This was a family trip — me and my parents. I’d been wanting to visit Bhutan for a while, and March felt like the right time. We booked the whole thing through Tour Kingdom, which handled the guide, driver, hotels, and SDF permits. That’s the only practical way to do Bhutan — a guide and car are mandatory for Indian tourists.
Here’s how the week went.
Day 1 — Train from Deoria Sadar to NJP
March 1, 2026
We boarded Train No. 19601 from Deoria Sadar. The scheduled departure was 6:45 AM — it showed up at 9:00 AM. Classic Indian Railways.
The journey itself was long. We reached New Jalpaiguri (NJP) at around 23:00. By then we were exhausted, so we checked into a lodge right near the station. It was ₹1,600 for a 4-bed room — nothing fancy, not the cleanest, but it did the job for a transit night. We had to check out at 6:00 AM the next morning for our connecting train, so we barely slept.
Day 2 — NJP → Hasimara → Jaigaon → Thimphu
March 2, 2026
Caught Train No. 15777 to Hasimara at 7:20 AM. It left on time but ran a couple of hours late, so we got to Hasimara around 12:30.
From Hasimara, we took a toto (electric auto) to Jaigaon — the Indian border town. The driver charged us ₹350. On the return trip we paid ₹250, so definitely negotiate the fare.
We had lunch in Jaigaon, and our guide arrived around 14:00. He walked us through the border entry gate — you need either a Passport or a Voter ID Card to enter. Right next to the entry building is the Immigration Office, where we paid the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) — ₹1,200 per person per night. For our family of 4, across 4 nights in Bhutan, that came to ₹19,200.
We had an Ertiga for the whole trip. By 15:00 (Bhutan time — 30 minutes ahead of IST), we were on the road to Thimphu. The drive normally takes 4–4.5 hours, but since it was dark and the roads are hilly, it stretched to about 6 hours. We reached Thimphu around 21:00.
Our guide dropped us at Oro Villa — a warm, comfortable hotel. We had a wonderful dinner at the hotel and passed out immediately.
Day 3 — Thimphu Sightseeing
March 3, 2026
After a really good breakfast at the hotel, our guide and driver picked us up at 9:30. Here’s what we covered:
- Durga Temple — Unfortunately closed because of a solar eclipse (Grahan) that day. Just our luck.
- Buddha Point — A massive Buddha Dordenma statue sitting on a hilltop overlooking Thimphu valley. Entry: ₹500/person. Worth the visit.
- Simply Bhutan (Living Museum) — A cultural experience where locals demonstrate traditional Bhutanese life. Entry: ₹1,000/person. Interesting if you’re into that.
- Coronation Park — Open grounds, no entry fee. Nice place to stretch your legs.
- Lunch near the Thimphu Clock Tower — the central area of town.
- Takin Preservation Centre — Home to the Takin, Bhutan’s national animal. Looks like a cross between a cow and a goat. Entry: ₹500/person.
- Tashichhoe Dzong viewpoint — A stunning fortress-monastery. We saw it from the viewpoint as the interior visit has specific timing.
We were done by 16:00 and headed back to the hotel. A well-paced day — not rushed at all.
Day 4 — Thimphu → Paro
March 4, 2026
Left Thimphu at 9:30 AM. The Thimphu-to-Paro drive is beautiful — winding roads along the river with mountains on every side.
Stops on the way:
- Chuzom Bridge — The confluence point of Paro and Thimphu rivers. Quick photo stop.
- Paro International Airport viewpoint — One of the most dangerous airports in the world. It’s fun to watch planes land between the mountains.
- A local shop for some souvenir shopping.
After lunch, we checked into Tshongdu Boutique in Paro. Clean, comfortable, with breakfast and dinner included (like most Bhutan hotels in a tour package).
Post check-in, we visited:
- Paro National Museum — Entry: ₹500/person. Good collection of Bhutanese art and history.
- Rinpung Dzong — A large fortress-monastery right in the heart of Paro.
In the evening, we explored the Paro local market and did some shopping. It’s a small, walkable main street — quite charming.
Day 5 — Chelela Pass & Tiger’s Nest Viewpoint
March 5, 2026
The highlight day.
After breakfast, we headed to Chelela Pass — about 40 km from the hotel, roughly an hour’s drive. It’s the highest motorable pass in Bhutan. The views from the top are incredible — Haa Valley on one side and Paro District on the other. If you’re lucky with weather, it’s snow-covered.
After lunch, we drove to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Taktsang) viewpoint. The actual trek to the monastery is about 3–4 hours round trip. Since I was with my parents and they can’t do the trek, we had to skip it and see it from the viewpoint instead.
Tip: If you’re going to Paro and can do the trek, skip Chelela Pass and do the full Tiger’s Nest Trek instead. The trek is the main reason most people visit Paro. We only did Chelela because we couldn’t trek.
Evening was again spent exploring the local market.
Day 6 — Paro → Jaigaon → NJP
March 6, 2026
Left Paro at 7:30 AM. The hotel packed our breakfast for the road, which was a nice touch.
We reached Phuentsholing (the Bhutan-side border town) at 11:00 IST. Did the immigration formalities and crossed over to Jaigaon. Took a toto to Hasimara (₹250 this time — see, negotiating works).
Our train — No. 15778 — was at 14:45. We reached NJP at 20:00, checked into the same lodge near the station (₹1,600 again), and crashed for the night.
Day 7 — NJP → Home
March 7, 2026
Caught Train No. 12523 at 8:45 AM. Reached Deoria at 21:45. Trip over.
What It Cost
I booked the whole trip through Tour Kingdom. Here’s the breakdown for a family of 4:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Oro Villa, Thimphu (2 rooms × 2 nights) | ₹11,200 |
| Tshongdu Boutique, Paro (2 rooms × 2 nights) | ₹11,200 |
| SDF (₹1,200 × 4 people × 4 nights) | ₹19,200 |
| Guide | ₹9,500 |
| Driver + Ertiga | ₹17,500 |
| Tour Kingdom agent fee | ₹18,400 |
| Total paid to Tour Kingdom | ₹87,000 |
On top of that:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| NJP lodge (2 nights × ₹1,600) | ₹3,200 |
| Toto (Hasimara ↔ Jaigaon, round trip) | ₹600 |
| Entry fees (approx, for 4 people) | ₹10,000 |
| Meals (lunches + snacks) | ~₹5,000 |
| Shopping | Varies |
Rough total for 4 people: around ₹1,05,000–₹1,10,000 (excluding shopping and train tickets).
Breakfast and dinner were included with all hotel stays.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Guide and car are mandatory — You can’t explore Bhutan independently as an Indian tourist. It has to be through a registered tour operator.
- SDF is ₹1,200/person/night — This is non-negotiable and paid at the immigration office at the border. For a family of 4 doing 4 nights, that’s ₹19,200 just in SDF.
- Carry your Passport or Voter ID — These are the only two accepted documents at the Jaigaon–Phuentsholing border.
- Indian Rupees are accepted everywhere — No need to exchange currency. INR works in shops, restaurants, and hotels across Bhutan. The conversion rate is 1:1 — 1 Indian Rupee = 1 Bhutanese Ngultrum.
- Get a SIM card at Phuentsholing — I bought one right after crossing the border. My guide helped with the process. It cost ₹250 for 1 GB of data. Handy for maps and sharing photos on the go.
- Bhutan time is IST + 30 minutes — Small thing, but it matters when coordinating with your guide.
- Negotiate toto fares — The first quote from Hasimara to Jaigaon was ₹350. We paid ₹250 on the way back. Don’t accept the first number.
- If you can trek, do Tiger’s Nest — Skip Chelela Pass if needed, but don’t skip the Tiger’s Nest trek. We had to because of my parents, and that’s my one regret.
Final Thoughts
Bhutan surprised me. It’s clean, peaceful, and the people are genuinely welcoming. There’s no honking, no chaos — just mountains, dzongs, and prayer flags everywhere. The hotel staff at both places went out of their way to make us comfortable.
It’s not a budget trip — the SDF alone is a significant cost. But for what you get — uncrowded roads, pristine nature, and a pace of life that forces you to slow down — it’s worth every rupee.
Would I go again? Absolutely. Next time with friends, and we’re doing that Tiger’s Nest trek.
