimphu, Bhutan
Book the Drukair/Bhutan Airlines KTM-PBH flight directly (~£250-300 one way, left side of the plane for Himalayan views). Note: your Bhutan visa + SDF must be pre-arranged and paid through the official Department of Immigration portal or your licensed Bhutanese agent before boarding. On arrival, a pre-booked shared/private transfer to Thimphu costs ~£25-35 for the 1.5-hour drive, or take a shared taxi from Paro town. Afternoon: National Memorial Chorten (free) and Buddha Dordenma (~£2). Evening wander Thimphu's Norzin Lam and try momos and suja (butter tea) at a local eatery (~£5).
🚌KTM-PBH flight ~£270; Paro-Thimphu transfer ~£30
🛏Thimphu budget guesthouse/homestay, e.g. around Norzin Lam (£18-25)
- →National Memorial Chorten
- →Buddha Dordenma viewpoint
- →Thimphu street food & market walk
Thimphu — folk heritage, dzong and markets
Thimphu, Bhutan
Morning at the Folk Heritage Museum (~£3) and the adjacent Simply Bhutan or the National Textile Museum (~£3). Walk to Tashichho Dzong (free outside office hours; the courtyard is open after 5pm). Afternoon: the weekend Centenary Farmers' Market if your dates align, otherwise the craft bazaar along Norzin Lam. A licensed guide for a half-day is ~£30-40 and is the easiest way to meet Bhutan's guide requirement — book direct with a Bhutanese operator or via GetYourGuide.
🚌Walking + short local taxi rides ~£4
🛏Thimphu guesthouse (£18-25)
- →Folk Heritage Museum
- →Tashichho Dzong
- →National Textile Museum
- →Craft bazaar
Thimphu → Punakha over Dochula Pass
Dochula Pass → Punakha, Bhutan
Take a shared taxi or the ~9am local bus along the Thimphu-Punakha road (~£4-6; shared taxi ~£10-15 per seat for the 3-hour drive). Stop at Dochula Pass (3,100m) for the 108 chortens and Himalayan panorama — any bus/taxi will pause here. Descend into the subtropical Punakha valley and check into a riverside guesthouse. Afternoon: Punakha Dzong (~£5 entry, cross the cantilever bridge) at golden hour.
🚌Shared taxi/bus Thimphu-Punakha ~£8
🛏Punakha riverside guesthouse or homestay (£16-24)
- →Dochula Pass & 108 chortens
- →Punakha Dzong exterior & bridge
Punakha — Talo Monastery and valley walks
Punakha, Bhutan
Hire a local driver-guide for the day (~£40-50, split if you pair up with other travellers at your guesthouse) to reach Talo Monastery and the Nalanda Buddhist Institute above the valley — both are off the public bus route. Spend time with the monks (small donation appreciated, ~£5). Walk the terraced fields and, if time allows, hike to Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple, through the paddy fields. Dinner back at the guesthouse (~£6).
🚌Private driver half-day ~£45
🛏Punakha guesthouse (£16-24)
- →Talo Monastery
- →Nalanda Buddhist Institute
- →Chimi Lhakhang hike
- →Valley rice-field walk
Punakha → Paro via Wangdue and Simtokha
Wangdue → Paro, Bhutan
Back up the valley on the morning bus (~£5) or shared taxi. Stop at Wangdue Phodrang Dzong and its small market for local produce, then the Druk Wangyel chortens at Dochula (if you missed them) and Simtokha Dzong just south of Thimphu (~£2). Arrive Paro late afternoon; the Paro riverfront and main street are pleasant for an evening stroll. Check into a family-run guesthouse near the town centre.
🚌Bus/shared taxi Punakha-Paro ~£6
🛏Paro family guesthouse (£18-26)
- →Wangdue Dzong
- →Wangdue local market
- →Druk Wangyel chortens
- →Simtokha Dzong
Tiger's Nest hike + Paro valley sites
Paro, Bhutan
Start at 7am for the Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) hike — 2-3 hours up, ~£8 entry to the monastery, café stop at the halfway point. Descend by early afternoon and visit Kyichu Lhakhang (one of Bhutan's oldest temples, ~£2) and Rinpung Dzong (~£3, plus the National Museum above it, ~£3). Drukgyel Dzong is a short taxi away (~£4) if you still have energy. Options for this hike and a guide are bookable via GetYourGuide from ~£35.
🚌Local taxis ~£8
🛏Paro family guesthouse (£18-26)
- →Tiger's Nest (Taktsang) hike
- →Kyichu Lhakhang
- →Rinpung Dzong
- →National Museum
- →Drukgyel Dzong
Fly Paro → Kathmandu, evening in the city
Paro → Kathmandu
Direct Drukair/Bhutan Airlines flight back to Kathmandu (~£250 one way). Afternoon in Kathmandu: wander the old bazaar lanes of Asan and Indra Chowk, pick up souvenirs at the Tibetan refugee handicraft shops, and return to Pashupatinath for the evening aarti if you missed it. Cheap and cheerful dinner in Thamel or a Newari restaurant in Patan (~£6).
🚌PBH-KTM flight ~£250; airport taxi ~£5
🛏Thamel guesthouse (£10-16)
- →Asan Tole bazaar walk
- →Indra Chowk & souvenir shopping
- →Evening aarti (optional)
Kathmandu — depart
Kathmandu, Nepal
Final morning for a lazy breakfast, any last shopping in Thamel, or a short walk to the Garden of Dreams (~£2). Prepaid taxi to the airport (~£5) for your onward flight. Costs here assume you're already flying out from Kathmandu as part of your international ticket.
🚌Airport taxi ~£5
🛏—
- →Garden of Dreams (optional)
- →Last-minute shopping
Self-launched vs. Passage Holidays
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Passage Holidays | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£2,050 | £2,340 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £290 per person (12%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Passage Holidays-style trips? Check them out here.~£2,050
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Bhutan, The Dragon Kingdom — Self-Launched (Nepal & Bhutan) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £2,050 per person for 10 days in Nepal & Bhutan. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Passage Holidays?+
Yes — Passage Holidays charges around £2,340 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £2,050 — a saving of roughly £290 (12%) per person.
How long is the Nepal & Bhutan trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Nepal & Bhutan.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, hiking trip through Nepal & Bhutan, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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