Bhutan by road from Siliguri: a guide for Indian travellers

Flying into Paro is the quick way into Bhutan, but for most Indian families it is not the cheap one. Flights into Paro are few and fares are high. The road from Siliguri, by contrast, is a day's easy drive across the Dooars, and it lets you combine Bhutan with Darjeeling, Sikkim or a night in the Dooars forests on the same trip. Many of our travellers come up from Kolkata by overnight train to NJP and are in Phuentsholing by lunchtime.

The road also gives you a better sense of how Bhutan begins. You leave the tea gardens of the Dooars, pass through the busy market town of Jaigaon on the Indian side, walk through the gate, and within a few hundred metres the signs, clothes and architecture change. The climb from Phuentsholing to Thimphu, from about 300 m to over 2,300 m, is one of the most dramatic drives in the eastern Himalaya.

From Siliguri, the road runs east along the national highway through Sevoke, across the Teesta at the Coronation Bridge, and on through the Dooars towns of Malbazar, Chalsa, Birpara and Hasimara before turning north to Jaigaon. It is about 160 km and takes 4–5 hours with a tea stop. The stretch past Chapramari and near Jaldapara runs through elephant country, so drivers slow down at dusk.

Most Indian taxis from Siliguri stop at Jaigaon, and you switch to a Bhutan-registered tourist vehicle with your guide on the other side. Buses also run from Siliguri to Jaigaon and are the cheapest option. Leave early: the immigration office in Phuentsholing works office hours, and you want your permit done the same afternoon.

Indian citizens do not need a visa for Bhutan, but every visitor needs an Entry Permit, which is free. You can apply online in advance through Bhutan's Department of Immigration, which most tour operators do for you, or get it at the immigration terminal in Phuentsholing. The permit covers Thimphu and Paro. For Punakha, Phobjikha, Haa and further east, a route permit has been needed from the immigration office in Thimphu on weekdays, though reports in 2026 suggest this is being simplified. Check current status before you travel.

The document rule catches out more Indian families than anything else. Adults need an Indian passport valid for at least six months, or an original Voter ID card. Aadhaar, PAN and driving licences are not accepted, even though they work everywhere else in India. Children without a passport can enter on an original birth certificate. Carry several passport photos and printed hotel bookings for every night.

• Indian passport, valid six months or more, or original Voter ID, for every adult
• Original birth certificate for children without a passport
• Three or four passport-size photos per person
• Printed Entry Permit and SDF receipt if you applied online
• Hotel confirmations for each night at certified properties

Since Bhutan reopened to tourists in September 2022, Indian visitors have paid a Sustainable Development Fee of ₹1,200 per person per night. Children aged 6 to 12 pay half and children under 6 pay nothing. It is charged per night, so a couple on a 6-night trip pays ₹14,400 in SDF alone. It covers none of your hotel, food, guide or car. When you compare package quotes, check whether the SDF is included, because some leave it out to look cheaper.

On guides, our reading of the 2024 Tourism Rules, restated by Bhutan's Department of Tourism in 2026, is that all tourists, Indians included, must travel with a licensed guide beyond the first checkpoint above Phuentsholing. Indian private cars can enter with a permit and a daily fee, but you still need a guide. Tourists are also expected to stay in certified hotels or registered homestays.

These rules have changed several times since 2022, and they may change again. We say this in every Bhutan conversation: check current status before you travel, either with your operator or on the official Bhutan immigration and tourism websites.

The road trip we sell most often runs 6 nights: one in Phuentsholing to get the permit done without rushing, two in Thimphu, one in Punakha or a second night in Thimphu, and two in Paro for the walk up to Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest monastery. The return is via Phuentsholing to Siliguri on the last day, a long drive of 9–10 hours with a lunch stop.

A shorter version, 4 nights covering Thimphu and Paro only, suits people who want a first look without the route permit. A longer one, 8 nights with Darjeeling at the start, pairs the toy train and tea gardens with the dzongs.

If you have a spare morning in Phuentsholing while the permit is processed, walk to the Zangtho Pelri Lhakhang in the town centre or the Crocodile Breeding Centre near the river. Both are close to the main hotels and need no special permission.

Bhutan costs more per night than Darjeeling or Sikkim because of the SDF, the guide and the certified-hotel rule. Our budget 6-night road trip starts around ₹31,000 per person on twin sharing, comfort around ₹50,000, and premium stays such as COMO Uma Paro or Taj Tashi push it well above ₹1,50,000, indicative 2026. The budget price includes SDF, a licensed guide, a Bhutan tourist vehicle, 3-star certified hotels with breakfast and dinner, and the transfers from and to Siliguri.

The biggest saving is the season. Late February, March and late November have good weather and lower hotel rates than the October and April festival weeks. A second saving is group size: the guide and vehicle cost the same for two people or six, so travelling with friends or family brings the per-person cost down sharply. A third is food: Bhutanese meals in local restaurants, with ema datshi, red rice and momos, cost much less than hotel buffets.

The Ngultrum is pegged one to one with the rupee, and Indian rupees are widely accepted, but carry notes of ₹500 or smaller and keep large amounts within the limit the Embassy of India advises. Dress modestly for dzongs and temples: long sleeves and long trousers or skirts, no caps inside. Smoking in public places is restricted and tobacco products carried in are taxed, so ask your operator before you pack cigarettes.

Bhutan Standard Time is 30 minutes ahead of India. Your phone will switch networks at the border, so buy a local SIM in Phuentsholing or arrange roaming. And allow a slow first evening: Phuentsholing is warm and low, Thimphu is cool and high, and the climb between them is a long day.