Our mission and philosophy
Our mission
Our goal is to organise tours within Bhutan in the most sustainable and environmentally friendly way possible. We strive to avoid any negative impact on the environment, nature and wildlife as well as on society. We support all partners who are currently in transition to a sustainable conduct of business or who have already completed this step. We would like to raise awareness and appreciation for sustainable travelling among our guests.
Our responsibility
Everyone at Druk Eye Tours & Travels acknowledges the major responsibility towards people, nature and local traditions and customs. Therefore, we deliberately avoid including certain tourist attractions into our tours, as we believe they do more harm than good.
The following points are particularly important to us and we constantly strive to meet the expectations:
- Fair salaries for our permanent employees as well as for our freelancers, such as tour guides, drivers and the trekking crew.
- Financial and advisory support of trainings and further training courses for all employees.
- Assistant guide positions for young guides in order to offer them valuable practical experience.
- Accommodation at local farms and homestays even in remote areas, so the owners have the possibility to improve their living standard by welcoming our guests and treating them with their culinary delights.
- Offering alternative tourist attractions such as visits to institutions through which the youth is directly supported (e.g. the Sonam Choki Art School in Kabesa, the Bongde Goma Hospitality Institute in Paro, the Start-up Center in Thimphu etc.)
- Customer satisfaction through highly personalised advisory services beforehand and during your travels.
- Minimisation of waste through correct waste disposal in our workspace, during a tour and especially on a trekking.
- Conscious use of resources such as paper and energy, scuch as water, electric power, fuel etc.
- Well-being of pack animals during the trek.
- Respectful treatment and protection of wildlife.
Our goals/wishes
- Improved working conditions for guides and drivers on tour (accommodation, food, working hours).
- Promote sustainability among our service providers such as hotels and organised trips and improve working conditions for their staff.
- Improved conditions/regulations for pack animals at the Tiger’s Nest.
Our goals/wishes
- Partial or complete financial support for adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds, who would otherwise not be granted access to education for financial reasons.
- Financial and practical support for the renovation of the dilapidated monastery Gensha Kha in Paro.
- Financial and material donations to the local dog shelter Jangsa Animal Saving Trust in Thimphu.
With this in mind, we hope to contribute to the sustainable development of Bhutan in order that the local community will continue to appreciate foreign visitors in the future and their way of life will be preserved.
Nadine Koch and Norbu Gyeltshen
... if your are interested in more details, please also read our Sustainabiltiy policy.