Bhutan Travel Guide
Money in Bhutan
The ngultrum, where to change money, where cards work, the local wallet apps, and how much cash to carry.
Bhutan's currency is the ngultrum, written Nu. It is fixed at the same value as the Indian rupee.
Changing money
You can change money at Paro airport, at banks, at the larger hotels and at authorised exchange counters in Thimphu. US dollars and Indian rupees in cash are also widely accepted as they are.
You may bring cash worth up to US$10,000 into the country.
Cards and cash machines
Cash machines and banks accept Visa and Mastercard. Cards are widely used in the towns, mainly in hotels and larger shops, and much less outside them. In a village, at a market stall or on a trek, you need cash.
Wallet apps
Paying by phone is common in Bhutan, and two of the local wallet apps are open to visitors: goBoB, from the Bank of Bhutan, and MyPay, from Bhutan National Bank. Each works with a local SIM card and can be linked to an international card. They are widely accepted, including at the monuments that charge an entry fee.
What you will spend money on
On a trip with us the hotels, meals, guide, vehicle, the Sustainable Development Fee and the visa are paid in advance. What is left is small:
- Drinks, and anything from the hotel bar
- Entry fees at the monuments that charge, if your price does not include them
- Souvenirs, such as handwoven textiles
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Laundry and the occasional taxi in the evening
Paying for the visa online
If you apply for your own visa and pay by card, tell your bank beforehand. A payment to Bhutan is unusual enough for some banks to block it.
Questions
What currency is used in Bhutan?
The ngultrum, written Nu., which is fixed at the same value as the Indian rupee.
You may bring cash worth up to US$10,000 into the country. Money can be changed at Paro airport, at banks and at the larger hotels.
Can I pay by card in Bhutan?
Visa and Mastercard are accepted by banks and cash machines, and cards are widely used in the towns. Outside them, carry cash: US dollars and Indian rupees are widely accepted as well as ngultrum.
Two local wallet apps, goBoB and MyPay, work with a local SIM card and can be linked to an international card. See money in Bhutan.
Should I tip my guide and driver?
Tips are not included in our prices and are never compulsory. Most visitors tip their guide and driver at the end of the trip, and the camp crew at the end of a trek.
Tell us how you like to travel
A few lines are enough: when, how long, and what draws you to Bhutan. We answer with a suggested route and what it would cost.
We reply ["within 24 hours"].