What a Bhutan trip really costs

What is the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF)?

The SDF is a daily fee charged to most visitors as part of Bhutan's 'high value, low volume' approach to tourism. It funds free healthcare and education, conservation and infrastructure, and keeps visitor numbers sustainable. It was USD 200 when Bhutan reopened in 2022, was halved to USD 100 in September 2023, and is fixed at that rate until 31 August 2027.

The SDF is separate from your trip costs. It doesn't pay for hotels, meals or a guide.

Age rules for the child rate can vary slightly by source, so we confirm them for your family when you book.

A worked example

Two adults and a child aged 8 staying five nights pay USD 1,250 in SDF (2 × USD 100 × 5, plus USD 50 × 5) and USD 120 in visa fees (3 × USD 40). That's USD 1,370 in government fees, before hotels, guide and transport.

What a tour costs on top of the fees

Your tour covers everything on the ground: hotels, meals, a licensed guide, a private vehicle and driver, and entrance fees. Our private tours start from around USD 2,400 per person for seven days in 3-star hotels, including the SDF; treks and eastern journeys run to around USD 5,200 for 14 days, and five-star lodges such as COMO Uma and Amankora are quoted on request.

Priced by the night, our minimum daily package is USD 450 for a solo traveller and USD 400 per person when two or more travel together. That includes the USD 100 SDF and everything below.

• 3-star hotels (4- and 5-star hotels at extra cost)
• Your Bhutan e-visa
• All meals and refreshments
• A licensed Bhutanese guide for your whole stay
• A private vehicle and driver for all travel on the ground
• Entrance tickets to every monument and sight
• The Sustainable Development Fee of USD 100 a night
• A free 5G SIM card
• A Bhutanese cooking class
• A dress-up photo session in gho and kira
• A go at archery, the national sport
• All taxes and government fees

Not included: international and domestic flights, travel insurance, shopping, and tips for your guide and driver.

What flights to Bhutan cost

International flights aren't included in tour prices, so budget for them separately. Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines fly into Paro, and fares depend on where you start, the season and how early you book. Kathmandu and Kolkata are usually the cheapest places to fly from.

Estimates only. Fares change with the airline, season and availability, and are highest in spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). We confirm current fares when you book.

Minimum package or luxury: what's the difference?

Both include the SDF, visa, guide, meals and transport. The difference is mainly where you sleep and how you travel.

Other costs to budget for

Once your trip is booked there's little left to pay for. What remains is personal and depends on how you like to travel.

• Travel insurance, which you need for the visa
• Tips for your guide and driver at the end of the trip
• Alcoholic drinks
• Laundry at your hotel
• Spa treatments, unless they're part of your tour
• Handicrafts and handwoven textiles, the best souvenirs

How to keep the cost down

• Travel with someone: our daily package is USD 400 per person for two or more, against USD 450 alone
• Choose a shorter trip: every night adds the SDF, so five well-planned days cost far less than ten
• Stay in 3-star hotels, which are comfortable and well run
• Travel outside spring and autumn, when flights are cheaper
• Book flights early, as seats into Paro are limited
• Bring the children: under-6s pay no SDF and 6 to 11-year-olds pay half

Why is Bhutan expensive?

Mostly because of the SDF and because every trip is private: your own guide, driver and vehicle rather than a shared bus. In return you get uncrowded sites, a guide who knows the culture intimately, and a fee that directly funds the country's health, education and environment.

Is it worth it? Most of our guests say yes. The SDF is a big part of why Bhutan stays uncrowded and clean, and it pays for free healthcare and education for Bhutanese people and for protecting the forests, wildlife, dzongs and monasteries you come to see.