How To Book A Trip To Bhutan

Bhutan has a reputation as a secluded, private location that only welcomes a select group of fortunate, wealthy visitors. Due to its distinct tourist regulations, arranging a trip to Bhutan requires going through a few hoops. This is your how-to manual if you do choose to jump.

Bhutan's tourism slogan is "high value, low impact," Its goal is to maximize financial gains from tourism while limiting its effects on the environment and local culture. It is the nation's guiding principle of "Gross National Happiness."

For foreign tourists, obtaining a visa will cost at least USD 250 per day for a planned trip. Console yourself with the fact that the government receives $65 of this sum as a Sustainable Development Fee to provide free healthcare and education to Bhutanese citizens.

Beyond this daily rate, however, conditions are relatively flexible. There is no requirement to attend in a group (the typical "group" size is two people), and the number of visitors, which has increased significantly to 270,000 annually, is unrestricted.

Indian visitors, exempt from a daily minimum fee, are the primary exception to the tariff regulation. Bhutan is getting harder and harder to defend its tax system as Indian tourists outnumber all other nationalities by a factor of over 20.

Before you start planning

It would be best if you plan your travels through a licensed Bhutanese travel agent to be eligible for a visa. On the Tourism Council of Bhutan website, several of these are listed. You must travel with a guide and follow a pre-determined schedule. While it is entirely possible to visit monasteries or temples that are not on your initial plan, you must now decide on your overnight stops and your entry and leaving dates.

How much does a trip to Bhutan cost?

The government has set a daily price of USD 250 per person per night of accommodation in the high and shoulder seasons, regardless of whether you are on a tour or a hike. During the monsoon season and the low winter season (December to February), this fare falls to $200. (June to August). A $40/$30 per person extra surcharge is applied to groups of one or two people. Children under five travel for free, while those aged six to twelve only pay half the daily fare. There is no way around this unless you are a Bhutanese citizen or an authorized travel company representative. There isn't much price variation across agencies due to the fixed daily fee.

Plan Your Itinerary

You are free to personalize your vacation even though you must book it through a travel agency. Most people start with an agency's schedule and then change it to suit their interests. It's usually worthwhile to include a few less popular temples and day hikes to get you away from the tourist trail. Additionally, try to plan your travels to coincide with one of Bhutan's magnificent festivals.

Paying for your tour

The most challenging logistical aspect of the tour procedure is making the payment after you and the tour operator have agreed on the itinerary and price. You must wire the entire payment to your agency using a Bank of Bhutan account after receiving bank information from your agency. Your local bank must be informed that the wire is intended for a Bhutan National Bank (BNB) account but is routed through a Standard Chartered Bank account. The account for your agency inside the Bhutan National Bank account is the "beneficiary account." If you're lucky, going to your bank will only be necessary once. However, be ready to define "Bhutan" when you do.

Getting a Bhutan Visa

You will need to fill out a form, email a digital photo, and a scan of the passport photo page once your agency has received the wire. Once the wire has been received, your agency will confirm the arrival of cash and then apply for your visa. Obtaining a visa is really a formality; after a few days, the agency will email you a copy of your visa permission. Your tour price will have already included the $40 visa fee.

Overall, the procedure is not complicated. It will all be worth it when you finally exit the airport, enter exotic Bhutan, and see that visa stamp on your passport. The best things in life require effort to obtain.