Riding tips and travel etiquette

On Two Wheels in The Land of The Thunder Dragon: Riding Motorcycles in The Kingdom of Bhutan

With Bhutan TUSK Motorcycle Tours, customised tours with fully personalised services.

We’d like to invite you to ride with us amongst the high Himalayan mountains and deep valleys, through swaying suspension bridges, roads lined with fluttering prayer flags, alongside pristine streams and picturesque villages, towards mountain top fortresses and centuries-old temples – our home, our playground, the Land of the Thunder Dragon!

kindly make sure if you are eligible for Visa on arrival for the following countries: India,Nepal,Thailand,Singapore and other connecting countries be it transit or regular visa in order to avoid the complication later.

We are an experienced motorcycle tour operator who believe in creating the perfect personalised tour for all our guests. Your happiness and satisfaction is our primary goal!

Whether its one rider or a big group, we have a minimum of three support staff on every tour – one, an experienced Road Captain on a separate motorcycle leading the tour and two support staff (Tourism Counsel certified English speaking guide and driver, both knowledgeable in motorcycle repair and maintenance) who will be following or sweeping the motorcycle tours and ensuring the safety and comfort of the riders.

In Bhutan you’ll find our roads are refreshingly empty for the most part, especially when compared to roads in the neighbouring regions. However, please be cautious not to be lulled into complacency because you can suddenly run into a car or truck at the next blind corner. Do keep yourself at the extreme left on corners.
The mountainous terrain and winding road also restrict the average driving speed of vehicle to about 35-40 km per hour.

If our guests want to ride through dirt roads, gravel farm roads, or something fun like that, we can arrange it. Be prepared to experience the worst conditions though! On the other hand, if guests wants a leisurely ride experiencing the countryside and interacting with the locals, that can also be done.

In Bhutan you ride/drive on the left, and it’s defensive driving/riding here. You will also find that road discipline is better than in neighbouring regions. We respect other drivers, pedestrians and other road users.

Always give way to ambulances and VIP vehicles.

Honking is not common in Bhutan. Honking is not allowed near hospitals, schools, residential areas, town and city centers, Monasteries other important places. However it is advisable to honk when you approach blind corners or hairpin bends.

The maximum speed is 60 KM-per-hour and policemen with speed guns can be expected enforcing this rule anytime.

Left indicator is used to either turn towards your left or to let others over take you. Right indicator is for turning towards your right or to signal to the vehicle behind you to wait and not overtake, or to signal the vehicle coming towards you to come forward.

While riding two wheelers, helmet is required for both riders.

With riding gears, layers are important as in one day the riders will be going through a range of elevations. This way riders can add or take off layers as they ride through colder mountain passes and warmer valleys.

You might encounter rainfall but most times it will either be passing showers or it will be raining in certain pockets, which means even when you experience rainfall it will not last, or you’ll suddenly find you’ve crossed the rain pocket and are back in sunshine.

Using Drones in Bhutan is completely illegal.

Bargaining, Bargaining culture is not there in Bhutan-So the price stated is generally what you are expected to pay.

Internet coverage and phone net work is almost 100% and very fast but sometime you might experience slow connection when you are into the remotest.

Electricity in Bhutan is 240V, with a frequency of 50hz,
Electric socket has round hole.

Always respect the locals and their culture.

Some things may seem weird or illogical to a person from one culture, but completely natural to someone from another background. So, please be respectful of any customs or traditions and do as the locals do.

Playing dumb can backfire in any places!!!

While visiting the monasteries and administrative offices,You will have to be in long pants and long sleeves in order to be of formal and respectful. Never point your fingers to anything and anyone, Use your whole palm instead.
Never place your feet on the table or over the table,Because it is considered as ill-mannered.

Coming to Tipping,We had to include this point as we have been asked many times,Actually it is optional than mandatory. But it is expected in our travel industry and has become a kind of tradition as it was brought to Bhutan by the past visitors and has been into practice from the introduction of tourism in Bhutan.
We have seen guests tipping generously in exchange of good services rendered to them as a token of appreciation and the general practice is 10 to 12 USD per day for guide and driver for single group of family, friends or for a single traveler. And it is based on assumption of ratio 70:30 to Guide: Driver.
Lastly never overtake the road captain. Because your road captain is a local and knows the land and road conditions the best!
Accidents are preventable!