Tourism Policy of Bhutan
Visa
Visa is compulsory for all visitors entering Bhutan except for Indian Travelers. You have to send the visa fee of US$ 20/per person along with your other payments. At entry port the visa is stamped on your passport. All visa applications must reach Bhutan least 14 days prior to the intended arrival date. Visas are issued only when a confirmed booking through a Bhutanese Licensed Tour Operator is made. Bhutanese Embassies and missions aboard do not issue visa for entry to Bhutan.
In order to board Druk Air you need visa clearance. Your visa clearance will be forwarded to Druk Air office and also we will forward the copy to our respective guests.
We will send you the Visa Application form to our guest once the booking is confirmed.
Visa will not be accepted without total payment (land tariff, visa fee and etc). Authentic Bhutan Tours will provide the clients its bank details/account number, payment invoices and necessary information for depositing the payments once the tour booking is confirmed.
Extension of visas, for up to 6 months, can be obtained in Thimphu at a cost of Nu. 510.
Entering Bhutan
By Air: Druk Air, the national carriers is the only service operator in the kingdom and operates several flights per week from Bangkok (Thailand), Delhi & Kolkata (India) and Kathmandu (Nepal) to Paro (Bhutan). The Paro International Airport is located about an hour and a half drive from Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan.
By Land: Phuentsholing, a Bhutanese town in the south west has road access to India. It is located about 170 km from the Indian domestic airport at Bagdogra, West Bengal. Phuentsholing is about 179 km from Thimphu the capital city of Bhutan and is about 7 hours drive distance.
Season to Visit Bhutan
Bhutan has four seasons. Every season has its own beauty and adventures one. The best season that we can recommend you are the spring season - March, April and May. Other suitable season is autumn in months of September, October and November where most of the festivals (Tshechus) take place. For sightseeing purpose of the great Himalayan mountains ranges, autumn season is recommended as during that time the skies are very clear and you can catch the rare glimpse of the great Himalayan mountain ranges.
During the summer season (months of June, July & August), the monsoons would be already in and it is likely that one may encounter rain. Winter Season (December, January and February) are extremely cold. Some of the upper trek routes may remain closed due to heavy snow fall.
Brief Information to Visit Bhutan
What sort of cloths you should bring, completely depends upon what season you are visiting Bhutan. Please note that even in summer sometime it can be very cool at night and morning. Do not totally depend on the season, sometime it is best to dress moderately.
Internet facility is available in Bhutan at good bandwidth (speed) of 56 kbps from DrukNet (Only ISP in Bhutan), their office is open from Monday to Friday 9 am in the morning till 4pm in the evening. On Saturdays, most private offices remain open from 9am to 12 noon. You can buy internet packages during those times where you will be given a username and a password. Using this username and password you can hook up to internet anywhere within Bhutan using phone line wherever one exists. For more information on this please visit www.druknet.bt.
Bhutan has a good and a reliable electrical power supply. The supply system is at 230 volts, 50 cycles AC. whatever electrical appliances you are bringing, please make sure that you bring appropriate converter and adapter plugs to meet low voltages requirement.
Bhutan's airline (Druk Air) allows free luggage weight up to 20 kgs for economy class and 30 kgs for business class. You will have to pay charges for the excess weight beyond this free limit, but the possibility of your baggage getting offloaded and therefore not reaching with you at the same time is high. While carrying handbag make sure to keep minimum as there is no required cabin space.
Currency:
The Bhutanese currency is called Ngultrum. Ngultrum (Nu in short) is at par with the Indian currency, Rupees. Ngultrum is accepted only in some bordering Indian towns, whereas Rupee is accepted throughout Bhutan. However, please note that the Indian Ruppess of the 500 and higher denominations are not accepted in Bhutan. One US $ is roughly equal to 44 Nu. More information on up-to-date currency exchange visit www.bnb.com.bt.
Most travelers’ cheques are accepted but shops generally charge a levy on credit cards. Payments sometimes can be made with American express, VISA and the JCB cards although the hotels and shops that accept are usually confined to Thimphu and Paro.
Cash is always more convenient, particularly in the districts outside Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing towns.
Time Zone
Bhutan being tiny country has only one time zone. Bhutan Standard time is 6 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), one hour behind Bangkok time, 30 minutes ahead of the Indian time and 11 hours ahead of the standard New York time. Bhutan's time matches with Bangladesh time.
Tobacco.
On 17th December 2004, Bhutan became the world’s first nation to introduce a complete ban on tobacco sales, following a resolution taken by the National Assembly. Smoking is also now restricted to private areas. However, tourists are allowed to bring 1carton cigarettes subject to payment of 100% customs duty and 100% sales tax.
Accommodation
There is a wide variety of accommodation available in Bhutan from the simple farmhouse to the high–end resorts in some districts. But you need pay extra for the high-end resorts.
Most tourist hotels are clean and basic and offer simple comforts and culinary fare. Tourist to Bhutan generally does not demand luxury accommodations. As we move to the east the hotel are not as good as in the west. However, the Department of tourism categories and monitors the quality of accommodation in the country.
Bhutan's Embassy Information
Bhutan currently has two foreign embassies in India and Bangladesh
Indian Embassy, Indian House, Thimphu
Telephone: 975 2 322162
Fax: 975 2 323195
Email: hocbht@druknet.bt
URL: www.eoithimphu.org
Bangladesh Embassy, Thori Lam, Thimphu
Telephone: 975 2 322539
Fax: 975 2 322629
Email Address: bdoot@druknet.bt
You can get assistance from the US Embassy in New Delhi, India. Bhutan has no US Embassy or Consulate, but maintains contact through Indian embassy or consulate available in major Indian cities. Bhutan also maintains limited degree of contact from Kathmandu, Nepal.
US Embassy in New Delhi
Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
Telephone: 91 11 419 8000
Fax : 91 11 419 0017
URL : http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov
