Entry to Bhutan
How to enter ?
The easiest way for visitors to enter Bhutan is by air. Druk Air – Royal Bhutan Airlines is Bhutan’s national carrier and the only airline operating in Bhutan. Druk Air ‘s fleet consists of two modern Airbus A319 which are perfectly designed and crafted for high altitude landings and take offs. The pilots are especially trained and internationally licensed for mountain flying. Druk air has an impeccable safety record, without a single mishap since its inception in 1983.
On clear days the flight to Bhutan offers spectacular views of the Great Himalayas, Mt Everest, Mt Kanchenjunga, Chomo Lhari, Kula Gangri and you can also catch a glimpse of the Great Tibetan Plateau and its grandeur stretching in the distance.
Current flight schedules are available at Druk Air website.
Bhutan Exotic Travel will books your tickets well in advance avoiding the last minute rush during the peak seasons without the added commission that outside travel agents charge. To do this you need to confirm your trip especially during the rush of Spring and the Autumn festivals. Tickets can only be issued once your visa is approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Don’t worry about getting approved our staff will hand carry your passport details and personally book your tickets.
*Important- the visa information that you send for your ticket should be exactly the same as it is on your passport.
Air tickets will be issued only after your visa is approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To expedite this procedure, it is essential that you send us all the passport information required to apply for your Bhutan visa (see in the visa section for more info) . The air tickets cannot be issued until the visa is approved and this process takes more than two weeks.
Travel By Land
Tourists wanting to combine to visit to Bhutan with Sikkim & Darjeeling (or other places in India) can enter Bhutan by surface road through the border town of Phuenstholing. This is the only other entry point to Bhutan other than flying into the Paro airport. Visitors can also fly into Bhutan and exit by road through Phuentsholing or vice versa.
Phuentsholing lies approximately 170 km east of the Indian national airport Bagdora, nearby a Darjeeling, a hill station. The road leads to the northern Indian tea plantations through endless turns, hair pin bends and daring stretches carved into the mountain rock via Chukka to Thimphu, Capital of Bhutan. The travel time for 275 km stretch can be more than 7 hours.
For those travelling to eastern Bhutan there is an option to exit out of the country through the border town of Samdrup Jongkhar to Guwahati Airport in Assam of India. Only exit is allowed from this point not entry into Bhutan. From Guwahati there are flights available to Calcutta and Delhi.