Bhutan Travel Guide

Getting to Bhutan

 

By Air:

The flight into Paro is one of the most spectacular in the world. Whether flying along the Himalayan range, or over the foothills from Kolkata, each flight is mesmerizing and offers an exciting descent into the kingdom.

Bhutan’s only national airline, Druk Air operates on the following route:

• Bangkok (Thailand)
• Delhi (India)
• Kolkata (India)
• Bagdogra (India)
• Gaya (India)
• Guwahati (India)
• Kathmandu (Nepal)
• Dhaka (Bangladesh)
• Changi (Singapore)

 

By Land:

• If you wish to travel overland, you can enter and exit Bhutan through its southern gateway of Phuentsholing into the Indian state of West Bengal. It is approximately a five hour drive from Thimphu. The nearest airport is at Bagdogra, located approximately four hours by road from Phuentsholing. This border point is an ideal junction for those wishing to combine their exploration of Bhutan with the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal.
• For those who would like to journey across Bhutan, there is an exit only border crossing at Sumdrup Jongkhar in southeast Bhutan to India. The closest airport is 110 km away in Guwahati. From here you a number of destinations you can fly on to including Delhi, Bombay, Kolkata and Bangkok. This is convenient for those flying into Paro in the west and touring across Bhutan without back tracking.

 

Visa/ Passport

Bhutanese embassies or consulates abroad do not issue tourist visa. The Druk Air Ticket cannot be purchased without first obtaining visa. Visa application at least eight weeks in advance  is advisable. The visitors are required valid passport and visa to enter Bhutan, except for Indian nationals. Travelers to Bhutan must have a visa approval prior to arriving in the Kingdom of Bhutan. Those who have not had a visa approval will not permitted to board their Druk Air Flight.

Adventure Blossom will process Bhutan visa after receiving the full tour payment and passport copy from the clients. Without full tour payment and passport copy Tourism Council of Bhutan will not allow us to process the visa. Once we obtain the visa, we will email a copy to you which you will have to print it out and have it with you when you actually embark on a trip to Bhutan.

However, your final visa will be endorsed and stamped on your passport at the port of entry to Bhutan, either Paro if entering by air or Phuntsholing and Samdrup Jongkhar by land. Currently, no foreign embassy’s or missions abroad issue Bhutan visas. Travel to Bhutan are permitted only through Government registered tour operators like Happy Trail Adventure.

All Bhutan-bound travelers are advised to check their passport validity which should not be less than 6 months from the date of travel. Druk Air will not be liable and will refuse check-in of those travelers whose passport does not meet the validity requirements.

 

Best Season/ Weather

Bhutan has four seasons in a year; winter from December until February, spring from March to May, summer from June to August and autumn from September until November. Though it is possible to visit Bhutan throughout the year, the best seasons to visit Bhutan are in spring and autumn. During these months of the year, Bhutan has not only favorable and pleasant climatic conditions but also has lot of on-going festivals and events within the country.

Spring and autumn are also the peak season amongst the tourist and unless the tour reservation is made 2 months before the departure date to Bhutan, it is usually very difficult to visit Bhutan within short notice of your reservations. This is because of limited seat capacity in Druk-Air, the only airline that flies in and out of Bhutan and constraint of accommodation facilities and other infrastructures within the country.