Bhutan has always been isolated from the rest of the world until it recently opened its doors to international travelers. Entry into the country was possible only through northern and southern entry points. The northern route was through high mountain passes through Tibet, and the southern route was through the plains of Assam or West Bengal.
Today, visitors can also enter Bhutan by land and air. September to November and February to April are the two most popular times of the year when Bhutan sees high tourist arrivals at its only international airport in Paro. Most foreign visitors visit Bhutan on multi-country trips including Tibet, Nepal, and India.
By Air
The country’s only international airport in Paro is located at an altitude of 7,300 feet and is surrounded by mountains as high as 16,000 feet. National flag carriers Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines have scheduled flights to destinations including New Delhi, Bagdogra, Bodh Gaya, Dhaka, Kolkata, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Guwahati, Mumbai, and Singapore. Bhutan Airlines destinations are limited to Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata and Kathmandu.
There are no direct flights to Paro from the US, UK, Canada or Australia. In fact, no international flights fly to Bhutan except for the country’s flag carrier Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines. Therefore, most travelers from around the world must fly to a destination with a connecting flight to Bhutan, such as India, Nepal, Thailand, Bangladesh or Singapore, and then fly to Bhutan.
The flight between Kathmandu and Paro is one of the most popular and exciting flights where you can admire incredible views of the 4 highest mountains on Earth.
By Land
The land border areas open to tourists are Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar. The most common border town to enter by road is Phuentsholing, in the southwest, bordering the Indian state of West Bengal and about 170 km/106 mi from the country’s capital Thimphu. Travelers who want to visit Sikkim or Darjeeling before or after visiting Bhutan prefer to enter and exit via Phuentsholing. The road journey from Thimphu to Phuentsholing is a 6-hour drive. From here, another 6-hour road journey will also take travelers to Sikkim and Darjeeling.
Gelephu is another entry point to Bhutan and is located in the south-central region. It is about 250 kilometers/155 miles from Thimphu. The journey takes about 10 hours, passing through three districts through subtropical and alpine regions. Similarly, Samdrup Jongkhar in the south-eastern region is an entry point connected to Darranga in Assam, which is about 150 kilometers/93 miles from Guwahati. To reach Bhutan’s capital from this entry point, travelers must travel via Trashigang, Mongar, Bumthang, Trongsa, and Wangdue Phodrang, a total distance of about 700 kilometers/435 miles and a minimum of 3 days to travel.
International Flights
Both Druk Air, the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bhutan, and Bhutan Airlines operate international flights to Paro, the country’s only airport, located about an hour and a half drive from the capital, Thimphu. The national carrier has a fleet of modern Airbus A-319 and ATR aircraft and flies from Bhutan:
- New Delhi (DEL) – India
- Bodh Gaya (GAY) – India
- Kathmandu (KTM) – Nepal
- Mumbai (BOM) – India
- Guwahati (GAU) – India
- Dhaka (DAC) – Bangladesh
- Kolkata (CCU) – India
- Changi (SIN) – Singapore
- Bagdogra (IXB) – India
- Bangkok (BKK) – Thailand
Bhutan Airlines began its international flight operations in 2013 and its flight routes include Bangkok (BKK) – Thailand, Delhi (DEL) – India, Kathmandu (KTM) – Nepal, and Kolkata (CCU) – India.
