Bhutan Travel Guide
Getting to Bhutan
The two airlines that fly to Paro and where they fly from, the land crossings from India, and how you travel once you are in the country.
Most visitors arrive by air at Paro, in the west of the country, an hour's drive from the capital. A smaller number come by road from India.
By air
Two airlines fly to Bhutan: Drukair and Bhutan Airlines. Between them they link Paro with these cities:
- Thailand: Bangkok
- India: Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra, Bodh Gaya and Guwahati
- Nepal: Kathmandu
- Bangladesh: Dhaka
- Singapore
- United Arab Emirates: Dubai
Not every route is flown every day, and the timetable changes with the season, so check both airlines for your dates before you book a long-haul flight to meet them. We name no flight days or fares here, because they would soon be wrong.
Flights to Paro depend on the weather in the valley and are sometimes delayed. Do not plan a tight connection on the way out.
The Department of Tourism's questions page names Gelephu, in the south, as a second international airport. Its page for planning a visit names only Paro. Until that is settled, plan on Paro.
By road from India
There are four official crossings: Samtse and Phuentsholing in the west, Gelephu in the centre and Samdrup Jongkhar in the east. Anyone who enters by land and travels beyond the border town must be with a guide.
Some itineraries use a crossing at one end only. Our 14-day tour flies into Paro and leaves by road at Samdrup Jongkhar for the airport at Guwahati. For that you need an Indian visa that allows entry by land, obtained before you travel.
Arriving at Paro
On a trip with us, your guide and driver are waiting outside the arrivals hall. If you are travelling on your own, there is a taxi rank outside the airport; there is no public transport from it. The visitor information centre in the terminal sells SIM cards, and you can change money at the airport.
Getting around
Bhutan is travelled by road, with a driver. It is not possible to hire a car to drive yourself. The roads are paved and winding, and journeys take longer than the distance suggests.
| From | To | Distance | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paro | Thimphu | 54 km | About 1 hour |
| Thimphu | Punakha | 76 km | 2 to 3 hours |
| Punakha | Phobjikha | 75 km | About 2 hours |
| Punakha | Paro | 128 km | 3 to 3.5 hours |
| Phobjikha | Bumthang | 156 to 186 km | About 5 hours |
| Bumthang | Mongar | 198 km | 7 to 8 hours |
| Mongar | Trashigang | 90 km | 3 to 4 hours |
Domestic flights
There are domestic airports at Bumthang in the centre, Yonphula in the east and Gelephu in the south. The flight between Bumthang and Paro takes about 25 minutes and replaces a long day's drive.
Domestic flights are delayed or cancelled from time to time, mostly because of the weather, and the days on which they fly change with the season. The baggage allowance is 20 kg in economy.
Questions
How do I get to Bhutan?
Most visitors fly to Paro, the country's international airport. Two airlines serve it, Drukair and Bhutan Airlines, with direct flights from Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra, Bodh Gaya, Dhaka, Kathmandu, Guwahati, Dubai and Singapore. Schedules change with the season.
You can also enter by road from India at Phuentsholing, Samtse, Gelephu or Samdrup Jongkhar. See getting to Bhutan.
Can you book my flights to Paro?
Flights to Paro can be bought direct from Drukair and Bhutan Airlines, and we will tell you which flights fit your itinerary.
Are domestic flights in Bhutan reliable?
Domestic flights link Paro with Bumthang, Yonphula and Gelephu. The flight from Bumthang to Paro takes about 25 minutes and saves a long day on the road.
They depend on the weather in the mountains, and the days on which they fly change with the season. If a flight is cancelled, the journey is made by road instead.
Can I leave Bhutan by road?
Yes. There are land crossings to India at Phuentsholing, Samtse, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar. Our 14-day tour ends at Samdrup Jongkhar, from where it is a drive across Assam to the airport at Guwahati.
You need an Indian visa that allows entry by land, and you must have it before you travel.
Tell us how you like to travel
A few lines are enough: when, how long, and what draws you to Bhutan. We answer with a suggested route and what it would cost.
We reply ["within 24 hours"].