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The Himalayas Calling
The Himalayas Calling

Bhutan for Indian travellers: fees, permits and a 7-day plan

· 6 min read

Paro Taktsang, the Tiger’s Nest, on a cliff above forested slopes

Bhutan is one of the easiest international trips for Indian travellers: no visa, a currency pegged to the rupee and direct flights from several Indian cities. It does have its own rules, though, and a daily fee that every visitor pays.

The Sustainable Development Fee

Every visitor to Bhutan pays a Sustainable Development Fee, or SDF, for each night in the country. It funds conservation, health care and education.

  • Indian nationals: ₹1,200 per adult per night.
  • Children aged 6 to 12: ₹600 per night. Children under 6 pay nothing.
  • Other nationalities: USD 100 per night.

The fee is paid with your entry permit, and on our Bhutan journey it is already included in the price.

Documents you need

Indian citizens can enter Bhutan with either a passport valid for at least six months or a voter ID card. With that, you receive an entry permit online in advance or on arrival at Paro airport or the land border at Phuentsholing. Travel beyond Thimphu and Paro needs a route permit and a licensed Bhutanese guide, which we arrange.

Getting there

  • By air: fly to Paro from Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra or Guwahati. The landing between the mountains is one of the most dramatic anywhere.
  • By road: drive to Jaigaon on the Indian side, about 160 km from Bagdogra, and cross into Phuentsholing. It adds about a day each way.

Money, phones and dress

The ngultrum is pegged one to one with the rupee, and Indian rupees are widely accepted. Indian roaming is expensive, so buy a local SIM at the airport. When visiting dzongs and temples, wear long sleeves and long trousers or a long skirt; shorts and sleeveless tops are not allowed inside.

When to go

March to May and September to November are the best months, with clear skies and festivals in the valleys. June to August is the monsoon. December to February is cold and clear, and quiet.

A simple seven-day plan

  1. Fly to Paro and drive to Thimphu.
  2. Thimphu: Buddha Dordenma, the Memorial Chorten and the weekend market.
  3. Cross Dochula to Punakha and walk to Chimi Lhakhang.
  4. Punakha Dzong, then back to Paro.
  5. Walk up to the Tiger’s Nest.
  6. The Paro valley and a farmhouse hot-stone bath.
  7. Fly home.

This is the route of our Bhutan journey, with hotels, all meals, a private guide and driver, permits and the SDF included.

Journeys to go with it