Entry
Bhutan Permits, Visas and the SDF
Indian, Bangladeshi and Maldivian nationals need a permit, not a visa. What documents to carry, where it is issued, what the SDF costs and how long it takes.
Money · what to carry
Cash, cards and the SDF
Bhutan is more cash-driven than most visitors expect. The ngultrum is pegged 1:1 to the Indian rupee and INR is accepted almost everywhere, though ₹500 notes are often refused. Cards work in Thimphu and Paro hotels and nowhere reliable beyond them. Draw your cash in Thimphu.
The currency, and why Indians barely need to change money
Bhutan’s currency is the ngultrum (Nu.), pegged one-to-one with the Indian rupee and issued in the same denominations. In practice that means Indian travellers can spend rupees directly across most of the country without exchanging anything at all.
The exception is note denominations. Many shops, and some hotels, will not take ₹500 notes. Historically ₹2,000 notes were refused too. Carry your budget in ₹100 and ₹200 notes and the problem disappears; arrive with a wallet of ₹500s and you will spend the trip trying to break them.
Ngultrum cannot be spent outside Bhutan and is awkward to exchange once you leave, so do not hoard it on the last day. Spend it or change it back before you cross.
Where cards work and where they do not
| Where | Cards | Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Thimphu hotels and larger restaurants | Usually | The most reliable place in the country for a card |
| Paro hotels | Usually | Works at the bigger properties; assume cash at guesthouses |
| Punakha, Phobjikha, Haa | Rarely | Treat these as cash-only and plan accordingly |
| Handicraft shops and markets | No | Cash, and small notes |
| Monument and permit fees | No | Cash only, in ngultrum or rupees |
Indian debit and credit cards are not universally accepted even where a terminal exists, and connectivity drops out. Do not build a trip on the assumption that a card will work outside the two main towns.
ATMs
ATMs exist in Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing, and become unreliable everywhere else. International cards work at some machines and not others, cash limits are low, and a machine being out of money is ordinary rather than exceptional.
The practical rule: draw what you need in Thimphu, early in the trip and while it is a convenience rather than an emergency. If you are crossing at Phuentsholing, the Indian side of the border has plenty of ATMs and is the easier place to stock up before you enter.
How much cash to carry
Your tour cost and hotels are normally settled in advance, so day-to-day cash covers a narrower set of things than people expect:
- Monument, museum and dzong entry — a few hundred ngultrum each.
- The Taktsang permit and, if you want one, a horse to the halfway cafeteria.
- Lunches and drinks that are not part of the package.
- Handicrafts, textiles and the Thimphu weekend market, all cash.
- Tips for your guide and driver at the end of the trip, which are customary and always cash.
Most travellers on a week-long western circuit find ₹10,000–₹15,000 per person in small notes comfortable, more if you intend to buy textiles, which are the one genuinely expensive thing to bring home.
The SDF is not spending money
Worth separating clearly, because the two get confused. The Sustainable Development Fee — ₹1,200 per adult per night, ₹600 for children aged 6–12 — is a government levy collected per night of your stay. It is not something you pay in cash at a counter as you travel, and it is not part of your daily budget. See the permits and SDF guide for how it is charged, and the cost of a Bhutan trip for how it fits into the total.
Common questions
Are Indian rupees accepted in Bhutan?
Yes. The ngultrum is pegged 1:1 to the Indian rupee and INR is accepted almost everywhere in Bhutan. The exception is denominations — ₹500 notes are refused by many shops and some hotels, so carry ₹100 and ₹200 notes.
Do credit cards work in Bhutan?
In Thimphu and Paro hotels and larger restaurants, usually. Everywhere else — Punakha, Phobjikha, Haa, markets, handicraft shops, monument fees — assume cash only. Terminals exist in a few places but connectivity is unreliable.
Are there ATMs in Bhutan?
Yes, in Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing, and they thin out quickly beyond those towns. International cards work at some machines and not others, and withdrawal limits are low. Draw the cash you need in Thimphu early in the trip.
How much cash should I carry in Bhutan?
For a week on the western circuit with hotels and transport already paid, ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per person in small notes is comfortable. That covers monument fees, lunches, the Taktsang permit, handicrafts and end-of-trip tips for the guide and driver.
The other guides
Timing
Best Time to Visit Bhutan
October and November give the clearest mountain views, March to May the rhododendron and the big tshechus. Month-by-month weather, festivals and trade-offs.
Health
Bhutan Altitude and Fitness
Thimphu 2,320 m, Phobjikha 3,000 m, Chele La 3,988 m — nothing technical, but the numbers are real. What the Tiger’s Nest climb involves, and how to prepare.
Respect
Bhutan Temple Etiquette and Dress Code
Long trousers and covered shoulders in every dzong, shoes and hats off, no photography inside, walk clockwise. The rules Bhutan is genuinely firm about.
Kit
What to Pack for Bhutan
A packing list built around real conditions: 1,200 m to 3,988 m in one day, temple dress codes, the Taktsang climb, and a country that runs on small notes.
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