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Bhutan travel guide for Indians (2026)
No visa, a permit at the border, and a ₹1,200-a-night Sustainable Development Fee that is part of the deal.
Visa and entry for Indian passport holders
No visa · entry permit + SDFIndian nationals need no visa for Bhutan, but are issued an entry permit and pay the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of ₹1,200 per person per night.
- Accepted ID: Indian passport (6 months validity) or voter ID. Aadhaar, PAN and driving licence are not accepted.
- The entry permit is issued at Paro airport or the Phuentsholing border, or applied for online in advance. It covers Thimphu and Paro; a free route permit from Thimphu is needed for Punakha and beyond — our package handles both.
- SDF: ₹1,200 per adult per night; children 6–12 pay half, under 6 free. Maximum stay 15 days per entry.
Best time to visit Bhutan
March to May (spring, rhododendrons, Paro Tsechu) and September to November (clear skies, autumn festivals).
June to August monsoon — landslides on the Phuentsholing road and cloud over Tiger's Nest.
What a Bhutan trip costs from India
Per person, twin sharing, for our standard 5-night itinerary. The land price is fixed; the rest is an honest estimate so you can plan.
| Item | |
|---|---|
| Land package — 2N Thimphu · 1N Punakha · 2N ParoHotels, transfers, sightseeing as listed on the package page. Fixed price. | ₹42,900 |
| Return flightsDelhi → Paro, direct · 2h 30m · Quoted live for your dates and city. | quoted live |
| Entry permit | Free |
| Sustainable Development Fee | ₹1,200 per person per night (6–12 yrs half; under 6 free) |
| Meals not in the package, small extras, tipsRough per-person figure for 5 days at ₹1,500–₹2,500 a day. Depends entirely on how you eat and shop. | ₹7,500 – ₹12,500 |
| Rough total per personExcluding visa fees where they are not in rupees, travel insurance and shopping. | ₹50,400 – ₹55,400 |
Your quotation shows the land price fixed and the live fare separately, so you can see exactly where the money goes. Nothing is paid on this page.
Getting there
Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines fly Delhi–Paro (2.5 hours) and Kolkata–Paro; fares are high because only these two carriers may land there. The cheaper route is to fly to Bagdogra and drive 4 hours to the Phuentsholing border, then on to Thimphu. Our package works from either.
Airlines on the route: Druk Air, Bhutan Airlines (the only two airlines allowed into Paro).
Questions we get asked about Bhutan
Do Indians need a visa for Bhutan?
No visa, but an entry permit (free) and the Sustainable Development Fee of ₹1,200 per person per night. Carry a passport or voter ID — Aadhaar is not accepted.
What is the SDF and is it included in your price?
It is Bhutan's daily tourism fee, ₹1,200 per adult per night. We show it as a separate line on your quote so you can see exactly what it adds.
Best time to visit Bhutan?
March–May and September–November. October is peak for festivals and clear mountain views.
How much does a Bhutan trip cost from India?
Our 5-night Thimphu–Punakha–Paro package starts at ₹42,900 per person, plus SDF of ₹6,000 (5 nights). Flights to Paro are quoted live and are the expensive part; the Bagdogra-and-road route is much cheaper.