Tour Booking Guide
  • A brief guide to booking your trip to Bhutan and obtaining a Tourist Visa

In order to simplify the process of booking a trip to Bhutan and obtaining a Tourist Visa, we provide this helpful guide. 

Travel Requirements

All tourists (excluding Indian, Bangladeshi and Maldivian passport holders) who wish to travel to Bhutan require a visa and must book their holiday through a Bhutanese tour operator or one of their international partners. The tour operator will take care of Visa arrangements for visitors. A listing of licensed Bhutanese tour operators can be found at the link below. 

Comprehensive list of Tour Operators: https://www.bhutan.travel/tour-operators

Learn more about visa requirements: https://www.bhutan.travel/page/visaentry-permit

In keeping with the Tourism Council of Bhutan’s policy of “High Value. Low Impact” tourism a Minimum Daily Package is required for tourists. To learn more about the Minimum Daily Package, please follow the link below:

Minimum Daily Package: https://www.bhutan.travel/page/minimum-daily-package

  • Important Notice

It has been brought to the notice of the Tourism Council of Bhutan Secretariat that some guests are booking their tours through unregistered Tour Operators and also making direct tour payments to the companies contrary to the official transfer channel. Such arrangements have caused immense difficulties to both guests as well as this office. This office would like to inform and request all travelers planning their tours to Bhutan to make their reservations only through registered Tour Operators in Bhutan.

A list of local Bhutanese Tour Operators is available on www.tourism.gov.bt/plan/tour-operators or if in doubt, this office can confirm the authentication of the operators should a request for the same be made.

Therefore, we would like to inform all concerned parties that the Tourism Council of Bhutan will not be responsible for any complaints related to or resulting from a tour booked through unregistered Tour Operators.

For further information, and authentication of the tour operators, please contact dechen@tourism.gov.bt.

Minimum Daily Package Rate

The Royal Government of Bhutan sets minimum selling prices for packages to Bhutan. These must be paid in US dollars prior to arrival in Bhutan.

The minimum daily package applicable per tourist per night halt in Bhutan for tourists travelling in a group of 3 people or more is as follows:

     •  USD $200 per person per night for the months of January, February, June, July, August, and

         December.

    •  USD $250 per person per night for the months of March, April, May, September, October, and

         November.

The minimum daily package covers the following services;

     •  A minimum of 3-star accommodation (4 & 5 star may require a premium payment).

     •  All meals

     •  A licensed Bhutanese tour guide for the extent of your stay

     •  All internal ground transports 

     •  Camping equipment and haulage for trekking tours

     •  USD 65 Sustainable Development Fee (SDF)

(The list of hotels and lodges approved to provide accommodations are all listed on this website. If your accommodation is not listed on this website then it is not licensed cater for international tourists)

  • Surcharges

Tourists travelling in a group of two (2) persons or less shall be subject to a surcharge, in addition to the minimum daily package rates. These are as follows; 

      •  Single individual – US$ 40 per night  

      •  Group of 2 persons only – US$ 30 per person per night

The surcharge will not be applicable to representatives of foreign travel agents on business study or promotional visit duly approved and cleared by TCB.

·         Delayed Arrivals 

There is no charge for delays in arrival and departure because of weather conditions disrupting flights or road blocks. The tourist must however bear the cost of food, accommodation, transportation, and other services required.  It is highly recommended that you purchase travel insurance prior to travel.

  • Cancellations

Individual tour operators have their own cancellation policy. Please discuss with your own service provider (tour operator) on the cancellation policy. 

  • Wire Transfer

Prior to your trip to Bhutan, you will be asked to wire the full payment for your holiday to the Tourism Council of Bhutan.

You must wire the tour payment calculated by your tour operator as well as USD 40 (one-time visa fee) to the Bhutan National Bank through one of their certified international partners with the Bhutanese tour operator specified as the ultimate beneficiary.  

Please email the bank wire receipt copy to the local Bhutanese tour operator.