Located in the Himalayas between India and China, the Land of Monasteries, Bhutan, is a beautiful tourist destination that touches your heart and brings peace. The country is also called the “Land of the Thunder Dragon”, which comes from the official name of the country that translates to “Dragon Country”. Brimming with beautiful landscapes, stunning views, and impressive monasteries, Bhutan tours offer a unique experience to travelers. A trip to Bhutan will be an unforgettable experience for you and your loved ones. However, this requires proper planning and preparation. Here’s a complete travel guide to help you plan your trip to Bhutan. The guide covers all the essential information that you must know before visiting Bhutan.
Let us help you plan an unforgettable trip to Bhutan and explore this amazing country.
Your Bhutan Travel Guide
Bhutan is one of the most beautiful travel destinations near India. It serves as a wonderful holiday destination for Indians for their family and honeymoon trips. Bhutan tours offer plenty of things to connect with nature, spirituality, and culture. Planning a trip to Bhutan from India will be an exciting adventure for you. Our Bhutan travel guide provides essential information on planning your Bhutan trip with family, friends, and spouse. This ensures a smooth and memorable journey.
We will cover everything you need to know before visiting Bhutan, from travel documents to the list of the best places to visit in Bhutan. Traveling to the Land of Thunder Dragon from India is relatively straightforward, thanks to the proximity and well-established travel routes. Here’s a step-by-step guide to planning your Bhutan tour:
Best Time to Visit Bhutan
To make the most of the Bhutan tours, ensure you choose the right time to visit the country. Although it’s a year-round tourist destination in the world that looks beautiful in every season, the best time to visit Bhutan can significantly enhance your travel experience.
Spring Season (March to May)
The best time to visit Bhutan is the Spring Season from March to May. You will see Bhutan is a completely different Avatar during the season when the valleys and hillsides are covered with blooming flowers. The temperature ranges from 15°C to 25°C, making it a pleasant weather that is perfect for outdoor activities and sightseeing. Besides, spring is the time for the most vibrant festivals in the country. So, it is the best time to visit Bhutan for cultural experiences to enjoy mask dances, music, and other cultural performances.
Autumn (September to November)
With pleasant weather, Autumn is also a good season to visit Bhutan. With clear skies and good weather, you get excellent conditions to explore the beauty of Bhutan, especially enjoying outdoor activities, like trekking and hiking.
How to Reach Bhutan
When you plan a trip to Bhutan, it is important to consider the transport mode and route of your trip. Well, reaching Bhutan from India is not a fuss. There are different transportation modes available to reach Bhytan safely from India. You can opt for a Bhutan trip by road, by air, or by train.
How to Reach Bhutan by Road
By Bus
You get buses from Siliguri to reach to town of Jaigaon in West Bengal. This town shares a border with Phuentsholing town in Bhutan. From Kolkata, you get direct buses to Phuentsholing, which are operated by the Royal Bhutanese Government.
By Personal Vehicle
If you opt to go on a road trip to Bhutan by your personal vehicle, you will go through Jaigaon (West Bengal), which shares its border with Phuentsholing, in Bhutan. From Assam, seek entry from Gelephu in Bhutan, which is only 50 km away from Bongaigaon in Assam.
How to Reach Bhutan by Train
There are no direct railway routes from India to Bhutan. You will have to reach Siliguri, New Jalpaiguri, New Alipurduar, or Hasimara railway stations. From there, take a bus or hire a cab to enter Bhutan. If you want to make a convenient way to Bhutan by train from any part of India, then reach any of the mentioned Railway stations and finally make entry by road to Bhutan.
How to Reach Bhutan by Air
Bhutan has only one international airport, Paro International Airport. You get direct flights from major Indian cities, like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata, to Bhutan.
Bhutan Travel Guide for Indian Tourists
For Bhutan tours, Indian tourists need important travel documents, such as a valid Indian passport that must be valid for at least six months, or a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission of India.
Remember, being an Indian, you do not need a tourist visa for Bhutan. But you need entry permits to enter the country. The permit can be processed on arrival or arranged in advance by a local travel agent in Bhutan or your tour operator through whom you booked your Bhutan tour package.
Documents Required for Entry Permit:
Let’s see what documents you must submit as an Indian tourist for an entry permit:
Indian passport valid for 6 months
- Voter ID card
- Entry permit application form
- Passport-size photographs
- Hotel booking details
- Tour guide details
Processing Time and Validity of Entry Permit
The entry permit process takes a few hours. Please note that the Department of Immigration Offices in Bhutan remains closed on weekends. So, plan your trip accordingly to avoid delays. The duration will be only for 10-15 days. The permit can be extended, subject to approval by the Immigration authorities.
Route Permit
You should know the cities included in the entry permit. You will be allowed to visit Paro, Thimphu, and Phuntsholing districts. If you want to visit other places in Bhutan, apply for a Route Permit. The Route Permit can be obtained on arrival in Thimphu at the Immigration office.
Things to Remember
- While filling up the permit form, you will have to mention your designation. Just mentioning the government or private job will be sufficient.
- Try to visit the immigration office as early as possible, around 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM. This helps in escaping long queues, and also, you will reach Thimphu or Paro before evening.
- Make sure you have the photocopies of all the required documents.
- With this permit, you will be able to visit Paro, Thimphu, and Punakha. But if you want to explore Bumthang and other tourist places in Bhutan, you need a separate permit.
If you have booked your Bhutan tour package from a reliable travel company in India, you don’t need to worry about the permits, as your travel agent or representative will help you get the permit.
Currency Information
The current of Bhutan is Ngulturm. The value of 1 Ngulturm is equal to 1 Indian Rupee. And, the country widely uses the Indian currency notes, like 5,10,20,50, and 100. But the note of INR 500 is not valid in Bhutan. You don’t even need to exchange rupees because Indian rupees are widely accepted in Bhutan. However, if you want to use the local currency, you can exchange it at banks in Phuentsholing,
What to Pack for Your Bhutan Trip?
One of the most important things you must know to plan your trip to Bhutan is the essentials and accessories you must pack for Bhutan Tours. Well, the things you pack depend on the time of the year you are visiting the Dragon Country, the purpose of your visit, like a romantic trip, an adventure trip, a spiritual tour, etc. Here is a general list of essential things every tourist should pack for their Bhutan trip:
- When entering a worship place, like a temple, both men and women must carry a shawl and a jacket. So, do not forget to pack this.
- For varied temperatures and altitudes, packing a raincoat and umbrella is important. Carry a waterproof jacket along with a hat and gloves.
- When visiting Bhutan in the summer season, pack light clothes.
- For the winter season, pack woollen clothes and body warmers.
- Trekking shoes for hiking and trekking, and a pair of comfortable flat shoes.
- Keep your medicines with some other essentials, like motion sickness medicine, sunscreen, etc.
- Waterproof bags or plastics to pack dirty and wet clothes.
- Toiletries with cosmetics and insect repellent.
- Keep your electronic items handy, like a charger, flashlight, tripod, selfie stick, headphones, etc.
Top Things to Do and See in Bhutan
Bhutan tourism offers a plethora of things to see and do for a unique experience. Whether you are on a low-budget or a time-constrained trip to Bhutan, you get something special and unique to do during your trip.
On a normal tour to Bhutan, you get the permit to enter Thimphu, Paro, and Punakha. Along with this, you get to explore Phuentsholing. If you want to can plan your trip to Bhutan, exploring the other cities as well. But in general, tourists explore these four tourist destinations in Bhutan. So, let’ see what places and activities you must add to your Bhutan tour package that can be explored on a normal Bhutan tourist permit.
Phuentsholing
Phuentsholing is directly adjacent to the Indian town of Jaigaon in West Bengal. This is the border town of Bhutan. You will be entering Bhutan through Phuentsholing, which is indeed the reflection of the Dragon Country. It is a small yet beautiful town in Bhutan with a few attractions. You can explore the top attractions of Phuentsholing in just one day.
The major tourist attractions here are Karbandi Monastery, Zangtho Pelri Lhakhang, and Amo Chhu. In the evening, relish food in a good restaurant in Phuentsholing, where Bhutanese, Chinese, and Indian dishes are served.
Thimphu
The capital of the Land of the Thunder Dragon, Thimphu, is one of the best places to visit in Bhutan. The town is the perfect blend of culture and modernity. You will see how this city still has its ancient look intact. Almost all the multi-storied buildings are designed in the traditional Bhutanese architectural style.
The places you must visit in Thimphu are Kuensel Phodrang (Buddha Point), Trashichhoedzong/Tashichho Dzong, Simtokha Dzong, National Library, and the Institute for Zorig Chusum. Apart from the places to explore, Thimphu has many nightclubs and pubs that are best to experience the nightlife of Bhutan.
Punakha
Another top destination in Bhutan is Punakha, which is located at a convenient distance of 85 km from Thimphu. It is a beautiful valley that is famous for the Dzong, a fortress-monastery used for both religious and administrative functions. This fortress-monastery is situated on the confluence of two popular rivers of Bhutan, Mo and Pho. Punakha, with its natural beauty, attracts tourists from all around the world. It is a historically important town that was once the capital of Bhutan and also home to the sacred relic, Rangjung Kharsapani.
One of the top and interesting things to do in Punakha that will make your trip to Bhutan unforgettable is river rafting. Tourists enjoy river rafting in the Pho Chhu Valley, which covers a 16 km course. Apart from this, river rafting can be enjoyed in Mo Chu with a 10 km course.
Paro
A mesmerizing and the most picturesque place that you can see in Bhutan is Paro. It is one of the widest valleys in Bhutan, which is renowned for its natural beauty and charm. It is famous for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty. You will get to see the beautiful mountains, cliff-clinging monasteries, and the lush greenery that offer unique experiences. Most people even plan to settle down to this exotic destination because of its natural beauty that spans from the confluence of Par and Wang Rivers at Chuzom to the Tibetan border to the North at Mt. Jomolhari. While its main attraction is the widest valley, Rinpung Dzong, National Museum, and the Taktsang Monastery are the best places to visit in Paro.
Plan Your Trip to Bhutan from India: Conclusion
Bhutan tours offer a blend of rich culture, heritage, serenity, and warm hospitality. Planning a trip to Bhutan from India is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that allows you to be grateful to nature. And to make the most of your Bhutan trip, you must plan and prepare well, considering all the essential things. This travel guide includes detailed information on how to plan a trip to Bhutan. Yet if you need any further information, we are just a call away. You can even contact us for Bhutan tour packages that are designed to cater to all your needs. You will have a wonderful, happy, and unforgettable Bhutan trip with family.