One Of The World’s Most Exclusive Countries Will Be Even More Exclusive When It Reopens In September

On September 23, 2022, the Kingdom of Bhutan reopens its borders to tourism. You no longer have to book a minimum-spend package tour and the government is increasing its sustainable development fee to $200 per night. Luxury travelers can now craft the Bhutan vacation of their dreams, featuring stays at boutique properties like Gangtey Lodge.

Changes to how Bhutan manages tourism

The eastern Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan—also called Druk Yul or Land of the Thunder Dragon—has always taken a different approach to tourism than most destinations. Closed to leisure travel during most of the Covid-19 pandemic, Bhutan is welcoming tourists again as of September 23, 2022. There’s new flexibility, though Bhutan’s travel rules remain geared to ensure tourism is environmentally, economically and culturally sustainable.

In a statement, Bhutan’s foreign minister and chair of the Tourism Council of Bhutan, Dr. Tandi Dorji, said “Covid-19 has allowed us to reset—to rethink how the sector can be best structured and operated, so that it not only benefits Bhutan economically, but socially as well, while keeping carbon footprints low. In the long run, our goal is to create high-value experiences for visitors and well-paying and professional jobs for our citizens.”

Changes in fees and booking rules

Previously, Bhutan had a minimum daily spend of $250 per person ($200 in low season). Travelers were required to choose from a range of packaged tours with the minimum fee covering hotel, meals, a driver and ground transportation, a licensed guide, site entry fees, and taxes, as well as a $65 sustainable development fee that went to the government. There were additional fees for higher quality accommodation or private tours.

When the country reopens on September 23, there’s no longer a requirement to book a package (though you still do still need a licensed guide). Instead, you can design a trip of your choosing and book your accommodations, meals and tours independently. The $65 per night sustainable development fee increases to $200 per night. The fees will be used for economic, environmental and cultural sustainability projects in Bhutan, emphasizing those that are community-led.

International travelers need a to secure a $40 visa in advance (it’s available on arrival for passport holders from just a few countries—India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives, for example). You can fly to Bhutan from several destinations including Singapore, Bangkok, Delhi and Mumbai. The 24-hour quarantine for vaccinated travelers will be lifted on September 23; decisions about Covid-19 testing requirements are pending.

Happiness and high value, low volume tourism

The aim is for happiness and a society that exists in harmony with nature, always important in Bhutan. The region was unified by Ngawang Namgyal in the early 17th century (many of the dzong fortresses he had built still dot the spectacular landscape). A Bhutanese legal code from 1629 states “if the government cannot create happiness for its people, then there is no purpose for government to exist.” Bhutan’s 2008 constitution states that “the State shall strive to promote those conditions that will enable the pursuit of Gross National Happiness.”

Shortly before Bhutan first opened to tourism, in 1974, the nation’s fourth king, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, coined the term “gross national happiness” and declared that GNH is more important than a nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). Bhutan created the Gross National Happiness Index to guide economic, social and environmental policy. Its 33 indicators in nine aspects of wellbeing include ecological diversity and resilience, good governance, use of time, and community vitality.

Bhutan’s “high value, low volume” approach to tourism contributes to the GNH, as funds from minimum spending requirements and environmental fees help protect Bhutan’s fragile environment, brought the country beyond carbon-neutrality to being carbon negative, fund free education and healthcare for its citizens, and protect the country’s culture and values.

While some in Bhutan’s tourism industry are worried the tourism policy changes will mean fewer travelers to the country, tours from companies like G Adventures are still available. The removal of the need to book a designated tour will likely make Bhutan even more attractive to luxury travelers.

Where to stay in Bhutan

Boutique luxury lodges are the top choice in Bhutan, though there are not too many to choose from. One of the best is Gangtey Lodge, a 12-suite property and member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It’s in the Phobjikha (Gangtey) Valley, a protected nature reserve where 300 endangered black neck cranes roost from October to March, and near a 17th-century monastery.

The remote lodge is four hours by car from Paro, the town west of the capital, Thimphu, and home to Bhutan’s only international airport. Those wanting to maximize their time at Gangtey Lodge may prefer the 25-minute helicopter ride instead.

Gangtey Lodge treats its guests to an on-arrival in-suite massage and bath so they’ll be ready for adventures like bike rides to traditional villages and monasteries, hikes through the blue pine forests, and learning Bhutan’s national sport of Dha (archery). With all the high altitude exertions, you may want to book a hot stone bath for later—water in a pinewood tub is heated with boulders from a nearby river and forest herbs are added, all believed to provide medicinal benefits.

An ideal trip to Bhutan is a minimum of 10 to 12 nights and has you visit at least three valleys, gradually increasing in altitude as you become more accustomed. Gangtey Lodge sits about 10,000 feet above sea level so it shouldn’t be your first stop if you’re coming from a low altitude destination.

October and November are festival season, an ideal time for visiting Bhutan. There’s an excellent chance of seeing black-necked cranes in the Gangtey Valley between late October and mid-February, sometimes longer. Late spring in Bhutan features a spectacular bloom of rhododendron. The monsoon season is June to September, though rain is often during the nights rather than affecting your daytime sightseeing.