Bhutan

Bhutan filters its visitors deliberately, and the result is a Himalayan country that feels the way Nepal's trails did thirty years ago: monasteries clinging to cliffs above silent valleys, a capital without a single traffic light, and a national policy that measures happiness with a straight face. Indians occupy a privileged position — no visa, and a Sustainable Development Fee of ₹1,200 per day where other nationalities pay many times more.

The shape of the trip

The essential circuit (6 nights): Thimphu for the giant Buddha, the weekend market and the school of traditional arts (2 nights); Punakha over the Dochula Pass — 108 chortens against the high Himalaya on a clear morning — for the finest dzong in the kingdom (2 nights); then Paro and the pilgrimage every visitor is really here for, the Tiger's Nest hike (2 nights).

The money

The SDF is the fixed cost: ₹7,200 per person for six days, paid at permit stage. Beyond it, Bhutan is gentler than its reputation — the ngultrum is pegged 1:1 to the Indian rupee (and INR is accepted), good hotels cost ₹2,500–6,000, and a hearty ema datshi dinner runs ₹300–500. Getting there is the swing factor: Paro flights from Delhi or Kolkata cost ₹20,000–35,000 return, while the overland route via Phuentsholing (from Bagdogra/NJP) saves most of that in exchange for a spectacular day's drive.

Worth knowing

Permits for areas beyond Thimphu and Paro are checked, so route your itinerary through a registered operator or the official online system. Dress modestly at dzongs — shoulders and knees covered — and book festival-season (Paro and Thimphu tshechus) months ahead; the whole country does.