Bhutan is a country where Rice is Red and Red Chili is just another vegetable; where Carbon is ‘negative’ and progress of the country is measured in ‘Gross National Happiness’! The Kingdom of Bhutan is a slice from a fairytale world and travelling to this incredible destination promises some of the most rewarding moments for any traveller. The magnificent monasteries across the country, the spirit of hospitality among locals, houses with multi-coloured wooden facades and other quirky cultural nuances will delight you and will be etched in your memory forever. Further – the folklores, the Buddhist culture, the transcend of the lamas, the 8 auspicious symbols, a king and queen revered by the people – and many such factors make the place truly amazing. Thanks to the tourism relaxation for Indian travellers, the otherwise exorbitant fee of $250 per head per day (applicable for all foreign tourists except India, Bangladesh and Maldives) is not mandatory. Actually, Bhutan entry permit for Indian citizens is FREE of cost!!! Hence, an Indian enthusiastic traveller simply shouldn’t miss an opportunity to explore Bhutan.
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
As of February 2020, Bhutan entry permit for Indians is FREE, but it will soon become paid – just like travel visa to most other countries! Details are given below.
Inspiration
I am pretty sure that this video is inspiring enough to get you to start planning for a Bhutan trip right away. Getting into Bhutan is as simple as – just walk through a gate!! One can easily appreciate the difference right at the borders during transit from Jaigaon to Phuentsholing. On one side there’s tranquility, on the other, there’s visible chaos; on one side there is peace, on the other, there’s like an explosion of population – the change is drastic, and a good one.
Bhutan, by far, remains the most elusive, yet incredible destination I have been to. One has to go there, be a part of the culture, catch a breath while hiking the legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery, take a dip in the waters of Paro river, sense the peaceful walks in the many dzongs (monasteries), taste the culinary differences…to truly appreciate the beauty that is deeply imbibed.
ALSO READ:
? Why Bhutan is the Ideal Choice for an Indian traveler’s First Foreign Trip
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Bhutan Entry Permit
Bhutan entry permit (aka travel visa) has been categorized in two – (1) for citizens of India, Bangladesh and Maldives; and (2) for citizens of any other country.
If you fall into category 2, traveling to Bhutan will turn out to be a mildly expensive affair. Unlike other countries, you just can’t buy tickets, get your visa done, pack your bags and land up there. There are a few more steps involved to get into Bhutan. The tourism sector is controlled by the Tourism Council of Bhutan which has set a minimum daily package. It’s $200 per person per night for the off-season (January, February, June, July, August & December) and $250 per person per night for high season (March, April, May, September, October & November). Yup, I know what you are thinking – “That’s insanely huge!!”, right? But, don’t get disheartened, for the price that you pay i.e. $200 / $250 includes the following:
- A minimum of 3-star accommodation (4 & 5 star will require an additional premium)
- All meals
- A licensed Bhutanese tour guide for the extent of your stay
- All internal transport (excluding internal flights)
- Camping equipment and haulage for trekking tours
- All internal taxes and charges
- A sustainable tourism Royalty of $65. This Royalty goes towards free education, free healthcare, poverty alleviation, along with the building of infrastructure.
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Visitors from India, Bangladesh and Maldives (category 1) are exempted from this whole set of rules mentioned above. Yes, that means, you can pack your bags and land up there without any visa, without any bookings, without the involvement of any travel agent and peacefully visit the country (just as we did) !!
There you go…being an Indian helps (at times in travelling too) !! Keeping in mind the political relation between India and Bhutan, we Indians are relieved from paying this minimum daily tariff. Though Indians do not need Visa to visit Bhutan, we need an entry permit. When you’ll cross the border, you’ll be issued an Entry Permit at Phuentsholing, which is valid for 7 days and for Thimphu and Paro only. That means with that permit you can go to Thimphu and Paro and stay up to 7 days. If you want to visit any other destinations other than Thimphu and Paro (Like Punakha, Haa Valley, etc.), you’ll have to get Restricted Area Permit from Thimphu Immigration Office for those destinations. And if your plan is to stay more than 7 days then you’ll have to apply and get an extension-permit for the same. All the permits are free of cost.
ALSO READ:
? Top places to visit and Things to do in Thimphu
Bhutan Entry Permit for Indians
As of April 2018, there are 3 ways of getting your entry permit:
- At the Phuentsholing immigration office (we took this option)
- At Paro Airport
- With the help of a registered Bhutanese tour operator (Contact us for the details)
s mentioned above, the easiest way to enter Bhutan is simply walking through the gate at the Phuentsholing-Jaigaon border, and then one can walk up to the immigration office and get the permit done. Only a simple permit application form needs to be filled up, along with 2 passport size photos and any ID proof (original and a photocopy) given by Government of India an ID proof like Passport or Voter ID card. (Passport must be valid for minimum 6 months from the date of travel). The only ‘unhappy’ side of this way to get the permit is that one needs to be at the Phuentsholing immigration office on a weekday between 9am-5pm.
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IMPORTANT Update [August 2019]
As mentioned above, since the Phuentsholing immigration office is only opened on weekdays, you will need another way out if you are reaching there on a weekend or outside office hours. You will need to apply for an entry permit in advance a.k.a online entry permit. But here is the catch – apparently it can only be done by a registered Bhutanese tour operator.
Additionally, a new set of rules has been introduced by Tourism Council of Bhutan for travellers who want to get their entry permit in advance –
- Passport is mandatory
- Government certified 3-star (or above) hotel booking is mandatory
- A registered tour guide is mandatory
Nikita (a friend of mine who shot the stunning time-lapse video inserted above) and her friends faced this issue. They had planned to start their trip from the Phuentsholing-Jaigaon border on a Saturday. Hence they had to reach out to a registered tour operator who was able to get the permit done on their behalf. This method of obtaining the permit is chargeable (Contact us for the details).
Please note that the Royal Bhutan Consulate in Kolkata has stopped issuing the entry permit.
If one is landing at the Paro Airport, then entry-permit can be done right at the airport, at all times. All you need is your passport along with 2 passport size photos.
Another important update – February 2020
Bhutan ends free entry for Indian tourists – Ending decades of free entry to Indian tourists visiting Bhutan, the government in Thimphu has decided to levy a daily fee of ₹1,200 ($17) for travellers from India, the Maldives and Bangladesh. Although it was announced on 5th Feb, it will be implemented only from beginning July 2020. The fee, called a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF), is meant to help the government deal with burgeoning numbers in tourist traffic, which it is seeking to regulate through a new tourism policy.
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ALSO READ:
? All you need to know before hiking up the Tiger’s Nest Monastery – Paro Taktsang
This brings us to the end of this introductory post on Bhutan and entry permits. We have many related articles to help you carve out a great trip and also to make your planning easier.
Suggested Reading:
- ULTIMATE Bhutan travel guide – a detailed travel guide for Bhutan
- Travel itineraries and inspiration – our Bhutan travel itinerary, other itinerary options and loads of inspiration
- Places to visit in Thimphu & our Travelogue – best places to visit in Thimphu in the form of a travelogue
- Hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery – information-packed guide for the not-so-easy stairway to heaven!
- Why Bhutan is the Ideal Choice for an Indian traveler’s First Foreign Trip – Visa is FREE! Country is safe! People are friendly! + 7 more reasons !!
- A day trip to Chelela Pass and Haa Valley (coming soon… )
- A day trip to Dochula Pass and Punakha (coming soon… )
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Thanks a lot.. I am so glad you liked it 🙂
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Yay! thanks a lot, my friend 🙂
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Very informative article. Thank you for sharing the latest information about getting the bhutan travel Visa. I will send you email for my requirements.
Sure… you can contact us for any information.
Hey! thank you for all the information. Your travel blog is really informative. we are planning a trip to Bhutan and we would like to get the visa in advance. please email us the procedure.
thanks a lot.
Hello.. sure, I will email you the details.
Hey. Very informative post.. best part is that its recently recently updated.
please share the contact details of the tour operator, I want to get entry permit in advance.
thanks.
Thank you Parth for your kind words.. Yes we try to keep our articles as updated as possible.
I have emailed you the contact details of the tour operator.
Email me back if you need any other info.
cheers! have a great trip!
Excellent article. very nicely composed. We have been planning for a trip to Bhutan, and will get in touch with you when we decide.
thank you so much.. feel free to contact us anytime.. cheers!
Hi, Please let me know if I need to book hotels in advance and get a physical copy of hotel receipts sent through courier and produce it at the time of getting the entry permit??
Hello! As far as we know, If you are getting the entry permit in person at the Phuentsholing border then you need to furnish only 1st night’s hotel booking. And yes, it needs to be in hard copy. You may even take a printout of the booking confirmation if booked online! 🙂
cheers!
have a great trip!
bookmarked!!, I really like your site!
Thank you so much.. please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need at guidance for planning your trip.. 🙂
Simply want to say your article is as astounding.
The clearness in your post is simply spectacular and i could assume you are an expert on this subject.
Well with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post.
Thanks a million and please continue the rewarding work.
Thanks a million.. you can subscribe to our blog for future posts..
cheers!
Pls send travel agent for bhutan trip . We r planning to visit bhutan on 1st week of nov.
Hello, We have sent you all the details over email..
cheers!
Hello Mainak, Such a well written post!
We would be traveling to Bhutan this month, would be great if you could share the details of the travel agent. Thanks!
Thank you so much for appreciating the blog-post.. we have sent you all the details via email..
cheers!
Thanks for the Info.
We are planning to visit bhutan from 19th to 26th Nov 2018.
How can we get the permit online.
Is it mandatory to have a Licenced Tour guide and if yes then how to get one.
Hello, We have sent you all the details over email.. pls check and let us know..
cheers!
Hi, could you please mail me the details of getting the visa before arriving because we are getting there on Saturday
Hello Prashant,
I have sent you all the details over email.
have a great trip! cheers!
Thanks for the article.
We have planned to visit Bhutan from 15.10.18 to 20.10.18.
If you could please share the contact details of the agent.
Hello Vipul, we have sent you all the details via email kindly check and let us know..
have a happy trip
Hello Mainak
Such an informative blog !
I have a small query. We have a trip scheduled to Bhutan from 16th October to 22 nd of october 2018.We have got to knw from the travel agent that 18th is general election date. We r suppose to take the permit from Phuentsholling on 16th.But then again got to know immigration offices will be closed on 16th through some facebook post.I am in a fix right now as i am travelling with a todd of 3 year.Can you help me out with some more authentic information in this regard..Thanks in advance
Hello.. thank you for the appreciation! 🙂
Reg your query, yes 18oct is the election date in Bhutan and hence the immigration office will be closed. Also immigration office will be closed on the weekend as well.. since you are travelling with a Kid, I would suggest you to get an entry permit in advance.
Please feel free to contact us if you need any assistance reg Entry permit.
Cheers!
Hi,
We are reaching bagdogra on 30th @ 12 PM afternoon. It is difficult to reach Phuentsholing and get permit and the following next two days are National Holidays. Is there any way you can guide us.
Thanks
Hello Gokul,
We have already sent you all the details via email.. please take a look and feel free to get in touch for further assistance..
Have a happy trip.
cheers
Hello Mainak,
I have read numerous posts of yours about Bhutan travel and liked them a lot.
I had some questions specifically regarding the permit for Bhutan, we are travelling by road in our personal car in first week of October
1) Do we need to pre-book hotels for all days to get the permit ?
2) Is it necessary to have certified tourist guide with us ?
3) Are online hotel booking confirmations accepted for the permit?
4) Is there any agent who can get us a permit with the hotel bookings? (we do not need a tour guide nor do we need a car to roam in Bhutan)
5) Can that agent get us the permit for both individuals and our car in which we will be travelling?
6) How safe is it to drive in Bhutan, are the road conditions good in Thimphu and Paro?
It would be of great help if you can provide your inputs.
Thanks in advance
Arpit
Hello Arpit,
We have already sent you all the information that we know via email..
please take a look and feel free to get in touch for further assistance..
Have a happy trip.
cheers
Hi,
Your blog is very informative. Got to know about the new set of rules.
I have a query: If I want to enter on a Saturday , i would need to arrange my entry beforehand from an operator.
Does this also mean that I would need a guide or can I do without it?
Can you also share the tour operator details.
Yes… if you need to get the entry permit in advance, you will need to hire a tour guide as well… that’s what we have learnt from the various operators that have interacted with us.
please share us contact details of travel agent in bhutan for the permit process.
hello suraj..
we have sent you the details through email..
have a nice trip.. enjoy 🙂
Thanks Mainak for all the info.
Would you be kind to share the travel agent details by mail?
Thanks,
Goutam
Hello Goutam,
we have sent you all the details via email. kindly check and let us know if you need any further assistance.
Cheers!
Hi
I will be travelling to bhutan from 10th to 15 oct with my mother(62 yrs) and kid(5 yrs) in train from kolkata. Will be reaching hasimara around 11 am(if its not late). Then standing & getting permit with senior citizen & kid on the same day will be difficult. Could you please share agent details and contact for taking advance entry permit & budget hotels in Thimphu, paro, punakha. Also if possible i am also looking for car (sharing) & bus for travelling.
Regards
Sony
9769967599
Hello,
We have replied to all your queries by email.
plss check and let us know if you need further assistance..
have a happy trip.. cheers!
hi i want to know are there any direct flights from mumbai to paro
and can i get a visa and permits on paro airport
Hello ridhi,
as far as i know, flights to Paro is only from Kolkata airport.
One of my friends took a flight from Mumbai to Bagdogra and them a car from there on..
have a happy trip..
Hi
I need some help. I am planning a visit to Bhutan in mid of Oct-2018 for 5-6 days. There are no direct flights from Bangalore to Paro. So, I may go Via Kolkata or Delhi, but somehow travel websites are not showing it. So could you please suggest good options for travel from Bangalore to Paro and return.
Secondly, kindly share agent details and contact for taking advance entry permit. Many thanks in advance.
Yours is a truly informative and inspiring blog. Appreciate it.
Hello Mallinath..
Thank you for your kind words and the appreciation that you have shown for the work that we do.
Regarding your queries, I have sent all the details via email.
have a happy trip.
enjoy.
We are planning a family trip in November in Bhutan from Guwahati. But we will reach Phuentsholing on 11th November which is a Sunday. How can we get entry pass permit in advance?
Hello.. thank you for stopping by..
As we mentioned earlier, Permit cannot be obtained on Saturday & Sunday as offices will be closed.
Advance entry permit to Bhutan can be done via a registered Bhutanese tour operator.
If you want the permit in advance, pls let us know and we can help you contact some trusted operators.
Hope this information is of use to you.
Cheers!
Great write-up Mainak !!!!!! Received lot of new information regarding the revised policies also.
We are planning for a trip to Bhutan in 1st week of October. Could you please share the contact details of licensed Bhutan tour guide(required for getting the permit).
Hello Mukesh,
thank you for those kind words..! 🙂
we have replied to your query via email.. kindly check and let us know if you need further assistance..
have a great trip!
cheers!
Hi can you send me the tour operator details please. We will be reaching on saturday too and want to know the procedure about it
Hello Sahana.. Thank you for your query.. we have sent you the details over email..
cheers 🙂
We are planning a family trip in October in Bhutan from Kolkata. But we will reach Phuentsholing on 14th October which is Sunday. How can we get entry pass permit in advance?Can you please share any agent details who can help us to book hotel also?
Hello.. thank you for reaching out to us.. we have sent you all the details through sms..
enjoy your trip!
🙂
Can you please share the same for me too.
Hello.. sent you the details by email..
have a happy trip..
Very well written and descriptive blog. If you could please share the contact details of the agent please, that would be great. Thanks in advance! 🙂
Thank you for the kind words.. we have share the contact info via email. 🙂
cheers!
Hi Mainak,
I have requested for a tour agent contact details.
Kindly revert to me when you have time.
Thanks in advance.
Mouni.
Thank you so much for the details Mainak.
I just received the email.
My pleasure.. we love to help our readers! 🙂
Hi,
I have sent a message over you contact form.
Can you help me?
Thanks
Warm Regards
Hello Ashish.. we have replied to your email..
Have a great trip!
Cheers!
Loved every bit of it. I am a frequent visitor to Bhutan and everytime I go it amazes me.
Thank you! 🙂
Hello,
i am travelling to bhutan with my family in june and have booked tickets upto bagdogra.
My frens have reached Phuentsoling yesterday and tried to get entry permit at immigration office.They were told that server is down. They observed there is a nexus between taxi drivers and immigration office and if u r willing to pay 3000 per day for as long as u stay in bhutan , they get u permits from back door. Is this the scenario?
because if it is so, my trip is in doldrums then.
WOW..!! to me this is unheard of !!
When we went, we did it ourselves and the permit was done in 30mins! without any hiccups whatsoever!!
A few months back some of my friends went, and they made their permits on their own, normally!
But if what your friend faced is true, then corruption might have reached Bhutan too! (sad)
Nice Blog, Can you please send the contact details of agents to get the permit in advance
Hello… we have shared the contact details over email.
Have a great trip!
cheers!
Very nicely written and informative. I am planning to visit Bhutan in August.
Can you kindly share your agent’s contact?
Thanks
Hello.. we have sent you the details over email.. kindly check.. 🙂
dear mainak
I am planing to visit bhutan for 3days in november
can you share me the moderate travel agent for going to thimpu and paro
and also permit
Hello..
We have shared the info you asked for via email.. kindly check and feel free to write back to us if you need further assistance..
have a happy trip!
Precise and Informative.
Also, could you please share contact details of the travel agent, I want immigration process done beforehand.
Thank you Tejas. We are glad that you found it helpful.. We have sent you all the details as well as the contact information via email.
Kindly check and let us know.
Cheers! 🙂
Hello Mainak,
Thanks for the post.
Regarding the change in rules for Indians to require a licensed Bhutanese tour guide to obtain an entry permit, does this apply regardless of the method of entering Bhutan (by road via Phuentsholing, flight to Paro)?
What does licensed Bhutanese tour guide mean really? Does it mean having arranged everything by a a tour operator or using the services of at least one licensed tour operator for at least a single activity in Bhutan.
Please could you elaborate?
Also, what options/services do you provide?
Thank you.
Hello Shiny.. Thank you.. we are glad that you liked the post.
First of all, we are not any tour operator or travel agent.. hence we don’t have provide any “options/services”.
We wrote this blog based on our own experience from our Bhutan trip; and the recent updates are made on the basis on information that we get from reliable sources (friends, acquaintances travelling to Bhutan).
And as far as we know, you would need to take help from a tour operator if you want to get your permit in advance.
The other details, I guess it would be better if you consult with a Bhutanese licensed tour operator, as they might be able to answer your query more accurately.
Feel free to contact us for an further assistance. 🙂
Cheers!
Hi,
I am a little confused about the part about the local tour operator. Some blogs mention a local tour guide is not needed for Indians travelling to Bhutan, but you mention the rules have changed and a local tour operator is needed? Can you provide some details please?
Hello Meghna,
You would need to take help from a tour operator if you want to get your permit in advance, but if you are planning to get the entry permit done yourself, you wouldn’t need any tour-operator/tour-guide.
Cheers!
Hi , the article was of great help.
We are also reaching Phuntsholling by 18th May .
Can you please provide the contact and details of the travel agent for the permit in advance.
It will be a great help!!
Thanks in advance.
Shefali
Hello Shefali, We have replied to your email and shared all the details you asked for.. Please check and let us know..
Have a GREAT trip!
Cheers 🙂
Hi can you please send me the details of the travel agent to get bhutan permit.
Hello Meera.. thank you for contacting us.. we have sent you the details over email.. kindly check and let us know!
Have a great trip.
Cheers!
Hey thanks for your blog. 🙂 Can I get contact detail of the agent? We are planning to visit may last week.
Hello Udita Patel.. thank you for contacting us.. we have sent you the details over email.. kindly check and let us know!
Have a great trip.
Cheers!
Hi,
Loved the article! Can you please share the details of the agent here as well?
Thanks!
Hello Harmandeep Grover.. thank you for contacting us.. we have sent you the details over email.. kindly check and let us know!
Have a great trip.
Cheers!
Very nice blog. We are travelling to Bhutan in May on a weekend, can you please provide me with the contact for the permits. Also the rules(hotels bookings)for the permits, currency info and mandatory stuffs to carry. Thank you.
Hello Giridhar,
Thank you for stopping by.. we have sent you an email with the contact details.
Currency – Indian rupees is accepted everywhere (prefer not to carry Rs.2000 notes)
Have a great trip!
cheers!
Hello Mainak,
Thank you for the quick response. Much appreciated.
Cheers !
Hi,
We are also planning to reach Jaigaon/ Phuentsholing border on the 4th of May which happens to be a friday . Can you kindly provide the travel agents number for an advance permit ?
Thanks!
Hello Apex.. thank you for contacting us.. we have sent you the details over email.. kindly check and let us know!
Have a great trip.
Cheers!
Hi Mainak,
Thanks for sharing the details! However the number shared isn’t valid. Would you have any other number to contact the agent ?
Sorry my bad, got through to him! Thank you so much for this invaluable information 🙂
Hello Apex!
Really glad to hear that we were able to help you.. if you loved reading our blog, can we request you to share it with your friends too.. 🙂
Cheers! have a great trip!
Hi,
We are planning to reach Phuetsholing on May 12th (Saturday). Could you please share the agent number to get the e-permit.
Hello Karthick,
Thank you for stopping by.. We have sent you an email with the contact details of the person who can get your entry permit in advance. do let us know about your travel.. enjoy!
Hi Mainak
Kindly share your agent’s contact with me too. I have the same problem of arriving in phunsoling on a Saturday
Thanks
Saurabh
Hello Saurabh ,
We have emailed you the contact of an agent who can get you the entry permit.
Have a great trip.
Cheers!
Hi Mainak,
I’ll be entering Phuentsholing on 3rd June’18(Sunday). Is there a way that i can get the permit before 3rd june, as Immigration office remain closed on weekends. And if not, can i stay in Phuentsholing on sunday, and then process my permit on Monday(I really dont prefer this one, as i dont want to waste a single day).
Kindly let me know.
Thanks
Aditya
Hello Aditya,
Thank you for stopping by.. we have sent you an email with the contact details of the person who can get your entry permit in advance.
Have a great trip!
cheers!
Hi ,we are supposed to enter Bhutan on April 21st and we need a permit on a weekday before that .Can you please let us know an agents number .Thanks in advance
Hello Pravin,
We have emailed you the contact of a person who can get you the entry permit.
Have a great trip.
Cheers!
Hi My Visit is for Bhutan on 12th May Saturday, evening i will reached their , i need a permit weekday before, Could you plz suggest any travel agent contact no.
my email id is
ravindranegi1504@gmail.com
Mobile – 9599877833
Thanks.
Hello ravindra ,
We have emailed you the contact of an agent who can get you the entry permit.
Have a great trip.
Cheers!
Hi
Very useful article. I have my trip planned to bhutan on a weekend. It would be great if you could help with travel permit or agents number. And other important details also.
Thanks in advance
Hello Ridhima,
We have replied you (via email) with the contact of a person who can get you the entry permit.
Have a great trip.
Cheers!
Sir i need your help regarding permit.
Please give an agent detail and contact
Phone no.
We will be entering on 14th April (Saturday)..plz kindly help as we have booked the hotel already..
Hello… we have sent you the contacts over email..
have a great trip!
Cheers!
Hii mainak,
very well written blog, i have two question
1) What if we reach border by 3pm on Friday, Is it possible to get permit on the same day (assuming i took help from guide)
2) Can i get RSTA permit (for bike) on the same day, If not is it possible to get it on Saturday
Hello Shubham… Thank you..
I have replied to your query via email..
have a great trip!
Very helpful and informative article
thank you! 🙂
Bhutan has been on my list for so long… thank you for that informative article.. will be saving for my later part
Thank you.. feel free to Contact us for any query related to planning your trip to Bhutan. 🙂
cheers!
Sir i need your help regarding permit.
Please give an agent detail and contact
Phone no.
We will be entering on 24th March,Saturday.
Please send the details
Wating for your kind response.
My email:gtmghosh@Yahoo.Co.In
Gautam ghosh
Hello Gautam.. thank you for stopping by..
We would be more than happy to help you 🙂
I have shared all the details with you on your email. kindly take a look and fell free to get back to us.
have a great trip!
Cheers!
Hi Mainak. Pls share the details on rv2nitjsr@gmail.com. Thanks.
Sure.. I will email you all the details…
These are some really helpful tips! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hello Nidhi.. glad that you found them helpful..! Thank you! 🙂
Hi Mainak,
This was a very helpful read, I will be reaching Bhutan on a weekend too, it would be a great help if you could share the contact details of the travel agent who helped your friend get the permit. I have sent you the mail regarding this.
Hello Avinash, Thank you for stopping by and readin our blog.. we are really happy that you liked it..
we have received your email and have replied back with the contact..
Have a great trip.
Cheers!
Hello
Need some help for Bhutan Immigration. We are reaching Bagdogara on Friday evening. And now i realised that immigration office will be closed on Saturday and Sunday. Would you please share details of travel agent who can help me in this please.
Regards
Vidhya
Hello Vidhya.. thank you for stopping by..
kindly click here and Contact us for details of travel agent..
thank you..
Hi, it was an amazing blog and turned out to be really helpful. Thanks a lot for it… 🙂
I just had one question though. As the rule has been updated for Indians as well to show 1st night’s hotel booking receipt, would payment receipt from Airbnb work? Or only a proper hotel receipt is accepted?
Thanks in advance.. 🙂
Hello Akshat,
Thanks for stopping by, and thank you again for those kind words.. compliments from our readers indeed motivates us a lot !!
Coming to your question, I am not very sure if an ‘Airbnb receipt’ will work or not.. but i will definitely try find that out for you..
Regards..
Hi Mayank,
Would be of great help if you provide a hint if AirBnb receipts will work or not.
Thanks 🙂
Hello.. as far as i have heard, they don’t accept airbnb receipts.. but i dont have any personal experience on this..
Dear Mainak
Thanks for the clear and concise article.
You mentioned a friend who contacted a registered travel agent who helped to get the bhutan permit done on their behalf. Are you able to share the contact of the particular travel agent with me please ?
I will be facing a similar situation of landing up in Phuentsholing over the weekend.
Thanks a bunch in advance !
Hello Deepika..
Thank you for stopping by.. we have received your email and have also replied back 🙂 Have a great trip..
Hi, amazing blog.
We needed some help with the agent contact who can help us getting the permits beforehand as we are reaching Pheuntsohling on a Sunday. Have dropped you a mail.thanks!
Thank you… 🙂 I have replied to your email.. 🙂 All the best for your trip… 🙂
Hi, I want to cross the Phuentsohling border on a weekend. I have my hotel booking in Paro in Sunday. Can you give me more information on the option your friend Nikita use i.e using a registered travel agent in Bhutan to apply for the permit. I tried contacting my hotel in phuentsohling but they don’t seem very competent. How long does this process take, what documents are required through this process and do you have the contact details of a registered travel agent? Or how do I get in touch with one. I’d appreciate it if you could provide me the information
Hello.. yes, I have the contact information of the registered travel agent that my friend did. please send us an email and we can discuss all the details over email – placesinpixels@gmail.com.
Regards,
Mainak
Hi mainak ..were you able to get in on a weekend then? I am facing the same issue here!
Hello Neha,
yes.. please send us an email and we can discuss all the details over email – placesinpixels@gmail.com. thank you 🙂
When is the best time to visit Bhutan is it May or November?
Hello.. I would suggest for April-May.. the weather will be be beautiful with clear blue sky and cool breeze throughout. Enjoy! 🙂
Wow this is awesome information — I had no idea how it worked…thanks for sharing!
That monastery looks absolutely magical. So beautiful.
xoxo Christie
http://www.icanstyleu.com/blog/
Uou… This place is truly amazing. Thanks for the text!
Thanks a lot bro. This travelogue is my elder brother’s experience. Really glad you liked it. 🙂
find all latest update on Bhutan permit.
https://www.facebook.com/Travelbreeze.in/
Hey, I asked people
They said even Indians need 1st night booking to get permit from Apr-17.
Your post doesn’t mention it at all.
So
M confused as I am in jaiga on nd will go tmrw for permit and had no booking till now.
Plz mention when u visited and all abt it.
Thanks
Dear Lovesh,
Thank you for mentioning this fact, and also for updating us.
We found out from some sources that the rule has indeed changed, and you are absolutely correct. Hence we have updated the post accordingly.
We went in May 2016 and at that time there was no need for any hotel booking. We just simply went in and got our permit only with our IDs and photos.
I apologize for any miscommunication through this post. We will find out the recent norms and update it accordingly.
Thank again,
Mainak
Wow! I love being introduced to different cultures and traditions. Thank you for sharing your insight!
thank you 🙂
Excellent article and beautifully narrated one Mainak. Looking forward to part1 to7 story.
thank you prashant 🙂
yup, the other parts are coming very soon. 🙂
Is it easy for solo travelers to get a permit? I am planning to visit but heard some had a hard time getting permits.
Hello.. I personally dont know the details about travelling alone and the related permit issues.. but i can search and let you know 🙂
According to a new rule which was published on 6th April, 2017 a regional tourist (e.g Indian) have to produce a confirm hotel booking slip while applying for the permit. Also there is wrong information regarding id proof. Only a valid passport and voter id card is accepted for permit process. If a visitor does not have such then he/she has to go to the Indian embassy with the other documents he/she got and get clearance from there.
Hello.. thank you for stopping by and letting us know about the other changes in some rules. I will edit the post accordingly. 🙂
Nicely written.. beautifull pics..
thank you 🙂
Fantastic photography … keep it up….
thank you 🙂
Some places of Bhutan lies in the border of Assam, Samdrup Jongkhar is one such place in Bhutan, we went for a long drive to visit the place. Have written a post on that trip, do read, also loved reading your trip. I am planning to visit very soon.
Hello Ishani.. went to your website and read your post on ‘Samdrup Jongkhar’.. looks wonderful. 🙂
Seems such a fashinating place to visit! Your info are great and useful!
What an insightful article on Bhutan! Thank you 🙂
thank you! 🙂
When I read $200 per day, I was like “the heck!?” I gotta pay per day to enter as well as per night to sleep there? It’s cool that they set you up with everything. Sounds like it actually could be a more stress free type of trip. Do they let you explore on your own or do you have to stay with your tour guy?
Exactly.. the “minimum daily package” has been planned in a way that it will make life very easy for the travellers.
to answer to your question, ‘Do they let you explore on your own or do you have to stay with your tour guy?’ – its the guide’s responsibility to stay with you and guide you.. but if you want you can roam around on your own as well. 🙂
This is incredible info; I wasnt aware of the permit for Indians was free. Nicely done article!
Thank you.. ist free indeed (if you do it in person) and this makes it even more enticing to visit. 🙂
Very interesting
Thank you!
Wow! Bhutan seems nice. Hopefully it’ll be easy for Pinoys to visit this. 🙂
Yes, its indeed a beautiful place! 🙂
Great practical information for Bhutan entry. Keep it up.
Thank Anuradha ji.. I have always been a big follower of your blog and a comment coming from you made me really happy 🙂
Very well written and descriptive blog. Feel like visiting Bhutan!
Thanks Sehej bhai. 🙂
you should plan to visit sometime, its a wonderful place.