Bhutan travel from India · Updated October 2026

How to Reach Bhutan from India: By Air and By Road (2026–2027)

Flights to Paro, the four land borders, getting to Jaigaon from Bagdogra, entry permits, the ₹1,200 SDF and honest costs, written for Indian travellers by a licensed team in Thimphu.

Licensed operator No. 1052914

We meet Indian guests at Paro and Phuentsholing

Rules checked October 2026

In this guide

The quick version

How do you reach Bhutan from India?

You can reach Bhutan from India in two ways: fly into Paro, Bhutan’s only international airport, from Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra, Guwahati or (in winter) Gaya; or travel overland to a border town, almost always Jaigaon in West Bengal, and walk or drive across into Phuentsholing. Indian citizens do not need a visa. You need an entry permit (free), a valid Indian passport or original Voter ID, and you pay a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of ₹1,200 per adult per night.

Flying is quickest: about 45 minutes from Bagdogra, a little over an hour from Kolkata and around two and a half hours from Delhi. The road is the cheapest way to reach Bhutan from India, but it costs you a day at each end, and the permit queue at Phuentsholing can be long in peak season.

We are a small, Bhutanese-owned team in Thimphu and we receive Indian guests at both Paro airport and the Phuentsholing gate every season. This guide collects what we tell families, couples and friends’ groups when they ask us how to get here: the routes, the paperwork, the new 2026 guide rules, real distances and indicative rupee costs. For the wider picture of the country, start with our Bhutan travel guide.

Bhutan from India: key facts (2026)

Visa for Indians

Not needed; free entry permit

Accepted ID

Indian passport (6+ months) or original Voter ID

Children under 18

Passport or original birth certificate

SDF for Indians

₹1,200 per adult per night

Child SDF

6–12 years half (₹600); under 6 free

International airport

Paro (PBH), 2,235 m

Airlines

Drukair and Bhutan Airlines only

Main land border

Jaigaon (WB) – Phuentsholing

Bagdogra to Phuentsholing

about 160–170 km, 4–5 hours

Phuentsholing to Thimphu

about 150–170 km, 5–6 hours

Currency

Ngultrum, 1:1 with the rupee

Licensed guide

Required beyond the border town

Time zone

Bhutan Time (UTC+6), 30 min ahead of IST

Choosing your route

Air or road: which is the best way to reach Bhutan from India?

Fly if you have five days or fewer, are travelling with older parents, or are coming in the monsoon. Go by road if you have a week or more, are on a budget, or want to combine Bhutan with Darjeeling, Sikkim or the Dooars.

By air

By road

Where you enter

Paro International Airport (PBH)

Phuentsholing (most travellers), Samdrup Jongkhar, Gelephu or Samtse

Indian starting points

Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra, Guwahati; Gaya in winter

Jaigaon (West Bengal), Darranga (Assam), Dadgari/Hatisar (Assam), Chamurchi (West Bengal)

Travel time

45 min to about 2.5 h in the air

A full day to the border, plus 5–6 h from Phuentsholing to Thimphu

Indicative cost

Roughly ₹20,000–55,000 return per person, depending on city and season

Roughly ₹1,500–9,000 per person to the border by train, bus or shared car

Best for

Short trips, older travellers, monsoon months, festival dates

Budget trips, families with time, Bhutan combined with North Bengal or Sikkim

Main risk

Paro weather delays, especially June–August

Long permit queues at Phuentsholing in October–November and March–April

Paperwork

Same: entry permit + SDF ₹1,200 per adult per night, no visa

Airfares and ground costs are indicative 2026 figures and move with season, fuel prices and how early you book. Always check current fares on the airlines’ own websites.

Five things to know first

What do Indian travellers need to know before booking a trip to Bhutan?

Get these five things right and the rest of the trip is logistics. Get one wrong, usually the ID, and you can be turned back at the gate.

No visa, but you need an entry permit

Free, issued by Bhutan’s Department of Immigration

Indian nationals are visa-exempt. Instead you receive an entry permit, either applied for online before you travel or issued at the immigration office in Phuentsholing (or another land border) or at Paro airport. Bangladeshi and Maldivian nationals have their own rules, so groups with mixed nationalities should check each person separately.

Bring the right ID, and only the right ID

Passport or original Voter ID; nothing else

The Embassy of India in Thimphu and Bhutan’s Department of Immigration both say Indian adults need either a valid Indian passport with at least six months’ validity, or an original Voter Identity Card (EPIC). Aadhaar, PAN cards and driving licences are not accepted as travel documents. Children under 18 without a passport need their original birth certificate; we also suggest carrying a school ID. Bring a few passport-size photos and photocopies of everything.

The SDF is ₹1,200 per adult per night

Charged per night, not per day of travel

The Sustainable Development Fee for Indian nationals is Nu 1,200 (₹1,200) per person per night. Children aged 6–12 pay half and children under six are free. A 5-day, 4-night trip is four nights of SDF. Visitors who stay within a border town and leave within 24 hours pay no SDF. The 5% GST introduced in January 2026 applies to tourism services, not to the SDF itself.

Rupees work, but carry ₹100 notes

₹500 notes allowed within limits

The ngultrum is pegged 1:1 to the rupee and Indian rupees are accepted almost everywhere. The Embassy of India says you can carry Indian currency in denominations up to ₹500 to a total of ₹25,000; anything above that should be in ₹100 notes or smaller. Small shops in Bhutan are often reluctant to take ₹500 notes, so bring plenty of ₹100s. UPI works at some merchants, and Indian cards are hit and miss at ATMs.

Plan for a guide and a permit for every district

Thimphu and Paro alone are not the whole country

A walk-in entry permit covers Thimphu and Paro. Punakha, Phobjikha, Bumthang, Haa and the east need a route permit, which is free. And under Bhutan’s tourism rules every tourist, Indians included, travels with a licensed guide beyond the first checkpoint after the border. We explain both rules in detail below.

Sources: Embassy of India, Thimphu (Info for Indian nationals, page updated October 2026) and Department of Immigration, Bhutan, General Information.

The question everyone asks

Do Indian tourists need a licensed guide in Bhutan in 2026?

Yes. Once you go beyond the first designated checkpoint after the border, Bhutan’s rules require every tourist, including Indian visitors, to be accompanied by a licensed guide.

This is the rule that surprises most Indian travellers, especially anyone who remembers driving freely around Bhutan before 2020. The current position is set out in Bhutan’s Tourism Rules and Regulations 2024, which say a tour guide is mandatory for all tours except up to the first designated checkpoint. In April 2026 the Department of Tourism issued a notification to clear up “differing interpretations”, especially on the Paro–Thimphu road. All tourists must be accompanied by a licensed guide at all times when visiting monuments and when travelling from Paro airport to other districts. The notification makes no exception for regional (Indian, Bangladeshi or Maldivian) visitors.

What this means in practice:

Phuentsholing town, up to the Rinchending checkpoint about 5 km uphill, can be visited without a guide. Day trippers from Jaigaon do this every day.
Beyond Rinchending, towards Thimphu, Paro and the rest of the country, plan on a licensed guide for the whole trip. The same applies at Gelephu, Samdrup Jongkhar and Samtse.
Flying into Paro, your guide meets you at the airport and travels with you to Thimphu and beyond.
If you drive your own car, a licensed Bhutanese guide is still required. The guide can ride with you.
Trekking always needs a licensed trekking guide.

Bhutan uses its guides to look after visitors, so a guide is more than a minder. Ours sort out dzong opening hours, translate at village farmhouses, keep you on schedule for the Dochula pass and know which roads are closed for blasting that week. Most Indian families we host say afterwards that they would not have wanted to do it without one. Rules in Bhutan do change, though, and we keep this section updated. If you read something different elsewhere, check the date on it.

Flying to Paro

How do you reach Bhutan from India by air?

Fly to Paro (PBH) on Drukair or Bhutan Airlines, the only two airlines allowed to land there. Kolkata has the most flights, Delhi has the scenic Himalayan route, and Bagdogra is the shortest hop.

Paro airport sits at 2,235 m in a narrow valley ringed by ridges, and landings are flown visually, in daylight only, by a small number of specially certified pilots. That is why there are no night flights and why the schedule is sensitive to weather: low cloud and monsoon rain between June and August cause most of the delays. On the way home, never book a same-day onward connection from your arrival city in India. Leave a buffer night, or at least a very generous gap.

From Kolkata, flights take about 1 hour 10 minutes and run most days between the two Bhutanese airlines. This is the workhorse route for Indian travellers, and usually the cheapest reliable one. From Delhi the flight takes around 2 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours, depending on routing; some Bhutan Airlines services route through Kathmandu. Sit on the left (an A seat) flying into Paro from Delhi and, on a clear morning, you may see Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Kanchenjunga.

From Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai or Pune there is no direct flight. Fly to Kolkata or Delhi, stay overnight near the airport, and catch the morning flight to Paro the next day. Paro flights leave early, so trying to connect on the same day from another domestic flight is a gamble.

Bagdogra (for Siliguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong) has Drukair flights twice a week, about 45 minutes in the air. It is an underrated option if you want to see the hills of North Bengal or Sikkim before or after Bhutan, or to fly in and drive out. Guwahati has a few Drukair flights a week, about an hour, and Drukair’s Singapore service also stops there. Gaya (Bodh Gaya) has seasonal winter flights, popular with Buddhist pilgrims; they appear in the 2026–27 winter schedule, but days change each season.

Book directly on the airlines’ own websites, drukair.com.bt and bhutanairlines.bt, or through us. Indian travellers usually pay regional fares that are lower than those for other foreign nationals. Aim to book 8–12 weeks ahead, and earlier for festival weeks and the October–November peak. Our sister guide to flights to Bhutan goes into aircraft, baggage and seat choices in more depth.

Indian cities with flights to Paro

Which Indian airports have flights to Bhutan?

Five Indian airports connect to Paro. Frequencies change with the season, so treat this as a planning guide and check the current schedule before you book.

From

Airlines

Flight time

How often (2026, approx.)

Indicative return fare

Kolkata (CCU)

Drukair, Bhutan Airlines

about 1 h 10 min

Most days between the two airlines

₹22,000–40,000

Delhi (DEL)

Drukair, Bhutan Airlines

about 2 h 20 min – 3 h

Several times a week; some via Kathmandu

₹30,000–55,000

Bagdogra (IXB)

Drukair

about 45 min

About twice a week

₹18,000–30,000

Guwahati (GAU)

Drukair

about 1 h

2–3 times a week

₹18,000–32,000

Gaya (GAY)

Drukair, Bhutan Airlines

about 1 h 20 min

Winter season only, roughly Nov/Dec–Feb/Mar

₹25,000–45,000

Fares are indicative economy return fares for Indian nationals and vary widely by date. Schedules: airline timetables and published 2026–27 winter schedules; confirm on drukair.com.bt and bhutanairlines.bt.

Landing in Paro

What happens when you land at Paro airport?

From the aircraft door to the car park usually takes 45–75 minutes.

Walk across the tarmac

You leave the plane by steps and walk to the terminal, a traditionally painted building. Take your photos outside; the terminal itself is less photo-friendly.

Immigration

Show your original passport or Voter ID. If you applied online, show your permit clearance; if not, the permit is issued here. Expect photos and fingerprints.

SDF and permit check

The SDF is either already paid online or settled here. Check the dates and districts printed on your permit before you leave the counter.

Baggage and customs

Collect bags and pass customs. Declare large amounts of cash and any drones (which need prior approval).

Meet your guide

Your guide and driver wait just outside, usually with a sign and a white khadar scarf to welcome you.

On to Paro or Thimphu

Paro town is about 15 minutes away. Thimphu is roughly 50 km, around 1 to 1¼ hours along the Paro and Wang Chhu rivers.

Overland from India

How do you reach Bhutan from India by road?

Travel to one of Bhutan’s four land borders, almost always Jaigaon in West Bengal, cross into the Bhutanese town on the other side, get your entry permit at the immigration office, then drive up into the hills with your guide.

The road is how most Indian visitors reach Bhutan. It is also the cheapest way to reach Bhutan from India, especially for families and groups who split the cost of a car. The main crossing is Jaigaon–Phuentsholing, which handles the large majority of overland visitors. The other three, in Assam and West Bengal, make sense mainly if you are heading to central or eastern Bhutan.

The border is an open town border. You can walk through the gate from Jaigaon into Phuentsholing for shopping or a meal without a permit, as thousands of people do every day. The permit and the SDF only become relevant when you head uphill past the Rinchending checkpoint, about 5 km above town, or stay more than 24 hours.

The drive up is the start of the trip, not just a transfer. In about five or six hours the highway climbs from around 300 m in the plains to roughly 2,300 m at Thimphu, through cloud forest, past waterfalls and the Chukha hydropower area, with Bhutanese roadside stalls selling chilli, cheese and oranges in season. On a clear day it is one of the great road journeys of the eastern Himalaya. In the monsoon it is slower, with occasional landslide delays.

If you have a week or more, our favourite plan for Indian guests is to fly in and drive out: land in Paro, travel east through the country, and leave by road via Phuentsholing for a train or flight home from North Bengal. You avoid doing the long climb on day one, and you see more of the country without retracing your steps.

Four ways in by land

Which India–Bhutan border crossings can tourists use?

Indian visitors can enter at four land borders, each with a Bhutanese regional immigration office that issues permits.

Bhutan side

Indian side

Best for

Notes

Phuentsholing

Jaigaon, Alipurduar district, West Bengal

Thimphu, Paro, Punakha, western Bhutan

The main gateway. Busiest immigration office; arrive early in peak season.

Samdrup Jongkhar

Darranga / Mela Bazar, Assam

Eastern Bhutan: Trashigang, Mongar, Trashiyangtse, Merak–Sakteng

About 3 hours from Guwahati. Good for a west–east traverse ending in Assam.

Gelephu

Dadgari / Hatisar, Assam

Central Bhutan: Zhemgang, Trongsa, Bumthang

Shortest road to Bumthang. Site of the Gelephu Mindfulness City project.

Samtse

Chamurchi, West Bengal

Day visits; occasional onward travel

Least used by tourists; limited onward roads and services.

Source: Embassy of India, Thimphu and Department of Immigration, Bhutan (regional immigration offices at Phuentsholing, Samtse, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar, plus Paro).

Reaching Jaigaon

How far is Bagdogra airport from the Bhutan border, and how else can you reach Jaigaon?

Bagdogra airport is about 160–170 km by road from the Bhutan border at Jaigaon–Phuentsholing, a 4–5 hour drive through the Dooars. The nearest railway station is Hasimara, only about 18 km away.

Starting point

Distance to Jaigaon

Time by road

How to do it

Hasimara railway station

about 18 km

30–40 min

Nearest station. Taxis and shared autos wait outside. Several trains from Kolkata (Sealdah/Howrah) and Guwahati stop here.

New Alipurduar / Alipurduar Jn

about 60–65 km

1.5 h

More trains stop here, including some overnight services from Kolkata.

Bagdogra airport (IXB)

about 160–170 km

4–5 h

Pre-booked car or taxi from the airport. Fly in by early afternoon to cross before dark.

New Jalpaiguri (NJP)

about 150–160 km

4–5 h

Well connected by train from across India. Taxis or shared cars to Jaigaon.

Siliguri bus terminus

about 150 km

4–4.5 h

State and private buses and shared Sumos to Jaigaon; the cheapest option.

Guwahati

about 450 km

9–10 h

Long drive or overnight bus. Consider Samdrup Jongkhar or Gelephu instead if heading east or central.

The drive from Siliguri runs through tea gardens and the edges of Gorumara, Chapramari and Jaldapara. Travel in daylight; elephants and other wildlife cross these roads, and some stretches have speed restrictions.

At the gate

How does the Phuentsholing entry permit process work?

Walk through the pedestrian terminal from Jaigaon, go to the immigration office in Phuentsholing with your original ID and documents, give biometrics, pay the SDF and collect your stamped entry permit. Then drive uphill with your guide.

Gate hours. Since 2023 the Phuentsholing pedestrian terminal has been allowed to stay open around the clock, while the main vehicle gate closes overnight (it has run roughly 6 am to 11 pm). The immigration office that issues tourist permits keeps office hours, and that is what matters for your plan. Aim to be at the office first thing in the morning on a working day.

How long it takes. On a quiet weekday the walk-in permit can take an hour or two. On busy days, especially Mondays, the days after Bhutanese or Indian public holidays, October–November and March–April, it can stretch to half a day. Bhutanese media reported that on one day in May 2026 nearly 1,900 walk-in tourists needed full processing at Phuentsholing. Travellers who had pre-cleared online moved much faster. Immigration counters have been moving into a renovated building with a proper waiting area. Even so, apply online in advance if you can, or let your tour operator do it for you.

The 24-hour SDF-free zone. Visitors who stay within the designated zone of a border town (Phuentsholing, Samtse, Gelephu or Samdrup Jongkhar) and leave Bhutan within 24 hours pay no SDF. At Phuentsholing the limit has been the Rinchending checkpoint. From September 2026, under a new arrangement reported by BBS, regional visitors on the 24-hour waiver can also visit Milarepa Lhakhang (about 15 km from Rinchending) and the Pachu community ecotourism site, as part of an approved package with a licensed guide. Within town you can visit the Zangtopelri Lhakhang, the crocodile breeding centre and the riverside, shop for Bhutanese textiles and eat an ema datshi for lunch.

Before the climb. Fill up the car and change money in Phuentsholing. Keep your permit somewhere you can reach easily: it will be checked at Rinchending and again at Chuzom, the junction where the Thimphu, Paro and Haa roads meet.

East, central and the future

What about Samdrup Jongkhar, Gelephu and the new India–Bhutan railway?

Use Samdrup Jongkhar for eastern Bhutan and Gelephu for Bumthang and the centre. The planned railway lines will not affect trips in 2026 or 2027.

Samdrup Jongkhar (from Guwahati). Guwahati to the Darranga border is roughly 100–110 km, about three hours by road. From Samdrup Jongkhar it is roughly 180 km and a long day’s drive (six to seven hours) to Trashigang, the hub of the east. Eastern Bhutan sees few visitors. Its highlights include Trashigang and Mongar dzongs, the weaving villages around Khaling and Radhi, Trashiyangtse’s woodturners and, with a separate permit, the semi-nomadic Brokpa villages of Merak and Sakteng. A full west-to-east traverse, entering at Paro or Phuentsholing and leaving at Samdrup Jongkhar, needs 10–12 days. Our 13-day Bhutan tour from India is built around that kind of route.

Gelephu (from Assam). Gelephu faces Dadgari/Hatisar in Assam’s Chirang district, about 5–6 hours by road from Guwahati. It is the shortest road route into central Bhutan, through Zhemgang to Trongsa and on to Bumthang. Gelephu also has a domestic airport with Drukair flights to Paro. The area is being developed as the Gelephu Mindfulness City, a large special administrative region, and a new international airport is planned there. Neither changes travel plans for 2026–27.

The railway. India and Bhutan signed an agreement in September 2025 for two cross-border lines, fully funded by India at about Nu 40.3 billion (roughly ₹4,033 crore): Kokrajhar–Gelephu (about 69 km, a roughly four-year project) and Banarhat–Samtse (about 20 km, around three years). Both have been declared Special Railway Projects in India, with land acquisition and design first and construction expected to follow. There is no train into Bhutan today, and there will not be one for your 2026 or 2027 trip. For now, the train takes you to Hasimara, Alipurduar or New Jalpaiguri and the road does the rest.

Samtse (Chamurchi). The quietest of the four. It is fine for a day visit, but onward roads to the rest of Bhutan are slow and services are limited, so we rarely route guests this way.

Self-drive from India

Can you drive your own car or bike from India to Bhutan?

Yes. Indian-registered cars and motorbikes can enter Bhutan. Beyond the first checkpoint you pay Nu 4,500 (₹4,500) per vehicle per night, you need a vehicle permit, and you still travel with a licensed Bhutanese guide.

Documents to carry

Originals and copies of the vehicle registration certificate (RC), valid insurance, pollution certificate (PUC), the driver’s Indian driving licence, and your passport or Voter ID. If the car is not in your name, carry a signed authorisation letter from the owner. Operators report that older vehicles (around 10 years plus) may be refused, so check before you set out.

The vehicle fee

Bhutan’s Tourism Rules and Regulations 2024 set a fee of Nu 4,500 per vehicle per night for tourists driving their own vehicle, two-wheelers included, beyond the designated point. When it was introduced in 2022 it replaced the old separate route-permit charges. It is on top of the SDF. Driving within Phuentsholing town is free.

Vehicle permit

The vehicle permit is issued at the entry point by the Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority (BCTA, formerly the RSTA). Vehicles must be roadworthy and within carrying capacity; entry can be refused even after paying if they are not.

Guide still required

The same rules require a licensed Bhutanese guide when you drive your own vehicle. Most self-drivers carry the guide in the passenger seat. Motorbike groups also need a road captain and a backup vehicle.

What the roads are like

Phuentsholing to Thimphu is about 150–170 km of mountain highway, climbing roughly 2,000 m. Averages of 30–35 km/h are normal. Speed limits are low (often 50 km/h on highways, 30 km/h in towns), pedestrian crossings are strictly enforced, and honking is frowned upon except at blind corners. Avoid night driving.

Fuel and practicalities

Fill up in Phuentsholing, Thimphu, Wangdue and Trongsa; stations are sparse between district towns. In the monsoon, expect landslide delays and road works. Do the sums too: ₹4,500 a night plus fuel often costs more than hiring a Bhutanese car and driver (about ₹4,000–5,000 a day), who also knows every hairpin.

Sources: Tourism Rules and Regulations 2024, Department of Tourism; BBS report on the vehicle fee (September 2022). Confirm current documentation with BCTA at the entry point.

Travelling on a budget

What is the cheapest way to reach Bhutan from India?

The cheapest way to reach Bhutan from India is a sleeper or 3AC train to Hasimara or New Alipurduar, a short taxi to Jaigaon, and a shared car and guide from Phuentsholing. Travelling in a group of four to six brings the per-person cost right down.

On the Indian side, budget travel is easy. A sleeper or 3AC berth from Kolkata to Hasimara or New Alipurduar costs a few hundred to around two thousand rupees. Buses and shared Sumos from Siliguri to Jaigaon are cheaper still. A taxi from Hasimara to the gate costs a few hundred rupees.

Inside Bhutan, things work differently from Nepal or Sikkim. Government-regulated buses run between Phuentsholing and Thimphu daily (around 5–6 hours), shared taxis run between towns, and city taxis in Thimphu are inexpensive. But because tourists must be accompanied by a licensed guide beyond the border town, getting around Bhutan on buses on your own is not really an option for a tourist trip. The budget lever is sharing, not public transport: one car, one driver and one guide cost the same whether two or six people are in the vehicle.

How to keep a Bhutan budget trip from India affordable:

Travel as a group of four to six and share a vehicle and guide.
Come in the shoulder months (late February, early March, late November, December) or the monsoon, when hotels discount.
Stay in clean, Department of Tourism-certified 2- and 3-star hotels or homestays rather than resorts.
Keep to the western circuit (Phuentsholing, Thimphu, Punakha, Paro) on a five- to seven-day trip rather than rushing east.
Eat Bhutanese food where locals eat; a set lunch with rice, ema datshi and dal is filling and inexpensive. See our guide to Bhutanese food.
Remember the SDF is per night: a night spent in Phuentsholing on the way out costs the same SDF as anywhere else, unless you are only there within the 24-hour waiver.

If price is your main concern, read our honest take on whether Bhutan is expensive. For Indian travellers it is far cheaper than for anyone else, because the SDF is ₹1,200 a night rather than US$100.

Bhutan permit for Indians

How do Indians get a Bhutan entry permit?

There are two routes: apply online in advance (yourself, or through a licensed tour operator or certified hotel), or apply in person at the immigration office when you arrive. Either way, show your original ID at the border.

Choose: online or walk-in

Online through Bhutan’s Department of Immigration portal (immi.gov.bt), usually via your tour operator, saves hours at the border. Walk-in permits are issued at Phuentsholing, Gelephu, Samdrup Jongkhar, Samtse and Paro airport.

Prepare documents

Original passport (6+ months valid) or Voter ID, plus photocopies; birth certificates for children; 2–4 passport photos; a printed itinerary; your first-night hotel booking.

List every district

Name every place you plan to visit (Punakha, Phobjikha, Bumthang, Haa and so on). A walk-in permit covers Thimphu and Paro only; other districts need a route permit.

Pay the SDF

₹1,200 per adult per night, ₹600 for children 6–12. Paid online with the application, or at the border for walk-ins.

Biometrics and stamp

At the border or airport, give fingerprints and a photo and receive the stamped permit. Online applicants still do this step, but much faster.

Carry it everywhere

Your guide shows the permit at checkpoints such as Rinchending, Chuzom and Wangdue. Keep a photo of it on your phone too.

Validity, route permits and extensions

How long is the Bhutan permit for Indians valid, and how do route permits work?

Your entry permit is issued for the dates of your itinerary. Route permits for districts beyond Thimphu and Paro are free. Extensions must be applied for at immigration before the permit runs out.

Online applications. The Department of Immigration asks tourists to process permit applications online at immi.gov.bt, and states a processing time of about five working days once the application is endorsed. In practice, licensed tour operators and certified hotels submit most regional tourist applications, with every district listed, so a single permit covers the whole route. Apply at least a week or two ahead, and earlier in peak season.

Walk-in permits. The Embassy of India in Thimphu notes that a permit issued on arrival allows travel to Thimphu and Paro only. A route permit for anywhere else is obtained from the immigration office in Thimphu on working days (Monday to Friday). The Department of Immigration says route permits are processed within one working day of a complete application. They usually come through faster, but you should allow a morning for it. You need the application form, a copy of your entry permit, your itinerary and your ID.

Solo travellers and minors. Children under 18 travelling without a passport must carry their original birth certificate. Some travellers report that solo visitors applying in person have been asked for a signed undertaking. Your tour operator will tell you if one is needed.

Validity and extensions. Make sure the permit dates match your plan, including the day you leave. If plans change, for example after a flight cancellation, apply to immigration for an extension before the permit expires; overstaying is treated seriously. The Thimphu office is closed on weekends and Bhutanese public holidays, which matters if your plans change on a Friday.

Our Bhutan visa and permit process page explains how we handle paperwork for international guests, and the FAQs cover the common questions.

Bhutan travel cost for Indians

How much does a trip to Bhutan from India cost?

A comfortable trip to Bhutan from India costs roughly ₹30,000–40,000 per person for five days by road, or ₹50,000–60,000 per person for four days by air, for a couple sharing. These are indicative 2026 figures. Indian travellers pay the SDF of ₹1,200 a night and no visa fee, so the US-dollar package rates on our international pages do not apply. We quote Indian guests separately, in rupees.

Cost item

A) 5 days / 4 nights by road, couple

B) 4 days / 3 nights by air from Kolkata, couple

Getting there

₹5,000 car Bagdogra/NJP → Jaigaon (train to NJP extra)

₹56,000 return flights, 2 × ~₹28,000

SDF (₹1,200 × 2 people × nights)

₹9,600 (4 nights)

₹7,200 (3 nights)

Car and driver in Bhutan

₹18,000 (4 days × ~₹4,500)

₹16,000 (4 days, incl. airport transfers)

Licensed guide

₹10,000 (4 days × ~₹2,500)

3-star hotels, double room

₹16,000 (4 nights × ~₹4,000)

₹13,500 (3 nights × ~₹4,500)

Meals and entry fees

₹10,000

₹8,000 (incl. Tiger’s Nest, Nu 1,000 each)

5% GST on Bhutanese services

about ₹2,200

about ₹2,000

Approximate total

about ₹70,800 (₹35,400 per person)

about ₹1,12,700 (₹56,350 per person)

Indicative only. Car, guide and hotel rates vary by season, hotel category and group size; GST does not apply to the SDF. Children 6–12 pay half SDF; under-6s pay none. Travelling as four or six sharing one car and guide lowers the per-person cost noticeably.

Bhutan per day cost for Indians

What does Bhutan cost per day for an Indian traveller?

₹1,200

SDF per adult per night

₹600

SDF per child aged 6–12

₹0

SDF if you leave a border town within 24 h

₹4,000–7,000

Per person per day, budget, 4 sharing

₹7,000–12,000

Per person per day, mid-range couple

₹4,500

Per night for your own car beyond the border

Indicative per-person daily figures include SDF, a share of car, driver and guide, a 3-star or comparable hotel, meals and entry fees, but not your travel to the border or flights. For the full breakdown of fees for every nationality, see our Bhutan travel cost guide.

Seasons for Indian travellers

When is the best time to visit Bhutan from India?

March to May and late September to November are the best months for most travellers. December to February is cold, clear and quiet. June to August is green and cheap but wet, with more flight delays and landslides.

Season

What it is like

Good to know

Spring (Mar–May)

Rhododendrons and magnolias, mild days, the Paro Tshechu festival (usually late March or April)

Indian school holidays in May push up demand; book hotels and flights early.

Monsoon (Jun–Aug)

Lush green valleys, waterfalls, fewer visitors, lower hotel rates

Leeches on trails, landslide delays on the Phuentsholing road, more Paro weather delays.

Autumn (Sep–Nov)

Clear skies, mountain views, harvest season, Thimphu Tshechu (usually late Sept or Oct)

Peak season; Puja holidays bring long queues at Phuentsholing. Apply for permits online.

Winter (Dec–Feb)

Crisp, sunny days, cold nights, black-necked cranes in Phobjikha, quiet monasteries

Dochula festival on 13 December; Black-necked Crane Festival in Gangtey around 11 November. Snow can briefly close high passes.

Tshechu dates follow the Bhutanese lunar calendar and change every year. The 2026 Thimphu Tshechu has already taken place; for 2027 dates as they are confirmed, see our Bhutan festivals calendar. Book 4–6 months ahead for festival weeks.

From our guides

Twelve practical tips for Indian travellers to Bhutan

Fly in, drive out

If you have a week, land in Paro and leave by road via Phuentsholing. You skip the long climb on day one and see more.

Keep a buffer night

Do not book a same-day connection from Kolkata or Delhi after your Paro flight home. Weather delays happen.

Carry ₹100 notes

₹500 notes are allowed within limits, but many small shops in Bhutan hesitate to take them.

Put every district on your permit

Listing Punakha, Phobjikha or Haa at the start saves a morning at the Thimphu immigration office.

Plan in hours, not kilometres

Thimphu to Punakha is only about 72 km but takes around 2.5–3 hours over the Dochula pass.

Don’t try Bhutan in three days

Five nights is the sensible minimum for Thimphu, Punakha and Paro; seven is better.

Climb Tiger’s Nest late in the trip

Start early, allow 5–6 hours, and do it after a few days at altitude. Read our Tiger’s Nest hike guide.

Buy a local SIM

B-Mobile and TashiCell SIMs are cheap (a few hundred ngultrum) with your permit copy. Indian roaming is costly and patchy.

Dress for dzongs

Long sleeves and trousers or long skirts, no caps inside, shoulders covered. See what to wear in Bhutan.

Pack layers

Phuentsholing can be 30°C while Dochula is near freezing on the same day.

Mind the tobacco and drone rules

Tobacco is tightly controlled; carry only small personal quantities and pay duty if required. Drones need prior approval.

Don’t overstay

Leave on the date on your permit, or extend it at immigration before it runs out.

Sample plan 1

A 6-day Bhutan trip from Kolkata by road

Most “Bhutan in five days” road plans end with a punishing final day: Tiger’s Nest in the morning, then five hours down to the border. We have added a day so you can do the hike without racing to Phuentsholing the same evening.

Kolkata to the Dooars

Overnight train

Take an overnight train from Sealdah or Howrah to New Alipurduar or Hasimara. Breakfast, then a short taxi to Jaigaon.

Phuentsholing to Thimphu

About 150–170 km, 5–6 h

Be at the immigration office early (or arrive with an online clearance). Meet your guide, then drive up through Chukha. Evening walk on Norzin Lam.

Thimphu

Capital day

Buddha Dordenma, the National Memorial Chorten, the Folk Heritage Museum, the takin at Motithang and Tashichho Dzong in the late afternoon. See Thimphu.

Dochula and Punakha

About 72 km, 2.5–3 h

Cross Dochula (3,100 m) with its 108 chortens, visit Punakha Dzong, walk the suspension bridge and Chimi Lhakhang. Overnight in Punakha. See Punakha.

Punakha to Paro

About 125 km, 4–4.5 h

Drive to Paro; Rinpung Dzong, the National Museum and Kyichu Lhakhang. Early night.

Tiger’s Nest

5–6 h hike

Hike to Paro Taktsang in the morning. Afternoon free in Paro town, or a hot stone bath.

Paro to Phuentsholing and home

About 140–150 km, 5 h

Drive down to Phuentsholing and cross into Jaigaon for an evening train from Hasimara or New Alipurduar, or stay in Jaigaon and travel on next morning.

This plan has five nights in Bhutan (five nights of SDF) plus a night on the train each way if you go by rail. To cut it to four nights, skip the separate Punakha night and do Punakha as a long day trip from Thimphu.

Sample plan 2

A 4-day Bhutan trip from Delhi by air

Four days is the shortest trip we would recommend, and it only works if you fly.

Day 1: Delhi to Paro, on to Thimphu. Morning flight (left-side seat for the Himalaya). Your guide meets you at Paro; visit Rinpung Dzong and drive to Thimphu, about an hour. Evening at the Memorial Chorten, where older Thimphu residents walk their circuits.

Day 2: Thimphu and Dochula. Buddha Dordenma, the takin preserve, the Centenary Farmers’ Market and Tashichho Dzong; drive up to Dochula for the view of the high Himalaya on a clear day, then back to Thimphu.

Day 3: Tiger’s Nest. Drive to Paro early and hike to Taktsang. Afternoon at Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in the country, and a farmhouse dinner.

Day 4: Fly home. Morning flight from Paro to Delhi. Do not book an onward connection the same afternoon.

If you can add a day, spend it in Punakha. If you can add three, go over the Pele La to Phobjikha. Our ready-made Bhutan cultural tours and the 7-day Bhutan package tour from Bagdogra airport are good starting points; we adjust either for Indian guests.

The bottom line

Under five days? Fly. A week or more? Take the road, or fly in and drive out.

From Kolkata you are in Paro in about 70 minutes. From North Bengal, the road through Jaigaon is the cheapest way to reach Bhutan from India. The paperwork is the same either way. Work through it in this order: check your ID (passport or Voter ID; birth certificates for children), apply for the permit with every district listed and pay the SDF, book hotels, then book your flight or train, and arrange your guide and car. If you would rather hand all of that to people who do it every week, we are happy to help.

Questions Indian travellers ask us

How to reach Bhutan from India: frequently asked questions

Short, direct answers, checked against the Department of Immigration, the Department of Tourism and the Embassy of India in Thimphu in October 2026. Have a question we have not covered? Ask us.

Do Indians need a passport to visit Bhutan?

No. Indian adults can enter with either a valid Indian passport (at least six months’ validity) or an original Voter ID card. Aadhaar, PAN and driving licences are not accepted. Children under 18 without a passport need their original birth certificate.

Do Indians need a visa for Bhutan in 2026?

No. Indian nationals are visa-exempt. You get a free entry permit, either online before you travel or at the immigration office at Phuentsholing, another land border or Paro airport, and you pay the Sustainable Development Fee.

What is the SDF fee in Bhutan for Indians?

The SDF for Indian nationals is ₹1,200 (Nu 1,200) per adult per night. Children aged 6–12 pay half (₹600) and children under six pay nothing. It is charged per night, so a 5-day, 4-night trip means four nights of SDF.

Can I visit Bhutan without paying the SDF?

Yes, if you stay within the designated zone of a border town such as Phuentsholing, Gelephu, Samdrup Jongkhar or Samtse and leave Bhutan within 24 hours. At Phuentsholing the limit has been the Rinchending checkpoint; from September 2026 approved guided packages can also include Milarepa Lhakhang and Pachu.

What is the cheapest way to reach Bhutan from India?

By train to Hasimara or New Alipurduar in West Bengal, then a short taxi to Jaigaon and across into Phuentsholing. Inside Bhutan, travelling in a group of four to six and sharing one car and guide keeps the per-person cost lowest.

How far is Bagdogra airport from the Bhutan border?

Bagdogra airport is about 160–170 km by road from the Jaigaon–Phuentsholing border, a 4–5 hour drive through the Dooars. Drukair also flies Bagdogra to Paro about twice a week, in roughly 45 minutes.

Which Indian airports have flights to Bhutan?

Kolkata, Delhi, Bagdogra and Guwahati, plus Gaya in winter. All flights land at Paro and are operated by Drukair or Bhutan Airlines. Kolkata has the most frequent service.

How long does the Phuentsholing entry permit take?

On a quiet weekday, an hour or two. In peak season, on Mondays and after holidays, it can take half a day. Applying online in advance, usually through your tour operator, makes the border step much quicker.

Is a guide mandatory for Indian tourists in Bhutan?

Yes, beyond the first checkpoint after the border. Under the Tourism Rules and Regulations 2024 and a Department of Tourism notification of April 2026, all tourists, including Indians, must be accompanied by a licensed guide when travelling between districts and visiting monuments. Border towns up to the checkpoint are exempt.

Can I drive my own car from India to Bhutan?

Yes. You need the RC, insurance, PUC, driving licence and your ID, a vehicle permit issued at the entry point, and you pay Nu 4,500 (₹4,500) per vehicle per night beyond the first checkpoint, on top of the SDF. A licensed guide must still travel with you.

How long is the Bhutan permit for Indians valid?

It is issued for the dates on your itinerary. A walk-in permit covers Thimphu and Paro; other districts need a free route permit from immigration in Thimphu (on working days), unless they were already included in an online application. Extend before the permit expires if your plans change.

Can I use Indian rupees in Bhutan?

Yes. The ngultrum is pegged 1:1 to the rupee and rupees are accepted almost everywhere. You may carry Indian notes up to ₹500 denomination to a total of ₹25,000; amounts above that should be in ₹100 notes or smaller. Carry plenty of ₹100s.

Is there a train to Bhutan?

Not yet. The nearest stations are Hasimara (about 18 km from Jaigaon), New Alipurduar and New Jalpaiguri. Two cross-border lines, Kokrajhar–Gelephu and Banarhat–Samtse, were agreed in 2025 but will take several years to build.

What is the best month to visit Bhutan from India?

March–May and late September–November for clear weather and festivals. December–February is cold but sunny and quiet. June–August is green and cheaper but wet, with more landslides and flight delays.

How many days are enough for a trip to Bhutan from India?

Four days by air is the bare minimum (Thimphu and Paro). Six to seven days, by road or air, lets you add Punakha and Tiger’s Nest without rushing. Ten to twelve days takes you to Bumthang or across to eastern Bhutan.

Is Bhutan safe for Indian women travelling solo?

Bhutan is one of the safest countries in the region for women travellers, and solo Indian women visit regularly. You will be with a licensed guide outside the border town; ask your operator for a female guide if you prefer. Emergency numbers: police 113, ambulance 112.

Can I bring cigarettes, drones or pets into Bhutan?

Tobacco is tightly regulated: bring only a small personal quantity and expect to pay duty. Drones need prior approval from the Bhutanese authorities. Pets need health and import documentation arranged well before travel; check with us first.

Plan your trip to Bhutan from India

Tell us where you are starting from, and we will plan the rest

We are a licensed Bhutanese tour operator based in Thimphu. For Indian travellers we apply for your entry permit with every district on it, arrange the licensed guide and car, book hotels that suit your budget and meet you at Paro airport or the Phuentsholing gate. We quote Indian guests separately, in rupees, with the ₹1,200 SDF shown line by line. Send your dates, group size and starting city.

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