Bhutan

Is Bhutan safe to visit?

Yes. Bhutan has very little crime, no history of terrorism and a US Level 1 advisory, the lowest level. The 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary ranks it 16th of 163 countries and the most peaceful in South Asia. Because every visitor must travel with a licensed guide, most of the hassles that wear travellers down elsewhere, from scams to getting lost, barely exist. The risks come from geography: narrow mountain roads, monsoon landslides, altitude and a health system with one referral hospital. We score Bhutan 77, well above Nepal and India.

The fee and the guide rules

Bhutan deliberately keeps tourism small and expensive, and two rules shape every trip.

The first is the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF). According to the Department of Tourism, adults pay US$100 per night and children aged 6 to 11 pay US$50; under-6s are exempt. Indian nationals pay Nu. 1,200 a night, and the first 15,000 visitors from Bangladesh pay US$15. The fee is paid online with the visa application, together with a one-off US$40 visa fee, and is refunded for nights you do not use. Since 2 June 2026, visitors who stay within the border towns of Samtse, Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar for up to 24 hours pay no fee, a waiver set to run until August 2027. The rate has changed before and may change again, so check it when you book.

The second is the guide. The Department of Tourism says visitors must be accompanied by a guide at all times, and all treks must go through an accredited operator. A guide is needed to enter monuments and dzongs. Overland visitors need one to go beyond the border towns, and if you drive your own car into Bhutan you pay Nu. 4,500 a day and must still carry a guide. Hire cars come with a driver. With a certified guide, you no longer need a separate route permit.

For safety, the guide rule helps. Your guide arranges transport, knows which roads are closed and can take you to hospital. Book through an operator on the Department of Tourism's certified list.

Mountain roads

Roads are the biggest danger. WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 12.2 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, about five times the UK rate; its older 2019 series put Bhutan higher, at 16.2. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says car and motorbike crashes are one of the biggest causes of injury and death in the country. Roads are narrow and winding, there are no traffic lights anywhere, and the monsoon makes them worse.

Avoid travelling at night, insist on a well-maintained vehicle with working seatbelts and allow plenty of time: a driver who is not in a hurry is the best safety feature you can buy. Domestic flights to Bumthang, Yonphula and Gelephu save long drives, though weather often disrupts flights into Paro.

Landslides, floods and earthquakes

The monsoon, roughly June to September, is when Bhutan is most hazardous. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says landslides can cut roads for days and flash floods hit both rural and urban areas. Several parts of the country sit on active fault zones, and the FCDO warns that limited emergency vehicles and hospitals would make an earthquake worse. Wildfire risk is high in central and southern Bhutan, and you can be fined for starting one, even by accident. Leave spare days in your itinerary in the rainy season.

Health and altitude

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says only the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu can provide surgery and emergency treatment. Elsewhere, hospitals provide basic care, and complex problems mean evacuation to India or Thailand. Buy insurance that covers helicopter evacuation, especially for treks.

Altitude is the risk most visitors underestimate. Popular treks cross high passes, and the hike to Tiger's Nest monastery is a steep climb high above the Paro valley. Ascend gradually and turn back if you develop a severe headache, breathlessness or confusion. The CDC says malaria is a risk in some parts of the country and also lists dengue and Japanese encephalitis; a typhoid vaccine is recommended for most travellers. Call 112 for an ambulance.

How we scored it

Conflict (93) and petty crime (90) are the strongest factors, and violent crime (87) is close behind: police counted about 1 killing per 100,000 people a year on average from 2021 to 2024, and 2 in 2024. Natural hazards (58) are the weakest, followed by health (62) and road safety (63), which rests on WHO's 2021 estimate of 12.2 deaths per 100,000. Confidence is medium because the crime data are reasonably recent but the numbers are small.