Contract & Trip Finalisation
Your contract will be with Bhutan Rides — a tour company registered in Bhutan with registration
number 1198450 — and will be subject to Bhutanese law at all times.
Reservations & Payment
Once you accept our proposal, a deposit of 20% of the trip price is required to finalise the trip.
If you would like Bhutan Rides to purchase your Bhutan flights, the airfare must also be sent so that
we can purchase the reserved flights before the time limit given by the airline. The deposit must be
received within five days of booking to secure a reservation.
All balances are due 45 days prior to departure. Special payment policies may apply and will be
advised at the time of reservation. If payment is not received by the due date, airline and all other
reservations shall be cancelled. Bhutan Rides is not responsible for any penalties, fare increases or
fees incurred due to late payment.
Forms of Payment
Payment may be made by wire transfer as per the official procedures of the Government. All payments
are directly paid to the Tourism Council of Bhutan’s bank account with Bhutan National Bank. Bhutan
National Bank works with numerous correspondent banks abroad. Please ask us for a copy of the detailed
payment procedures.
Passport & Validity Period
Bhutan’s airlines require digital passport copies to book flights, and the passport copies have to
be submitted to the Tourism Council of Bhutan during visa application. Your passport must have a
minimum of six months’ validity from your exit date from Bhutan, and sufficient blank pages for the
visa to be stamped. If you arrive in Bhutan with a different passport, or with less than six months’
validity, Bhutan Rides will not be responsible for penalties.
Names provided to Bhutan Rides must be an exact match to the passport that will be used during
travel. You are responsible for all fees and expenses that may be incurred due to an incorrect name,
or the denial of travel due to an incorrect name. A name or any other revision required for flights
and visas shall be liable for $50 per person for corrections or revisions, in addition to other fees
assessed by airlines or other suppliers.
It is your responsibility to verify current entry requirements and obtain the necessary travel
documentation based on your country of origin, destination and any countries in which a stop is
scheduled.
An entry visa is required, which Bhutan Rides will send as an email attachment after the 100%
deposit is made 45 days prior to arrival. The Tourism Council requires each guest to deposit the
entire tour payment prior to arrival; only then will the Department of Immigration approve the visa
that Bhutan Rides applies for on your behalf. As standard procedure, digital copies of the visa will
be sent two to three weeks before the arrival date. Please carry a printout — you will have to show it
when checking in for your Bhutan flight. No refund will be issued for losses incurred as a result of
failure to obtain or provide required valid documentation.
Changes Prior to Departure
Bhutan Rides will assess a fee of $150 for any customer-initiated change to the reservation after
receipt of payment, and additional airline, hotel and/or supplier fees may also be charged. Any change
to the itinerary is also subject to availability of hotels and flights. Any change made will result in
the reservation being re-priced at the rate in effect at the time of the change. A “name change”
constitutes a cancellation, and cancellation fees will apply.
Cancellations & Refunds
For rides (as per standard tourism regulations)
- Non-refundable administrative cancellation fee for all cancellations — $100 per individual.
- 100% refund for cancellations made before 60 days prior to the trip.
- 75% refund for cancellations made before 45 days prior to the trip.
- 50% refund for cancellations made before 30 days prior to the trip.
- 25% refund for cancellations made between 14 and 7 days prior to the trip.
- No refund for trip cancellations made less than 7 days prior to the trip.
- No refund for no-shows.
- If a guest does not complete the ride due to personal reasons, there will be no refund.
Accommodation and meals will be charged extra at US $40 per person per night for nights not covered
by the original ride itinerary. - If a guest does not complete the ride due to unavoidable circumstances such as weather
conditions, there will be no refund; however, accommodation and meals will be provided.
For flights (official policy of Drukair and Bhutan Airlines)
- 90% refund permitted for a ticket cancelled more than 30 days from the first date of travel.
- 75% refund permitted for a ticket cancelled 10–29 days from the first date of travel.
- 50% refund permitted for tickets cancelled 04–09 days from the first date of travel.
- 03 days or less: no refund permitted. Rescheduled tickets are not permitted for refund. A
reschedule fee applies for every date change. - No refund for tickets cancelled on medical grounds.
- Administrative fee of USD 100 applicable per cancellation, reservation amendment or date change.
- No name change permitted once a booking is made on the same PNR.
- USD 50 applicable for no-shows who want to postpone their trip by six months.
- Airfares are subject to change.
If you hold a travel-insurance policy you may find that a refund of your losses
is possible. See section 13 — insurance that covers mountain-bike and motorcycle riding is a condition
of joining our tours.
Once travel has begun, there will be no refunds for any unused or partially used travel component
for any reason. While every effort will be made to provide all items on the itinerary as booked,
Bhutan Rides reserves the right to cancel or alter any reservation for any reason prior to departure.
Should this occur, refunds will be made without any further obligation by Bhutan Rides.
With respect to the travel arrangements made in connection with this transaction, Bhutan Rides
represents and acts as agent for disclosed principals and independent contractors, including carriers,
transportation companies, tour operators, wholesalers, service companies, hotels and others. Bhutan
Rides is not responsible or liable for any acts, omissions, financial stability, delays or changes by
any of these entities. Neither Bhutan Rides nor any of its representatives shall be or become liable
or responsible for any loss, injury or damage to person, property or otherwise in connection with any
accommodations, transportation or other services resulting directly or indirectly from any
extraordinary circumstances, including but not limited to acts of God, fire, breakdown in machinery,
acts of governments, de jure or de facto, war, hostilities, civil disturbances, strikes, riots,
thefts, epidemics, medical quarantines, customs regulations, defaults, delays or cancellations of or
changes in itinerary, routing or schedules from any cause beyond the control of Bhutan Rides, or from
any loss or damage resulting from insufficient or improperly issued passports, visas or other
documents.
Pre-Departure Changes
It is occasionally necessary for us to make changes to trips that are already booked. Most of these
are minor changes, and where we know in advance we will notify you as soon as possible. Minor changes
include a change of airline or flight timings of 12 hours or less, and a change to accommodation of a
similar standard.
It may be necessary to make a major change to your trip, such as offering hotels of a lower
standard or a change of destination. In this case we will do our best to offer you a suitable
alternative, with a price refund if appropriate. Some tours may require a minimum number of
participants; if that number is not reached, the tour may have to be cancelled or amended. If you are
not happy with the alternative offered, we will gladly offer a full refund.
Mountain weather, landslides and road closures are a reality in Bhutan. Our guides may re-route,
shorten or substitute riding sections at any time where conditions make the planned route unsafe.
Such safety re-routes are considered minor changes and do not qualify for a refund.
Rates
All rates are quoted in U.S. Dollars unless otherwise noted. Rates are subject to change at any
time, without notice. Bhutan Rides reserves the right to make adjustments if a particular rate was
incorrectly stated. We can guarantee air rates only for reservations paid in full; it is therefore
recommended that full payment for airfares be made at the time of booking. Airline tickets must be
issued to guarantee against rate increases and fuel surcharges, and to avoid cancellation of airline
reservations. Government- and supplier-imposed taxes and fees are subject to increase at any time and
are not covered by Bhutan Rides.
Rates do not include airline baggage or seat-assignment fees or other ancillary fees, passport and
visa fees, some departure taxes, gratuities, meals and beverages not specified, insurance, telephone
calls, additional bedding charges, laundry service, or other miscellaneous charges of a personal
nature, except where specifically noted.
Air Transportation
Bhutan Rides has no control over, and assumes no liability for, airline strikes, schedule changes,
flight delays, flight cancellations or other airline-initiated changes. In the event of such an
occurrence, the airline is responsible and will determine what action will be taken.
Accommodation & Restaurants
Bhutan Rides provides 3-star hotels for standard rates; additional hotel rates will apply if you
choose to upgrade to 4- or 5-star hotels. The same applies to restaurants — where guests choose to
dine at a luxury restaurant, meals are paid directly to the restaurant. Please note that the
accreditation system of the Government is based on its own criteria, and star ratings may not
necessarily be at par with international ratings.
Facilities, guest services and amenities are provided at the discretion of the hotel and are
subject to change without notice. Any additional costs are the responsibility of the guest and are
payable directly to the hotel. Room location, connecting rooms and bedding requests are not guaranteed
and are based upon availability at the time of check-in. Hotel descriptions and photos do not
necessarily depict the actual room in which you will be accommodated; maps and images may not be exact
or to scale and are for general description purposes only. Room standards are the sole responsibility
of the hotel. Hotel ratings are based on information provided by the hotel and the Tourism Council of
Bhutan.
Baggage & Personal Property
Baggage checked or carried on board an aircraft is subject to fees based on weight, number and
size. All baggage fees — including any airline charges for flying with your own bicycle or riding
gear — are the responsibility of the guest and are payable directly to the supplier. Please contact
the airline for its current baggage and sports-equipment policy. Bhutan Rides is not responsible or
liable for any delay, loss of or damage to baggage and personal property.
Physical Requirements
Guests requiring special facilities, services or accommodations must disclose such needs to Bhutan
Rides at the time of reservation. Wheelchair-accessible transportation and accommodations may be
requested but cannot be guaranteed. Available accommodation standards vary by hotel and are not within
the control of Bhutan Rides.
Our rides involve sustained physical effort at high altitude, on terrain that ranges from paved
mountain passes to remote singletrack. You must disclose at the time of booking any medical condition,
injury or medication that could affect your ability to ride safely. Our guides may, at their sole
discretion, move a rider to the support vehicle where continuing to ride would endanger the rider or
the group; no refund is payable for riding time missed for this reason.
Assumption of Riding Risk & Waiver
Mountain biking and motorcycling are inherently hazardous activities. The risks include, but are
not limited to: uneven and unpredictable terrain, variable road surfaces, other traffic, livestock and
wildlife on the road, weather, high altitude, and remoteness from advanced medical facilities. By
booking a Bhutan Rides tour you acknowledge these risks and voluntarily assume them.
Every participant must sign our Acknowledgement of Risk & Liability Waiver before the first
riding day. A guest who declines to sign the waiver will not be permitted to ride; this will be
treated as a cancellation by the guest on the day of travel, and no refund will be payable.
Travel insurance that explicitly covers mountain biking and/or motorcycling (including emergency
evacuation and repatriation) is a condition of joining any Bhutan Rides tour. We will ask for proof of
cover before departure.
Protective Equipment Requirement
A helmet is mandatory at all times when riding, on every Bhutan Rides tour, with no exceptions. For
mountain-bike tours a certified cycling helmet is required; for motorcycle tours a certified
motorcycle helmet is required. We can provide helmets, or you may bring your own certified helmet in
good condition.
We strongly recommend gloves and eye protection on all tours, and an armoured riding jacket,
riding trousers and riding boots on motorcycle tours. Our guides may refuse to let a guest ride who is
not wearing the required protective equipment, and no refund is payable for riding time missed for
this reason.
Motorcycle Licence & IDP Requirement
To ride a motorcycle on a Bhutan Rides tour you must hold a valid motorcycle licence from your home
country covering the class of machine you will ride, together with a valid International Driving
Permit (IDP). You must carry both documents with you throughout the tour and present them at
checkpoints when requested.
We require copies of your licence and IDP at the time of booking so that road permits can be
arranged. A guest who cannot present valid documents at the start of the tour will not be permitted to
ride; a seat in the support vehicle will be provided instead, and no refund will be payable.
Bike Care & Damage Deposit
Every machine in our fleet is prepared and checked by our own mechanics before your tour. From
handover to return, you are responsible for the bike in your care. Normal wear and tear — tyres,
brake pads, drivetrain wear, punctures — is covered by us. Damage resulting from a crash, misuse or
negligence will be charged at the cost of parts plus labour.
A refundable damage deposit is collected at the start of the tour: USD 300 for mountain-bike tours
and USD 500 for motorcycle tours. The deposit is returned in full at the end of the tour, less any
assessed damage. If assessed damage exceeds the deposit, the balance is payable before departure from
Bhutan.
Suppliers
Bhutan Rides does not own the hotels, airlines and some of the vehicles used for our trips; they
are contracted from other suppliers. The suppliers providing transportation and accommodations are
independent contractors and are not agents, affiliates, representatives or employees of Bhutan Rides.
All documentation, receipts and tickets are issued subject to the terms and conditions specified by
the supplier. By utilising the services of the suppliers, you agree that Bhutan Rides shall not be
liable for:
- any accident, loss, injury or damage to you or to those travelling with you in connection with
any accommodations, transportation or other services, or resulting directly or indirectly from any
occurrences or conditions including, but not limited to, negligence, defects in vehicles, equipment
malfunction, strikes, “Acts of God”, riots, terrorist acts or threats, wars, acts of governmental
authority, theft, delays, weather conditions, environmental conditions, bankruptcy, cancellations or
changes in itineraries or schedules; or - loss of or damage to property, or injury to persons, caused by reason of any act or omission —
intentional, negligent or otherwise — by such third-party suppliers.
The customer contract in use by the airline, when issued, constitutes the sole agreement between
you and the airline. Bhutan Rides reserves the right to decline to accept or retain any person as a
member of the tour at any time prior to departure or during the course of the tour. In the unlikely
event that services or accommodations are not available as stated, due to reasons beyond our control,
efforts will be made to provide services or accommodations of equal standard and quality. If you have
any reason to complain, please notify the supplier at the time so that matters may be put right at the
earliest opportunity. If you remain unhappy, please email or telephone us as soon as possible.
Limitation of Liability
By making a reservation, you acknowledge that in all events Bhutan Rides shall not be liable for
any incidental or consequential damages, and that the sole extent of Bhutan Rides’ liability, if any,
shall never exceed the amount actually paid by you to Bhutan Rides.
These Terms and Conditions of Sale are subject to change at any time at Bhutan Rides’ sole
discretion, without notice. Any dispute arising out of any tour offered shall be subject to the
exclusive jurisdiction of Bhutanese law.