23/06/2022
Good news: Bhutan is finally opening up but with the big CHANGES. Here onwards tourists visiting Bhutan (for that matter even the overseas operators) don’t have to use the local tour operators nor guides anymore. You can walk-in with the lonely planet guide book. You will be granted a visa on arrival after paying a visa fee and the sustainable development fee(SDF) of USD 200 per head, per night (until pre-covid time it was USD 65).
Your SDF will be collected by the Tourism office. However, you will have to bear an additional expenses for your accommodation and meals. You can choose your own place to stay (from farm house to 5 star) or out in the open field or select a restaurant for meals and ride a taxi for transfers or can hitch a ride. Authority says no need to have fixed itinerary and can spend X amount of time in a place as long as you can afford to pay the above daily tax plus your daily needs. Bhutan wants to give you an unlimited experience by doing away the mandatory requirement of local operators/guides.
