Guide Course Bhutan: Nature Guiding

The most important requirement to join the course is to be strongly interested in nature and to be motivated to actively participate in the course programme and to acquire new knowledge. Moreover, you need to be 18 years or older and have good English skills in order to understand your course instructor and the learning material. As you will spend a lot of time in Bhutan’s partly extreme tropical climate it is very important that you are physically fit. We therefore ask you to hand in a doctor’s certificate to confirm that you are healthy and fit. Furthermore, you have to make sure to get foreign travel insurance before your departure. Last but not least you need a visa for your journey to Bhutan.

We make sure you get placed in the course and always assist you with questions. Furthermore, we support you in preparing your journey, help you to find some travel insurance and provide you with information material before your departure. During your time in Bhutan you are provided with accommodation as well as daily meals (except for lunch during theoretical units at the training institute). Furthermore, there will be professional instructors supporting you and guiding the team. Airport transfer, transportation within the project, excursions and learning material is also included. Costs for flights, travel insurance, visa and personal expenses are excluded.

In general, when traveling to another country it is advised to be vaccinated against Morbilli, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis A and B, pertussis and influenza. Moreover, it is recommended to get vaccinated against pneumococci, typhus, rabies and Japanese encephalitis. As there is a slight malaria infection risk in Bhutan, you should get information about preventive measures and standby medications. We advise you to talk to your doctor and see what vaccinations and anti-malaria measures he suggests. For the latest information and warnings regarding your destination you should check out the homepage of the foreign department. Generally, we recommend bringing a small first aid-kit which contains patches, anti-diarrhoeal agents, electrolytes, painkillers, antiseptic lotion, anti-histamines, broad-spectrum antibiotics and vitamin pills. If your state of health demands a regular intake of medication, you should make sure that you have enough medicine for your whole stay in Bhutan. Do not forget to pack enough sunscreen. You definitely need to get travel insurance before your departure to South Asia. We can help you find a suitable cover plan. Please let us know if you have any kind of allergies, so we can inform our partner.

The course has a certain structure: 15 days are dedicated to classroom hours while 20 days are spent out in the field. This means the duration of your stay will be 35 days.

You should bring outdoor clothing like hiking boots, long light pants/shirts for each day and a head gear. Make sure that your clothes are in darker, unobtrusive colours (grey, khaki, brown, green). It is also advisable to pack some warmer clothes for the nights. Furthermore, you should bring a daypack, insect repellent, sunscreen, a water bottle and a writing utensils. Don’t forget to pack a sleeping bag, a sleeping mat, binoculars, a magnifying glass and your laptop. Last not but least you should bring necessary medication, toiletries, a head lamp, a large towel and a camera. Please make sure to only bring the most necessary valuables with you – on the one hand because of the risk of damage, on the other hand because of the risk of theft at the airport or in large cities.

We are happy to help you help you organizing your way to/from the course, although we cannot make the final booking for you. You book a flight to Paro International Airport from where you are picked up by a representative of our partner and taken to your accommodation. Our partner also takes care of your way back to the airport.

In general, the course is divided into two training methods: 15 days theory lessons and 20 days hands-on training in the wild. Theoretical and practical units are not strictly separated, but often merge. During the course you will travel to several regions of the country: You get to know the south, the west and the central part of Bhutan and go on excursions to Royal Botanical Park, to Jigme Singye National Park and to Royal Manas National Park. After a module is finished, an assessment follows – this can either be a written test, an oral presentation or a practical assessment. At the end of the course there will be a final assessment.

Our partner runs two classes simultaneously à max. 20 students. They try to keep the class size below 20, though, to ensure deeper learning experience.

Together with another course participant you will be accommodated in a hotel during theoretical units at the training institute. During practical units you are accommodated in guest houses or tented camps.

In general, it is possible to get places with a partner or friend; please make sure to inform us on time. We cannot guarantee, though, that you will actually be together with your partner/friend.

During theoretical units at the training institute you are provided with breakfast and dinner at the hotel. Lunch is not included but can be purchased in the institute’s cafeteria. During field trips you are provided with three meals each day. There will also be water, coffee and tea available. In case you would like to have extra snacks or beverages to need to purchase them on your own.

Our partner is able to consider several dietary requests. This means a vegetarian/vegan diet is possible. You should inform us beforehand about any certain dietary requests you have so our partner has enough time to arrange everything accordingly.

You are involved in the course programme for six days per week; Sundays are usually off. Usually you can also use the evening hours for own activities.

It is up to you how you spend your free time. Read a book, play games, take pictures or contact family and friends at home. You can also use the time for some study sessions.

Yes, you will have one or more contact persons on site who help you in case of problems or questions. You can also contact the team at Natucate anytime.

Since 1974 the currency in Bhutan is the Ngultrum. US dollars are partly accepted; it is advised, though, to exchange money into Ngultrum. Major credit cards can be used in order to withdraw cash from ATMs – but don’t forget that you need to pay a transaction fee of approx. $5. You might need extra money for external transfers, additional snacks and beverages or souvenirs. For emergencies we advise you to take some cash with you, but especially in cities you shouldn’t carry around too much money. Talk to your local bank and make sure you can withdraw money with your bank card in foreign countries before coming to Bhutan.

In the training institute as well as in the hotels there’s (free) Wifi so you can contact friends and family at home. You can also purchase a sim card and use it for additional data, local calls as well as international calls.

In general, Bhutan can be divided into three climate zones: The country’s Southern part is characterized by a subtropical to tropical climate with high temperature and strong rainfalls during the monsoon season. In summer average temperatures are around 28°C, in winter around 17°C. Central Bhutan’s climate is moderate, with cooler winter months and warmer summer months. In Thimphu, located in Central Bhutan, average winter temperatures are around 0°C, summer temperatures around 15°C. In the far Northern reaches of the country, winters are extremely cold and summers relatively cool. For detailed information about the weather conditions in Bhutan you can check out our country information page.

Before participants visit field, first aids and emergency operations will be taught as per the course content. The first aid gears will be always facilitated with participants as per standard. In case of small incidences your instructors can help – for more serious cases it is obligatory to have travel insurance.

Yes, you will always get a confirmation of participation for the course and after successfully completing the exam at the end you will also receive an approved certificate.

Yes, of course you can. Participating in this course is for personal enrichment and education and does not obligate you to receive a professional qualification.

A moderate alcohol consumption is fine but should not affect the course programme. Excessive drinking is not allowed and leads to immediate termination of the programme.