GETTING INTO BHUTAN
Planning Your Trip to Bhutan.
Travel to Bhutan must be routed through an authorized tour operator who will arrange the logistics for the duration of your stay. Organized on a pre-planned and pre-paid basis, your tour operator will offer the package of your desire completion of all formalities pertaining to your travel. The tariff is fixed by the Royal Government of Bhutan and is inclusive of your accommodation, transportation, guide, meals and other services.
Frequently asked questions by interested visitors.
Visa Requirements
All foreign tourists are required to process their visa prior to entering Bhutan. While the visa formalities will be taken care of by your tour operator, you are required to submit your visa application form within 4-5weeks of the intended arrival date with a view to process the same on time. Upon arrival to Bhutan, you are required to pay US$ 20 as your Visa fee, which will be collected at the Airport by the Visa Officer.
VISA FORM (DOWNLOAD)
Entry and Exit by Air.
Druk Air is the only national airline used by tourists to enter and depart Bhutan. It has a fleet of one Air Bus 319-115 and two 72 Bae 146-100 Aircraft with a capacity to accommodate 114 and 72 passengers respectively. Druk Air operates from Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkatta, Bangladesh and Katmandu on fixed schedules. While flight schedules vary according to seasons, Druk Air may also organize additional flights during the peak seasons. Airfares are payable in US Dollars and are fixed by the Druk Air Corporation. You are advised to arrange your ticket bookings through your associate in Bhutan for your convenience.
NOTE: During monsoons, unpredictable weather forces can delay flights and travelers are advised to include an extra day in their itinerary.
Entry and Exit by Land.
Tourist can enter and exit Bhutan by Land through Phuentsholing, located on the southwestern border with India. The road from Bagdogra, the nearest Indian airport, to Phuentsholing entails about four hours of driving. For tourists desiring to visit the Indian States of Sikkim and West Bengal, Phuentsholing is a convenient location.
Upon arrival, all visitors are required to duly fill up the Customs Declaration Form and submit the same to the concerned officials. The formalities are carried out to ensure that anything brought into the country is for personal use. Carriage of antiques, plants or animal products is strictly prohibited. Personal Cameras, video cameras, computers and other electronic equipment must be declared on arrival and will be checked upon departure.
The national currency of Bhutan is called the Ngultrum. The value of the Ngultrum is pegged with the Indian Rupee, which is also a legal tender in Bhutan. Major currencies and traveler’s cheques can be exchanged at the Banks and Credit Cards are also accepted at larger hotels and shops.
Language.
Dzongkha is the national language of Bhutan. However, English is a commonly spoken language and is the medium of education across the country. Nepali is prevalent in the south while Bumthangkha, Khyengkha and Sharchopkha are common dialects in the east.
Accommodations
Comfortable hotels and lodges built in traditional architectural style are available in the major towns. However, in the eastern and central Bhutan accommodation facilities are simple in nature with basic minimum facilities. Your tour operator will ensure the best available hotels with hospitable ambience and services.
Food
Bhutanese hotels have a choice of various delicacies ranging from Bhutanese, Indian, Chinese and Japanese to Continental dishes. Bhutanese dishes are rich with spicy chilies and cheese flavors. The popular Bhutanese dish, Ema Datshi, is prepared with chilies and cheese.
Bhutan is popular for producing a wide range of branded liquor, some of which have won gold medals at Monde. The cost of alcohol is extremely low and each town is filled with local bars. In villages too, one can get plenty of home brewed Ara, like the Japanese Saki.
It is difficult to accurately generalize the climate of Bhutan due to variations in elevations and seasons. Bhutan’s climatic conditions can be described in three broad zones viz. subtropical in the south, temperate in the central and alpine in the north. Rainy Season starts from June to mid September.
All towns in Bhutan are electrified with regular supply. The voltage supply is 220/240. Tourists intending to carry electrical appliances are advised to bring a converter with an adapter kit.
Bhutan time is 6 hours ahead of GMT and there is only one time zone across the country.
Visitors should carry cottons and light woolens during summers (June-Sep) and woolen jackets during the winters. However, it is advisable to wear a few layered clothing than thick ones for comfortable trekking. In addition, rain gear for the monsoons and comfortable shoes for trekking is a must.
Health Information.
Good health facilities are available in the major towns. While in rural areas it is best to drink only bottled water. For trekkers, it is most important to acclimatize to higher altitudes.
Communication Facilities
Reliable telephone and fax services are available in all towns in Bhutan. International connections are excellent. Now Internet and e-mail facilities are also available in most of the places.
Carry plenty of films and batteries. Photo shops in Bhutan do not sell equipment or accessories of quality. Only few things are available in some places. For those interested in filming, a royalty must be paid. (Contact us for more info)
Insurance
To protect against unforeseen accidents and mishaps, we advise you to have Travel insurance policy from your country. It should adequately cover helicopter evacuation and medical assistance. We regret the unavailability of such policies in Bhutan.
Safety
The crime rate in Bhutan is very low; the country lives up to its nickname of the Land of Peaceful Dragon. Even so there are Police Stations in almost all regions.
Shopping
Traditional handicrafts, textiles, jewelleries, baskets, masks. Paintings and
woodcarving make good buys.
Transport
We use Japanese
imported luxury vehicles like Land Cruiser, Toyota Cars, Hiace Buses, Hilux,
etc.