Bhutan Onway Tours and Trek

17/05/2024

16/05/2024

13/05/2024

The renovation of Changyul Bum Galem’s house, set to commence this year, has come as a good news for the homeowner, who is also a descendant of Galem. The deteriorating condition of the house made it challenging for her and her children to continue living there. So, they moved out about ten years ...

10/05/2024

10/05/2024

📢𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞: 𝐎𝐏𝐕 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚!

10/05/2024

08/05/2024

Bhutan experienced a notable surge in tourism with 41,394 visitors arriving in the country during the initial four months of 2024. This figure stands in stark contrast to the 26,465 arrivals recorded during the corresponding period in 2023.

08/05/2024

Bhutan has invested USD 539 million in cryptocurrency mining operations over the last two fiscal years between July 2021 and June 2023, resulting in a sharp decline in the country’s reserves.

13/11/2023

01/05/2023

25/04/2023

I am still under the impression that there is nothing alive quite so beautiful as a horse. -John Galsworthy
Horses taking a sip on they way to Taktshang (Tiger nest) #2023

19/04/2023

Red chillies are dried in the sun, intensifying its zesty and delicious flavour.
In Bhutan, chillies are consumed as vegetables rather than a spice.

30/03/2023

SDF waived for visitors to border towns

Government waives Sustainable Development Fund for visitors to border towns (Phuentsholing, Samdrupjongkhar, Samtse, and Gelephu) for up to 24 hours. If they go beyond the designated zones of the border towns then the SDF will apply.

The change is to support the recent announcement to keep the border open for 24 hours.

14/03/2023

09/07/2022

“Collect Moments, Not Things.”

04/07/2022

Bhutan will welcome tourist with a new system and a renewed focus on sustainability. The Sustainable Development Fee is revised to USD 200 per night per person which will help us in maintaining our low carbon-footprint. And for the regional tourists INR 1,200 per night.

03/07/2022

Govt lifts 5-day quarantine requirement for travellers from tomorrow and begins 'test and go' system, according to a press release from the Prime Minister's Office.

"While we acknowledge the implications and inconveniences the arrangement has caused to the travelers so far, it was intended to reinforce and protect our country and communities from COVID-19, which is still in the “pandemic” stage. Since the transition into Phase II, we have continuously seen a low positivity rate (1.46 percent) and promising trends of zero fatalities and hospitalisations to date," the press release stated.

It says that taking into consideration these positive developments, a new arrangement of “𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭-𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐆𝐨” system (mandatory stay home/hotel quarantine for 24 hours or until negative RT-PCR result is declared) will be instituted effective from 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 where the stay home/hotel duration will be strictly monitored.

Upon arrival at the point of entry, while 𝐑𝐓-𝐏𝐂𝐑 test sample will be collected, a proof of vaccination certificate or evidence of COVID-19 infection in the six months prior to the visit will have to be produced. Anyone testing positive will be required to self-isolate for five days at home/hotel.

Besides Paro, Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrupjongkar, the test results at other points of entry may take more than 24 hours due to non-availability of RT-PCR testing facility. Those already undergoing the five-day quarantine and who have tested negative will be allowed to end their quarantine as per the “Test-and-Go” protocol from July 4, 2022.

As we cautiously move forward, vaccination and booster will be a critical tool in our collective effort to end the pandemic.

This is a significant milestone in the country's fight against the pandemic. From the non-compromising 21-day to 14-day to five-day quarantine system, and now being able to do away with it completely is a feat we have all achieved together. It has served the purpose of securing the nation from the disease and its multiple variants.
We thank all the frontliners and the general public.

28/06/2022

The National Assembly passed the Tourism Levy Bill 2022 today, accepting all the Council’s recommendations. The Bill will now be submitted for Royal Assent. As per the Bill, every tourist visiting Bhutan will be levied a Sustainable Development Fee of 200 US dollars per night. Since the bill is a money bill, it will come into effect from the day it is introduced in the parliament which is 20th June 2022. However, the revised SDF will not apply to tourists who have confirmed their travel before June 20.

21/06/2022

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer” – Anonymous #

15/06/2022

🙏🙏🙏

His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo is the recipient of the Blue Planet Prize 2022. Blue Planet Prize is presented to individuals or organisations from around the world in recognition of outstanding achievements in scientific research and its application that have helped provide solutions to global environmental problems. Asahi Glass Foundation based in Japan established the prize in 1992, the year of the Earth Summit. Two recipients are chosen annually. The other recipient is Professor Stephen Carpenter from the US.

According to the press release from the Foundation, His Majesty is the visionary leader who introduced the development philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH) which places the well-being of the people at the heart of the development activities and programmes.

The release also states that GNH gives importance to environmental conservation, sustainable and equitable development, and promotion of culture and social values which contribute to collective happiness.

As per the press release, His Majesty expressed his deep appreciation to the Asahi Glass Foundation for establishing the Blue Planet Prize to encourage and recognise efforts by committed citizens of the world to protect and restore the health of the Earth’s fragile natural environment.

04/06/2022

🙏🙏🙏

4 June, 2022:

On this most special of occasions, we join the nation in offering our collective wishes and gratitude to our beloved Queen.

Her Majesty’s service to the nation and people is the source of our inspiration and strength.

31/05/2022

31/05/2022

21/03/2022

Time for some breathing space!

The Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) will recommend visa issuance to tourists only after necessary conditions like hotels where tourists will stay, tourist’s health insurance, itinerary, tour guide and transport arrangements are confirmed.

03/03/2022

Happy Losar!

21/02/2022

Long live the King!
Photo credit - page from His Majesty

02/02/2022

Happy chugnepa Losar to all the people.

11/01/2022

Join us for a day of lightning talks, discussions and case study presentations focusing on how we can harness the power of travel and connectivity to power a more sustainable future.

01/01/2022

Happy 2022, I hope this new year brings new hope and success to each one of you. Happy new year.

18/12/2021

Translation of His Majesty's Address to the Nation on the 114th National Day

On the auspicious occasion of our National Day, I offer my deep prayers to Guru Rinpoche, humble reverence to Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, and profound gratitude to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. I extend my heartfelt Tashi Delek to the people of the 20 dzongkhags and Bhutanese living abroad.

Despite the threats from the Covid-19 pandemic, we have continued to successfully pursue our national goals. This is due to the blessings of the Triple Gem, the good fortune of our leaders, the merit of our forefathers, and the unified efforts of our people.

The Royal Government has successfully vaccinated the vast majority of our people. This was possible through the generous assistance of many countries like India, United States of America, China, Denmark, Bulgaria, Croatia and other partners like the COVAX Initiative. The quality and efficacy of vaccines such as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covishield, and Sinopharm have been impressive. The people of Bhutan deeply appreciate the assistance provided to us during these difficult times.

Today, our Nation stands secure and peaceful. Yet, the foremost question in our people’s minds is when the pandemic will end. While it is difficult to provide a definitive answer, the most important task ahead is for us to remain fully prepared and vigilant.

We need to strengthen our efforts to fight the pandemic. Led by our Prime Minister, our ministers and senior government officials have been serving to the best of their abilities. Our civil servants, members of the armed forces, De-suups and other volunteers have served with dedication. Our people have also stepped forward to serve despite their own difficulties. Members of our monastic community have performed prayers and rituals to avert the dangers posed by the pandemic. As a nation, we can be proud of the manner in which we have demonstrated exceptional resilience.

As we grapple with the challenges posed by the pandemic, we must not lose sight of the many important national tasks ahead of us. Preparing our people for the future is one such immediate task.

Our journey ahead will be fraught with challenges. Within our lifetime, the global population will increase exponentially to nine or ten billion. This will be compounded by recurring pandemics and the impact of climate change. Unequal access to knowledge and technology will create greater disparities in education, opportunities and wealth. Conflicts among powerful nations may be unavoidable.

Blockchain, Fintech, Quantum Computing, Artificial Reality, Virtual Reality, Metaverse, Robotics, Machine Learning and Web 3.0 are just some of the rapid and sweeping changes brought about by technological advancements that we are beginning to see. Breakthroughs in nanotech, biotech and genomics will transform the future. What deeply concerns me is whether our people will be in a position to take advantage of these opportunities. Or if we will be left behind due to our inability to adapt.

For example, hydropower today is an important source of our wealth. With rapid advancements in harnessing nuclear, hydrogen, fusion, solar, thermal and wind energy, hydropower may soon lose its competitive edge. We may soon become a net energy importer.

Therefore, it is imperative to seize the opportunity and enhance the capabilities of our people, and strengthen the economic and governance framework to harness the potential ushered in by these rapid and dynamic technological changes.

While the school system plays an important role in nurturing our citizens, we cannot rely on this alone. We must not lose sight of the large number of people who are not in schools and educational institutes. Many have completed high school and are still in villages and towns working on farms or in small businesses. There are also those who have jobs in the formal economy. We must realize that knowledge and skills, if not renewed, will soon become obsolete. We must inculcate in us a culture of life-long learning.

As Bhutanese, we will embark on our journey together, regardless of socio-economic status and our educational qualifications. We need to be prepared for the future so that every one of us is equipped with the skills, competencies and experience to succeed and compete in the world. We must give utmost priority to skill, up-skill, and re-skill our people to make them world-ready.

I would like to share a conversation that I had with an elderly lady in a remote village. I asked her about some of the important developmental needs of the people in the village. She said that infrastructure like roads and bridges, electricity, drinking water, irrigation, mobile connectivity, schools and hospitals, land, proximity to urban areas and access to shops remained important.

I probed further about her personal difficulties and concerns and asked her how we could alleviate them. After some hesitation, she reluctantly shared that she had come to the painful realisation that money was most important to ensure a comfortable life. She reasoned that money is important to pay for expenses associated with travel, accommodation, children’s education, essential food items, wage payment for farm help, and repayment of loans taken to renovate or build homes. Cash income has also become more important due to the decline of traditional and customary institutions and practices of self-help and community cooperation.

Her observations were very pertinent. We have all seen and experienced how difficult it has become to own decent homes, secure meaningful employment and have steady sources of income. On the other hand, expenditure keeps rising and makes our people’s livelihood difficult.

We need to resolve these issues as soon as we can, before it tears our nation apart. Providing Kidu will remain important. That said, depending solely on the government to alleviate people’s difficulties is not sustainable as the government does not have infinite resources. We will never become self-reliant, if we were to continue to depend on the government for everything.

As our youth mature and become adults, they have to shoulder greater responsibilities. They will need to take care of their parents, work, and build assets to secure their future. When they do not find opportunities at home to realize their aspirations, they will head abroad inevitably. If we are unable to create better economic opportunities for our people at home within a decade or two, there will be a scarcity of young people in Bhutan.

Creating greater economic prosperity for our people and the nation remains an important national goal. If our country prospers, the people will enjoy the benefits as they become more confident and self-reliant, and develop a greater sense of belonging to our country. Should we fail, our people will suffer.

When we talk of prosperity and wealth, it is important to distinguish between transient and enduring prosperity, so that we are clear about our national aspirations. For example, it is possible to become wealthy through gambling, rent-seeking, and other unethical means. A country can also become prosperous if it looks only at short-term gain at the expense of long-term national interest. We should never go down this path of acquiring transient wealth and prosperity.

Instead, we should focus on creating prosperity for our people and nation in a sustainable manner. A prosperity that is underpinned by good governance, smart policies and strategies, driven by innovation, creativity and enterprise, supported by a culture of hard work and determination. We can also derive enduring prosperity by better understanding and utilising our sovereign prerogatives. We can achieve generational prosperity by supporting our people as they develop their capabilities and realize their potential. We must reinvigorate the efforts made by successive governments on these fronts.

We need to strengthen our foundation by improving the educational standards, craft policies to diversify economic opportunities for our youth, and support private sector growth. The role of the civil servants is critical for this endeavour. Therefore, efforts are underway to reform the civil service.

I am grateful for the tremendous support and confidence we have got in undertaking these reforms. While working with the civil servants, I have been impressed by their qualifications, competence, and commitment to serve our people. As we work with the best of our civil servants and with foreign experts and professionals, we are learning new ideas every day and formulating fresh, clear, and bold strategies for our future.

Despite this, I have serious concerns whether we have the will to fundamentally address some of the challenges that I’ve highlighted earlier. Several efforts have been made in the past to reform and improve our governance. However, we have yet to see tangible, meaningful improvements.

Foreign experts and professionals have commented that our rules, regulations, laws and institutional procedures are among the best in the world. Yet we are not able to reap the benefits. Where have we gone wrong? Could it be due to our misplaced compassion by not holding people accountable, not removing incompetent people but instead tolerating and even rewarding underperformers?

We know our country best. We are a compassionate and close-knit society. We hesitate from giving our honest views or taking bold actions, which might risk offending or displeasing others. As a result, the strength of our national character, exemplified by courage and determination of our forefathers, has weakened; complacency has set in, discipline has waned, and corruption is on the rise. This has unfortunately given rise to a popular perception that two laws coexist in the same country. If we allow such practices to proliferate, we will become more vulnerable to even greater risks and dangers.

All of us are aware that we are a tiny, land-locked and developing country with a small population and limited resources. As the world around us changes rapidly and the future becomes more uncertain, we are becoming more vulnerable.

What we need now, more than ever, is a corresponding degree of resolve and determination for our national interest. The strength of our national character, courage, grit, and fortitude must define every aspect of our national endeavour. I have witnessed the boldness, rigour, resolve and sternness that had defined the reign of His Majesty the Fourth King. Unfortunately, these qualities have deteriorated over the last fifteen years of my reign.

From now on, all of us must boldly embrace accountability as a measure of our service, should we falter, deviate, and err in the service of our country. As King, I must first and foremost exemplify the ideal of accountability. I do not say these to trigger any alarm or anxiety. We are not too late in getting our priorities right, re-focusing our national goals, and re-aligning our national priorities and strategies. If the King, government and the people continue to work hand-in-hand with dedication, perseverance and fortitude, we still have every opportunity to further strengthen our country and achieve greater prosperity for our people.

As underpinned in our age-old saying, “the golden yoke of secular laws,” accountability must henceforth become the cornerstone of governance. We must correct those who deviate, be firm with those who do not deliver, replace those who are incompetent, and terminate those who underperform and have therefore become a liability to our system and nation. We must not hesitate to expose those who engage in corrupt practices, so that we send a strong signal to deter others from doing so.

There is nothing new in what I am sharing today. These are part of daily conversation among our people while expressing their concerns, hopes and aspirations. Rather than leave these concerns and sentiments within the confines of their homes, I re-articulate them today as the King’s Command on this National Day.