Did your Bhutan trip have to wait because of the pandemic? You might soon be able to check Bhutan off your bucket list as the country just announced that it will restart issuing tourist visas and travel permits. However, you will have to visit Bhutan with a lot of time in hand as the compulsory 21 days long quarantine remains in place. So far, Bhutan is still closed for tourism.
— Bhutan Travel Guru (@bhutraguru) February 28, 2021
Travel & Quarantine Rules To Follow While Visiting Bhutan
If you wish to visit Bhutan, you have to comply to the following conditions:
- Visas and other bookings has to be processed through registered tour operator.
- RT-PCR test undertaken 72 hours before departure is mandatory for entry
- Only travellers arriving by flight will be granted visas
- 21-day quarantine after arrival is compulsory in a designated quarantine hotel. Please note that the hotel and meal cost has to be incurred by the visitor
- Travellers have to undergo minimum RT-PCR tests. One right after arrival, another after 10 days of quarantine, and the last one day before the end of quarantine. Visitors will have to pay for the test.
- Minimum daily package for tourism services will have to be paid after the conclusion of quarantine.
- All epidemiological protective measures have to be followed by the visitor during the stay in Bhutan.
- Travel health insurance is compulsory for all arriving tourists.
Also read: Indians Will No Longer Be Allowed Free Entry In Bhutan, Will Have To Pay ₹1,200 Per Day!
The government decides to increase quarantine period to 21 days starting tomorrow.
This is to ensure highest preventive measure. pic.twitter.com/klyRhou1rg— PM Bhutan (@PMBhutan) March 30, 2020
Bhutan Might Reopen For Tourism In October
Bhutan just already managed to vaccinate 95 % of its adult population with both doses. According to Bhutan’s Health Minister Dechen Wangmo, Bhutan has to vaccinate 80% of the whole population to attain herd immunity, allowing the country to reopen economic activities including tourism in the new normal regime. Here Are 10 Unique Things To Do In Bhutan.
Bhutan gets its 4th COVID-19 case but all 4 imported cases.
2 latest cases from mandatory 2-week quarantine of all Bhutanese coming from abroad from any country, symptoms or not.
Around 3,000 Bhutanese who are under such quarantine.
No local or community transmission yet.
— Tenzing Lamsang (@TenzingLamsang) March 29, 2020
If the vaccination drive is successful and vaccines are proved as giving sufficient protection for existing mutations, Bhutan might be ready for reopening of tourism by October or November 2021. Anyway, if the vaccination effort gets behind schedule and the government continues with its extremely cautious approach, we might see tourism reopening only in 2022.
Also read: A 7 Day Detailed Itinerary For Bhutan Under ₹50,000 Trip Cost
Watch this space for all the latest travel updates.