Tabitha Wilson
Bhutan has recently announced that they are back open, allowing travellers into the landlocked Himalayan kingdom from the 23rd of September.
The country, situated in south-central Asia, had closed their borders during the COVID lockdowns over 2 years ago, but their re-opening doesn’t mean you can just fly in and head off on your journey. Indeed, Bhutan has a unique approach to tourism.
Bhutan is also unique in that it is one of the only carbon-negative countries in the world, highlighting the nation’s emphasis on environmentalism and sustainability.
Sustainable Development Fee & Covid-19 Measures
Bhutan has a tourism tax, called the SDF (Sustainable Development Fee). This fee is collected by the national exchequer and funds are allocated to various projects, including programmes that enhance the facilities and infrastructure of the country. This enables Bhutanese nationals and visitors alike to benefit from tourism.
The fee also goes towards ensuring citizens have access to free healthcare and education.
The fee currently costs around the equivalent of $200 US dollars a night, but this doesn’t apply to all visitors. Children aged between six and twelve only have to pay half of the fee per night, and those under five are exempt.
When visiting Bhutan, there are now no COVID entry requirements, meaning both vaccinated and unvaccinated tourists are welcome. However, you may be subject to random PCR testing on arrival, and those found to be positive must isolate in a hotel at their own expense.
Trans Bhutan Trail
Once in Bhutan, visitors can explore the recently re-opened Trans Bhutan Trail, where you can get a permit to walk or go biking on the 403km historic route, or book a guided tour. The trail has been used for thousands of years and has large cultural significance within the country.
“In the vibrant capital of Thimphu, you can explore temples and enjoy some classic Bhutanese cuisine.”
The Trans Bhutan trail tourism initiative is one of the companies that provide guided tours, with their range of itineraries providing tours to suit all budgets. The company is a not-for-profit sustainable tourism initiative, with 100% of their profits going back to the local people.
The most expensive trip is their Full Trans Bhutan Trail Trek, hiking from Haa in the west to Trashigang in the east, covering 403 kilometres on the way, taking 35 nights and costing £17,910 per person (not including flights). Their cheapest tour costs just £215 (again, flights not included) and covers a trek from Thimphu to Punakha, taking 2 nights.
If hiking the trail isn’t for you, Bhutan has many more incredible places to offer.
In the vibrant capital of Thimphu, you can explore temples and enjoy some classic Bhutanese cuisine. Alternatively, you could try Paro, home of Bhutan’s only international airport and some amazing monasteries and palaces.
“It may not be at the top of most traveller’s bucket lists, but … it is undoubtedly worth a visit.”
If you’re wanting to explore the incredible Bhutanese landscape, Jigme Dorji National Park is definitely somewhere that shouldn’t be missed, with around 6500 people living in the park and taking care of the agriculture. Species such as the Takin – Bhutan’s national animal – Bengal tigers, and snow leopards can be seen here, alongside beautiful flora and fauna such as Bhutan’s national flower, the blue poppy.
Bhutan is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated countries on the planet.
It may not be at the top of most traveller’s bucket lists, but with the reopening of international borders, it is undoubtedly worth a visit.
Featured image courtesy of Rabea Brok via Pexels. Image license found here. No changes have been made to this image.
Tabitha Wilson
Tabitha is currently a reporter for Newsquest, and was previously an MA Journalism student at Sheffield University. She has worked as a maritime journalist in the past, and studied politics at Durham University. She enjoys writing about music, culture, and travel.