Bhutan Tourism Policy, Tariff and coverage

(Tourists are not allowed to go south Bhutan because of political problem...)
Travel into Bhutan is regulated by the Government in order to minimise the negative effects tourism upon its fragile environment and culture.

All visitors must travel through an authorized Bhutanese agent or its overseas representatives on prepaid and pre-planned itinerary. The basic policy is that tourists other then Indian national pay $200 for each night in Bhutan and this covers accommodation, meals, transport, Guide and and administrative services to obtain visas, permits, flight booking hotels etc. As such there are no limitations (quota) on how many can visit each year but due to limited capacity of travel infrastructure such as hotel rooms and flights to absorb tourists, compounded by high rates, these automatically limits the the number of tourists that can visit at the same time.

Tourism opened its doors to the visitors in 1974, managed and run by state. The tourist industry was then cautiously privatized in 1991 and further liberalized in 1998. Last year, fewer then 8000 tourists visited Bhutan.

Visa & Special Permits.

Most countries issue visas from their embassies abroad and stamp it in your passport, but not Bhutan. Bhutanese embassies abroad cannot issue Visas for travel to Bhutan. You must apply in advance through a tour operator such as Wind Horse Tours and receive approval before you travel to Bhutan. The actual visa is stamped upon arrival. You will need two passport-sized photographs and US$20 in cash. .

Getting to Bhutan, around & Away.

There are only two entry points open to visitors. Most arrive by air at the Bhutan's only airport in Paro. The other alternative is to travel through Indian state of West Bengal and enter at Phuntsholing. Depending on the situation in Assam, it may be be possible to exit Bhutan by overland via Samdrup Jongkhar in the east, which borders Assam. .

By Air - Druk Airlines.

All tourists are required to travel at least one way by Air. Special request for exceptions may be possible depending on the season and special conditions. Bhutan's only airport at Paro is about 2 hours drive from the capital, Thimphu. Druk Air, Bhutan national airline is the only airline flying to and from Bhutan. It currently has two 72 seater BAE 146, which are up for sale and recently added two Airbus A319 to its fleet. Schedules vary between seasons, and some sporadic extra flights are planned during peak tourist periods. Normally there are 3 flights a week from New Delhi (via katmandu) and five flights a week from Bangkok (via Calutta or Dhaka) .

Prices are fixed and payable in US Dollars (net non commission able to agent). Schedules, fare, and flight details " .

By Land: Across The Indian Border.

The only land entry point for tourists is through Phuentsholing, on the south-western border with State of West Bengal,India. With the special arrangements, it is possible to exit Bhutan via Samdrup Jongkhar in the eastern Bhutan, bordering the State of Assam. The nearest airport to Phuntsholing is Bagdogra, near Darejeeling. And the nearest airport in assam is at Guwahati, which is about 3-4 hours drive from Samdrup Jongkhar. .

Travel within Bhutan

Travel within Bhutan is only by motor vehicles or trek. There are no domestic air service, helicopters and does not have a railway track. The only way to see the country is either by foot or by road. Mountainous terrain and winding road restrict the average speed of vehicles to less than 25 miles -40 km per hour. .

Distance Chart

From (Place)	To (Place)	Distance	Driving Time
Thimphu	Paro	65 kms	2 hours
Thimphu	Phuntsholing (South)	176 kms	6 hours
Phuntsholing	Bagdogra ( India )	170 kms	4 hours (Plain)
Thimphu	Wangdi Phodrang	70 kms	3 hours
Thimphu	Punakha	77 kms	3 hours & 15 min.
Punakha	Wangdi Phodrang	13 kms	45min.
Wangdi Phodrang	Trongsa	129 kms	4 hours & 30min.
Tongsa	Bumthang	68 kms	2 hours & 30 min.
Bumthang	Mongar	198 kms	7 hours
Mongar	Lhuntse	76 kms	3 hours
Mongar	Trashigang	90 kms	4 hours
Tashigang	Chorten Kora	52 kms	1 hours & 30 min.
Trashigang	Samdrup Jongkhar (South)	180 kms	6 hours
Samdrup Jongkhar	Gauhati ( India )	110 kms	3 hours (Plain)
Samdrup Jongkhar	Phuntsholing (South)	380 kms	9 hours & 30 min.

Travel within Bhutan is by motor vehicles only. There are no internal flights, trains or accessible waterways and much of the country is not accessible by road.

The main motor road, run west-east with some intersecting road that connects with southern border, leaving the northern part and most parts of the country accessible only by trek.

Busy traffic is rare, but the mountainous terrain and winding road restrict the average speed of vehicles to less than 25 miles (40 km) per hour.

Covering distances can be tiring but spectacular with ever changing landscapes.

If you venture east of Thimphu, you will spend hours driving on rough, winding roads. You can get carsick with the constant bouncing and motion, especially in the back seat of a van or bus. Bring along some anti-motion sickness pills.

Wind Horse Tours in Bhutan owns and as well as rents well maintained vehicles. We provide Toyota Sedan cars for 1 or 2 person touring Thimphu, Paro, Phuntsholing and Punakha. If you itinerary covers beyond these places or you are in the group of 3 pax, we provide well mantained SUVs such as Toyota Landcruisers or similar. For small groups, Wind Horse will provide Toyota Hiace Van (cap 8 pax).