Bhutan- A Perfect Tour from India under 25K!

Popularly known as “the land of thunder dragons”,  Bhutan is a beautiful country between China and India. It is a very small Kingdom in the Himalayas and consists of only 20 districts called the Dzongkhags.

Bhutan is the first country globally with specific constitutional obligations on its people to protect the environment. Among its requirements: At least 60% of the nation must remain under forest cover. The salubrious climate, breathtaking views, and majestic monasteries may seem cliched to describe Bhutan’s beauty, but each word used for this gorgeous country is in its purest form.

This is a complete Bhutan Travel Blog for all those planning a trip to this beautiful country. So, how to travel to Bhutan from India?

How to plan a perfect tour of Bhutan from India?

Being our first international trip, we got into planning around 6 months in advance. The first thing on our list was to decide how we would reach Bhutan from Mumbai.

There are three options to reach Bhutan:

• By Air

Two direct airlines, namely, Drukair and Bhutan Airlines, operate flights from Delhi, Gaya, Bagdogra, Kolkata, Mumbai and Guwahati to Paro, Bhutan’s only international airport.

(Indian travellers can be offered special fares in Drukair if the airline is contacted through email.)

• By Rail

This is one of the cheapest ways to reach Bhutan from India. Hasimara is the nearest railway station to Jaigaon, an Indian town on Indo-Bhutan Border. It is situated at a distance of 17 km from Jaigaon. There are trains to Hasimara from Kolkata (690 km), Delhi (1663 km), Ranchi (749 km), and Kanpur (1197 km). Another station that offers decent connectivity is situated in New Jalpaiguri. The tickets and timetable are available on Indian Railway’s IRCTC Website. Though trains take longer but are relatively cost-efficient and are ideal for budget travellers.

(Our budgeted travel route was a train from Mumbai to Kolkata, followed by a train journey in the evening from Seldah to Hasimara and getting a local rickshaw via Jaigaon – Phuentsholing road route to Phuentsholing.)

• By Road

There are 3 points to cross the India-Bhutan Border viz Gelephu, Samdrup Jongkhar and Phuentsholing.

While Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar are connected to the Indian State of Assam, Phuentsholing is accessible from the nearby Indian state of West Bengal.

The most common way to enter Bhutan from India by road is from Jaigaon town in West Bengal. It is only 4.3 km from the border town of Bhutan, Phuentsholing. Private cabs are available between the two places. People getting down at Bagdogra (by flight) or New Jalpaiguri (by train) can also avail of cab services. The airport at Bagdogra has prepaid taxis as well.

Do we need Visa to enter Bhutan?

No! Visa is not required for Indian citizens. A passport or Voter ID is sufficient at the crossing points to get the entry permit.

Without the permit, you are not allowed to leave any crossing points.

You must also carry 3-4 passport-sized photos to fill out the permit form.

How to Get Tourist Permit in Bhutan?

The Immigration Office in Phuentsholing issues permits (for SAARC nations). A few documents need to be verified before the tourist permit is handed out. Those travellers flying directly to Paro can get their permits from Paro International Airport.

List of Documents:

• A duly filled form
• Copy of Voter’s ID or Passport
• An Itinerary on an A4 Sheet
• Booked Hotel’s Voucher (It is mandatory to show hotel booking confirmation of at least one hotel in Thimphu/Paro)
• Passport Size Photo
• An Undertaking Letter (In case you are travelling solo)

The ideal time to visit Bhutan

October to December is the ideal time to visit Bhutan as the air is clean and fresh with sunny skies. 

January and February are colder, but from then until April, the climate remains dry and pleasant.

Things to consider

• Travellers coming via flight can obtain the permit on all days through the Immigration Office at Paro International airport upon arrival.
• A prior hotel booking at all places proposed to stay in Bhutan is advisable for all Indian visitors, as the RGoB Immigration authorities could ask for it;
• Indian nationals coming to Bhutan via the road route must obtain an ‘Entry Permit’ based on a valid Travel Document from the Immigration Office of RGoB at Phuntsholing, located just ahead of the Indo -Bhutan border gate opposite Jaigaon, West Bengal, India.
• The Phuntsholing Regional Immigration Office remains typically open from 6 AM to 8 PM on all working days and remains closed on Saturdays / Sundays and other local holidays. Hence, you should check the date of arrival accordingly in case you are entering Bhutan via Jaigaon – Phuntsholing road route.
• Once the permit is issued, you can use the same to buy a local SIM card since none of the Indian Sim cards works once you cross the border.

As per the latest update, tourists from India need to pay 1200/day as part of the Sustainable development fee, which is applicable from 2020.

Where to Stay?

You may find many budgeted stay options online on booking.com, Makemytrip, Airbnb etc., starting from 2000-8000/day, depending on luxuries.

Since pre-book stay options are mandatory for permits, going to Bhutan and spot booking are not allowed.

Since tourism in Bhutan is flourishing, one can find hotel options on different budgets. The concept of homestay is also not new anymore in the country, as many people have opened their houses for tourists to provide an authentic experience to them. From Phuentsholing to the capital city, Thimphu, you can find hotels within your budget everywhere.

Here are a few things that you should know while booking hotels in Bhutan:

• An average hotel during the peak season can cost up to INR 2500, whereas the same hotel offers rooms at INR 1300-1500 during the offseason. There are also accommodations available on a shoestring budget (INR 400-500), but they will be pretty basic and may lack comfort amenities.
• Also, many budget travellers have complained about armies of mosquitoes and bugs attacking them at nighttime. So, if you plan to book hotels on-spot, make sure to see the room first.
• In case you are booking in advance, you should go for a hotel that ranges between INR 1000-1500 if at all you love your sleep.

Tip: *You need to verify whether the rooms have attached washrooms, as most places have a shared toilet in hotels/motels.

Which places are a must-visit in Bhutan?

There are three must places to visit in Bhutan: Thimphu, Punakha and Paro.

Additionally, if you have time and budget, you can include Phuentsholing and ha.

Listing down places to visit  along with timings and entry fees:

Thimphu

Thimphu, the country’s capital, is just what you need to understand why Bhutan is one of its kind. A drive of about 6 hours (by Bus) and 5 hrs (by Cab) from Phuentsholing brings you to a modern town that still has its ancient look intact. Yes, one can find the multi-storied buildings, some too high for the city, but most of them are done in traditional Bhutanese architectural style.

Top Places to Visit in Thimphu

• Tashichho Dzong

Opening Hours-

Monday to Friday: 9 AM–5 PM

Saturday: 9 AM–5 PM

Sunday: 9 AM–1 PM, 2–4:30 PM

Entry Fee- Nu 300 /person

• The National Memorial Chorten

Opening hours: 09:00 -17:00 hours

Entry fee-Nu 300/person

• National Folk Heritage Museum

Opening hours: The Museum is open seven days and week except for National Holidays.

Summer Timings (April to October): 9:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.

         Winter Timings (November to March): 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m

         Saturdays (winters): 10:15 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Entry fee: Nu 50/person

• Buddha Dordenma

Opening Hours- 24/7

Best time t visit- 07:00 am – 10:00 am

           No Entry fee

• Simply Bhutan

Opening Hours: 09:00 – 17:00 hours (The museum opens at 10 AM during the winter season and closes at 4 PM)

Entry Fee: Nu 300 (includes the costs of other things like drinks and different sector visits)

• Mothithang takin preserve

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00 to 16:00 hours

Entry fee-  Nu 100/person

Punakha

Punakha, located 85 km east of Thimphu, is a beautiful valley known for its Dzong/Fortress, situated at the confluence of two famous rivers of Bhutan, Mo and Pho. The gorgeous and majestic dzong of Punakha is historically significant. It was not only the centre/capital of Bhutan (between 1637 and 1907) but is also home to the sacred relic Rangjung Kharsapani. The valley and the dzong both are popular tourist places in Bhutan. The place has a lot of visitors (both locals and tourists) during the Punakha Tshechu and Drubchen.

Top Places to Visit in Punakha

• Punakha Dzong

Opening hours: 08:30 to 17:00 (in summers) and 11:00 to 17:00 (in winters)

Entry fee: Nu 300/person

• Dochula Pass

Opening hours: 6:00 to 17:00 hours all days of the week

No Entry fee

• Punakha Suspension bridge

Opening hours: Open 24/7

No Entry fee

Paro

Paro is a picturesque place that can make you fall in love with its first glimpse and has one of the widest valleys in Bhutan. Spanning from the confluence of the Paro and Wang rivers at Chuzom up to Mt. Jomolhari at the Tibetan border to the North, this heavenly place is where you can think of settling down. The main Paro town is nothing but a small, well-planned area with houses, hotels, shops and restaurants all in a perfect equation in the broadest part of the valley. At the same time, its main tourist attractions like the Rinpung Dzong, National Museum and the very popular Taktsang Monastery/Tiger’s Nest Monastery are nestled in the hills.

• Tigers Nest

Taktsang Lhakhang is Bhutan’s most iconic landmark and religious site. The name Taktsang translates to “The Tiger’s Nest”. This temple is one of the holiest sites in the kingdom and clings impossibly to a sheer cliff face 900 meters above the Paro Valley.

Duration required: It takes almost 2-3 hours to reach there, and you need to stay there for nearly an hour, so this trek would require 6-7 hours.

Entry fee: Nu 500 to enter the temple

• Rinpung Dzong Monastery

No entry fee

Opening hours: 09:00 to 17:00 hours

The speciality of Bhutan

Bhutan is famous for its delicious meal, Ema datshi, with red rice. It’s a spicy gravy accompanied by red rice. You can also try lip-smacking khur-le as part of their breakfast cuisine along with Suja (which is a Bhutanese butter-Yak milk tea)

How much does it cost?

The trip cost would vary depending on the time of the year you are visiting.

On Average, 25-30K for 4N/5D in Bhutan (Excluding the sustainable fee)

Get in touch with us if you wish to plan a trip mapped out by us.

About our experience

May 2018 is when we set out with a plan to have one International stamp on our passports with a budgeted approach, and that’s how we landed in Bhutan. Since we started our journey from Mumbai, we also got a day and a half to explore Kolkata. Boarding a train and reaching the border in a blink of an eye, finding ourselves on the other side of the road felt terrific.

Trust me; you can count the difference by appearance and how beautiful this country is. No traffic signal and a disciplined approach to crossing the road define punctuality in Bhutan.

People in Bhutan were friendly, and the weather kept changing throughout the day. Honestly, those five days were the best time we could even ask for or can even compare. From shoot mode to eating the spicy yet delicious food, hiking, walking and visiting peaceful and colourful monasteries is how we sum up our trip. 

If you want to know Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness or are keen to learn about the culture and diversity, you must add this place to your bucket list.

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