Bhutan Cancellation and Refund Policy

Tour Booking Terms with Experience Bhutan Travel

At Experience Bhutan Travel, we believe guests should understand all booking terms before they confirm their trip.

Our Bhutan cancellation and refund policy explains advance payment, cancellation charges, SDF refund rules, visa fee conditions, hotel terms and refund procedures.

Travel plans can change for many reasons. Therefore, we keep our policy clear, fair and transparent.

Please read this policy carefully before confirming your Bhutan tour.

Advance Payment Policy

Guests must make full payment in advance.

This payment allows us to process the Bhutan visa, confirm hotels, arrange transport, assign guides and secure all travel services.

In addition, advance payment helps our team coordinate with hotels, government systems and local service providers before your arrival in Bhutan.

Bhutan Tour Cancellation Charges

Cancellation charges depend on the date we receive your written cancellation request.

To avoid confusion, guests must send all cancellation requests by email or official letter.

Cancellation 60 Days or More Before Arrival

If guests cancel 60 days or more before arrival, no cancellation charge applies.

We will refund the full tour amount after deducting applicable bank charges.

Cancellation 45 to 59 Days Before Arrival

If guests cancel 45 to 59 days before arrival, a cancellation fee of 50% of the total tour cost applies.

After that, we will refund the remaining balance after deducting applicable bank charges.

Cancellation 30 to 44 Days Before Arrival

If guests cancel 30 to 44 days before arrival, a cancellation fee of 75% of the total tour cost applies.

We will refund the remaining balance after deducting applicable bank charges.

Cancellation Less Than 30 Days Before Arrival

If guests cancel less than 30 days before arrival, no refund applies to the tour cost.

However, guests may still qualify for a Government Sustainable Development Fee refund, also known as an SDF refund.

The Department of Immigration reviews and processes SDF refunds according to its official rules.

No-Show Policy

If guests do not arrive on the scheduled date, we treat the booking as a no-show.

In this case, no refund applies to the tour cost.

However, we will assist with the SDF refund request wherever possible, subject to government procedures.

Bhutan SDF Refund Policy

The Sustainable Development Fee may qualify for a refund when guests cancel or shorten their trip.

The Department of Immigration handles SDF refunds through its official process. Therefore, Experience Bhutan Travel cannot guarantee the exact refund timeline.

For many international visitors, the SDF is USD 100 per person per night. For Indian visitors, the SDF is BTN or INR 1,200 per person per night.

These rates may change if the Royal Government of Bhutan updates its tourism policy.

How We Assist with SDF Refunds

Experience Bhutan Travel will help guests prepare the required information for the SDF refund request.

We will also guide guests through the necessary steps wherever possible.

However, the final approval, processing time and refund release remain under the Department of Immigration and the relevant government system.

Visa Fee and Government Charges

The Bhutan visa application fee becomes non-refundable once the visa application process starts.

In addition, government fees, bank charges, payment gateway charges and transaction costs may reduce the refundable amount.

Guests should understand these deductions before confirming their Bhutan trip.

Hotel Cancellation Terms

This Bhutan cancellation and refund policy mainly applies to standard 3-star and 4-star tour packages.

Luxury 5-star hotels, premium resorts and exclusive lodges may follow separate cancellation rules. These rules can be stricter than our standard policy.

If your tour includes luxury hotels, our team will explain the hotel’s specific cancellation terms at the time of booking.

Refund Process for Bhutan Tour Bookings

Experience Bhutan Travel will begin the refund process after receiving the refundable amount from the Department of Immigration, hotels or other service providers.

The refund process may take several weeks. In some cases, it may take one month or longer.

The exact timeline depends on government processing, hotel refund procedures, bank processing time and international transfer rules.

Therefore, guests should provide complete and accurate bank details.

Bank Details Required for Refund

For refund processing, guests must provide the following details:

Full name of account holder

Bank name

Bank account number

SWIFT code

Bank branch address

Country of bank

Any additional details required for international transfer

Incorrect or incomplete bank details may delay the refund. Experience Bhutan Travel will not take responsibility for delays caused by wrong bank information.

Written Cancellation Request

Guests must send a written cancellation request by email or official letter.

The request should clearly mention the reason for cancellation. This written record helps support the SDF refund claim with the Department of Immigration.

Without a written cancellation request, we may not be able to process the refund properly.

Important Refund Notes

Bank charges and government processing rules apply to all refunds.

Once the tour starts, unused services do not qualify for a refund unless the concerned authority, hotel or service provider approves it.

Flight cancellation, flight delay, weather disruption, road blockage, illness, personal emergency or other unexpected events may affect travel plans.

In such cases, guests must cover any additional cost caused by the change.

For this reason, we strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance before travelling to Bhutan.

Travel Insurance Recommendation

Travel insurance helps protect guests from unexpected travel problems.

A good policy may cover trip cancellation, medical emergencies, flight disruption, lost baggage and other unexpected costs.

Therefore, guests should arrange travel insurance before confirming their Bhutan journey.

Our Commitment to Guests

At Experience Bhutan Travel, we handle every cancellation with fairness, transparency and care.

Our team will guide guests through the required documentation and refund procedures whenever possible.

We want every guest to understand our Bhutan cancellation and refund policy clearly before booking.

Our goal is to keep the process honest, smooth and respectful during any unexpected change of travel plans.