Getting to Bhutan

Flying to Bhutan

Paro International Airport is the country’s only international airport. Two Bhutanese airlines fly there: Drukair, the national carrier, and Bhutan Airlines.

Drukair’s international routes include Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata, Kathmandu, Singapore, Dhaka and Guwahati. Frequencies change by season, so check the current schedule before you book.

Booking tips

• Book early: seats are limited, especially in spring and autumn and around major festivals
• If you connect from a long-haul flight on a separate ticket, allow a generous connection, ideally an overnight stop
• Choose a window seat: on clear days the flight into Paro has views of the high Himalaya
• Send us your flight details once booked, so your guide can meet you on arrival

Travelling overland from India

You can also enter Bhutan by road from India through three border towns:

• Phuentsholing, in the southwest, reached from West Bengal
• Gelephu, in the south, reached from Assam
• Samdrup Jongkhar, in the southeast, about two to three hours by road from Guwahati in Assam

Overland travel suits journeys that combine Bhutan with India. Our West to East tour ends at Samdrup Jongkhar for onward travel from Guwahati. Remember that crossing into India needs an Indian visa for most nationalities.

Which is best?

Most visitors fly into Paro, which is close to Thimphu and the western valleys where most journeys begin. Arriving or leaving overland makes sense if you are also travelling in India, or if your journey ends in eastern Bhutan.