Bhutan costs more than its neighbours, and the reason is simple: every visitor pays the government a Sustainable Development Fee of US$100 a night. Once you know that, the rest of the price is easy to follow. A Bhutan trip cost is made up of the fee, the visa, and the cost of your hotels, meals, guide and vehicle. We have written separately about what the fee pays for.
A real example
Our four-day Bhutan Short Trip has three nights in the country. Per person, it costs:
| Travelling as | Price per person |
|---|---|
| One person | US$1,080 |
| Two people | US$785 |
| Three or more | US$755 |
Of that, US$340 goes straight to the government: three nights of the fee at US$100, and US$40 for the visa. The rest pays for three nights in a 3-star hotel, all meals, a licensed guide, and a private vehicle and driver for four days.
What is included
- Sustainable Development Fee, US$100 per adult per night
- Visa fee, US$40, and the visa application
- 3-star hotels, in a twin or double room
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day
- A licensed English-speaking guide for the whole trip
- A private vehicle and driver, including airport transfers
What is extra
- Flights to and from Paro. Fares depend on the route and season, so check with the airlines.
- Entry fees at monuments and museums. In 2026 Tiger’s Nest is Nu. 1,000 and most dzongs, temples and museums are Nu. 500 or less. Under-18s pay half, and children of 5 and under pay nothing.
- Travel insurance
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Drinks, laundry and anything you buy
What changes the price
The number of nights. The fee is charged per night, so the length of the trip matters more than anything else.
The size of your group. A guide and a vehicle cost the same for one person as for three, which is why solo travellers pay more per person.
The hotels. Our prices are based on 3-star hotels. Bhutan also has 4-star hotels and a handful of 5-star lodges, and the difference in price is large.
Trekking. A trek needs a cook, helpers, pack animals and camping equipment, so trekking days cost more than touring days.
Domestic flights. Trips to Bumthang and the east may include a flight to save driving.
The season. The fee is the same all year. Hotels and flights cost less in winter and summer. The prices on our tour pages are the same all year.
A week, as a second example
Our seven-day Complete Western Bhutan tour has six nights. Six fees and the visa come to US$640 for each adult, which goes to the government. What is left of the price pays for six nights of hotels, eighteen meals, the guide, and the vehicle and driver for a week. Divide any of our prices this way and you can see what the trip itself costs you each day.
Travellers from India and Bangladesh
Only one nationality has a fee of its own. Indian nationals pay Nu. 1,200 a night in place of US$100, and no visa fee: see Bhutan from India. The first 15,000 guests from Bangladesh have been offered a lower fee as well: see Bhutan from Bangladesh and the Maldives. Everyone else, guests from the Maldives included, pays the standard US$100. If one of the lower fees applies to you, ask us for a price: the ones on our tour pages are for visitors who pay the full fee.
Children
Children under 6 pay no Sustainable Development Fee, and children aged 6 to 11 pay half. Monument entry is half price for under-18s and free for those aged 5 and under.
How to keep the cost down
- Travel with others. Two people pay much less each than one, and three pay a little less again.
- Choose a shorter, fuller itinerary over a slow one.
- Come in winter or summer, when hotels and flights are cheaper.
- Compare gateways. Fares to Paro differ a good deal from one route to another.
Getting a price
Every tour page has an enquiry form. Tell us your dates and how many of you are travelling, and we will send a price per person within 24 hours, with everything it includes written out.
Fee and visa rates checked against the Department of Tourism’s website on 12 October 2026. The US$100 rate is in place until 31 August 2027.