Until 1964 The Kingdom of Bhutan was
accessible only by foot through the high passes of
Tibet
. The construction of a road from Phuentsholing on the Indian border to
Thimphu
and Paro made travel by car and bus possible. In the 1980’s an international
airport was constructed in Paro, 55 km from the capital of
Bhutan
,
Thimphu
.
Travel by air
Today,
Bhutan
’s national air carrier, Druk Air, operates several flights per week from
Bangkok
,
Delhi
, Kolkata and
Kathmandu
to Paro. The modern Airbus A-319 jets carry passengers through one of the most spectacular
flight paths in the world. A particular highlight is the stretch between Kathmandu
und
Bhutan
, where one passes 4 of the 5 highest mountains in the world. Weather permitting;
passengers will be treated to intimate views of
Mt.
Everest
, Lhotse,
Makalu
und Kangchenjunga. Landing in the
Paro
Valley
, surrounded by 4000 meter high mountains stretching across the west of
Bhutan
, means a visual landing is the order of the day.
Current flight schedules for Druk
Air are available at
www.drukair.com.bt. Flights are booked through Tour
Operators who also arrange visas.
We will book your Druk Air reservation
in and out of
Bhutan
as a compliment to our tour services without the added commission that outside travel
agents charge. To do this we book in advance as soon as you confirm your trip so
we can avoid the peak season rush of the Spring and Autumn festivals. Tickets can
only be issued once your visa is approved by the Home Ministry of Bhutan. Don't
worry about getting approved our staff will hand carry your passport details and
personally book your tickets. Make sure the visa information you send for your ticket
is EXACTLY the same as it is on your passport or you won't fly. Druk Air is very
sticky about that.
Air tickets will be issued only after
your visa is approved by the Home Ministry of Bhutan. To expedite this procedure,
it is essential that you send us all passport information required to apply for
your
Bhutan
visa (see below). The air-tickets cannot be issued until the visa is approved -
and this process takes a week or more.
Travel by Land
The alternative of coming in to
Bhutan
by road is now allowed to tourists wanting to combine their visit to
Bhutan
with other places in
India
such as Sikkim & Darjeeling. Entering and departing
Bhutan
by surface road through the border town of
Phuentsoling
is the only official point of entry other than flying. Now travelers are also allowed
to fly into
Bhutan
and exit by road through Phuentsoling, or vice versa
The town of
Phuntsholing
in south-western
Bhutan
is currently the only land border access open for international tourists. Phuntsholing
lies approximately 170 km east of the Indian national airport Bagdogra, nearby historic
Darjeeling
. From here begins a mountain journey of almost unbelievable beauty. The road leads
from the northern Indian tea plantations through endless turns, hair-pin bends and
daring stretches carved into the mountain rock via Chhuka to
Thimphu
. The travel time for the 175 km stretch can be more than 7 hours.
A combination of overland and air travel is also possible. All overland travel requires
an Indian visa.
Traveling within
Bhutan
With the exception of the Gasa district,
all major towns in the 20 districts of
Bhutan
are accessible by road. Despite high mountains, steep slopes, and the deepest of
valleys
Bhutan
has a relatively well developed network of roads. That said, rarely will one find
a length of either straight or flat road. In some stretches one can encounter 6
to 7 bends per kilometre! Steep ascents and descents are characteristic of road
travel in
Bhutan
and this can make travel much slower than one may be used to. Average speeds for
road travel rarely exceed 30 km/h, with tourist buses making even slower progress.
One is however handsomely rewarded for the long and sometimes tiring car journey,
by the spectacular views of towering mountains, lush green jungle, ancient villages
and majestic monasteries.
The majority of roads are sealed but can still be bumpy and are almost always single
lane.
Bhutan
’s drivers know their land well and are cautious and careful drivers. The density
of traffic is normally very low.
Distances and
Travel Times within
Bhutan
|
From/To
|
|
Distance
|
Travel Time
|
|
Thimphu
– Paro
|
|
65 km
|
1 hr 30 min
|
|
Thimphu
– Phuntsholing
|
|
176 km
|
6 hrs
|
|
Phuntsholing – Bagdogra (India)
|
|
170 km
|
4 hrs
|
|
Thimphu
– Ha
|
|
115 km
|
3 hrs 30 min
|
|
Ha– Paro
|
|
60 km
|
2 hrs 30 min
|
|
Thimphu
– Wangdue Phodrang
|
|
70 km
|
2 hrs
|
|
Thimphu
– Punakha
|
|
77 km
|
2 hrs 15 min
|
|
Punakha – Wangdue Phodrang
|
|
21 km
|
30 min
|
|
Wangdue Phodrang – Trongsa
|
|
129 km
|
4 hrs
|
|
Trongsa – Bumthang
|
|
68 km
|
2 hrs 30 min
|
|
Bumthang – Mongar
|
|
129 km
|
4 hrs
|
|
Mongar – Trashigang
|
|
90 km
|
3 hrs
|
|
Trashigang – Trashi Yangtse
|
|
55 km
|
2 hrs
|