The Kingdom of Gross National Happiness

Happiness Country Holiday

Handcrafted journeys into Bhutan — a kingdom where time moves slowly, happiness is measured, and every valley holds a monastery older than memory.

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Call: +61 0416 488 308
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Tiger's Nest Monastery✦ Punakha Dzong✦ Dochula Pass✦ Tshechu Festivals✦ Himalayan Treks✦ Ancient Monasteries✦ Takin Wildlife✦ Paro Valley✦ Wangdue Dzong✦ Gross National Happiness✦ Tiger's Nest Monastery✦ Punakha Dzong✦ Dochula Pass✦ Tshechu Festivals✦ Himalayan Treks✦ Ancient Monasteries✦ Takin Wildlife✦ Paro Valley✦ Wangdue Dzong✦ Gross National Happiness✦

Bhutan · The Last Shangri-La

A Kingdom That Measures
Happiness, Not Growth

Nestled in the eastern Himalayas, Bhutan is the world's only carbon-negative country and the last Buddhist kingdom that has never been colonised. It is a place where ancient monasteries cling to cliffsides, monks chant at dawn, and the national animal is a mythical creature. We bring you here — properly, personally, and without compromise.

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72% Forest Coverage
Carbon
Negative The Only Nation
GNH Happiness Index
15+ Years Experience
Four Ways to Experience Bhutan

The Pillars of the Journey

Monks in monastery corridor
01

Cultural & Heritage

Walk ancient dzong corridors where monks still chant the same sutras chanted 400 years ago. Visit living monasteries, sacred lhakhangs, and villages untouched by modernity.

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Monk with crimson robe
02

Festival & Spiritual

The Tshechu — Bhutan's sacred mask dance festival — is one of the world's most spectacular and least-seen cultural events. We get you there, with context and access.

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Mountain camp at sunrise
03

Trekking & Adventure

From alpine camp dawns above the clouds to wild river valleys, Bhutan's trails are as pristine as the kingdom itself. Expert Bhutanese mountain guides throughout.

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Luxury dining by waterfall
04

Luxury & Bespoke

Private itineraries built entirely around you. Boutique lodges, exclusive monastery access, a personal guide and vehicle — every detail orchestrated in advance.

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Punakha Valley aerial view

Why Bhutan Is Different

The World's Most
Intentional Kingdom

Bhutan controls its tourism deliberately. There are no mass-market tours, no overcrowded bus stops at Tiger's Nest. Every visitor pays a daily Sustainable Development Fee — a commitment that ensures only those who truly want to be here, arrive. This is the kingdom's gift to its visitors: an experience that still feels genuinely untouched.

Happiness Country Holiday works exclusively within this ethos — guiding fewer visitors, more thoughtfully, with deeper access than any generalist agency can offer.

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Curated Itineraries

Signature Tour Journeys

Tiger's Nest Monastery
Most Popular
Paro · Thimphu · Punakha
Cultural & Spiritual 7 Days

The Classic Bhutan

The essential Bhutan experience — crafted for first-time visitors who want to feel the true heart of the kingdom without missing a single icon.

  • ✦ Tiger's Nest (Taktsang) Monastery — the cliffside monastery above Paro valley
  • ✦ Punakha Dzong — fortress where two sacred rivers meet
  • ✦ Dochula Pass with 108 memorial chortens and Himalayan panorama
  • ✦ Traditional farmhouse dinner with a Bhutanese family
  • ✦ Thimphu cultural tour including the National Memorial Chorten
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Tshechu Festival mask dance
Limited Season
Paro · Thimphu · Wangdue
Festival & Spiritual 10 Days

The Tshechu Festival Journey

Timed to Bhutan's most sacred festival calendar. Witness the ancient mask dances of the Tshechu — a riot of crimson, gold, and living devotion unchanged for centuries.

  • ✦ Front-row access to Paro or Thimphu Tshechu
  • ✦ Private monastery visits during the quieter off-festival hours
  • ✦ Traditional Bhutanese cooking class and archery experience
  • ✦ Village home-stay night — genuine local hospitality
  • ✦ Expert cultural guide with deep festival knowledge
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Himalayan trekking camp
Adventure
High Himalaya · Alpine Passes
Trekking 12 Days

Himalayan High Trek

For those who need to earn the view. Camp nights above 4,000m, high passes dusted with prayer flags, and landscapes that fewer than a thousand people walk each year.

  • ✦ High altitude passes with glacial views and prayer flag ridges
  • ✦ Fully equipped remote mountain camps
  • ✦ Himalayan birdlife, flora and possible Takin sightings
  • ✦ Expert Bhutanese mountain guides and full camping crew
  • ✦ Combination with cultural days in Paro and Thimphu
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Luxury waterfall dining
Bespoke
Your Vision · Our Craft
Luxury & Tailor-made Your Terms

The Royal Bhutan — Bespoke

No template. No compromise. Tell us your vision and our team builds every element — from lodge selection to exclusive access — entirely around you.

  • ✦ Day-by-day itinerary crafted to your exact interests
  • ✦ Boutique lodge and premium accommodation throughout
  • ✦ Private vehicle and dedicated personal guide
  • ✦ Exclusive access to sites and experiences off standard routes
  • ✦ Concierge service from first enquiry to final farewell
Design My Journey
Punakha Dzong panorama
✦
"Bhutan does not measure success in towers of glass.
It measures it in the laughter of monks, the song of rivers,
and the happiness of a people who have never been lost."
— Happiness Country Holiday
Punakha Dzong from the bridge

Why Happiness Country Holiday

We Don't Book Trips.
We Craft Memories.

✦
Bhutanese-Owned

Our guides grew up in these valleys and attended these festivals. You get genuine insider knowledge, not a guidebook.

✦
Fully Licensed Operator

Registered with the Tourism Council of Bhutan. All government permits managed seamlessly on your behalf.

✦
Personal, Not Packaged

You speak directly with your trip designer — never a call centre. We build your trip around you, not a brochure.

✦
Responsible Tourism

We uphold Bhutan's high-value, low-impact mandate. Your visit actively protects the kingdom for future generations.

Begin Your Journey
Monks in monastery corridor
Monk in dzong
Mountain road Bhutan

Our Story

Born in the Kingdom,
Built for the World

Happiness Country Holiday was founded on a conviction: that Bhutan — the world's last surviving Himalayan Buddhist kingdom — deserves to be experienced with reverence, depth, and genuine local knowledge.

We are a team of passionate Bhutanese travel professionals and cultural ambassadors. We grew up in these valleys, climbed these passes, witnessed these festivals. Now we bring that intimacy to every traveller who chooses to journey with us.

Whether you arrive seeking serenity, spiritual connection, physical challenge, or simply to witness a world where time still moves slowly — we will be beside you at every step.

Licensed by Tourism Council of Bhutan
Bhutanese-owned & operated
15+ years of curated journeys
Plan Your Journey
Wangdue aerial

Get in Touch

Let's Plan Your
Perfect Bhutan Journey

Every enquiry receives a personal response within 24 hours from your dedicated trip designer. Tell us your dream — we'll build the rest.

Call Us +61 0416 488 308
WhatsApp 0416 488 308
Email info@happinesscountryholiday.com

Send an Enquiry

We respond personally within 24 hours

Your details are never shared. We respond personally.

The People Behind Your Journey

Meet Your Happiness Country Holiday Team

Every journey we craft carries the fingerprint of people who were born in this kingdom, raised by its culture, and devoted to sharing it with the world — with genuine warmth and deep local knowledge.

Dorji Norbu — CEO, Happiness Country Holiday
CEO & Tour Executive

Dorji Norbu

Dorji has spent his career bridging cultures — leading travellers from across the world through Bhutan's most sacred valleys, monasteries and mountain passes. His encyclopaedic knowledge of Bhutanese history, Buddhism, and local customs transforms every tour from a journey into an education. With over 15 years of experience as a licensed guide and operator, Dorji personally designs every itinerary that leaves under the Happiness Country Holiday name.

Languages:
English Chinese Japanese Hindi Nepali Dzongkha
Plan Your Trip with Dorji
Pema Seldon — Admin Manager, Happiness Country Holiday
Admin Manager

Pema Seldon

Pema is the heartbeat of Happiness Country Holiday's operations — the person who ensures every permit, every booking, every detail is handled with precision and care long before you step off the plane at Paro. Her meticulous attention to logistics means our travellers never worry about paperwork, government approvals, or on-ground coordination. Warm, responsive and deeply committed, Pema is often the first voice you'll connect with — and the last to sign off on your perfect itinerary.

Languages:
English Dzongkha
Get in Touch with Pema
Paro Airport Bhutan
Essential Travel Information

How to Enter Bhutan

Bhutan is one of the world's most carefully managed destinations. Entry requires advance planning — but that is exactly what we are here for. Below is everything a foreign visitor needs to know.

📋

Visa Requirements

  • All foreign nationals except Indian, Bangladeshi and Maldivian citizens require a Bhutan Visa prior to arrival.
  • Visas are processed exclusively through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator — Happiness Country Holiday handles this entirely on your behalf.
  • A visa clearance letter is issued first, then the full visa stamp is issued on arrival at Paro Airport.
  • Visa processing typically takes 5–7 working days after all documents are submitted.
📄

Documents Required

  • Valid Passport — must have at least 6 months validity beyond your travel dates
  • Passport-size photograph — recent, clear background
  • Confirmed travel itinerary — provided by Happiness Country Holiday
  • Proof of full payment of Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) and tour costs
  • For Indian nationals: valid passport OR voter ID card is accepted
💰

Sustainable Development Fee

  • Bhutan charges a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of USD 100 per person per night for most international visitors.
  • This fee is mandatory and goes directly toward Bhutan's free healthcare, education and conservation programmes.
  • SAARC nationals (India, Bangladesh, Maldives) pay a reduced rate of INR 1,200 per night.
  • Children under 5 are exempt; ages 6–12 receive a 50% discount.
✈️

Getting to Bhutan

  • Bhutan is served by Paro International Airport (PBH) — one of the world's most dramatic airport approaches.
  • Drukair (Royal Bhutan Airlines) and Bhutan Airlines are the only carriers with landing rights in Paro.
  • Gateway cities: Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Singapore, Kathmandu, Dhaka.
  • Happiness Country Holiday can assist with flight coordination from your home country.
🗓️

Best Time to Visit

  • Spring (March–May): Rhododendrons in bloom, clear skies, mild temperatures. Ideal for trekking and cultural tours.
  • Autumn (September–November): Crystal-clear Himalayan views, harvest season, and the most famous Tshechu festivals.
  • Winter (Dec–Feb): Crisp and quiet — fewer visitors, dramatic snow on high passes, and a deeply serene atmosphere.
  • Monsoon (June–Aug): Lush green valleys, lower prices — but roads can be challenging.
🧳

What Happiness Country Holiday Handles

  • Full visa application and clearance letter processing
  • Payment of Sustainable Development Fee on your behalf
  • All internal travel permits (restricted areas, trek routes)
  • Airport transfers, accommodation, meals and guiding
  • Emergency support and 24/7 on-ground contact throughout your stay

✦   We handle every step of your visa and entry process. All you need to do is pack your sense of wonder.

Ask Us About Entry Requirements
Traveller Stories

Words From Our Guests

★★★★★
5.0 / 5.0 Based on 48 verified traveller reviews
Google Reviews · TripAdvisor
★★★★★

"Dorji was extraordinary — not just a guide, but a true cultural ambassador. He knew the history of every dzong, every monastery, every prayer flag we passed. When we arrived at Tiger's Nest at sunrise with no other tourists in sight, I genuinely wept. This was not a tour. This was a transformation."

S
Sarah M. Sydney, Australia · October 2024
Classic Bhutan · 7 Days
★★★★★

"We were a group of six for the Tshechu Festival tour. Pema handled every detail of our logistics — permits, hotels, transfers — with such precision that we didn't have a single moment of stress. Watching the masked dances in the dzong courtyard while monks chanted around us was completely otherworldly. No photos do it justice."

R
Rajesh & Family Mumbai, India · November 2024
Tshechu Festival · 10 Days
★★★★★

"Dorji speaks Japanese fluently and that made all the difference for my parents who were joining us. They felt at home from the moment we landed. The attention to detail in the bespoke itinerary — the private monastery dawn visit, the farmhouse dinner, the dzong at golden hour — it was exactly what we had dreamed of."

Y
Yuki T. Tokyo, Japan · April 2024
Royal Bhutan Bespoke · 12 Days
★★★★★

"I had visited 60 countries before Bhutan. None have moved me like this. Dorji's knowledge of Buddhism gave every monastery a depth and meaning I've never experienced anywhere. The Himalayan trek on day 8 was the hardest and most beautiful thing I've ever done. I'm already planning my return."

M
Michael & Claire H. London, UK · October 2023
Himalayan Trek · 12 Days
★★★★★

"As solo travellers we were nervous about visiting such a remote destination. From the first WhatsApp message to Dorji, we felt completely taken care of. He answered every question with patience and warmth, and once we arrived, Pema's ground coordination was seamless. Bhutan was perfect. Happiness Country Holiday made it so."

L
Lisa & Priya Singapore · March 2024
Classic Bhutan · 7 Days
★★★★★

"我们全家从北京来到不丹，Dorji的中文非常流利，让我父母感到非常亲切。整个行程安排得非常周到——寺庙、节日、山脉，每一天都令人难忘。这是我们全家最难忘的一次旅行，强烈推荐Happiness Country Holiday！"

陈
Chen Wei Family Beijing, China · September 2024
Cultural Heritage · 9 Days

Join hundreds of travellers who have made their Bhutan dream a reality with us.

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