Booking terms

Payment and cancellation policy

How deposits, payments, changes, cancellations and government refunds work when you book a Bhutan tour with Deya Bhutan Tours.

30%

Deposit to confirm your trip

45 days

Before arrival, the balance is due

USD 100

SDF per adult per night until 31 Aug 2027

USD 40

Visa fee, paid to the government

Summary

The short version

A deposit of 30% confirms your booking
The balance is due 45 days before you arrive
Cancel 60 days or more before arrival and you get your deposit back, minus non-refundable costs
The SDF for nights you do not use is refunded by the government and passed to you in full
The USD 40 visa fee is not refundable once your visa has been processed
Flights follow the airline's own fare rules

The full terms are below. Your written quote repeats the terms that apply to your trip, and those written terms take priority if anything differs from this page.

Step by step

How booking a Bhutan tour works

From your first message to landing in Paro, this is what happens and when money changes hands.

1. Tell us your plans

Send your dates, group size, interests and budget by email, WhatsApp or our trip planner. There is no charge for planning.

2. Get your itinerary and quote

We send a day-by-day itinerary and a written quote, with the terms that apply to your trip and a list of any non-refundable costs.

3. Pay the 30% deposit

Your deposit confirms the booking. We then hold your hotels, guide, vehicle and Paro flights.

4. Pay the balance

The remaining 70% is due 45 days before you arrive. This includes the SDF and the visa fee, which we pay to the government for you.

5. Receive your visa clearance

We apply for your visa once the SDF is paid. Processing can take up to five working days. We email you the visa clearance letter to show at check-in.

6. Arrive in Bhutan

Your guide meets you at Paro airport. The visa is stamped in your passport on arrival.

Payments

When and how you pay

Stage	Amount	When	What it pays for
Deposit	30% of the tour price	When you confirm the itinerary	Holding hotels, guide and flights
Balance	The remaining 70%	45 days before arrival	SDF, visa, hotels and services
Late bookings	100% of the tour price	At booking, if under 45 days before arrival	Everything above
Flights	Full fare	When we issue the tickets	Drukair or Bhutan Airlines seats

We cannot apply for your visa until the SDF has been paid, so late payment can delay your visa.

Payment methods

How to pay us

Bank transfer

International wire (SWIFT) in US dollars to our company account in Bhutan. Account details come with your confirmed quote, never by an unexpected message.

Card payment

Where available, we send a secure card payment link. Card processing fees are shown before you pay.

Indian guests

Indian rupee payments can be arranged. Ask us for the details.

Bank charges

Please pay your own bank's fees so the full amount reaches us. Intermediary bank fees can apply.

Receipts

We send a written receipt for every payment, showing what went to the SDF and visa.

Stay safe

If you ever receive new bank details by email, call or WhatsApp us on +975 17533776 to check before paying.

Cancellations

If you cancel your tour

Cancellation must be sent to us in writing, by email or WhatsApp. Charges apply to the land tour price and are counted from your arrival date in Bhutan.

When you cancel	Cancellation charge	What you get back
60 days or more before arrival	Non-refundable costs only	Your payments, minus bank fees and any costs already spent
59 to 30 days before	30% of the land tour price	The rest of your payments
29 to 15 days before	50% of the land tour price	The rest of your payments
14 days or less, or no-show	100% of the land tour price	Unused SDF, through the government refund

Non-refundable costs can include the processed visa fee, non-refundable hotel deposits in peak weeks and airline cancellation charges. We list them in your quote.

Worked example

How the cancellation charges work in practice

Say you have booked an 8-night tour arriving on 20 April. You paid the 30% deposit in January and the balance in early March.

If you cancel in writing on 1 March, that is more than 60 days before arrival. You get back everything you paid, minus bank fees and any costs listed as non-refundable in your quote, such as a visa that has already been processed.

If you cancel on 5 April, that is 15 days before arrival. The charge is 50% of the land tour price, and the rest of your payments come back to you. The SDF for all 8 nights is also refunded through the government process, because you never spent those nights in Bhutan.

If you fall ill and leave after 3 nights, you lose the hotels and services for the rest of the trip. The SDF for the 5 nights you did not use is refunded. This is why we recommend travel insurance that covers cancellation and curtailment.

Government fees

SDF and visa refunds

The Sustainable Development Fee

The SDF is paid to the Government of Bhutan, not kept by us. If you cancel before arrival, or leave early, the SDF for nights you did not spend in Bhutan can be refunded through the government’s refund process. Refunds are processed after your departure has been confirmed by immigration. When the government refunds us, we pass the full amount to you, minus only bank transfer charges. This applies whatever the cancellation charge on the land tour.

The visa fee

The USD 40 visa fee is paid to the government with your application. Once the visa has been processed it cannot be refunded.

If the SDF changes

The current SDF of USD 100 per adult per night runs until 31 August 2027. If the government changes the rate for your travel dates, the new rate applies, and we will tell you as soon as it is announced.

Government fees

Government fees at a glance

Fee	Amount	Refundable?
SDF, adults	USD 100 per person per night (until 31 August 2027)	Yes, for nights not spent in Bhutan
SDF, children aged 6 to 12	50% of the adult rate	Yes, for nights not spent in Bhutan
SDF, children aged 5 and under	No SDF	Not applicable
SDF, Indian nationals	Nu. 1,200 (or INR equivalent) per person per night	Yes, for nights not spent in Bhutan
Tourist visa	USD 40 per person	No, once processed

These fees are set by the Royal Government of Bhutan and paid to the government, not to us. SDF refunds for unused nights are handled by the Department of Immigration after your departure from Bhutan is recorded. Indian, Bangladeshi and Maldivian nationals do not need a visa of the same kind, but pay the SDF.

Other situations

Changes, delays and early departures

Changing your dates

We move your trip to new dates without a fee if hotels and flights allow. Airline change fees and any price difference are passed on.

Weather delays at Paro

If your flight is delayed by weather, we rework the plan. Extra nights caused by delays are charged at cost, and unused SDF is refunded.

Leaving early

Unused hotel nights, meals and services are not refundable once the trip starts. Unused SDF nights are refunded through the government.

Changes on the road

If a road closes or a festival date moves, we change the route and offer the closest alternative at no extra charge where we can.

Treks

If a trek is cut short by weather or safety, we arrange alternative nights. Treks stopped early for personal reasons are not refunded.

Events outside our control

If the government closes borders or cancels flights, we refund everything we can recover and offer new dates first.

Other terms

Your responsibilities and ours

Travel insurance

Insurance has been optional for the visa since April 2024. We still strongly recommend a policy that covers cancellation, medical treatment and evacuation. It is the best protection against the charges on this page.

Passports and documents

You are responsible for a passport valid for at least 6 months after you leave Bhutan, and for any visas needed for your hub country, such as India or Thailand.

Our responsibility

We provide the services in your confirmed itinerary through licensed guides and certified hotels. If we fail to provide a booked service, we refund its cost or replace it with one of equal value.

Questions and complaints

Tell your guide or our office during the trip, so we can fix things on the spot. After the trip, email info@deyabhutantours.com and we reply within 7 days.

Payment and cancellation questions

How much deposit do I pay to book a Bhutan tour?

30% of the tour price confirms your booking. The balance is due 45 days before you arrive.

Is the Bhutan SDF refundable if I cancel?

Yes, for nights you do not spend in Bhutan, through the government refund process. We pass the refund to you in full, minus bank charges.

Is the Bhutan visa fee refundable?

No, not once the visa has been processed.

What if my flight to Paro is cancelled?

We rework your itinerary. Unused SDF nights are refunded, and the airline’s own rules apply to the ticket.

Can I postpone instead of cancelling?

Yes. Postponing is usually free from our side if hotels and flights allow.

How do I cancel?

Email info@deyabhutantours.com or WhatsApp +975 17533776. We confirm in writing.

How long does the Bhutan visa take?

Processing can take up to five working days after the SDF is paid. We apply as soon as your balance arrives, so pay on time to avoid delays.

Do children pay the SDF?

Children aged 6 to 12 pay 50% of the adult SDF. Children aged 5 and under pay no SDF.

Is travel insurance required for Bhutan?

Not for the visa since April 2024, but we strongly recommend a policy that covers cancellation, medical care and evacuation.

Who handles the SDF refund?

We do. The refund is processed through the Department of Immigration after your departure from Bhutan, and we pass it to you in full, minus bank charges.