Travel Info
Travel iInfo
Visa
Visa Requirements for International Travelers;For international tourists, obtaining an e-Visa in advance is essential. Travelers can apply for the visa online, but it’s often easier to secure it through a local travel agency in Bhutan. Please note that the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF), which is $100 per day, does not cover the visa cost. An additional one-time visa fee of $40 is required.Tales of Bhutan Tour, a local tour operator, is here to assist you with your e-Visa permits for your Bhutan adventure.
Food
Red rice or white rice form the main body of most Bhutanese meals. It is accompanied by one or two side dishes consisting of meat or vegetables. Pork, beef, chicken and fish are the most common meats while a tasty variety of fresh vegetables are also on the menu. Buckwheat pancakes and noodles are also served in place of rice.Ema Datshi, a spicy mix of chillies and the delicious local cheese is the national dish of Bhutan. Variations on Ema Datshi include adding green beans, ferns, potatoes and mushrooms. Most hotels will not serve this up to tourists so ask your guide if you want to try. You may also try other Bhutanese specialties, including momos (Tibetan-style dumplings stuffed with pork, beef or cabbages and cheese), phak sha laphu (stewed pork with radish), nor sha huentse (stewed beef with spinach), phak sha phin tshoem (pork with rice noodles) and bja sha maroo (chicken in garlic and butter sauce).Besides native foods, Indian, Chinese, and the more common continental foods are also readily available.On trek, you will be supplied with lavish food items and our trained trekking chefs will treat you with delicious and nutritious food at any altitude.
Communication
Mobile connectivity is good in all the towns. If you are trekking or travelling on the road between valleys, the network might be bad. Roaming is possible, so check with us to see if your operator has roaming agreement with our operators. If you would like a local number, it is possible to get a local SIM card from the airport and towns.All the hotels we use have WiFi in their rooms and lobby. WiFi is provided free in most hotels but few hotels levy small charges.
Dress Code
Respectful casual wear is fine for general touring in Bhutan, and jeans/slacks would be fine. Shorts, skirts and revealing tight clothing are usually not appreciated. Bhutanese dress up formally when they visit Dzongs and temples, and they expect foreigners to do the same. You should wear long pants (even if jeans), shirts with full sleeves, and more formal skirts below the knees when you visit those places. Hats and shoes are not permitted inside Dzongs and temples.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Bhutan ranges from traditional farmhouses to swanky five-star luxury resorts. Government has a strict rule on starred hotels and it says only three star hotels and above can host tariff-paying tourists. Our hotels have a contemporary theme with a unique blend of Bhutanese architecture and modern amenities. In recent years, several luxury hotels have come up, including the COMO Uma, Zhiwa Ling, Taj Tashi, Amankora, Le Meridien and Six Senses. For these you will have to pay a supplement on top of the standard tariff. Besides starred hotels, there are options to experience family-run eco lodges, heritage lodges converted from traditional old houses, and farmhouses which would give you an excellent glimpse into the day-to-day life of a typical Bhutanese family.As eastern Bhutan sees fewer tourists than the western regions, accommodation can be simpler here than in the west.Visitors embarking on treks will be provided with weatherproof tents and whatever other equipment deemed necessary for camping (with the exception of your sleeping bag). Bhutan does not have tea houses or lodges on trekking trails like in other Himalayan regions. Here, it is real wilderness trekking!
Transport
We use vehicles made in Japan and Korea. For three to five people in a group, we provide comfortable Korean Hyundai H-1 and Toyota Hi-ace buses and for six people and above, we provide AC Toyota coaster buses. Smaller groups of one to two passengers will discover the country in 4WD SUVs cars such as Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and Korean Tucson, Santa Fe, Creta and Terracan. Not only for sightseeing, those vehicles will ferry you for off-site works like shopping in markets and meeting friends.Now Bhutan has domestic air service. Drukair flies to Bumthnag (central Bhutan), Yonphula (eastern Bhutan) and Gelephu (southern Bhutan) on certain days. If you love to avoid the long drive, you can opt for domestic flights.
Weather & Clothing
October, November, December, January, February and March will be cold, especially during mornings and evenings, and you need to bring warm clothes. While the months of April, May, June, July, August and September are warmer. In June, July and August rain will hit the ground at anytime after all it is monsoon and rain gear would be necessary.
Money
Bhutan’s currency is called Ngultrum (Nu), which is pegged to the Indian rupee. ATMs outlets are available in major towns but they cannot always be relied on for foreign cardholders. The best way is to bring cash dollars and change this at the airport on arrival. Credit cards are accepted at major handicraft stores and some of the larger hotels in Paro and Thimphu but they often charge 3-5% fee. You can cash travellers cheques at any bank and the foreign exchange counter at the airport. You should carry well-known brands like American Express, Visa, Thomas Cook, Citibank or Barclays. The Ngultrum is valueless outside of Bhutan, so make sure you use all or change back excess Ngultrum before you go. Indian rupees can also be used in Bhutan (except 1000 rupee notes).
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