Tourists have to be accompanied by a Guide, but visitors no longer have to join a tour group and so have much more independence and flexibility on itineraries and timings.
Self-driving is not possible. “Car Rental” in Bhutan means hiring a car with a driver.
Druk Air operate domestic flights between Paro and Bumthang (Central), and Paro and Yonphula (East).
Accommodation is high quality, and across the range of Homestay to 5*. All accommodation is certified by the Bhutanese Government
The Bhutan Department of Tourism has a very useful Tourism Services Portal, offering search capability, where visitors can check for certified guides, tour operators, hotels, homestays, restaurants, and handicrafts.
read on for more
Looking at online forums and blogs, there is conflicting and, occasionally incorrect, information on getting around Bhutan once you are here. The information we provide is direct from the Bhutan Travel portal, which is the official site of the Department of Tourism.
Drivers / Transport
Self / independent driving is not an option for visitors, so the most convenient way to explore Bhutan is by hiring a private car along with a driver. This is often referred to as car rental by tour operators, leading to the misunderstanding that you can rent a car and drive yourself.
Bhutanese roads are known for their twists and turns, requiring expertise to navigate safely. It is advisable to ask us, an experienced guide, a tour operator, or your accommodation provider to arrange for a driver on your behalf. At the time of writing there is only one company in Bhutan that offers “car rental”. Note that the rental / hire cost covers the driver’s meals and accommodation whilst they are with you.
Alternatively, you can opt to use taxis to travel between different destinations and for local transportation at your stops. Druk Ride is one of Bhutan’s ride hailing apps.
Guides
It is also mandatory to have a guide with you outside of Paro and Thimphu, and these guides must be certified by the Department of Tourism. A good guide can really make your Bhutan experience by understanding your tastes and pace, and tailoring the itinerary to suit you and the local conditions as you travel.
Finding a guide is easy, there is a list on the Bhutan Department of Tourism Services portal. Choosing a guide is much harder! We can help. Your guide will be with you 24-7 and will be your Fixer for your visit, so it is worth the effort to get one that understands what you want from your Bhutanese experience.
Read more about my (mj’s) experiences traveling solo on an organised tour itinerary vs planning and traveling independently.
read more about what a day in the life of a guide (tashi) looks like.
Domestic Flights
Druk Air have a schedule of domestic flights between Bumthang (central), Gelephu (central south) and Yonphula (in the east of Bhutan). Domestic schedules are available here.
There is one main road (Primary National Highway) going East – West in Bhutan, so taking a domestic flight to Bumthang or Yonphula, saves one leg of the driving, meaning you can drive out and fly back, or fly out and drive back, and take more time to step off the beaten path.
We can help you plan an itinerary around a domestic flight to maximise your time and experience of the lesser traveled parts of Bhutan, like Mongar and Trashigang in the east.
Guides and driver(s) will need to be arranged around the internal flights:
– Hiring a car and driver, you may need to cover the time for the driver to get to the domestic airport from their base (normally Thimphu).
– You may also want to take your guide with you on your internal flight (at your cost). It may also be the first time they’ve flown; what a great experience for those of us that have forgotten that flying is a wondrous thing.
Accommodation : Hotels and Homestays
All tourist accommodation is certified by the government and is high quality for its star rating, relative to global standards.
There are many hotels and homestays across all standards to choose from, and are available to book directly, or via a tour operator / guide, or via online booking sites like booking.com, expedia and so on. However, do note that a large percentage of tourist accommodation in Bhutan is not listed on online booking sites, so search on google maps (other maps are available), or via a Bhutanese hotel catalogue published here.
It can be daunting to decide on the right accommodation for your itinerary and needs, so our experience of the hotels, standards and locations can be invaluable!
