Essential Bhutan Info For The Guide-Less Indian Traveler

When I was recently planning a trip to Bhutan I searched the IndiaMike & Lonenly Planet forums for information on Bhutan but was disappointed. There was genuine lack of information on Bhutan especially for Indian travelers and most of the information seemed to be only about Thimphu & Paro. Nothing much about Central & Eastern Bhutan.

I also started a thread asking for information and received just a single reply. So I've decided to post my trip experience along with various expenses so that a future guide-less Indian traveler will be better equipped with information before starting his/her trip.


Getting There
------------------
I opted for the land route to enter Bhutan (through Phuntsholing). I took a Mumbai - Bagdogra flight. From Bagdogra I hired a pre-paid taxi to New Jalpaiguri (Cost Rs 400, Time taken - 40 mins). You can also get a prepaid taxi from Bagdogra to Jaigaon (Bhutan border). It will cost you Rs 1900.

I was under the assumption that there would be shared taxis from NJP to Jaigaon. That's what I read on various sites. My assumption was wrong.

The road from NJP to Jaigaon is said to be in a very bad condition and my cab driver hadn't heard about any shared taxis to Jaigaon. Most people take the train option to go to Jaigaon. A fellow traveler who I later met in Bhutan and who was on his second trip said that there never had been any shared taxis to Jaigaon. I don't know how much of this is true. Anyway the road option would take a longer time than a train. If you want to book an entire cab it would be cheaper to get a prepaid one directly from Bagdogra.

From NJP I purchased a ticket to Hasimara (Cost Rs 42). You need to get on a train going towards Alipurduar. Most of the locals there were clueless as to which train goes to Hasimara. Eventually after some asking I found out that there's an Inter-City train which starts from NJP itself which would stop at Hasimara. I got on the 5.30 PM train which reached Hasimara at 8.30 PM.

From Hasimara there are a few options to reach Jaigaon. A shared-taxi would cost Rs 50, a shared-auto Rs 20. You can also get an entire taxi for Rs 300 - 400. Jaigaon is only a short distance from Hasimara.


Phuntsholing
------------------
I reached the Phuntsholing gate after 10 PM Bhutan time. The security guards at the gate examined my Passport before letting me in. I had some trouble finding a hotel. In Bhutan it's a rule to close all establishments by 10 PM (In some places like Bumthang it's 9 PM). I then found out how helpful the Bhutanese can be as a local guy helped me locate a hotel. Room cost Rs 550. There was even a slight problem having my dinner as the room boy had to get it from another hotel.

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Phuntsholing Gate)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Phuntsholing)


Getting the Permit
-----------------------
Try to reach the Immigration office by 9 AM as it gets crowded after 10.30 - 11 AM as the Indian contract workers also come to apply for their permits. It's a big red building right next to the petrol pump.

Usually your permit should be processed within 2 hrs but if you're a single traveler (like me) get ready for a longer time and a few questions.

I was the first one to arrive, submitted my application and went to have a breakfast confident that I would have an early start for Thimphu as I wanted to arrive in Thimphu before 10 PM. How I was to be disappointed. I went back after 1 - 1.5 hrs to find the place a bit more crowded. My permit was still not processed. One of the staff called me and asked how I knew about Hotel Tandin (There's a field on the form where you need to enter where you'll be staying in Thimphu/Paro. I'd read about Hotel Tandin in another post on India Mike.) and whether I'd traveled to Bhutan before.

I went back and waited. After another hour the guy called me again and asked me to furnish my entire trip itinerary! I submitted that too. In the mean time everyone else is getting their permit approved and me - the first one to arrive - is still waiting.

Finally after another hour or so I got my permit. But there was a twist in that too. I wanted an 11 day permit but was give only a 10 day one. This would later cause me to lose another half a day in Thimphu to get a single day extension! Nice start to my trip...

(Carry with you either your Passport or Voter id card, photocopies of Passport/Voter id card and some passport size photos)


Getting to Thimphu
------------------------
The Phuntsholing bus stand is only a 10 min walk from the Immigration office.

Bhutan is not like India (at least like Mumbai) where regular buses are the norm. Transport options are limited and private cabs are expensive. Since I lost the entire morning at the Immigration office there was only one bus leaving for Thimphu at 3.30 PM. (Cost Rs 188). I enquired and found out that you can also get shared taxis from bus stand gate for around Rs 600. However I did not see a lot of people opting for the shared taxis. Most of the taxis were sitting idle at the gate.
The person at the ticket window assured me that the bus would reach by 8 PM as I didn't want to reach Thimphu after 10. Another mistake...

The bus reached Thimphu at 10.30 PM (The road condition at some places is bad and it takes around 7 hrs for the trip). It was cold and raining and most of the hotels were closed. I was in no mood to search for a budget hotel in the rain with a 10 KG backpack so I chickened out and booked a room in a Star Hotel called Dragons Roots (Cost Rs 2000). So much for a backpacker experience.

(The bus drops you at Norzin Lam Road which is the main road in Thimphu. Most of the hotels are located on this road. There are a lot of budget hotels available in Thimphu so getting a hotel should never be a problem as long as you reach before 10 PM!)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Phuntsholing Bus Stand)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(View from Dragons Roots Hotel Room)


Date Extension & Easter Bhutan Permit
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Next day I booked a room in Hotel Tandin (Cost Rs 770). The room was very neat and clean. They also had a good restaurant.

I then went to apply for the date extension and "Special Permit" for Central & Eastern Bhutan. The immigration office is at the end of Norzin Lam road.

My single day extension took half a day. I could not apply for the Eastern Bhutan permit before my date extension.

There's a separate formed to be filled and applied for the Special Permit to Central & Eastern Bhutan. Carry a photocopy of the permit received at Phuntsholing and a passport size photo. Mention all the places you'll be visiting in Bhutan. If you're exiting via Samdrup Jongkhar mention that too in the permit. The route extension might take 1.5 to 2 hrs to be processed.

(There are check points at various places in Bhutan. You'll be asked to show the special permit at all check points.)

(There's also a special permit for visiting Dzongs to be applied at the Cultural Ministry. I was denied entry inside Tashichhoe Dzong which was open during Thimphu Tshechu. One of the security guards showed me a sample permit. I did not visit any other Dzongs in Paro other than Taktsang Monastery (where I was allowed inside) so I don't know whether this is a common requirement. I had no such problems visiting other Dzongs in Bumthang.)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Hotel Tandin)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Immigration office)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Norzin Lam road)


Paro
---------
I booked a private cab to visit the various Dzongs in Paro (Cost Rs 1200. You might be able to book for cheaper. I did not bargain.)

Taktsang Monastery (or the Tiger's Nest) is a must see. However you do need to have a reasonable fitness level to undertake the 2-3 hrs hike. It's a continuous uphill climb which will test your stamina and the downhill climb will be hard on your knees. Carry hiking sticks if possible.

I was too tired and late to visit other Dzongs and only viewed them from outside.

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Paro)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Taktsang monastery)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Rinpung Dzong)


Thimphu Tshechu
--------------------
Next day was Thimphu Tshechu. Even though I was denied access inside the Dzong because I did not have the permit, the courtyard was open where you could view the performers.
Tashichhoe Dzong is only a 15 - 20 min walk from Norzin Lam. Take the right turn after the Immigration office. Tashichhoe Dzong is only open for visitors during Thimphu Tshechu.

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...1/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Tashichhoe Dzong)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Thimphu Tshechu)


Moving to Bumthang
-----------------------
The bus to Bumthang from Thimphu bus stand leaves at around 7 AM (Cost Rs 294). It reaches Bumthang at around 6.30 PM. When the bus stops for breakfast and lunch there won't be many options. Usually there's only a single option on the menu - Rice, Dal, Chillies & mixed vegetables.

(A note about Punakha & Wangdue - My initial planned itinerary included Punakha & Wangdue. But I changed my plan when I found out that travelling to most places in Bhutan would take an entire day. Another factor was the lack of travel options. A bus from Wangdue to Bumthang would have to be booked from Thimphu itself. You cannot book from Wangdue. The other option is hope that there's an empty seat when the bus reaches Wangdue. Booking private cabs can cost upwards of Rs 2500 and maybe more. So I decided to focus on just Thimphu/Paro & Bumthang.)

I reached Bumthang at around 6.30 Pm. As it was late I took a room in a hotel on the main road (Cost Rs 500). As in Thimphu the rooms were neat and clean. There are no t.v. sets in Bumthang hotels.

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Thimphu bus stand)


Bumthang
--------------
Though the hotel room was nice it was smack dead in the middle of the main road. Bumthang is such a beautiful place that it would have been a loss not staying closer to nature. So the next day I set about searching for a good hotel. Most of the better hotels are located on the road going towards Kurje Lhakhang. You need to take a left turn from the main circle.
I took a room in Kaila Guest House. Nice balcony view overlooking the mountains. You could also see Jakar Dzong from the balcony. (Cost Rs 950)

The good thing about Bumthang is that all the 4 monasteries are at a walk able distance (if you don't mind short hikes). Tamshing Lhakhang on the other side of the river is some 6 kms from the main road. Jambay Lhakhang & Kurje Lhakhang are very near to each other and at the same distance as Tamshing Lhakhang,

You can also visit Mebar Tsho (Lake of Burning Fire) some 12 kms away. If you're not visiting Eastern Bhutan then it might be a good idea to drive till Ura Village (43 kms) or better still till Sengor which is a few kilometers further ahead. Sengor is beautiful little small valley. It does certainly also have some hotels if you want to stay longer.

The most beautiful part of Bumthang I thought in fact was a place some 12 kms before reaching the Bumthang main town. I believe the place is called Chhume. Unfortunately I could not visit the place again.

In all I stayed in Bumthang for 4 nights and it was well worth it. It is definetly the most beautiful place in Bhutan.

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Kaila Guest House – Tel - #00975-2-631219 – kailaguesthouse@druknet.bt)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(View from Kaila Guest House room)

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Bumthang)


Moving to Trashigang
-------------------------
This was going to be an adventure. The bus from Bumthang to Trashigang leaves around 6.30 AM. The previous day I enquired with a few locals on how to book a ticket for the bus. No one knew and I thought it would be okay to book just before leaving.

Next day to my dismay the bus driver said that all seats were booked. From where Not only me but a few other locals were also stranded. My problem was that I could not stay another day as my permit was expiring and I didn't have any buffer days.

One of the locals then tried to collect some others to share a taxi. One of the taxi guys was demanding 7K for going till Trashigang! Lucikly we got a shared taxi till Mongar for Rs 600 per head. From Mongar with the help of the same local I hitchhiked on a government 4X4 who got me to Trashigang in double quick time. Who the heck needs pre-packaged tours!!

**Always remember that whenever travelling in Bhutan try to book your buses from Thimphu. It's not at all like India. You can't simply land at the bus stop and expect to find a seat. Public transportation is very poor in Bhutan.

**The views till Mongar are good. Afterwards it's all thick green forests. Don't get me wrong, it’s beautiful but just not as spectacular as Western or Central Bhutan. Mongar is small concrete town. There's nothing to see there.


Trashigang
----------------
I reached Trashigang ar around 6 P.M. To say Trashigang is unlike any other town in Bhutan is an understatement. It was like I had landed in a totally different country. The hotel where I took a room (Cost Rs 500) looked well enough from the outside but the room was gloomy and the bathroom looked unclean. I was too tired to search for another room so reluctantly took the room. The restaurants in Trashigang were also dark and unclean. I didn't even feel like eating anything there.

There's no point in visiting Trashigang unless you absolutely want to visit Trashigang Dzong. It's the only Dzong in Trashigang.

**There might be better hotels in Trashigang but I didn't have time to explore any further as I was leaving for Samdrup Jongkhar the next day.


Moving to Samdrup Jongkhar
-------------------------------
The next day I looked forward to leaving Trashigang. The bus to Samdrup Jongkhar leaves from the bus stand at 7.30 AM (Cost Rs 135). There's no need to pre-book the ticket as the bus normally starts empty. The bus reaches Samdrup Jongkhar at 6 - 6.30 PM.

Samdrup Jongkhar was same as Trashigang though slightly better. The hotel room cost me Rs 450. There's nothing to see in Samdrup Jongkhar.


Moving to Guwahati
-----------------------
The border gate opens at 6 AM Bhutan time. The first bus to Guwahati leaves from the Indian side of the border at around 6 AM India time. There are 2 buses which leave 15 - 30 mins from each other.


Hotels in Bhutan
--------------------
Hotels in Bhutan are quite affordable. There should be no problems in getting a decent hotel for between Rs 500 to Rs 1000. I landed in Thimphu during Thimphu Tshechu but still finding a hotel wasn't a problem. Even in Bumthang I landed during a festival in Tamshing Lhakhang but found a hotel without any problem.

Food
---------
Food isn't a problem in Thimphu and Paro. There are a number of good restaurants and finding vegetarian food won't be a problem. Food cost is almost same as in India. But once you move outside Thimphu/Paro food options go down. Travelling from once place to another in Bhutan takes almost one day. Wherever the bus stopped for lunch or tea there weren't many options. Usually it would be rice, dal, chillies & mixed vegetables. It was the same in Bumthang & Trashigang - rice, dal, mixed vegetables or chicken curry. Even chicken is sometimes not available. Beef & Pork is more common. If you're lucky you'll get Chow Mein.

People
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One of the best things about Bhutan is its people. Bhutanese are simply the most friendly and helpful people I’ve ever met. They always talk with a smile on their face. There were many instances when a complete stranger went out of his way to help me find a hotel or transportation or help me locate a place. There are also naturally curious about Indians and most are eager to get into a conversation with you.

Money
------------
500 Rupee notes are no problem in Thimphu & Paro. Everyone accepts them. Even in Bumthang the two hotels where I stayed were ready to accept 500 rupee notes. But just to be on the safer side carry most of your cash in 100 Rupee notes. There are no international ATM’s in Bhutan so your credit cards & debit cards won’t work.

Guess what, I was looking for this info. Kudos my friend, thanks for sharing!

Thanks for such details, i would certainly help in my future unplanned visit there.

BTW This is material for your 'Unconventional Bhutan Travelouge' rather such a huge post.

Thanks for the information.

I will search for this thread if I ever head to Bhutan.

Dear Mr. Vinay,
Thanks for the information you posted on site for visit to Bhutan. I got inspired by the information and planning to visit Thimphu and nearby areas. Can you help me in suggesting the places I should visit and how to go about it?
I am planning to enter Jaigaon from either NJP or New Alipurdwar.
Can u suggest the economy hotels where I can stay with my family. We are four persons. Do you suggest to take taxi or bus from border to Thimphu.

Which places to visit depends on how many days you've got. If it's a 7-8 day trip then I would recommend Thimpu, Paro & Bumthang. If you can add another 3 days then you can also add Punakha & Wangdue to your itinerary.

In Thimpu, Tandin hotel is a good option. In Bumthang, Kaila Guesthouse is good. Even though it's slightly on the expensive side @ 1K per day it's worth it IMO. Anyway finding budget hotels is not a problem in Bhutan. There are plenty.

Taking a bus from Phuntsoling to Thimpu would be a lot cheaper and the buses are quite comfortable. The main issue is reaching Thimpu before 10 PM when the hotels shut down. Remember it takes 7 hours from Phuntsoling to Thimpu, so ideally any bus you take should start before 2 PM so that you reach can Thimpu by 9 PM. So if you don't find a bus before 2 PM then I would recommend hiring a cab.

Dear Vinay,

Yes normaly one should reach destinatinon in hills much before dark, but some times plans can go haywire due to breakdown or blockage extra.What if your bus reaches busstand after 10 pm, is there any basic accomodation available in bus stands.

BTW what is sunset time there in Thimpu.

Some of the expensive hotels are open even after 10 PM. So accommodation won't be a problem. Only thing is you'll have to shell out 3-4 times what you would normally pay for a budget hotel.

>>what is sunset time there in Thimpu.

I was there in September end. I think it used to get dark after 6.30 - 7 PM.

HI Vinay,

God bless you man! You made my day. I myself had posted threads on this forum,just to receive no response at all. Your post will ehlp me immensely and please help me plan my travel. I am going there from 25th December till 2nd January. Please give me a rough plan. Also, in one of the previous threads a fellow IndiaMiker said that food is very expensive. Can you give details please?

@cutiepie,

If you're going to Bumthang (Central Bhutan) in December then remember that it will be very cold so carry heavy woolens. The locals said that it snows heavily in winter. Even in September when I was there it used to get very cold in the evenings.

>> Also, in one of the previous threads a fellow IndiaMiker said that food is very expensive

Yes, I read that thread and was surprised. Food isn't expensive in Bhutan. Maybe that person was staying in an expensive hotel. There are 3 types of restaurants in Thimphu.

First those attached to hotels. The Tandin Hotel restaurant where I stayed wasn't expensive but wasn't cheap either.

Secondly there are unattached restaurants, but they are few and far between but they are also not expensive (I tried two such restaurants in Thimphu). I only saw one up-scale restaurant in Thimphu.

Thirdly there are a number of small "Restaurant & Bar" in Thimphu frequented by locals. These are the cheapest.

In other places like Bumthang I remember eating Rice, Dal & Chicken curry for Rs 90. The attached restaurant in Kaila Guest House (where I stayed) was expensive so I used to have my lunch & dinner from restaurants on the main road.

Hope this helps...

Vry useful info..

Say I stay at expensive hotels but eat outside at unattached restaurants. Then what would my expense for food be?

Also I would like to go to Thimpu,Paro,Wangue & Punakha. so how can we go about it?what should be the order?

THANKS FOR ALL THOSE INFORMATIONS.

I also plan to visit Bhutan but as a foreign visitor, I'm french and I don't know the rules in Bhutan for my category. Is there anybody, who can help me to organize my travel in Bhutan ?

With best regards,
Olivier Chiron

>>Say I stay at expensive hotels but eat outside at unattached restaurants. Then what would my expense for food be?

While in Bhutan my staple diet was Rice + Chicken Curry. In Thimphu expect to pay between Rs 90 - 120 for this. Outside Thimphu I don't think I paid more than Rs 90.

>> Also I would like to go to Thimpu,Paro,Wangue & Punakha. so how can we go about it?what should be the order?

Make Thimphu your base. From Thimphu you can hire a cab to visit the various monasteries in Paro. Tiger's Nest (in Paro) itself will take half a day so leave early and try to complete the visit by 12 PM. After that you can visit the other monasteries in Paro which close by 4 - 4.30 PM.

From Thimphu you can take a bus till Wangdue. Punakha is further north and you'll need to take a private cab from Wangdue. I haven't visited these two places so can't tell you any more than this.

I would have recommended Bumthang over Punakha & Wangdue but since you're going in December it will be very cold. If you don't mind the cold then Bumthang is the better option IMO.

@CHIRON,

As a non-Indian traveler you'll need to pay $200 per day in Bhutan. This is all inclusive of food, lodging & travel. You'll not need to spend a dime more. But you can't travel independently. You'll need to go through a Bhutanese tour agency. Why don't you try emailing to kailaguesthouse@druknet.bt . This is a guest house in Bumthang. Most of their occupants were foreign travelers who had come through a particular tour agency. They might be able to recommend a good tour agent to you.

How cold will it be in Bumthang?below freezing?
Also, while you were there, how much did the temperature go down in Thimpu & Paro? Are the days cold too?Or is it only at night that you felt the chill?

>> How cold will it be in Bumthang?below freezing?

I believe it goes below 0 degrees and it snows. That's what the locals told me. And every room had a heater.

>>Also, while you were there, how much did the temperature go down in Thimpu & Paro? Are the days cold too?Or is it only at night that you felt the chill?

Thimphu & Paro had a pleasant temp. in Sept. It wasn't cold even in the evenings.