How hard is the Tiger's Nest hike?

Paro Taktsang sits about 900 metres above the valley floor and the walk up and back takes four to five hours at a steady pace. It is a climb rather than a technical trek: a wide path, then a stone staircase down and up across the gorge at the end. There is a cafeteria at roughly the halfway point, and horses can be hired for the first stretch but not the final section. Most reasonably fit people manage it, including older travellers and children used to walking. Start early, carry water, and allow for the altitude, because Paro sits at around 2,200 metres.

Is it easy to find vegetarian food in Bhutan?

Yes, and the national dish is vegetarian to start with. Ema datshi is chillies cooked in cheese, with kewa datshi made from potato and shamu datshi from mushroom, so a vegetarian eats the local cuisine rather than around it. Red rice is served with almost everything and momos come with vegetable fillings as standard. Bhutan is Buddhist and meat is avoided during certain religious periods, so hotel kitchens are well used to cooking without it. Indian food is easy to find in Thimphu and Paro. Jain travellers should say so in advance, because onion and garlic are used freely.

Is Bhutan good for a honeymoon?

It has become a popular alternative to a beach, and it suits couples who would rather walk than lie down. Punakha is the warmest and most scenic base, the western valleys hold some of the best luxury lodges in the Himalayas, and the lack of crowds is the point. It is also short and close: a few days from Delhi or Kolkata, no visa to arrange, and a currency at par with the rupee. The trade-off is that it is an active trip, with drives most days and a long walk at the Tiger's Nest.

Is Bhutan suitable for families and older travellers?

Generally yes, with two things to plan around. The first is altitude: Thimphu sits at about 2,300 metres and the passes go higher, so take the first day slowly and mention any heart or lung condition to your doctor beforehand. The second is the driving, which is winding and takes longer than the map suggests, and which small children find tiring. Older children do well, and the Tiger's Nest is manageable for anyone used to walking. Thimphu's takin preserve and the Punakha suspension bridge are the easy wins with a family.

Can you use Indian rupees in Bhutan?

Yes, more easily than anywhere else you are likely to travel. The Bhutanese ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee at par and rupees are widely accepted, so there is nothing to exchange. The one catch is that notes above 100 rupees are often refused, so carry plenty of smaller denominations. Card acceptance is limited outside Thimphu and Paro, ATMs do not always take foreign cards, and most day-to-day spending is in cash.

Bhutan Travel Guide & Tourism (2026)

Bhutan Travel Packages

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6 Nights / 7 Days

7 Days Essential Bhutan Tour: Thimphu, Paro, Punakha & More

Phuentsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Paro(2N)

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₹39,499/person

7 Nights / 8 Days

7 Nights & 8 Days Bhutan Group Package from Bagdogra

Phuntsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Punakha(1N) → Paro(2N)

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₹29,500/person

6 Nights / 7 Days

Bhutan Himalayan Discovery: 7 Days of Culture, Nature, and Adventure

Phuentsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Paro(2N)

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₹28,500/person

7 Nights / 8 Days

8 Days - Journey to Land of Happiness: Bhutan Tour Package

Phuntsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Punakha(1N) → Paro(2N)

₹44,990/person

4 Nights / 5 Days

Bhutan Tour: 4 Nights 5 Days in Thimphu and Paro

Phuentsholing(1N) → Thimphu(2N) → Paro(1N)

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₹32,999/person

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6 Days Bhutan Tour Package

Paro(2N) → Thimphu(1N) → Phuentsholing(2N)

₹35,990/person

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Bhutan Travel Essentials

Region: South Asia

Ideal Duration: 5 to 6 days for the west, 8 to 10 for central Bhutan

Currency: Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN)

Best Time: March to May and September to November, and winter is cheapest

Accommodation Cost (per night in USD): Booked separately from the per-night Sustainable Development Fee

Budget for Food & Drinks (per day in USD): Not covered by the SDF. Most India packages include meals

Visa Policy for Indians: No visa. An entry permit plus the per-night SDF applies

Visa Policy for Other Nationals: Visa required, via a licensed Bhutanese tour operator

Getting In Bhutan: Paro (PBH), with flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra and Guwahati. By road, Jaigaon to Phuentsholing from West Bengal. Read More

Getting Around Bhutan: Government-approved vehicles, limited public transport, trekking for some regions Read More

Tourist Places to Visit In Bhutan

4.0

Paro

4.4

Thimphu

Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang)

Buddha Dordenma

Dochula Pass

4.4

Punakha

All Tourist Places In Bhutan

Must Know Before You Travel to Bhutan

Permits: The entry permit covers Thimphu, Paro and Haa Valley. Anywhere beyond those needs a further permit arranged on the ground.
SDF: Charged per person per night, at a concessional rate for Indians, and included in the package rate. Confirm the current figure before you compare two quotes.
Phuentsholing day trips: A day visit at the Jaigaon border needs only online pre-registration. Stay past 24 hours and the SDF applies.
Guides: You need a licensed guide and vehicle for sightseeing, even though joining a tour is no longer compulsory.

Bhutan Tourism

Bhutan is the Himalayan kingdom that chose not to chase mass tourism, and it shows. Monasteries without queues, valleys that are forested rather than built up, and a country that measures itself by Gross National Happiness. For Indian travellers it is also far cheaper than its reputation suggests: you need a permit rather than a visa, you can enter on a passport or a Voter ID, and the daily fee that other visitors pay is charged to Indians at a small fraction of the rate.

Bhutan is a small country and the trip is compact. Paro is where you land, on one of the most dramatic airport approaches in the world. Thimphu, the capital, is an hour away and has no traffic lights anywhere in it. Punakha, over a mountain pass, has the finest dzong (fortress monastery) in the country, sitting where two rivers meet. And Tiger's Nest, the monastery on a cliff above Paro, is the image everyone comes for, reached by a steep two to three hour climb. Five to six days covers the western valleys, eight to ten reaches central Bhutan and Bumthang. March to May and September to November are the classic windows, with winter clear, cold and the cheapest time to go.

What makes Bhutan different is how deliberately it has stayed that way. Visitor numbers are managed through a daily Sustainable Development Fee, set far lower for Indian nationals than for everyone else, which keeps the valleys quiet and the trails empty. Against Nepal, Bhutan is more ordered and far less crowded, with better roads and no trekking permits to chase, though there are fewer flights and the daily fee to budget for. For an Indian passport it is the closest and cheapest Himalayan country abroad, and the only one where a licensed guide and vehicle are required for sightseeing.

Best time to visit Bhutan

October to April is the best time to visit Bhutan, and October is the single biggest month of the year here. The monsoon has just ended, the air is clear and the dzong festivals fall in this window. March to May is the second season, warm with rhododendrons and jacaranda in bloom, and it holds the P... (Read More)

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What Bhutan costs, and the permit you need

Bhutan has a reputation for being expensive that does not hold for Indian travellers, and this is the single most useful thing to know before you plan a trip.

Indians do not need a visa. You need an entry permit, and you can travel on a passport or a Voter ID card rather than only a passport.

The daily fee is different for India. Bhutan charges visitors a Sustainable Development Fee for each night of the stay. Indian nationals are charged at a concessional rate, a fraction of what other nationalities pay. Children are charged less again and the youngest are exempt. Rates are set by the government and do change, so confirm the current figure on Bhutan's official tourism site before you book.

What that fee is not. The SDF is separate from what you spend on hotels, food and transport. It is not a package price and it does not include your stay.

Day trips to Phuentsholing on the border are treated differently again: visitors crossing for the day register online and do not pay the fee, but staying beyond twenty four hours does incur it.

If you drive in, Indian vehicles need a permit through the online system and pay a daily green tax beyond the Rinchending check post, with original licence, registration, insurance and emission papers required.

Paro, Thimphu or beyond: choosing your Bhutan

Almost every Bhutan trip stays in the west, and the question is how far east you go.

Paro holds the only international airport and the Tiger's Nest, the monastery on the cliff face that most people come for. The valley is broad and green, with the Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum in it. Most trips start and finish here.

Thimphu, an hour on, is the capital and the only one in the world with no traffic lights. The Buddha Dordenma looks over the valley, the weekend market is worth timing for, and it is where Bhutanese life is easiest to see up close.

Punakha is over the Dochula Pass, where 108 chortens sit on the ridge and the Himalayas show themselves on a clear morning. Punakha Dzong, at the meeting of two rivers, is the most photographed building in the country and sits lower and warmer than the rest.

Central Bhutan, Trongsa, Bumthang and the Phobjikha valley where black-necked cranes winter, is a long drive further and sees a fraction of the visitors. Add three or four days for it.

Five to six days covers the western three. Anything less and you are spending the trip on the road.

What a week in Bhutan looks like

The standard trip is five to six days across the western valleys, and it is built around drives that are short in distance and long in time.

Day 1, arrive Paro. Fly in, acclimatise gently, and see Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum. The landing at Paro is famously scenic and famously weather-dependent.

Day 2, Thimphu. An hour by road. Buddha Dordenma, the Memorial Chorten, the takin preserve and the craft school, with the weekend market if your dates suit.

Day 3, Punakha. Over the Dochula Pass with its 108 chortens, then down to Punakha Dzong and the suspension bridge. Warmer and lower than anywhere else on the trip.

Day 4, back to Paro. A long drive with stops, or a night in Punakha if you would rather not double back.

Day 5, the Tiger's Nest. Start early. It is a climb of roughly 900 metres and four to five hours up and down, with a cafeteria at the halfway point and horses available for the first stretch.

Add three to four days to reach Bumthang and Phobjikha in central Bhutan.

The experiences people build a trip around

The Tiger's Nest. Paro Taktsang clings to a cliff 900 metres above the valley floor, and reaching it is a four to five hour walk there and back. It is the image of Bhutan and it earns it.

Punakha Dzong. A fortress and monastery at the confluence of two rivers, jacaranda in bloom in spring, and the finest building in a country full of them.

The Dochula Pass. 108 chortens on a ridge at 3,100 metres, with the eastern Himalayas laid out behind them on a clear morning.

A tshechu. Bhutan's masked dance festivals are the real thing rather than a performance for visitors, held in dzong courtyards over several days. Paro's is in spring and Thimphu's in autumn, and both move with the lunar calendar, so check the dates against your trip.

The black-necked cranes at Phobjikha. The birds winter in the valley from late autumn, and the crane festival in November is built around them.

Thimphu's weekend market. Produce, chillies by the sack, textiles and prayer flags, and the easiest place to see the country going about its week.

Food in Bhutan, and eating vegetarian

Bhutanese food is built on chilli, cheese and red rice, and it is spicier than most visitors expect. Ema datshi, chillies cooked in yak or cow cheese, is the national dish and is itself vegetarian. Kewa datshi is the potato version and shamu datshi the mushroom one, so a vegetarian traveller can eat the national cuisine rather than around it.

Red rice grown in the Paro valley is served with almost everything, and momos are on every menu, with vegetable fillings as common as meat.

Vegetarians do well in Bhutan for a reason that is cultural as well as culinary: the country is Buddhist, meat is avoided during certain religious periods, and hotel buffets almost always run a vegetarian line. Jain travellers should say so in advance, since onion and garlic are used freely.

Indian food is easy to find in Thimphu and Paro, and many hotels cook for Indian groups as a matter of course. Tea is suja, the salted butter tea, or the sweeter milk tea you will recognise.

Tap water is not for drinking. Bottled water is available everywhere and is included on most packages.

Bhutan for families, couples and first-time travellers

Families. Bhutan works well with older children and less well with toddlers, mainly because of the drives and the altitude. The Tiger's Nest walk is manageable for children who are used to hiking, and horses cover the first stretch. Thimphu's takin preserve and the Punakha suspension bridge are the easy wins.

Couples. It has become a popular honeymoon alternative to a beach, and it suits couples who would rather walk than lie down. Punakha is the warmest and most scenic base, and the luxury lodges in the western valleys are among the best in the Himalayas.

First-time travellers abroad. Bhutan is one of the gentlest first trips out of India. A permit rather than a visa, a currency pegged to and interchangeable with the rupee, Hindi widely understood, and English used in schools and on signage.

Altitude. Thimphu sits at about 2,300 metres and the passes go higher. Most people feel nothing worse than being short of breath on stairs for a day, but take the first day slowly, drink more water than usual, and mention any heart or lung condition to your doctor before booking.

Getting to Bhutan and getting around

By air to Paro. Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly in from Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra, Guwahati and Bangkok. Paro is a difficult approach between mountains, flown only in daylight and by specially certified crews, so delays and diversions in poor weather are normal rather than exceptional. Leave a buffer before an onward international flight.

By road from West Bengal. The crossing at Jaigaon into Phuentsholing is open around the clock and is a common route from Siliguri and Bagdogra. From there it is a climb of six or seven hours to Thimphu. Other southern crossings include Samtse, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar.

Inside the country, everything is by road and the roads wind. Paro to Thimphu is about an hour, Thimphu to Punakha around three including the Dochula Pass, and Punakha to Bumthang most of a day. Distances on a map mean very little here.

A guide and vehicle are required for sightseeing, and most Indian visitors travel on a package that includes both. It is no longer compulsory to join an organised tour, but arranging transport independently is harder than it looks.

Money. The ngultrum is pegged to the rupee and Indian rupees are accepted widely, though notes above 100 can be refused. Card acceptance is limited outside Thimphu and Paro.

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FAQs on Bhutan

Do Indians need a visa for Bhutan?

No. Indian nationals do not need a visa for Bhutan. You travel on an entry permit instead, and you can enter on a valid Indian passport or a Voter ID card, which is unusual and worth knowing. Permits are issued for the western valleys, Thimphu, Paro and Haa, with separate permits needed to travel further east. A Sustainable Development Fee is charged per night of stay, set at a concessional rate for Indian nationals and lower again for children. Rates and rules are set by the Bhutanese government and do change, so confirm the current position on Bhutan's official tourism site before you book.

How to reach Bhutan from India?

Bhutan is reached by air into Paro or by road from West Bengal. Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly to Paro from Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra and Guwahati, and the approach between mountains is flown only in daylight, so weather delays are normal rather than exceptional. By road, the Jaigaon crossing into Phuentsholing is open around the clock and is about four hours from Siliguri and Bagdogra, with a further six or seven hours of climbing to Thimphu. Indians need an entry permit rather than a visa and can travel on a passport or a Voter ID card.

Is Bhutan expensive for Indian travellers?

Far less than its reputation suggests. Bhutan charges every visitor a Sustainable Development Fee for each night of the stay, and the figure people quote in articles is the rate for other nationalities. Indian nationals are charged a small fraction of it, children less again. On top of that, the ngultrum is pegged to the rupee, hotels and food cost about what they would in a hill station in India, and there is no international airfare to speak of from eastern India. The two things that do cost is flights into Paro, which are limited and priced accordingly, and the better lodges.

How many days do you need in Bhutan?

Five to six days covers the western valleys without rushing: Paro for the Tiger's Nest, Thimphu for the capital, and Punakha over the Dochula Pass. Eight to ten days reaches central Bhutan, Trongsa, Bumthang and the Phobjikha valley, which sees a fraction of the visitors. Three days is enough only for Paro and Thimphu, and you will spend a lot of it in the car. Distances are short and the roads are slow, so plan by hours rather than kilometres.

When is the best time to visit Bhutan?

March to May and September to November. Spring brings clear days, rhododendrons and the Paro tshechu; autumn brings the steadiest mountain views and the Thimphu tshechu. Winter is cold but dry and the valleys stay open, with Punakha the warmest base and the black-necked cranes at Phobjikha. June to August is the monsoon, when the Himalayan views mostly disappear and road landslides are common.

Do you need a guide to travel in Bhutan?

A guide and vehicle are required for sightseeing, and in practice almost every Indian visitor travels on a package that includes both. Joining an organised tour is no longer compulsory in the way it once was, but arranging everything independently is harder than it looks: permits, transport and the Sustainable Development Fee all have to be handled, and roads between valleys are slow. The rules have changed more than once since 2022, so confirm the current requirement when you book.

Can you drive to Bhutan from India?

Yes, and it is a common way in from eastern India. The crossing at Jaigaon into Phuentsholing is open around the clock and is around four hours from Siliguri and Bagdogra, with a further six or seven hours of climbing to reach Thimphu. Other southern crossings are Samtse, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar. If you are bringing an Indian vehicle it has to be registered on Bhutan's online permit system with the original driving licence, registration, insurance and emission certificates, and a daily green tax applies beyond the Rinchending check post.

Bhutan Travel Guide