Visitor Information

Visiting Bhutan: Foreign national visiting to Bhutan must travel through all-inclusive package tours which have a fixed tariff set by the Royal Government of Bhutan. The tariff includes the services of accommodation & meals, transport & guide, sightseeing and entrance fees.

Reservations: All tours must be booked through a local Tour Operator who will make the entire land arrangements.

Spring and autumn seasons are peak seasons filled with unique festivities of Bhutan and it is necessary to make bookings at least 9 weeks in advance as otherwise it becomes difficult to confirm flights and hotels.

Visa: Visa is required for traveling to Bhutan and it is processed in Thimphu through a local Tour Operator. No foreign Missions/Embassies abroad grant tourist visas.

All passport details should be forwarded to the agent at least 4 weeks before the date of travel for visa, rout permit and special permit processing.

Actual visa is stamped only on arrival in Bhutan with the support of Visa clearance which will be sent to the visitor in advance.

For travelers entering Bhutan via Druk Air, visa clearance number is forwarded to concerned overseas Druk Air Stations and without this clearance number passengers are not allowed to board the flight.

For those entering the country by land through Phuentsholing (the border town in south), Visa clearance numbers are forwarded to the local authorities and the actual visa stamped on arrival. Two copies of original passport sized photographs are required on arrival. Visa fee is US$ 20 per person payable in advance in addition to the package costs. For visits exceeding 2 weeks, an additional fee of US$ 15 is charged.

Access (Getting to Bhutan): The best way to enter Bhutan is by Druk Air, the national airline. Following stations are connected with Druk Air flights.

Druk Air is the only Airline operating in Bhutan.

Road: Entry/exit to/from Bhutan is also possible through Phuentsholing, the southern Bhutanese border town.

Bagdogra, in the state of West Bengal (India) is the nearest airport approximately 4 hours drive from Phuentsholing.

For travelers wishing to visit Indian states of Sikkim, West Bengal along with Bhutan, Phuentsholing serves as the convenient point.

Exit from Bhutan can be made through Samdrup Jongkhar from Guawahati, the capital city of Assam State. Samdrup Jongkhar is the authorized exit point only and an important link for visiting north-east India.

Food: Bhutanese delicacies are served with spicy chilly and cheese. However, the tourists will be served a buffet of Continental food with some local dishes too. On treks, the trained cooks prepare dishes suitable to western taste ranging from Continental to Chinese and Bhutanese to Indian dishes.

Money: Bhutan’s unit of currency is the Ngultrum (1 Ngultrum consists of 100 Chetrums). The Ngultrum is pegged to the value of Indian Rupee.

Clothing: Due to wide range of temperature and climate conditions, it is advisable to bring appropriate clothing. For protection against cold, layered clothing is better than a few thick ones, so choose your clothes accordingly. On treks, clothes should preferably be made from natural materials which will allow the body to breathe better. You may be offending people if you walk around skimpy or tight fitting clothes. Although, there are normally opportunities to wear shorts, we would advise women to wear shirts or loose trousers and men should wear singlet. During visits to the monasteries, Dzongs and other religious institutions, you should not wear shorts, hats and should be properly dressed.

Tours & Treks: Tours include cultural tours to various areas of the country depending upon the interest of the tourists. These tours are essentially cultural tours where the tourists are exposed to the unique cultural traditions of the country. Such tours may last between 3-14 days. Details can be obtained on request from the Travel Agent.

Treks also take the tourists to various remote parts of the country, including treks into the majestic mountains and pristine forests of the country. These treks may last anywhere between 3 days to 25 days depending upon the interest of the trekkers. Detailed programs can be obtained from the Travel Agent.

In the event of expression of interest, SN Excursions will be most happy to forward the programs separately.