General Information in Bhutan

Booking Procedures

• First select the Tour program you are willing to undertake.
• We will send you the program including flight reservation, invoice and payment instruction.
• You have to transfer the payment to Bank Of Bhutan. Bank charges involved should be borne by yourself.
  Fill up the Visa application from and forward to us. Your visa will be processed only after the receipt of payment. We will acknowledge you the receipt of the payment by e-mail/fax. It takes minimum 10 days to process visa. So, the payment should arrive in Bhutan well in time.
• The Tourism Authority of Bhutan issues visas clearance letter with a reference number, which in fact, is the confirmation of your visa. You will be intimated the visa reference number. With this reference number, you can get your flight ticket issued from the Druk Air in Kathmandu, Delhi, Calcutta or Bangkok. plan holidays can make your travel arrangement without any problem.
• Your passport is stamped with actual visa at the port/boarder of entrance to Bhutan against the payment of cash US 20 with 2-passport size photographs. Extra copies of photos will be an advantage.

Inclusive

• Accommodation on the twin sharing basis with meals
• Transfers and sight seeing within Bhutan by a deluxe vehicle
• The services of the guide/porters/ponies wherever required
• Royalty & Taxes to the Govt.
• Monastery and Monument entrance fee if any.

Discounts

• Diplomats from foreign embassies and missions accredited to Bhutan shall be given a 25% discount on the daily tariff.
• The students below the age of 25 years holding valid identity cards from their academic institutions shall also be given a 25% discount on daily rates.
• Children up to the age of 5 years are free of cost. Those between 6 to 12 years accompanied by their guardians are entitled 50% discount.
• 1 group leader above 15 paying persons is given 100% complimentary. A discount of 50% is given to one person in a group of 11 to 15 pax.
• A discount of 10% on the daily tariff shall be provided for halts between 11 to 20 nights and 20% discounts on halts beyond 21 nights.

Cancellations and Refund

Tour programs booked and subsequently cancelled shall be subject to cancellation charges as follows

• Before 30 days: No Charge
• Within 21 days: 10%
• Within 14 days: 15%
• Within 7 days: 30%
• Less than 7 days: 50%
• After arrival in Bhutan: 100%

Delayed arrival/departure
There shall be no charge for the number of days of delays in arrival/departure of visitors due to weather condition, Druk Air problems or roadblocks. They will be charged only the actual expenses on accommodation, food and transport and other required services.

Money
Bhutan unit of currency is the Ngultrum. 1Nu = 100 Chetrum. The Ngultrum is pegged to the value of Indian Rupee. Approx. 1 $ =Nu. 42 
Getting There and Away 
By Air 
The best way to enter Bhutan is by Druk Air, the national air carrier. Following stations are connected with Druk Air flight: 
From India: Delhi & Calcutta 
From Nepal : Kathmandu 
From Thailand: Bangkok 
Druk Air is the only Airline operating in Bhutan. 

Road:
Entry or exit is also possible through Phuntsoling, the southern Bhutanese border town. From here the neared airport is Bagdogra in West Bengal (India). For travelers wishing to visit Indian states of Sikkim, West Bengal along with Bhutan, Phuntsholing serves as the convenient point.

Exit from Bhutan can be also made through Samdrup Jongkhar, an important link for visiting further Northeastern states of India.

AS PER GOVERNMENT RULE IT IS MANDATORY TO TRAVEL AT LEAST ONE WAY BY DRUK AIR, IT CAN BE EITHER ENTRY OR EXIT OR BOTH.

Tours Escorts
Well-trained, knowledgeable guides, certified by Tourism Authority of Bhutan escort all our tours. Most of the guides are English speaking but Japanese, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian-speaking guides could also be provided with prior information and on additional cost. 

Food
Bhutanese delicacies are limited with spicy chilies and cheese. However you will be served a buffet of Continental food with some local dishes too. Even on trek, our trained cooks prepare dishes suitable to western taste ranging from Continental to Chinese and Bhutanese to Indian.

What to Pack
The following is a fairly exhaustive list of what you should pack for the trip:
Clothes as per seasons, sunglasses, spare glasses or contact lenses, pair of casual shoes, washing kit, shaving kit, towel, hat, umbrella, camera, film and accessories, books, maps, insect repellent, hand cream, small sewing kit, safety pins, torch or flash light with spare batteries, mirror, nail clippers, scissors, sun cream, lip salve or soluble aspirin, antiseptic cream, anti-histamine cream for relief of insect bites, anti diarrhea, preparation of relief of sunburn etc.

Climate
The southern part of Bhutan is tropical, and in general the east of Bhutan is warmer than the west of the country. The central valley of Punakha, Wangdiphodrang, Mongar, Tashigang and Lhuntshi enjoy a semi tropical climate with very cool winters, while Thimphu, Tongsa and Bumthang have a temperate climate, with monsoon rains in the summer and snow-fall in winter. Winter in Bhutan is from mid-November until mid-March, and at this time of year the climate is dry, with daytime temperature of 16-19 degree centigrade (with sunshine and clear skies) and nighttime temperature falling below zero. The monsoon usually arrives in mid-June, with the rain falling mainly in the afternoons and evenings. At the end of September, after the last of the big rains, autumn suddenly arrives, and is a magnificent season for trekking-lasting until mid-November.