Unplanned trips are the best and I guess planned trips are awesome too, when you go without any expectation. Since Bhutan is a different country, first thing that comes to your mind is - How do I get Visa ?
Well, let me jot down the things I came upon while planning for a trip to Bhutan. It may be bad news or good news depending on which country you hail from.
Visa for Indian Passport holders -
For Indian passport (or VIC) holders, Bangladeshi nationals and persons from the Maldives, there is no Visa cost incurred.
Visa for citizen of other countries -
It is a government regulation that you must use a licensed Bhutanese tour operator to book your travel to Bhutan or one of their international partners. The tourism sector is controlled by Tourism Council of Bhutan referred as TCB. TCB has set a minimum daily package. The $200 per day (January, February, June, July, August) and $250 per day (March, April, May, September, October, November) package includes a minimum of 3 star accommodations, costs for food, an experienced guide and transportation within the country. Also included in the price is a $65 per day Sustainable Development Fee that goes towards free education, free healthcare and poverty alleviation. All of these services will be arranged by your tour operator.
Tourists travelling in a group of two (2) persons or less shall be subject to a surcharge, in addition to the minimum daily package rates - https://www.tourism.gov.bt/about-us/surcharges
Permits -
Carry Voters ID and Passport
Passport size photo - 5
Write your whole itinerary in a white paper as like while taking the Permit
Date : Source – Destination
Date : Source – Destination
Hotel Booking Receipts
The main gate opens at around 8:00 – 8:30 AM and they start accepting documents from 9:00 AM onwards. During peak season or long weekend, keep enough time in hand (around 2 hrs), as after the introduction of biometrics the process takes much longer than before. Once the gate opens at 8:00 AM / 8:30 AM, people just rush towards the counter. And the queue that forms there at the counter is what is actually followed. So be prepared for the same and get there early and be the first one to be in front of the gate. Once you are done for the biometrics you need to wait till your Entry Permits are printed and handed over to you from the counters towards the Exit. Throughout the process only one member from the group needs to stand in the queue. Bhutan doesnt allow Solo travellers, so if you are travelling Solo, make sure to club with any group who is available there, until you get the Permit. During biometrics everyone should be present in the room as everyone will be called serially as per the group lead standing in queue. This process is if you are travelling by road. Phuentsholing is the border town on Bhutan side whereas Jaigaon being the border town at Indian side. This permit is valid for 7 days only for Thimphu and Paro only. Only Voter ID Card OR Passport is accepted for adults. If you are taking the flight via Drukair, you can get the permit from the airport itself.
ILP (Inner Line Permit) : If you want to travel anywhere beyond Thimphu and Paro Dzongkhag (district), you must apply for ILP at Thimphu Immigration Office (if entering from P/Soling). Thimphu Immigration Office works on Weekdays from 9AM – 5PM with a lunch break of 1 Hour (1PM – 2PM) and is closed on Weekends and Govt. Holidays. Here you just need to provide photocopy of Entry Permits to obtain the ILP.
How do I get to Bhutan?
There are a number of airports where you can fly into Bhutan from (Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra, Bodh Gaya, Dhaka, Kathmandu, Guwahati, Singapore and Mumbai.). At present two carriers operate to Bhutan, Drukair and Bhutan Airlines. Also, there are three land border crossings which you can travel into the kingdom overland. All crossings are along the Indian border only - Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar. All travel arrangements to Bhutan must be made through a local tour operator. A list of tour companies operating in Bhutan is available on this website. Your selected tour operator will make all the necessary arrangements
Currency : Ngultrum or Nu. (in short) is the official currency of Bhutan and in par with INR. However INR is accepted throughout Bhutan. So in case you are an Indian and visiting Bhutan with INR, there’s no need to convert, however you’ll get returns in Nu.
Although theoretically denominations of Rs. 500/- and Rs. 2000/- are not accepted. Carry Nu if you are visiting the offbeat/remote places.
While existing Bhutan, make sure to use up all your Nu, else you have to get it converted.
Extension Permit : If the number of days allowed by Immigration Officer, initially, while issuing Entry Permit is not sufficient, you need to get an Extension Permit (for extra required number of days) from Thimphu Immigration Office. Generally the first permit is valid for 7 days.
Vehicle Permit : Tourists planning to drive their own vehicle or rented vehicle have to additionally get their Vehicle Permit from Phuentsholing RSTA after obtaining Entry Permit. If you are hiring a local Bhutan vehicle, you do not need to worry about this.
Time : Bhutan time is 30 mins ahead of us.
Day 1 : Siliguri - Phuntsholing- Thimpu
Take a morning 5:30 am flight from Bangalore if you want to drive directly to Thimphu. You can reach Bagdogra by 8:30 am. Take a cab from Siliguri to Phuntsholing (P/ling) which would take you around 5-6 hrs. Reach P/ling. You need to reach the Permit office on any of the weekdays before 4 pm, so that you can get the permit. We ended up reaching around 3:45 pm, as our flight was delayed by 1 hr and the roads were blocked as the tree fell down on the way. Since it was August, the off-season, crowd was less and our permit was done in 10 mins.
If you reach P/Ling in the evening, make sure to grab some food at the cafe nearby. The cafes are good. Once you enter Bhutan and drive to Thimphu, there are few food joints on the way. By 7pm, you would see all the shops being closed.
If you plan to stay at P/Ling and do not wish to go further, you can do so. There is crocodile park that you can visit in P/Ling.
Its another 4 hrs journey from P/Ling to Thimphu. But bear in mind, they have a speed limit of 50km/hr for your own safety. This is a non- smoking country , so smokers, please be cautious.
The first natural beauty that we halted in Bhutan, just made our tiring no-sleep journey more beautiful.
There is a stretch of almost 10-15km where you would get zero-visibility. If you dont want to risk it, you may halt. Since we had Locals with us, who are more aware of the roads, we reached Thimphu at 11:30 pm safely.
We had a stop over at this small place for our dinner.
Day 2 - Thimphu
After a long non-stop sleep, we wake up refreshed and enjoyed the balcony view with Bread Omelette and Tea.
Stay -
We booked our stay via Airbnb. If you are more than 3-4 people, airbnb works out pretty cheap and convenient. Most of the Airbnb's owners prepare local cuisine at additional charges which is a boon.
Things to visit in Thimphu -
Flaunting the rich Bhutanese culture to the world, Simply Bhutan Museum displays the impressive traditions and gives a glimpse of the country's history. A one-of-its kind "living" museum, visitors get to enjoy the Bhutanese songs, folk dances and finger-licious cuisine.
The quaint town of Thimphu is home to a 51 metres tall gold-plated statue of Buddha Dordenma, which is entirely made up of steel. The night sees this statue beautifully illuminated and makes it even better sight to behold. The statue houses around 125,000 spectacular smaller Buddha statues made of bronze and plated in gold, each of which looks like the Dordenma itself. It is one of the largest Buddha Stupas in the world.
Night view of the same place, dont miss it.
Takin is the National Animal of Bhutan. A half an hour walk here would unveil many exotic birds and animals to you, who wander around the area freely and in the most natural of habitat.
Places to eat at Thimphu -
You can try the local food joints. You should try the Chicken momos there. For Veg, most of the items are made of Cheese.
Day 3 - Tiger Nest Hike
Our stay at Paro was outskirts, this was booked via Airbnb too. The only reason, I booked the places is because of the below view - River.
A small family stays there , where they make homemade food with the vegetables that they grow in the farm. The food was heaven.
Our entire day was reserved for the famous Tiger Nest Hike. We got freshened, grabbed a quick breakfast and left for the hike.
Tiger's Nest Monastery, or Paro Taktsang, is one of the most beautiful places in Bhutan to visit. Having great religious significance and serving as one of the prime tourist destinations of the country, Tiger's Nest Monastery offers beautiful and splendid views of the surroundings. Located on an upper cliff in the Paro Valley, this monastery is undoubtedly an architectural marvel.
While Bhutan is loaded with monasteries, what makes Paro Taktsang stand apart is its religious and historical significance. Another peculiar feature is that it is constructed on a cliff which is more than 3000 metres above the sea level. The mystery of how it was constructed in such conditions still amazes people.
You can trek half way on these horses on chargeable basis. However, if you are a first time hiker, make sure to take enough rest on the way, as the ascend is little challenging.
The entry ticket would cost you 500 Nu/ person.
We descended after staying there for sometime. It took us around 6 hrs to ascend, descend, photography and meditate. It may take lesser time depending on your activities.
We planned to stay at the Tiger Nest Resort itself and relax the rest of the evening.
Day 4 - Paro to Thimphu
The day started fresh. Post reducing calories after the trek, we wanted to visit few places in Paro and head back to Thimphu.
We roamed around the streets of Paro to buy few Jackets, souvenir etc. And yes they follow Zebra crossing rule very diligently.
Cafes - Mountain Cafe
We stayed in Thimphu after enjoying live music on one of the cafe - Jimmy's.
The pass does not only have all the scenic views of valleys on both sides but also is the site of the 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens.
The roads from Dochula to Punakha are smooth, brighter and greenery. I have never seen so much greenery in my entire life actually.
One of the oldest suspension bridges in the world, Punakha Suspension Bridge in Bhutan was believed to be built by the Buddhist Monk which is 160 metres. Punakha Dzong Suspension Bridge is an important part of the architectural history of Bhutan as it was built to connect the villages of Shengana, Samdingkha and Wangkha to the Palace of the Wangchuk Kings.
This hanging bridge in Bhutan is draped with prayer flags all along and provides a perfect spot for bird watching and nature photography not to mention the panic attacks it gives to a few visitors as it sways a bit due to the strong winds from the flowing river beneath.
After an amazing day, we stayed at Damchen resort.
After a good night sleep, I could hear a silent sound of the river next to it. Walked down to the stairs near the river, where you can spend some "me" time.
Stay
Damchen resort at Punakha.
The Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungthang Dewa chhenbi Phodrang (meaning "the palace of great happiness or bliss). It is the second oldest and second largest Dzong in Bhutan.
The Dzong is located between the Pho Chhu (Male) and Mo Chhu (Female) river in the Punakha–valley.
Mo Chhu, literally the Mother, is an extremely important river in the consciousness of the Himalayan nation. However, around Punakha, the river makes for the best places to visit in Punakha, as it makes its way through the rice paddies and the golden domes of the Namgyal Chorten to the Pho Chhu right at the footsteps of the Punakha Dzong.
Somewhere on the way to Wangdue- Phodrang highway, we had this beautiful valley, not sure of the name though.
The Phobjikha Valley is a vast U-shaped glacial valley, also known as Gangteng Valley named after the impressive Gangteng Monastery of the Nyingma sect in central Bhutan, where the graceful black-necked cranes in Bhutan from the Tibetan Plateau visit the valley during the winter season to roost.
Transport and communication facilities are also not adequate. In the valley in particular, the black-necked cranes have a celebrity status, as witnessed by the Crane Festival held every year on 12 November.
We ended our awesome day at staying at Punatshangchhu cottage. Its a beautiful cottage/resort with decent food.
After a good night sleep and an awesome breakfast , we headed towards Chele la Pass.
This is the highest motorable point in Bhutan, sitting at 3988 mts. On a clear day, you can view Mt. Jumolhari(Bhutan's most sacred peak at over 22,000 ft) along with Jichu Drake and adjoining peaks to the North West, as well as the view of both the valley (Paro and Haa).
It has numerous flags that adds up to the color.
Our stay was at Risum Cottage. It was late in the evening when we reached the place and what was needed is a Hot water bath in the tub.
Its the last village at the Haa , Bhutan. However, entry is not permitted to this place as this lies in the border of Bhutan and China.
Primary school of Bhutan.
We headed back to Thimphu and stayed at Airbnb .
Our Trip to Bhutan has ended and we headed back to Siliguri, where we halted for the night.
Yes, it was my birthday which we celebrated at the end of our trip.
Where to stay -
Thimphu – Airbnb
Paro – Airbnb
Paro – Tiger Nest Paro
Punakha – Damchen Resort
Wangdue – Punatshangchhu
Haa – Risum resort
Transport -
If you wish to hire a local cabs, they would cost you around 2500 for normal cabs and around 3500 for SUV's. Peak season would cost you more.
You also have public transport, but the frequency is less.
Rest, Enjoy the land of happiness...
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