Our mission — Bhutan Rides exists to build the ride of a lifetime while leaving the lightest possible tyre print. We ride in the world’s only carbon-negative country, and we intend to keep it that way: sustainable riding practice on every trail and every road, real social inclusion for the people who make these trips happen, and a firm stand for the cultural and natural heritage that makes Bhutan the last Himalayan kingdom.
Our approach — A great tour should lift everyone it touches. The riders on the bikes. The families who host us and the people we meet along the way. The guides, mechanics, cooks and drivers working behind the scenes to make your dream trip real. We believe travel can change lives, so we work hard to give back — and we hold ourselves to the pledges below on every single departure.
Questions or ideas about our sustainability practice? Write to info@bhutanrides.com — a rider reads every message, and we genuinely want to do this better.
Eight commitments that shape every departure — from how we price a trip to what we carry back off the mountain.
Small groups, honest prices, no shortcuts. Bhutanese operators are not permitted to sell packages below the government-prescribed tariffs — a rule we stand firmly behind, because racing to the bottom ruins trails and livelihoods alike. Fewer riders means better singletrack, quieter passes and a deeper trip.
We show you Bhutan as it is — its trails, its people, its faith — and never trade on inappropriate forms of tourism. Festivals here follow the astrological calendar, so we will never stage one out of season for a photo stop. When a tsechu crosses your route, it is the real thing.
Our guides, mechanics and support drivers are employed to national labour standards, with pension and provident fund accounts and salaries paid by the 2nd of every month. Supplier bills are cleared upfront, bonuses are shared from annual profits, and a guide requested by name earns a commission for it.
Child labour has no place anywhere near our company, and we back the rights of women and children in everything we do.
Everything non-degradable we carry in, we carry out — bottles, plastics, tins — and biodegradable waste goes only into designated disposal pits. We don’t cut new lines, we don’t skid switchbacks and we don’t build unsanctioned features. Every trail should be better for us having ridden it.
No support vehicle in our fleet is more than five years old, every one carries a current Fitness Certificate, and tyres are checked for life before each tour. Between trips the garage strips and services every motorcycle and mountain bike — a well-kept machine is a cleaner, safer machine.
Bhutan’s constitution keeps at least 60% of the kingdom under forest cover for all time — and we would love to add to it. Any guest who wants to can plant a tree during their ride. Just tell your guide, and we’ll make room in the day for it.
Our crew turns out for local clean-up campaigns and trail-maintenance days, shovels in hand — and guests who fancy swinging one are always welcome. Some of the best hours we’ve spent on these trails were spent fixing them.
Tourism should leave money where it lands. We pay campsite fees to the communities we ride through, and 5–10% of wages for local services goes into the Community Development Fund, which backs socio-cultural and environmental work in those same villages.
Farmhouses host us. Farmers supply our vegetables, dairy and firewood. Local guides, cooks and cultural groups work with us as partners, not vendors.
A fully licensed Bhutanese tour operator, recognised by the Department of Tourism.
Every lead guide holds Department of Tourism guide certification — and rides at the front, not from the van.
Crew on national labour standards, suppliers paid upfront, communities funded through the Community Development Fund.
We cap group departures at eight riders per guide. Quality over quantity, on every ride.
The surest way to keep Bhutan extraordinary is to visit it the right way. Pick your ride — the kingdom does the rest.
