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Bhutan Travel Gate

About bhutan travel gate.

Bhutan Travel Gate is one of the Bhutan tour operators & Bhutan Travel Agencies accredited by Department of Tourism, Royal Government of Bhutan and a member of Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators (ABTO). We have been in the Bhutan tourism and travel business for a long time and we are one of the most experienced Bhutanese tour companies.

 We specialize in tailor made program to suit the interest of every individual and of any group size. Our trips include from serious adventure to relaxing holidays. Our services are fully personalized and we foster to quality over quantity. Our hotels range from A category hotels to high end luxury hotels all around Bhutan as well conference .

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Bhutan Travel Experience with Bhutan Travel Gate

My Bhutan Travel Experience with  Bhutan Travel Gate  was just fantastic. To be brutally honest, I was quite apprehensive about the tour of Bhutan at first and had many questions put onto myself by myself! The indifferent place, the natives, the language barrier, the kind of available food and the environment of all sorts, the answers sure werent quite there for me. But everything kind of slowly started to change and fall into place for the better during the course of the tour.

The supporting staff, guide, driver and car were fabulous. I found that Bhutanese culture and tradition has been preserved and kept as it were for centuries. All those amazing things about this mythical land, very rightly proclaimed by the world as the Last Shangri La, the mythical Himalayan Utopia on earth today.

Bhutan  today is one of the top 10 diversity hotspots in the entire world. Its 70% of the land is under green vegetation as per the constitution of the country. The Buddha Dharma has been preserved and kept intact as Guru Rinpoche had preached and predicted way back in the 8th century at the Kurjey Lhakhang in Bumthang.

I found out that  Bhutanese food  which was intriguing my mind at the beginning to be extraordinarily good, and I assure it can actually compete very well with other southeastern and Chinese varieties or its familiar cousins. If you happen to be a jalapeno and cottage cheese lover, then you can safely say you are in ultimate paradise.

According to Mark Wiens, a world famous Bangkok based Travel and Food Blogger :  Bhutanese Food: 25 Best Dishes To Eat When Youre In Bhutan!  or why Vikas Khanna, an award-winning chef likes Thimphu :  5 reasons why Chef Vikas Khanna loves Thimphu . (Vikas Khanna is the owner of New Yorks Michelin star restaurant, Junoon). In other words the Bhutan Travel Gate guys were just as fantastic as they have always been to every client of theirs.

Table of Contents

Date: 14/Feb/2017: Phuntsholing to Thimphu.

After clearing immigration procedures at Phuentsholing (293 m) at the foohills, it took about 5 hrs to reach the capital city of Thimphu (2320 m), 179 km away up through hairpin winding roads onto an sprawling Thimphu valley with the Thimphu river flowing on one side of the valley. (I now hear it takes about 4 hrs these days because of the new shortened highway). So the vegetation and weather changed after every bend on the up.

Conifers replaced the deciduous trees. Semi alpine vegetation slowly began to appear instead of the subtropical ones and then the chill factor slowly began to arrive. The nose and the ears kind of sensed it with every climbing altitude.

The Thimphu valley spreads from north to south spread over an area of 26.1 km². The ride was indeed smooth in a car provided by them, a SUV with a very conversant guide , Sonam. Guide spoke excellent English and a superfine driver, Yeshe, who took driving to a very different level and I really did enjoy the drive up in the mountains. Having been born and raised in the High Mountains of Darjeeling in India myself, I of course didnt have any symptoms of High Altitude Sickness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq514ay7Ryg

Date: 15/Feb/2017: Thimphu to Paro.

After a good nights rest in cold Thimphu, we set out with Suraj Chhetri, owner of Bhutan Travel Gate, to Paro city (2280 m), 65 km away that takes 1.3 hrs. Thats actually driving by the river, reaching the confluence of the Paro and Thimphu rivers and then following the Paro river into the Paro valley that broadens along the ride. Just 5 km beyond the confluence is the monastery dedicated to Thang Thong Gyalpo, who used to build iron bridges in ancient times. He built 8 in Bhutan and the rest of the 108 bridges in Tibet. So its worth a visit.

Iron Bridge at Paro

Driving northwards the valley starts to broaden and lush rice fields can be seen with the river right in the middle of the valley. The Paro valley is also known as the rice bowl of Bhutan. Once reaching Paro city, we drive further north to the ramparts of Drugyel Dzong that is in ruins now. This was where the Bhutanese won several battles and the invading Tibetans were driven back to Tibet.

Returning back we went to the base of the Tigers Nest 900 m, above the valley and the climb that took about 2 hrs, which was indeed the experience of a lifetime. After that we went to the famous Rinpung Dzong, Ta Dzong and had a nice Bhutanese lunch in town.

Rimpung and Ta Dzong View

We then proceeded from near Bonday in Paro towards Chelela Pass (4000 m), 36 km uphill to Bhutans highest motorable Pass.The chill factor and the icy winds after you reach the high Chelela Pass make it so exciting. And then further down (about 26 km) to Haa valley (2670 m), where there are three similar hillocks right in the valley and the two famous lhakhangs, Lhakhang Karpo and Lhakhang Nagpo are very popular.

We then drive further southeast towards the confluence 96 km, and then back to Thimphu city (51.7 km) for the night.

Date: 16/Feb/2017: Paro to Punakha.

Next day up was the fabulous journey to Punakha valley (1242 m), 77 km away. On the way towards Punakha but still in the Thimphu valley, one can visit the Simtokha Dzong built to kill evil forces who tried to capture Thimphu in ancient times. Simtokha Dzong is one of the oldest in Bhutan. It was built in 1629 by  Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal .

Further up 30 km is Dochula Pass (3110 m), from where one can see almost the whole range of western Bhutan Himalayan peaks on a clear day. You could miss out on the scenes when its not sunny though.

Dochula Pass (3110m)

Further down on the other side of the Dochula Pass is The Royal Botanical Gardens (2100 to 3700m) at Lampelri (47km²) which has about 26 species of rhododendrons and a host of other Himalayan flora and fauna.

Still down the valley at Lobesa is Chimmi Lhakhang, on a small hilltop, The Temple of Fertility in memory of Lama Drukpa Kuenley, The Divine Madman.

Chimi Lhakhang-The Temple of Fertility

Punakha valley (1242m) is 24.7km up north along the valley. Its comparatively warmer than the rest of the valleys along with Wangduephodrang down south in the same valley and produces a lot of rice because of the right altitude and climate. Punakha was the capital of Bhutan till the 1955 when it was shifted to Thimphu. The Dzong sits at the confluence of two rivers, the male and the female rivers, Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu. Its a magnificent and large Dzong, the second largest. The actual meaning of Punakha Dzong is The Palace of Great Happiness and Bliss. The royal wedding of the present King was conducted at this Dzong.

Punakha-Dzong

We finally came back to Lobesa from Punakha and stayed at Hotel Lobesa for the night.

Date: 17/Feb/2017: Punakha to Phobjikha.

Next morning after breakfast we headed to Phobjikha valley (3000m), Wangduephodrang and Nobding on the way, 72.9km and 2hrs 20 min away, and checked in at Hotel Dewachen. The magnificent Gangtey monastery was fabulous and we were lucky enough to watch the Blacked Necked cranes (Grus nigricollis) singing and flying in flocks in the mornings and evenings.

Locals say the cranes circumambulate the Gangte Monastery that sits at the spur of the valley, three times when they come from the severe cold Tibetan Highlands come November into the cup shaped glacial valley of Phobjikha and do the same actual ritual when they go back home at the end of February. Over 300 of the estimated 500 cranes that migrate to Bhutan spend the winter at Phobjikha and the rest at Bomdeling in eastern Bhutan. We even went for a trip to Gogona valley that was just mesmerizing with yaks and sheep.

Phobjikha valley, Bhutan

Date: 18/Feb/2017: Phobjikha to Trongsa

Up next morning, after breakfast we headed towards Trongsa, 83.4 km, had lunch there and then proceeded to the valley of Bumthang. Having being a Bhutanese food lover, every meal was like heaven. Before reaching Trongsa we passed the Pelela Pass(3390 m) and descended down to Trongsa (2316 m).

The built of the Dzong is at such a strategic place, it used to be the gates for the east and west of Bhutan and capturing the fortress was simply impossible in those times. When you are in Trongsa and Bumthang you seem to feel the pulse of the nation… its the spiritual heartland of the nation. When in Central Bhutan you seem to get a fair idea of the true essence of Bhutan as a thriving nation.

The strategic Trongsa Dzong

We continue from Trongsa(2316 m) to Bumthang(2800 m), 79.1 km passing Yotongla Pass (3425 m), Domkhar Palace, Chhumey, Kikila Pass (2950 m) and the finally to Bumthang and checked in at the Swiss Resort. Next morning we visited the massive Jakar Dzong Castle of the White Bird, Jambay Lhakhang, built in 659 AD and has an exquisite image of Maitreya Buddha and Kurje Lhakhang built around a rock where Guru Rinpoche meditated in the 8th century and has his foot-marks still in place. Kur means body and jey means print.

We also saw the ruins of Sindhu Rajas Palace (8th century) which is still maintained. The Buddha Dharma actually started to be preached by Guru Rinnpoche, which then practiced the Bon religion. It then spread to the whole country later on. Bumthang proper has a domestic airport but is a very windy place specially in the afternoons. You get various types of good yak cheese here, the wheels, the blocks, the cones and the small round ones, etc. We were dead beat at the fag end of the day so we had to call it a day.

Jambay Lhakhang (659 AD)

Kurjey Lhakhang (8th century)

A part of the massive Jakar Dzong, the Castle of the White Bird

A part of Sindhu Rajas Old Iron Palace today

Date: 19/Feb/2017: Trongsa to Bumthang.

After a good nights rest, we actually slept like logs, we set out to Ura valley (3000 m) after crossing another pass, the SheytangLa Pass (3596 m) and then descended down to Ura valley below, 49 km from Bumthang proper. Ura village is a cluster of about 40 houses with cobblestone pathways and the Ura Monastery right in the middle. Ura Monastery dominates the town, giving it a medieval atmosphere. In cold weather Ura women wear sheepskin shawl that serves as both a blanket and a cushion.

The world famous Yathra and Mathra garments made of yak hair and sheep wool are indeed woven in the Bumthang valleys. Bumthang actually consists of the four valleys of Bumthang proper (Choekor), Chummey, Ura and Tang.

Ura Village with the Monastery in the middle

Rice cannot be cultivated here because of the high altitude. Potatoes, turnips, millet and buckwheat are largely grown in these regions. The regional cuisine of Bumthang is buckwheat pancakes called Khooli and buckwheat noodles Puta. Another specialty is chugo, the hardened cheese cubes made from yak milk. The town is famous for the Matsutake Mushroom Festival that is organized every August. The festival celebrates the mushroom season every year.

Returning back from Ura and taking a detour north 10km before reaching Bumthang. we visit the Membar Tsho Burning Lake, and then the magnificent Tang valley (3100 m) 17 km further northeast. The valley is so serene with a crystal white river and is very thinly populated. By evening we were back at Bumthang valley proper and called it a day.

Date: 20/Feb/2017: Bumthang Local Sightseeing.

Next morning after a quick breakfast, we leave Bumthang back to Trongsa, 79.1 km away. After reaching Trongsa and lunch, we head to the old Kuenga Rabten Palace 20 km south. We then headed back to Trongsa and checked in at the Yangkhil resort. We had an Indian dinner for a change.

Date: 21/Feb/2017: Bumthang to Thimphu.

Early next morning after breakfast, we head back to Thimphu City 191.5 km away. We had a Bhutanese lunch at a fantastic restaurant at Lobesa, 131.3 km away which took 4 hrs and then came back to Thimphu City feeling completely exhausted and hit the bed immediately to wake up for dinner later.

Date: 22/Feb/2017: Rest Day.

Date: 23/feb/2017: thimphu sightseeing..

Thimphu City sightseeing for the entire day.  https://youtu.be/yq514ay7Ryg

The major draws are Trashichhoe Dzong, National Memorial Chorten, Buddha Dordenma Statue, National Library, Changangkha Temple, Takin Preserve, The Bustling Clock Tower Square, National Textile Museum, Folk Heritage School, Indigenous Paper Factory, View Point near BBS Tower, Crafts Bazaar, Centenary Farmers Market, Cheri and Tango Monasteries up north in the valley.

Cheri Monastery at Thimphu

Date: 24/Feb/2017: Depart from Paro.

My Bhutan travel plan ended back from Paro Airport and then to Delhi by Druk Air. Fairly and truly satisfied with the services of Bhutan Travel Gate for my expedition and having truly understood the country, its culture and tradition and the people on my excursion to Bhutan. I really feel like a different person altogether. Bhutan Travel Gates services and their endeavor was just exceptional and excellent. Their top of the draw efforts for providing their best services, the wonderful guides and drivers, the powerful cars needed at such elevations and roads and on top of it, a fantastic and wonderful owner, Suraj Chhetri, who believes his life is tourism.

I am a really satisfied man now and hope to come back to Bhutan soon for trekking!! And I really do want to recommend this company to the spirited traveler in you. Travel to Bhutan with  Bhutan Travel Gate  and make your Bhutan Tour a wonderful takeaway experience back home.

pravinnepal

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Truly Bhutan Travel

Bhutan Gate

Tourists while visiting the southern border town, Phuentsholing are greeted by the sight of the magnificent Bhutan Gate which marks the start of the Bhutanese region. The majestic Bhutan Gate with its fascinating style and unique dragon craving depict the influence of Bhutanese culture in modern architecture. It is also deemed as one of the most pictorial and photographed sites of Phuentsholing.

If visitors have a few minutes to spare they can even take a stroll around the backstreet market of Phuentsholing for some fresh authentic Bhutanese cuisine .

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Other Nearby Attractions

Pagar Goemba

 Pagar Goemba was initially established in 1707 by Geshe Kuenga Gyeltshen. It is located about an hour’s walk uphill from Pagar village

Amo Chhu Crocodile breeding centre is located at a distance of 10 min from the bus terminal of Phuentsholing along the bank of river Amo Chuu

Zangto Pelri Lhakhang

Bhutan, the scenically blessed kingdom has allured travelers from around the globe with its grandiose vista of mountainous valleys

Karbandi Monastery

Perched at an elevation of 400mt, at a distance of 1km from Bhutan Gate is the Karbandi Monastery of Phuentsholing.

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About bhutan travel gate.

Bhutan Travel Gate is one of the Bhutan tour operators & Bhutan Travel Agencies accredited by Tourism Council of Bhutan, Royal Government of Bhutan and a member of Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators (ABTO). We have been in the Bhutan tourism and travel business for a long time and we are one of the most experienced Bhutanese tour companies. We specialize in tailor made program to suit the interest of every individual and of any group size. Our trips include from serious adventure to relaxing holidays. Our services are fully personalized and we foster to quality over quantity. Our hotels range from A category hotels to high end luxury hotels all around Bhutan

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India to Bhutan by Road, Flight & Train : How to Reach Bhutan from India

How to reach bhutan from india by flight, train & bus, india to bhutan border - 3 ways to enter bhutan.

1. Kolkata to Bhutan  - Flight, Train or Bus

2. From Bagdogra  or Siliguri to Bhutan - Bus or Taxi

3. From Phuentsholing to Thimphu - Bus or Taxi

Do Indian's Need a Visa to Enter Bhutan?

Read more on visa policy to enter bhutan.

Travel Tips

• The Bhutanese currency is the Ngultrum (Nu.) It is of the same valuation as the Indian rupee. Incidentally, the Indian rupee is accepted as legal tender in the country.
• Most hotels and handicraft stores in the country offer the option of paying by credit card.
• If you're not sure what to buy when in the Kingdom of Bhutan, here are a few recommendations:
• Favourite handicraft items include hand-woven textiles of raw silk, carved masks, woven baskets of cane and bamboo, wooden bowls otherwise known as Dapas, handmade paper products, metal crafts, and so on. You can also get a beautiful Thangkha painting or some vibrant postage stamps.
• Bhutan is a mountainous country, and if you're travelling through the winding roads, motion sickness can become a significant concern. Do make sure that you carry appropriate medicines if you're prone to motion sickness.
• If you're not entirely sure of your Bhutan itinerary yet, do check out the link below to find out the highlights.

This post was published by Alma Rosina

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A Bhutan travel guide – all the information you need to visit the land of happiness

We just finished a 7 days Bhutan trip from India . And I can’t wait to share all the information with you guys on how to visit Bhutan, Bhutan travel from India, Bhutan travel packages, Bhutan travel cost and  post covid travel guidelines for Bhutan along with all the other general information needed to visit Bhutan. Before getting started, let me tell you that Bhutan is located in the Himalayas. It is an extremely beautiful country, very less populated and naturally blessed with unparalleled beauty of the Himalayas.

People from all over the world visit Bhutan. But, Indian tourists form a major chunk of Tourists visiting Bhutan. Since, it is a neighbouring country of India. And it is very easy to visit Bhutan from India. So, without further ado, let us get started with our Bhutan travel guide.

Table of Contents

How to reach Bhutan

Bhutan is a landlocked country. And hence it can only be reached by land or by air. Below is the details of these two ways of reaching Bhutan.

Reaching Bhutan by road

The nearest airport to Bhutan in India is Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal. Indians usually take a road trip to Bhutan from Bagdogara. We also did the same. From Bagdogra you can take a taxi or a shared cab or a bus to the border of Bhutan.

Earlier, before the covid lockdown, Indian vehicles could enter into Bhutan with a road permit. But now, there is an additional charge per day levied on Indian vehicles entering Bhutan. Which is INR 4500/- per vehicle per day for four wheelers entering Bhutan from India, for the duration of their stay in Bhutan at the time of this writing . Do verify the latest charges if you are planning to drive to Bhutan. Also, charges are different for 2 wheelers and heavy vehicles. 

So, most of the Indian vehicles now drop tourists on the border town Jaigaon, right before entering into Bhutan. And from there, a Bhutanese vehicle picks the tourists up and takes them to Bhutan.

To reach from Bagdogra to Jaigaon by road takes around 4 hours to 5 hours.

So, if you are going to Bhutan through this route, try to start early in the morning. Take an early morning flight so that you reach Bagdogra by noon. And you comfortably cover the distance from Bagdogra to Jaigaon by evening. We did the same.

Obtaining the entry permit and entering into Bhutan by road

From Jaigaon , one can cross the India Bhutan Gate and complete the immigration formalities before proceeding further into Bhutan.

At the border of India and Bhutan, right besides the gate, there is an immigration office. You enter the office building from India, complete the formalities to obtain the permit. And when you exit from the building, you find yourself in Bhutan.

In the meanwhile, your luggage will be loaded in the Bhutanese vehicle that you would have booked for the tour. And the vehicle will cross the road and wait for you on the Bhutan side.

I have written this separate post on what all documents are required for Indians visiting Bhutan. And the whole process of obtaining the permit , explaining it clearly. Since, some rules around tour packages for Bhutan from India have changed post covid, do read that post to understand the whole scenario.

Note: When going from Bagdogra and returning, it’s good to book a local Indian cab till Jaigaon . And a Bhutan cab for the complete round trip of Bhutan from the border. When you return, the Bhutan vehicle will again drop you at Jaigaon. And from there you can hire an Indian vehicle for your onwards journey in India, ex., for Bagdogara airport. 

Reaching Bhutan by train

There is no rail network in Bhutan! Being a Himalayan country, it’s very difficult to lay and maintain rail network here. Hence, Bhutan has not invested into one. The nearest railway station is Hasimara in India. You can reach here via a train from Siliguri and some other major stations of India. But from Hasimara, you will have to hire a cab from here to Jaigaon and continue onwards accordingly. Siliguri on the other hand is a major train station in India, which is well connected from rest of India. So, you will get a train easily upto Siliguri town and from there you can take a cab to Jaigaon.

Reaching Bhutan by air

The only international airport in Bhutan is Paro International Airport . It is a very small airport, with a very small runway. And very limited flights operate here. From India, there are a few flights operating from Delhi. And then other flights are there connecting Bhutan to rest of the world. But a flight to Paro is often very costly. Having said that, if you decide to fly into Paro, you will be completing your arrival formalities and permit documentations at the Paro International Airport.

For Indians, another option to enter Bhutan by air (along with a 4-5 hrs road trip) is through Bagdogara airport in West Bengal. It is a small defence airport that has opened up to commercial flights as well. And there are flights to Bagdogara available from rest of the major airports in India including Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai. So, you can fly into Bagdogara and then take a taxi or cab to Jaigaon – the bordering town. As explained above in the section “Reaching Bhutan by Road”.

What are the documents required for visiting Bhutan

The residents of India, Maldives and Bangladesh don’t require any visa to enter Bhutan. Others need to apply for a visa. I am not aware of the visa application process. As being an Indian, I just required a permit to enter Bhutan. The permit stamp is done on the passport. And the following documents are required to visit Bhutan from India, Maldives or Bangladesh :

• A passport valid for at least next 6 months
• Government ID proof – voter Id card or Aadhar Card
• In case of minor, if they don’t have passport then Birth Certificate is required

Our agent also asked us to carry 4 passport size color photographs each, but they were not asked for anywhere. I have detailed out this complete process of obtaining the Bhutan travel permit from India.

Where to stay in Bhutan

If you are traveling by road, the first night of your stay in Bhutan, you will be staying in Jaigaon as you will reach here by evening most likely. Jaigaon is the town on the Indian side, on India – Bhutan border. We stayed at hotel Sheetal Residency in jaigaon, just 200 meters from the India – Bhutan gate. Basic rooms and in house restaurant. But it’s location was excellent. And a lot of shops nearby where you can find everything from food to umbrella to medicines – whatever you may need for your onwards journey.

You can also book Hotel Satyam , which is another decent option to stay in Jaigaon.

The next few nights you will most likely stay in Thimphu or Paro. Both these cities have multiple stay options from economical to mid-range to 5 star luxury resorts. If you are buying a package, you can ask your agent to book a hotel as per your preferred star category.

In Thimphu we stayed in Bhutan Boutique Hotel. It was a 3 star hotel located in the center of the town. And had all the required facilities. If you are looking for a slice of luxury in Bhutan, go for Taj Tashi hotel . It is a 5 star luxury hotel located in a heritage building. Here’s a complete list of hotels in Thimphu for you to browse through.

While in Paro we stayed at Zhideychen Resort .  Again, a comfortable 3 star hotel stay. Here’s a list of hotels in Paro .

If you are also planning to stay a few nights at Punakha like we did, then there are plenty of things to do and places to see in Punakha as well. But, I will highly recommend the hotel I stayed in Zhingkham Resort Punakha . This hotel is located further from the main town, uphill. From the room and the balconies one gets an excellent view of the whole Punakha valley from here. Look at the picture below to understand what I am talking about.

What are the general travel guideline changes for travel to Bhutan post covid

The travel guidelines to visit Bhutan have changed a little post covid. When Bhutan reopened it’s border to tourists in September 2022. I have tried to capture the changed guidelines in my Bhutan travel guide as per my experience.

• Taking a guide is a must for Indians as well as foreign nationals visiting Bhutan. The guide will accompany you where ever you visit in Bhutan. Earlier it was not a mandate, barring at some sightseeing places like forts and temples.
• Indians visiting Bhutan have to pay a SDF (Standard Development Fee) of INR 1200 per day per person (for everyone above 5 years of age). Earlier this was not the case. While Foreign Nationals have to pay US Dollars 160 per person per day at the time of this writing.
• Four Wheeler Vehicles from India entering Bhutan have to pay a fee of INR 4500 per day per vehicle for the duration they will be in Bhutan.
• The entrance fee to most of the sites have been hiked post the lockdown has opened. Most of the places it is Nu 500 per adult and Nu 250 per child elder than 5 years. Entry is free for children below 5 years of age.

What is the best time of the year to visit Bhutan

As per our Bhutan travel guide, Bhutan is almost an year round destination, barring the monsoon months when heavy rains cause frequent landslide in the area. However, the months of April and May are considered the peak season in Bhutan. It is spring season then. And the country comes alive with fresh greenery and blooming flowers at this time of the year. But, to experience the beauty of Bhutan in winter, when it gets covered in snow, one can visit from December through February. January is the coldest month in Bhutan. It snows and the temperature drops to sub zero at places. But this is also an off season due to the harsh weather, which means you get much better deals at much lower prices. The months of October and March form shoulder seasons.

When we visited Bhutan in April first week, Thimphu and Paro were still quiet chilly in the evening and morning hours. While Punakha was quiet warm in the day and pleasant in the evenings.

If you want to coincide your visit with one of the festivals of Bhutan, then you can visit as per the below festival timings. However,  our Bhutan travel guide suggests that do check the exact dates of the festival in the year you are traveling, for, they follow the lunar calendar. And hence, not fall on the same date of English Calendar every year.

Festivals of Bhutan

• Thimphu Tshechu festival which is also the National Festival of Bhutan is held on 10th day of 8th month of lunar calendar. In the year 2023, this festival will be celebrated from 24th to 26th September.
• Jambay Lhakhang Drup is celebrated in October – November. It is a fierce festival of energetic celebrations including dances, mask performances, fire performances etc.
• Wangdue Phodrang Tsechu is also celebrated in the Wangdue Phodrang region in October – November time period
• Punakha Drubchen is a festival celebrated in Punakha in February or March. It recreates the memories of the war with Tibet and celebrates Bhutan’s victory over Tibet through performances commemorating the same.
• Paro Tshechu Festival is celebrated in March or April. We just missed it by a day 🙁 when we reached Paro, it was the last day of the festival. Near the city center, huge fare is held, People dance, eat, shop, rejoice, re-inact scenes from legendary tales and enjoy themselves to the full. Even on the last evening of the festival, there was so much crowd and the whole atmosphere was so charged up.
• Haa summer festival is celebrated in the month of July, wherein the nomads of Haa Valley celebrate their lives. And the tourists also get a chance to mingle with the locals and celebrate.

What currency works in Bhutan

One Indian Rupees = One Bhutanese Ngultrum (Nu)

Indian currency is widely accepted in Bhutan. US Dollars are also accepted. Particularly, if you go shopping expensive items like gold, then US Dollars are preferred. And cash is accepted everywhere. We didn’t pay through card or any other means anywhere but only cash. So, just to be on safer side, we converted around 15k INR to Nu in Jaigaon. Also, the same agent who arranged our whole travel helped us with currency exchange as well. However, at times, it can be a problem to use very high value Indian notes in Bhutan. Like INR 500 and INR 2000 notes are not that well accepted everywhere. So, if you plan to do with Indian currency in Bhutan, then carry smaller denominations of notes with you.

What kind of mobile and internet connectivity works in Bhutan

• Wifi was available in all the hotels that we stayed in Bhutan. Although the speed was not very great at ours though.
• My husband who uses Airtel, got his international roaming enabled for Bhutan. At the time of this writing, Airtel had a package of INR 3000/- for 10 days.
• I took a local tourist sim with one week validity for INR 330/- which had a mobile data of 1.5 GB and some talk time (Which I forgot, how much it was because I hardly used it). From a shop in Phuentsholing, the border town on Bhutan side, right after crossing the gates. And the documents required to obtain this sim were my passport copy and the Bhutan travel permit copy.

Overall, our Bhutan travel guide suggests that you enable the international roaming in at least one phone when you are traveling with family or in a group. And when traveling solo, you should definitely enable it. Because if for some reason you will need to do some transactions where a message through your simcard is expected, you can do that only when you have enabled international roaming.

For us, we had to alter our travel plans and change the dates of our airline tickets for some reason, which needed some digital payment. Which in turn needed OTP on one of our phones. Since, Abhishek had international roaming enabled, we were able to do the same without any hassles.

What to pack for a trip to Bhutan

Actually what to pack for Bhutan depends on which time of the year you are traveling to Bhutan. As per our Bhutan travel guide, really heavy winter wear is required if you are traveling in the months of December, January and February. In these months you should carry good boots which can help you travel on snow, heavy winter jackets, layers of woollen cloths, caps, gloves, etc. When we traveled in the first week of April, these are the basic things we carried with us –

• 2 sweaters (woollen) each for kids
• 1 moderate jacket each for all of us
• 1 heavy jacket for kids – just in case it got suddenly cold
• 2 full sleeve t-shirts for everyone
• 2 half sleeve t-shirts for everyone
• 4 pairs of socks, 5 pairs of undergarments for everyone
• 1 woollen cap for everyone
• full cover bottom wear and full sleeve nightwear
• umbrella (as it may occasionally rain in these months)
• Trekking / hiking shoes
• Medicines, particularly for altitude sickness and motion sickness
• Some snacks and munchies that the kids like – just to satisfy their taste, Otherwise you have plenty of options in Bhutan.

If you are wondering how to pack light for your Bhutan travel, you can check these travel packing tips and tricks that we swear by. And if you want to know what all special things we carry to make our travel with our kids easier, checkout this post .

What is the language spoken in Bhutan

Bhutanese, English and Hindi are widely spoken in Bhutan. Most of the people understand Hindi well, and are able to converse in Hindi. While the travel guides in Bhutan receive training in different languages like Chinese, Spanish, French etc. while doing their certification for becoming a guide. So, if you don’t understand Hindi, English or Bhutanese then you can always ask your travel agent to provide you with a guide who knows the language you understand. Both our driver and our guide were very well versed in English as well as Hindi. So, it was a breeze to communicate while in Bhutan.

What kind of food is available in Bhutan

Some of the main cuisines of Bhutan that you will get in most of the restaurants include Ema Datshi, Shakam Paa, Jasha Maru, Puta, Suja, Goen Hogey, Dumplings and Shakam Datshi . I will soon dedicate a separate post on the cuisines available in Bhutan. In short, most of the Bhutanese dishes are bland, healthy and good for the mountain climate. I found very less junk food options in Bhutan.

While Indian and Indo-Chinese food is also abundant. We could get basic Indian food like Roti, Dal, Rice, Curries, Paneer Dishes. And Ind- Chinese dishes like chowmine, noodles, momo etc. almost everywhere. Some high end restaurants and resorts also have continental options like boiled veggies, roasted non vegetarian food, oats porridge etc. Bread and butter, puri – sabji, eggs and omelette are abundant as breakfast options.

Most of the hotels that we stayed in had limited but decent spread for breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, do note that the food availability window in Bhutan is short for every meal. For instance, breakfast may be available only from 7:30am to 9:00am.

What are the places to visit in Bhutan

As per our Bhutan travel guide, the three most popular places to visit in Bhutan are Thimphu, Paro and Punakha. Apart from these, there are many other valleys like the Haa Valley and many trekking trails that you can visit in Bhutan. As per our driver and guide, you need 15-20 days to explore Bhutan completely. However, most of the visitors limit themselves to Paro, Thimphu and Punakha.

In Phuentsholing, you can visit a few places like a zoo, Karbandi Monastery and crocodile breeding center.

There are many local places to see in Thimphu that include the Thimphu Dzong ( fort also called Tashichho Dzong) , Buddha Dordenma or the Buddha Point , Memorial Chorten, the oldest temple of Bhutan, Simply Bhutan experiencial museum, Bhutan Folk Heritage Museum, Art Museum, Takin Preserve (Takin is the national animal of Bhutan) etc.

While in Paro, the most popular site is the Tigers Nest Monastery that everyone wants to have on their itinerary. Apart from this, one can visit the Paro Weekend Market , Zuri Dzong Fort , Rinpung Dzong monastery , Drukgyel Dzong Monastery and many other scenic view points.

Visiting The Punakha Dzong and Punakha Fertility temple of Punakha are two most important things to do in Punakha . While visitors also enjoy river rafting in Punakha , a trip on the Punakha Suspension Bridge and visiting other nearby valleys from Punakha as a day trip. Some of these valleys are Haa Valley and Bumthang Valley .

What does a typical Bhutan travel itinerary look like

Most of the travel agents provide a Bhutan travel package of 5 nights 6 days. Wherein you spend the first night at Jaigaon. And then 2 nights each in Thimphu and Paro. But, I asked my agent to add one more day to my package to make it more relaxing. He made it a 6 nights 7 days package tour to Bhutan. And what I found was that I still made a mistake. A Bhutan travel package of 6 nights and 7 days might suit you if you are a group of adults interested to see only the highlights of Bhutan. Anything you want to explore beyond the towns of Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, you need more days in your itinerary. Also, if you are traveling to Bhutan with kids , you must make a plan of minimum 10 days.

I have explained more about it in details in this detailed post : 7 days Bhutan trip itinerary from India with kids .  As the roads in Bhutan are more winding than some other Himalayan destinations that we have visited like Shimla and Manali or Palampur . And kids will need enough rest in between.

Shopping in Bhutan as per our Bhutan travel guide

As per my Bhutan travel guide, you can shop for handicrafts, Buddha Idols, musical bowls etc. in Bhutan. Then there are traditional paintings, but I found them to be very expensive. And cloths also are expensive. Having said that, you can buy small souvenirs from handicraft shops near the Thimphu Handicraft Museum. Or, from the local market in Paro. Compared to the kind of shopping I have done in Rajasthan in India or what one can do in Dubai , or similar such top shopping destinations , I found Bhutan had limited offerings. As such, we only bought a couple of refrigerator magnets from our trip to Bhutan.

General tips on visiting Bhutan as per our Bhutan travel guide

• Carry an umbrella with you when visiting in summer and spring months, as it rains all of a sudden in Bhutan
• You must wear good trekking shoes, particularly for trekking to Tiger’s Nest . As, it is a moderate trek and general walking shoes might not suffice.
• Use packaged water bottle while in Bhutan.
• Dispose of the waste properly in designated waste bins, There is heavy fine for littering in Bhutan.
• Our Bhutan travel guide says that it is a must to carry motion sickness medicines for winding Himalayan roads
• Take enough stops when traveling between places to further combat motion sickness
• Keep your passport and permits with you all the time. There are designated check posts where these documents will be checked as you travel through Bhutan.
• If you are traveling with your kids, make sure to carry all their general medication with you as you will not get the same brand in Bhutan. (Happened with us)
• Most of the shops close early in Bhutan., around 9:00pm
• Tipping the hotel staff, guide or driver is not a norm in Bhutan but it is a good gesture.

PS: Some of our links are affiliated, this means we will earn a commission when you buy a service or product by clicking those links. However, this will have no extra cost for you.

15 thoughts on “A Bhutan travel guide – all the information you need to visit the land of happiness”

You have provided a thorough Bhutan travel guide, blending personal experiences with practical tips. From visa information to cultural insights, it equips travelers with essential knowledge for a seamless journey. Engaging narratives and detailed itineraries make it a valuable resource for anyone planning to explore the Land of the Thunder Dragon.

I’m thoroughly impressed by your blog on Bhutan! Your vivid descriptions have transported me to this Himalayan paradise, and I can almost feel the tranquility emanating from the famous temples in Bhutan that you’ve written about. Your love for Bhutan shines through in every paragraph. Fantastic work!

Bhutan allure lies not only in its stunning landscapes but also in its commitment to preserving its cultural heritage and embracing sustainable tourism practices. For travelers seeking a meaningful and enriching vacation experience.

Very descriptive guide about Bhutan, enjoyed the reading.

Thank you Ankita!!

Hi did you have the name of your guide?

Hello, I appreciate the information regarding your trip to Bhutan. Using a Makemytrip tour package, I intend to travel to Bhutan in December 2023 from Bagdora. suggest me do you have any inputs to travel in December month.

Hi Nagaraj. December will be colder so plz pack enough woollen. Apart from that, since you are going with a package tour from Makemytrip, rest everything will be smooth

Hi, I would like to visit Bhutan in Mar 2024 can you please give some references for Bhutan travel guide.Regards, Sonali

Hi Sonali, We booked our tour through Rudra Narayan who helps arrange trips to Bhutan, Sikkim and Darjeeling area. His contact number is : 7063570832

Hi, I would like to visit Bhutan Mar 2024 can you please give me some references of travel guide whom I can contact and ask for their services.

I want to travel to Bhutan on my Two wheeler, what are the charges per day for a two wheeler if I wish to enter Bbutan from India?

It is the same for two wheeler as well. INR 4500 per day per vehicle.

Can u please share the contact details of your tour guide. I plan to visit bhutan this month.

Sure, will share shortly

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