Bhutan has been one of the best visa-free countries to visit as an Indian. Exploring this gorgeous region was really easy and budget-friendly for Indians. Just getting a Bhutan Online Permit was enough!
But, not anymore! Yes, after the pandemic, many rules and regulations were updated and now we all Indians are supposed to hire a guide, cab and pay SDF!
Sounds tedious right? Don’t worry! Once you get a hold of this procedure, it will be easy for you. There is not much information about these factors available online. But I can share the latest information (sept 2024) which I got to know in my solo trip to Bhutan.
Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Entering Bhutan As an Indian as a Visitor
To visit Bhutan as an Indian, you do not require a Visa. Then how would you cross the border?
This is super easy. If you are an Indian then you will only need a valid AADHAR CARD, VOTER’S ID or a PASSPORT for registration and you can cross the border.
You can cross the border as many times as you want with these 3 documents. But remember, you will need original physical documents. Not a digital copy or xerox or a downloaded copy.
Unfortunately, still some of the Indians do not know that Bhutan is not a part of India and travel without these documents.
In such cases, both the Bhutan and Indian locals (some not all) will offer you downloaded copies of your documents, print them and will charge you for it.
The real problem you will face is at the immigration office. They recognize the downloaded copies and will not let you enter Bhutan. Moreover, in certain scenarios they may file a complaint against you to their Tourism department is something you would not want to happen.
If you are carrying an Indian Passport, then ensure the expiry date is at least 6 months away from the day you cross the border.
If you are a minor and do not have a passport or a voter’s ID, you can use AADHAR CARD just to enter. If you don’t have any of the above, then you must have a valid and ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
Once you enter Bhutan from the Phuentsholing Border or the Samtse Border with these documents, you can stay up to 24 hours without paying an SDF. To stay in Phuentsholing for more than 24 hours, you will have to exit and again enter the border with any of the above documents mentioned.
As an Indian you should not worry about payments as they accept Indian Rupees there. Again at the immigration, when you pay SDF, which I will explain later, you must carry new notes. They will not accept frayed notes. This is what happened to me on my trip to Bhutan.
If you are using your passport to enter and exit, make sure they do not stamp a permanent exit on it, if you are planning to enter back.
Every time you are exiting with a passport, tell the officer the reason for exit, that you are going to India to get cash or something. So that they wont stamp an exit.
Using AADHAR CARD is the most convenient way to enter.
SDF- Sustainable Development Fees
There is so much confusion on this topic. But let me clear the air here.
You are supposed to pay SDF charges which are INR 1200 per day per person. This also depends on- from where you are entering Bhutan. If entering from the border towns of Samtse, Phuentsholing, Gelephu, and Samdrup Jongkhar, then you can stay in those towns only for free for 24 hours.
After 24 hours you either start paying SDF or exit.
Children of the age of 5 years and below do not need to pay SDF. If your children are aged between 6 and 12 years, then they will need to pay INR 600 as an SDF, which is a 50% concession.
If you are entering from Paro (the only international airport in Bhutan), then you will start paying SDF from the exact day of landing.
Also, you will need to get the permit and the guide on the same day of landing.
Driving Indian Vehicle in Bhutan
If you have an Indian registered vehicle, then you can drive it in Bhutan if you are entering from the Jaigaon-Phuentsholing border, as per my knowledge.
You can drive for free up to the Rinchending Check Post in Phuentsholing. Beyond this checkpost you will have to pay INR 4500 per vehicle, per day.
Even if you hire a car in Bhutan, you will have to pay the similar charges. So choose whatever suits you better.
Documents required to drive indian vehicle in Bhutan
- Original driving license
- Original Registration Certificate (Vehicle Registration shall not be more than 10 years from date of registration).
- Vehicle insurance
- Vehicle emission and road worthiness certificate
- Owner of the vehicle must be the same person. If driver and owner are different, an authority letter from owner to driver is required.
Getting a Bhutan Online Permit as an Indian
There are several parts in Bhutan like Thimphu, Paro, Haa valley, etc. which require a permit to enter. Getting this permit is easy. You do not need to pay anything for it. Just SDF is enough.
First things first, keep your itinerary ready. You have to tell them which places you are visiting, from where you have come and where you are headed to.
So keep a rough itinerary ready. You will get the permit from the immigration office in Phuentsholing, in Thimphu Immigration office and at Paro Airport.
You will need to hire a guide first in order to get a permit. If you have booked your trip through an agency, then all these things will be taken care of by them only.
If you are traveling alone, then you will need to hire a guide from the office itself. The staff is very friendly and they will help you out with the entire procedure.
The guide will help you plan your journey, book hotels, etc. If you have already planned your visit, I would recommend discussing it with them first. You might end up planning an even better trip.
The Fee for the guide is INR 3500 per day. Yes, that’s expensive, I know. But this is beneficial when you travel with a group. The cost remains the same for both groups and solo travelers.
More to this, you will need to hire a vehicle too to get around. This will cost you INR 4500 per car, per day. Charges vary depending on the type of vehicle you choose.
I will recommend you to travel with groups when visiting Bhutan as it is cost effective if you are looking for a budget friendly trip.
What is included in the guide fee?
Just his fees. That’s correct! It includes nothing else. Everything from hotels to food to entry fees are extra expenses.
You can use OTAs like MakeMyTrip, Booking.com, etc to secure deals. Or you can just tell your guide your budget and they will book hotels for you accordingly.
Traveling to Bhutan without a guide is illegal and you may be charged with a heavy penalty if caught. Everytime you enter regions like Thimphu and Paro, you will need to show your permit and valid ID to the police officers at the checkpost. And you are supposed to be accompanied by a guide at all times.
How to travel on budget to Bhutan?
Actually, traveling to Bhutan has become more expensive than before and for all good reasons of quality tourism. Expect to spend around INR 60,000 per person including flights.
Here are a few tips to save on your trip to Bhutan-
- If you are getting down at Paro Airport, then it WILL cost you more. Paro airport has limited connectivity and there are no flights available from Mumbai to Paro. Flights from Delhi cost around INR 25000 and more. I entered from Phuentsholing. You will have to get down at Bagdogra Airport and then travel by road to Phuentsholing. It will cost you around INR 6000 (flight- 5500++ bus from Silliguri to Jaigaon- INR 120)
- Check the season you are traveling in. Sept to December is a peak season as many people from around the world travel to Thimphu for the Thimphu festival.
- Check hotels online and find good deals by comparing rates on different OTAs. Also contact the hotels individually to check if they are offering better prices.
- Curate your itinerary by your interests. You can go for treks and hikes, cultural tours, natural trails, historical tours. This will save your time. You can explore exactly what you want to explore and wont end up paying for something you are not interested in.
- There are a few places which you can explore from a distance. You can click pictures from the outside too. You will not need to enter and can save on entry fees.
- Food is really cheap in Bhutan and the quantity is also great. You can eat at roadside restaurants where one meal will cost you around INR 200-250. Plus you will get to eat authentic cuisine.
This is everything you will need to know for getting a permit in Bhutan as an Indian. If you have any more questions or doubts, feel free to comment down below, I will be responding to every comment. Also, you can ping me on instagram @_solivagent__ .
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