Things to know before you travel to Bhutan

To visit most countries, you would probably just pack up your travel bags and start your journey without visa or any prior bookings. This is not an option for the Kingdom of Bhutan. Travel to this magical country is highly regulated under the tourism policy of “High Value, Low Volume” and the government strictly discourages backpackers in order to minimize the impact on the country’s unique society and pristine environment. There is no restriction on the number of visitors as misunderstood by many travel enthusiasts around the world.

With the exception of Indian, Maldivian and Bangladeshi, all other foreign nationals must have a valid visa to enter Bhutan. Tourists cannot apply for visa directly without buying a trip. Visas are not issued by any of the Bhutanese Embassies/Missions abroad and therefore, it is only processed and issued in Thimphu through the licensed local tour operators.

How to obtain Visa to Bhutan?

It is a regulation by the Royal Government of Bhutan that all visa applications must be processed only upon receiving the full cost of the tour and a separate visa fee of US$40. A clear copy of the biodata page of your passport including the machine-readable zone must be sent to us by email at info@bhutanacorn.com. Your passport should have at least six months of validity from the day you depart from Bhutan. You may also want to check the passport validity requirement by your next destination country after you exit from Bhutan.

Once we receive the cost of the tour and the visa fee and a clear copy of your passport, we will initiate the visa application process. Visa is applied through an online system by a licensed Bhutanese tour operator like us and then endorsed by the Tourism Council of Bhutan before the final approval by the Department of Immigration. It takes 4-5 business days to get approval. After we receive the approved e-Visa in the form of a PDF we will send you a copy by e-mail. The actual visa will be stamped on your passport on arrival. Tourists are required to present a printed copy of the e-Visa at the time of check-in at the airport. Any passenger without an e-Visa will be denied boarding right at the Check-in counter. Travelers entering Bhutan by land from the border town of Phuentsholing, Gelephu or Samdrupjongkhar are required to present their e-Visa at the border immigration counter.

How much is the visa fee?

The Visa fee is USD40 per person. All of our tour cost includes the visa fee so that you do not have to worry about paying it separately.

Can the visa be extended?

Visas are issued only for the exact duration of your trip. The extension of visa is granted only upon paying the additional cost of the trip.

What at the requirements for the citizens of India, Bangladesh & Maldives?

The citizens of India, Bangladesh and Maldives do not require visa to go to Bhutan. However, they must apply for an entry permit through hoteliers or tour operators. Following are the requirements:

• A clear copy of biodata page of the passport including machine-readable zone must be submitted to apply for an entry permit. Passport should have at least six months of validity from the day you depart from Bhutan. 
• For Maldivians and Bangladeshi, a Sustainable Development Fee of USD16 is levied per night per person and must be paid in advance.
• For Indian nationals, Sustainable Development Fee is INR1,200.00 per night per person and must be paid in advance.

Minimum Daily Package Rate

The minimum spending fee (Minimum Daily Package Rate) is regulated by the Royal Government of Bhutan and are applicable per person per night halt within Bhutan. Tour operators are strictly guided and monitored by the Government to ensure that the national policy of “High Value, Low Volume” is effectively followed and implemented. There is no restriction on the number of visitors as misunderstood by many travel enthusiasts around the world. However, there is an all-inclusive minimum daily package rate fixed by the government:

MINIMUM DAILY PACKAGE RATE

During the high season months of March, April, May, September, October and November

• 1 pax : USD250 + USD40 = USD290 per night halt
• 2 pax : USD250 + USD30 = USD280 per person per night halt
• 3 pax & above : USD250 per person per night halt

During the regular season months of December, January, February, June, July & August

• 1 pax : USD200 + USD40 = USD240 per night halt
• 2 pax : USD200 + USD30 = USD230 per person per night halt
• 3 pax & above : USD200 per person per night halt

Discounts for youth and children

• Youth between the ages of 13-18 are given 25% discount on the Minimum Daily Package Rate. To get this discount, youth must provide a valid copy of their Student Photo ID card. The Tourism Council of Bhutan will not approve student discount without a valid copy of Student Photo ID card, so the full adult rate will apply to those who do not have it.
• Children between the ages of 6-12 are given 50% discount on the Minimum Daily Package Rate.
• Infant and children below the age 5 have to pay only Visa Fee.
• Children below the age of 18 must be accompanied by at least one adult.

Visa Fee & Single Supplement

• One-time visa fee of USD40 per person
• Single supplement of USD30 per night

What is INCLUDED in the Minimum Daily Package Rate?

• Twin-sharing accommodation at 3-star hotels inspected and certified by the Tourism Council of Bhutan (premium accommodations available at extra charges)
• Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of US$65 per person per night
• All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) at 3-star hotels and local restaurants
• English-speaking licensed tour guide. Guides speaking other major languages can be arranged at an additional fee.
• All ground transportation including airport transfers
• Entry fee to all museums, monuments and national parks
• National costumes (Gho) for men and (Kira) for women. The costumes must be returned at the end of the trip.
• Bottled mineral water in the car
• All internal taxes for the services mentioned above

What is EXCLUDED in the Minimum Daily Package Rate?

• International flights. We can arrange flights to and from Bhutan at no additional fee.
• Travel Insurance. Travel insurance is mandatory.
• Emergency evacuation
• Alcoholic beverages, laundry services
• Tip to guide & driver
• Medical treatment at a hospital in Bhutan if you sustain injuries during the trip
• Other personal expenses

Payment Processing Fee

We absorb a payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 charged by our payment processor Trust My Travel so you do not pay this extra fee. Your payment processed through this website is financially protected by Trust My Travel. Our membership no. is TMT2599. Click here for more information on financial protection.

Booking Service Fee

We use an external reservation system to manage bookings and to offer seamless customer experiences on our website. A booking fee of 1.5% to cover the services of this external booking system will be added to the cost of the tour at the time of checkout.

Direct Bank Transfer

Alternatively, you may also pay by direct bank transfer. The wire transfer fee charged by your bank and the intermediary bank is anywhere between USD 45 to USD 61 depending from bank to bank. Your payment received through direct bank transfer is protected by the Tourism Council of Bhutan. They will release your payment to us only after you complete the tour and safely depart from Bhutan. All you need for transferring the payment is our bank address, account number, SWIFT Code and account holder's name (i.e. Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel). Below are the details:

Beneficiary Bank Address: Bank of Bhutan, Thimphu Main Branch, Thimphu 11001, BHUTAN

Beneficiary Account Number: 200646354

SWIFT Code: BHUBBTBT022

Beneficiary Account Name & Address: BHUTAN ACORN TOURS & TRAVEL, JD House, Lower Motithang, Thori Lam, Thimphu 11001, BHUTAN

Getting into Bhutan

Bhutan is a landlocked country and therefore visitors can enter only by air or land. There are only two international airlines operating in and out of the country’s only international airport, Paro. Druk Air is the national carrier of Bhutan and the other is Bhutan Airlines, a private airline introduced in 2011. Visitors can also enter Bhutan by road from India through the border towns of Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar.

By Flight:

• Drukair operates to and from Singapore, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bagdogra, Bodhgaya and Guwahati. You can visit Drukair's website here.
• Bhutan Airlines operates to and from Bangkok, Kathmandu, Delhi and Kolkata. You can visit the Bhutan Airlines website here.

By Land:

• From the southern border town of Phuentsholing – The nearest airport is Bagdogra International Airport in India located some 170 kms away from Phuentsholing and takes about 4 hours by car. Distance between the Capital city Thimphu and Phuentsholing is 179km and it is about 6 hours drive.
• From the south-eastern border town of Samdrup Jongkhar – Guwahati Airport in Assam, India is the nearest airport which is 110kms away and takes about 3 hours drive from Samdrup Jongkhar.
• From the south-central border town of Gelephu – Guwahati Airport in India is the nearest airport about 220km away from Gelephu town and takes about 4.5 hours by road.

What to Bring

For Tours & Sightseeings

• Comfortable walking/hiking shoes
• For summer months – cotton clothing and light woolen clothes for evenings and mornings. You may also need a raincoat & a small foldable umbrella.
• For winter months – Heavy woolens, fleece jacket, Rain & wind jacket. You may also need warm hand gloves and earmuffs depending on the places you will visit.
• Shorts are fine for hiking and walking around town. You may not wear shorts and skirts in government offices, Dzongs, Museums, national monuments and other public buildings. You must wear appropriate clothing that covers your knees and shoulders when you visit those places.
• Sunglasses
• Hat/cap for sunny days
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Reusable water bottle
• First aid kit containing lip balm, antibacterial/hand sanitizer gel or wipes, antiseptic cream, etc.

For Trekkings

• Sleeping bag all season and pillow (It can be hired locally)
• A comfortable medium-sized backpack/daypack to carry things you will need during the day
• Sturdy Hiking/trekking shoes (well broken-in as new ones will be uncomfortable and often cause blisters)
• Lightweight trekking pants
• Trekking shorts
• Underwear
• Windproof rain jacket/raincoat
• Rain pants
• Fleece top/sweater
• Sandals/flip-flops (camp shoes to relax your feet after a long hike)
• Wool socks
• Small travel towel
• Hiking poles (recommended)
• Reusable water bottle
• Gators
• Sunglasses
• Headgear for sunny days
• Flashlight / torch / headlamp
• Small foldable umbrella
• Camera with extra memory cards and batteries
• Powerpack to charge phone and camera battery
• First aid kit containing lip balm, sunscreen, Insect repellent, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Throat Lozenges, bandaids, plasters, blister patches/moleskins, tape, antibacterial/hand sanitizer gel or wipes, antiseptic cream, rehydration powder, rehydration powder, water purification tablets, etc.
• Emergency whistle (some backpacks come with whistle)
• Pack liners for waterproofing bags
• Energy bars/trailmix

Bring a Group Program

Our Bring a Group Program is a way for you to earn discounts and even win a free trip to Bhutan. Traveling in a group with the people you know is enriching and more fun creating memories. Let us work on the itinerary that best fits your needs or choose from the list of our pre-packaged tours and invite friends, colleagues, neighbors or family to join you. Would you be interested? Get in touch with us for more details!

Level of benefits for organizing a group

• Bring a group as small as 4 full-paying travelers with you and earn 15% discount on the Minimum Daily Package Rate
• Bring 6 full-paying travelers and you get 30% discount on the Minimum Daily Package Rate
• Bring 8 full-paying travelers and you get 60% discount on the Minimum Daily Package Rate.
• Bring 10 full-paying travelers and you get 90% discount on the Minimum Daily Package Rate.
• Bring 12 full-paying travelers and you get to travel FREE!

Bring a Group Program Terms & Conditions

• Discounts will be given only from the Minimum Daily Package Rate
• Discounts cannot be given from the Visa Fee and airfares
• You must pay Visa Fee and airfares even if you earn a free trip
• For you to earn, all your group members must be full-paying travelers
• For this program, payment cannot be processed online on this website as currently, we do not have the option to apply discounts automatically.
• We will send you a highly secured payment link powered by Trust My Travel, a globally trusted and the same payment processor we use on our website. Normally, we absorb the payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 but for this Bring a Group Program, we will not be able to absorb the fee. Therefore, the payment processing fee will be added to the final cost of the tour.
• Your payment will still be protected by Trust My Travel. Click here for more information on payment protection. Our membership No. is TMT2599.
• Best option is to pay by direct bank transfer. In this case, your payment is protected by the Tourism Council of Bhutan. They'll release the payment to us only after you complete the tour and safely depart from Bhutan.