Legal · Last updated April 2025
Privacy & Terms
Honest, plain-language documents that explain how we handle your data, what you're agreeing to when you book with us, and the protections you have as a DMC BHUTAN TRIP traveler.
Honest, plain-language documents that explain how we handle your data, what you're agreeing to when you book with us, and the protections you have as a DMC BHUTAN TRIP traveler.
The short version: We collect only what we need to plan your Bhutan trip — your name, contact details, travel dates, and trip preferences. We never sell your data, never spam you, and never share your information with anyone outside our team and the Bhutanese authorities required for visa and SDF processing.
This Privacy Policy explains everything in detail, including your rights under India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act). If anything is unclear, message Santosh on WhatsApp at +91 7384780423.
DMC BHUTAN TRIP ("we", "us", "our") is a sole proprietorship operating as a licensed Indian tour operator, founded by Santosh Sharma in 2018. We specialise in Bhutan travel for Indian and international travelers and are registered at:
| Business name | DMC BHUTAN TRIP |
| Proprietor | Santosh Sharma |
| Registered address | Lama 1st Floor, Lama Building, Bow Bazar, M.G Road, Jaigaon, West Bengal, India-736182, West Bengal 736182, India |
| Contact | +91 7384780423 · DMCBHUTANTRIP@GMAIL.COM |
| Licence | Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) authorised handling agent |
Under the DPDP Act, 2023, we act as the Data Fiduciary for personal data collected through our website and WhatsApp, email, and phone communications.
We only collect information that is necessary to plan, book, and deliver your Bhutan trip. We do not collect more than we need.
| Identity data | Full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number (required for visa and permits) |
| Contact data | Email address, WhatsApp/mobile number, country of residence, postal address |
| Trip data | Travel dates, number of travelers, package preference, dietary needs, mobility considerations, special interests |
| Verification data | One-time passwords (OTPs) sent to your email and WhatsApp during enquiry — used only for verification, never stored |
| Payment data | Bank transfer details or UPI reference (we do not store credit card numbers — see Section 5) |
We use your personal data only for the purposes you would expect from a tour operator:
We share the minimum information required with the parties below — and only for the purpose of delivering your trip:
| Bhutan Tourism Council (TCB) and Department of Immigration | Name, passport number, travel dates — required for visa and SDF processing. Mandatory under Bhutan law. |
| Hotels and resorts in Bhutan | Name, arrival and departure dates, special requests — required for room reservations. |
| Bhutanese tour guides and drivers | Name, contact details, dietary preferences — required for in-country service. |
| Airlines (Druk Air, Bhutan Airlines) | Name, passport details — only when we book flights on your behalf. |
| Payment processors (banks, UPI, Razorpay) | Limited to what's required to process your payment securely. |
| Indian tax authorities | Booking value and GST records, as required by law. |
We do not store credit card or debit card numbers on our servers. All payment transactions are handled through:
If you ever receive a payment request that does not come directly from Santosh on his verified WhatsApp number (+91 7384780423) or our official email (DMCBHUTANTRIP@GMAIL.COM), do not pay. Contact us immediately to verify.
| Enquiry data (no booking made) | 12 months from last contact, then automatically deleted |
| Booking and trip records | 7 years (required under Indian tax law) |
| Passport scans | Until your trip is complete + 90 days, then permanently deleted |
| Marketing consent (if given) | Until you withdraw consent |
| Website analytics (anonymised) | 26 months |
As a Data Principal under India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:
To exercise any of these rights, email DMCBHUTANTRIP@GMAIL.COM with the subject line "DPDP Request". We will respond within 7 working days and complete your request within 30 days as required by law.
We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 18 except as part of family bookings made by their parent or legal guardian. When children travel with their family, we collect only the minimum data required for permits and bookings (name, date of birth, passport number).
If you are a parent or guardian and believe we have inadvertently collected your child's data without your consent, please contact us immediately at DMCBHUTANTRIP@GMAIL.COM and we will promptly delete it.
Under the DPDP Act, we have appointed a Grievance Officer to address any concerns you have about how we handle your personal data:
| Name | Santosh Sharma |
| Designation | Founder & Grievance Officer |
| DMCBHUTANTRIP@GMAIL.COM | |
| Phone | +91 7384780423 (Mon–Sat, 9am–7pm IST) |
| Address | Lama 1st Floor, Lama Building, Bow Bazar, M.G Road, Jaigaon, West Bengal, India-736182, West Bengal 736182 |
| Response time | Acknowledgement within 48 hours; resolution within 30 days |
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our practices, or for clarity. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will always reflect the latest version. For material changes, we will notify customers with active bookings by email at least 14 days before changes take effect.
The short version: When you book a trip with DMC BHUTAN TRIP, you're entering into an agreement with us — a small, owner-operated Indian tour operator. These terms explain who's responsible for what, how payments work, and what protections both sides have. We've written this in plain language because trust matters more than legalese.
By booking with us, you confirm that you've read and accepted these Terms.
These Terms & Conditions form a legally binding agreement between:
DMC BHUTAN TRIP acts as a tour operator and travel arranger for trips to the Kingdom of Bhutan. We provide:
We act as an intermediary between you and the actual service providers (hotels, airlines, ground operators in Bhutan). While we carefully select trusted partners, we are not the principal provider of accommodation, transport, or food services in Bhutan.
All prices are quoted in US Dollars (USD) for international travelers and Indian Rupees (INR) for Indian nationals, exclusive of:
Changes by you: We allow free changes to your itinerary up to 30 days before departure (subject to availability). Changes within 30 days may incur charges from hotels and airlines, which we will pass on at cost without markup.
Changes by us: Bhutan is a remote Himalayan destination. Occasionally we may need to modify your itinerary due to:
If we need to make material changes, we will inform you immediately and offer you the closest available alternative or a refund of the affected portion.
To ensure a smooth trip, you agree to:
We take our duty of care seriously, but it's important to understand the limits of what a tour operator can be responsible for.
We are responsible for:
We are not liable for:
Our maximum liability to you under any circumstance is limited to the total amount you have paid us for the affected booking.
If something goes wrong during your trip, please tell us immediately — Santosh is reachable on WhatsApp 24/7 during your travel. Most issues can be resolved on the spot.
For complaints that cannot be resolved during the trip:
Neither party shall be liable for failure to perform under these Terms if such failure is caused by events beyond reasonable control, including:
In such cases, we will work in good faith with you to reschedule your trip, provide partial refunds where supplier conditions permit, or arrange alternative dates at no additional charge from us. Refunds for amounts already paid to suppliers (hotels, airlines, SDF) will follow the supplier's own refund terms.
These Terms are governed by the laws of India. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts at Alipurduar, West Bengal, India.
Both parties agree to first attempt resolution through good-faith negotiation, then mediation if required, before pursuing litigation.
By paying your booking deposit, you confirm:
The short version: Bhutan trips involve real, non-refundable upfront costs (SDF, permits, hotel deposits) that we have to pay weeks before your departure. Our cancellation schedule reflects what we can actually recover from suppliers — not arbitrary penalties.
We treat every cancellation case individually and will always do our best to minimise your loss.
If you cancel your booking, the following charges apply based on the number of days before your trip start date:
| Days before departure | Cancellation charge |
|---|---|
| More than 60 days | Booking deposit only (25% of trip value) |
| 60 to 45 days | 40% of total trip value |
| 44 to 30 days | 60% of total trip value |
| 29 to 15 days | 80% of total trip value |
| 14 days or less | 100% of total trip value (no refund) |
In the rare event we need to cancel your trip (due to inability to deliver core services, supplier failure, or significant safety concerns), you will receive:
You may choose any of the above options. We will not be liable for any incidental costs you have incurred (visas obtained independently, flights booked separately, etc.) but we will assist you in recovering them where possible.
If you fail to commence your trip on the scheduled start date without prior notice, the trip will be treated as cancelled with no refund (100% charge).
If you cut your trip short for any reason — including personal illness, change of plans, or family emergency — there is no refund for unused services. We strongly recommend travel insurance to cover such eventualities.
When a refund is due to you:
If a member of your group cannot travel, you may transfer their booking to another person provided:
The short version: Our website uses minimal cookies — only what's needed to make the site work and to understand how visitors find us. We don't use advertising cookies, we don't sell data to advertisers, and we don't track you across other websites.
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences, keep you logged in, and understand how visitors use the site. Cookies cannot read your hard drive, access personal files, or steal information.
| Strictly necessary | Session management, form security, and OTP verification. These are required for the site to work and cannot be disabled. |
| Analytics (Google Analytics 4) | Anonymised data about which pages are visited, how long visitors stay, and which countries they come from. Used only to improve the site. |
| Functional | Remember your language preference and any form data you've entered, so you don't have to re-enter it. |
You can disable or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:
Note: Disabling strictly necessary cookies will prevent some site features (like the OTP verification on our enquiry form) from working.
Our website uses the following third-party services that may set their own cookies:
Santosh is happy to walk you through any clause in plain language. There are no trick questions and no fine print.
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