Visitor Information - Visiting Bhutan

Documentation

All visitors to Bhutan must prepay for a visa and hold a current passport. Visa application is made through YANA Expeditions, Inc. Visa fee (US$ 20 for first 15 days) is paid on entry in hard currency or traveler's checks. No checks or local currencies are accepted for this purpose. Visa will be entered on arrival in Bhutan though they are cleared in advance and visa clearance numbers are issued.

Visas are not issued at Bhutanese embassies abroad. Visas are issued only when you arrive in Bhutan either at Paro airport or at Phuntsholing (if by road). You must apply for a Bhutan visa in advance. You can either fill in the form or fax us the following information. We will take care of the rest.

1.	Your full name as it appears in your passport.
2.	Permanent address
3.	Occupation
4.	Nationality
5.	Passport number
6.	Date of issue and expiration of passport
7.	Date and place of birth

It is absolutely necessary that you double-check that the information you provided us with is correct. There will be delays and complications in issuing the visa when you arrive in Bhutan if there are discrepancies in any important numbers.
Druk Air will not issue the tickets to Paro until they receive the visa confirmation number from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Yana EXPEDITIONS, Inc. will process visa extensions for you if they become necessary.

table of contents

Accessibility:

by Air

The best way to enter Bhutan is by Druk Air - Royal Bhutan Airlines. The airport is in Paro. During monsoons and winter, unpredictable weather forces can delay flights and travelers should consider including an extra day in their itinerary. Druk Air is the national carrier of the Royal Government of Bhutan and operates to following stations:

India :	Delhi, Kolkota (Calcutta)
Nepal :	Kathmandu
Thailand :	Bangkok
Bangladesh :	Dhaka
Myanmar:	Yangon

by Road

The nearest Indian airport is Bagdogra, which can be reached by plane from Kolkata and Delhi. The road from Bagdogra connects to Phuentsholing, a border town in Bhutan. It is a 3 - 4 hour drive from the airport. It takes approximately 6 hours from Phuentsholing to Thimphu or Paro.

Climate
(see also the YANA Bhutan
weather page)

Bhutan has an unusual variety of climate influenced by varying altitudes. Southern Bhutan, which is situated at low altitudes, has mild winters and hot summers during which morning and evening showers are common.
Paro, Thimphu and other temperate regions have cold winters with sunny skies. In spring and autumn, days are warm but nights are cool. Summers are warm with light but frequent rainfall. The lower temperate regions such as Punakha and Tashigang have mild winters and warm summers.
Spring is generally from March through May, summer from June through August, autumn from September through November and winter from December through February.