Since Bhutan is a landlocked country, there are either two ways to get into Bhutan….. By Road or by flight.
Flying into Bhutan
Paro international airport is situated at a height of 2,225 m (7300 ft) above sea level and is surrounded by mountains as high as 4,876 m (16,000 ft).
At present two carriers operate to Bhutan, Drukair and Bhutan Airlines.
There are domestic airports in Yonphula in eastern Bhutan, Bumthang in central Bhutan, and Gelephu in south-central Bhutan.
The International sectors in which airlines from Bhutan operates are as follows :
Singapore ( Twice a week )
Kathmandu ( Daily )
Dhaka ( Daily )
Delhi ( Daily )
Kolkatta ( Daily )
Bagdogra ( Twice a week )
Guwahati ( Twice a week )
Gaya ( Seasonal )
Special charter flight as per request.
Yelha Bhutan Tours also has special charter flight service to Vietnam ( Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City ) , Hong Kong, Malaysia ( Kuala Lumpur ) and any city in Asia and as per demands of clients.
Only DrrukAir & Bhutan Airlines operates in Kingdom of Bhutan
Entering by road via India
Bhutan is bordered by India in the south therefore the Bhutan border towns of Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar are the only land gateways areas open to tourists coming via India.
The town of Phuentsholing in south-west is located approximately 170 km east of the Indian national airport at Bagdogra. After crossing Phuentsholing, you begin your journey to Thimphu, the capital city with travel time of about six hours for the 170 km stretch.
Gelephu in south-central Bhutan is another entry point to Bhutan. It is approximately 250 kms from Thimphu and the journey will take you through the sub-tropical areas of Bhutan before entering the alpine zone and then finally into Thimphu. One will have to traverse across three districts and the travel time will be about ten hours.
The district of Samdrup Jongkhar in south-east Bhutan borders the Indian district of Darranga, Assam and is approximately 150 kms away from Guwahati, the capital city of Assam.
The journey from Guwahati is about three hours. Tourists entering Bhutan through Samdrup Jongkhar will take you to Trashigang, and from there over the lateral route to Monggar, Bumthang, Trongsa, Wangdue Phodrang and then finally into capital, Thimphu. The distance is about 700 kms and will take you a minimum of three days to reach Thimphu.
Over 25,000 guest arrivals between January and March 2024, doubling last year’s numbers
Thimphu, Bhutan, April 02, 2024: Bhutan welcomed 25,003 guest arrivals between January 01 – March 31, 2024, compared with 12,696 arrivals in 2023 during the same period. With 14,822 arrivals, March 2024 was the third busiest month since re-opening, following May 2023 (16,609 arrivals) and October 2023 (16,465 arrivals).
Visitor Breakdown
In 2024, 60% of visitors originated from India, with the remaining 40% coming from diversified markets such as the US, China, UK, Germany, Singapore, France, Italy, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia, and Canada. Specifically, in March 2024, 57% of tourists were from India, while 43% were international guests.
Growth Rates
The Q1 2024 vs. Q1 2023 growth rates were significant:
India: +77%
US: +97%
UK: +84%
Japan: +230%
Thailand: +325%
Singapore: +256%
Australia: +46%
Canada: +74%
Switzerland: +134%
Italy: +297%
Netherlands: +127%
Spain: +165%
Germany: +184%
France: +300%
Belgium: +493%
Reasons for Growth
According to Carissa Nimah, Chief Marketing Officer of the Department of Tourism, the 97% increase in tourist arrivals was due to:
Reduction in the Sustainable Development Fee to USD 100 per night.
Increased global awareness and media coverage.
Bhutan being featured as a ‘must-visit’ destination in major travel publications.
Targeting wider audiences and promoting year-round tourism.
