People & Social Development
Funds support free healthcare, education, youth training, mentorship, and skills development. This helps create long-term opportunities for Bhutanese citizens.
Preserving the Last Shangri-La: The Sustainable Development Fee
The Sustainable Development Fee is set and collected by the Royal Government of Bhutan. It is charged per traveller, per night of your stay, and it is separate from what you pay for guiding, lodging, transport and meals.
We collect it on the government's behalf as your licensed tour operator and remit it in full. None of it is our margin, and it is shown as its own line on every quotation we issue so you can see exactly what it comes to.
Bhutan's policy of “high value, low volume” tourism rests on this fee. It is what allows a country of under a million people to keep more than seventy per cent forest cover and remain carbon negative while still welcoming visitors.
Governance & Stewardship
Tourism Policy Framework
Environmental Preservation
Bhutan is the world’s only carbon-negative country. The SDF directly funds the maintenance of our 70% forest cover, national parks, and wildlife corridors. Your contribution ensures that the Himalayan biodiversity remains untouched for generations.
- Maintenance of carbon-neutral status.
- Funding for reforestation and renewable energy projects.
- Plastic-free waste management initiatives in trekking routes.
Conservation First
Learn more →SDF Structure for:
Select nationality
- Adults (12+)
- $100.00/ night
- Children (6–12)
- $50.00/ night
- Under 6
- SDF Exempt
*Per traveller, per night, in USD. Rates are set by the Royal Government of Bhutan and can change; the figure on your quotation is the one that applies to your dates.
Environment & Sustainability
The SDF supports forest and wildlife conservation, environmental protection, climate resilience, and maintaining Bhutan's carbon-negative status.
Infrastructure & Cultural Preservation
Funds contribute to improving infrastructure, providing clean drinking water, renovating historic Dzongs, preserving cultural traditions, and supporting local communities and economies.
A Legacy of Mindful Travel
“Tourism is a vehicle for social and economic development, but it must never come at the cost of our soul, our culture, and our nature.”
— Bhutanese Vision 2024
Common Questions
Sustainability & the SDF
The SDF funds free healthcare and education for Bhutanese citizens, infrastructure, and environmental conservation — it is the mechanism behind the Kingdom's "High Value, Low Volume" tourism policy, not a margin for any operator.