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Until the early sixties, the
Kingdom of Bhutan was
accessible only by foot
through the high passes of
Tibet and the plains of
India. The construction of a
road in the late sixties
from Phuntsholing on the
Indian border to Thimphu and
Paro made travel by car and
bus possible. In1983, the
first international airport
was opened in Paro, 65 km
from the capital of Bhutan,
Thimphu.
Travel by Air :
Bhutan’s only international
airport is located in Paro,
which is located in a deep
valley at an elevation of
7300 ft above sea level. The
Paro Valley is surrounded by
hills as high as 16,000
feet, whereby making the
approach of Druk Air into
the Paro International
airport entirely by visual
flight rules.
The national air carrier -
Druk Air, Royal Bhutan
Airlines has two A319 and
operates in seven cities in
six different countries. It
operates several times a
week to Bangkok, Delhi,
Kolkata, and Kathmandu. The
national airline carries
passengers through one of
the most spectacular flight
paths in the world. A
particular highlight is the
stretch between Kathmandu
and Bhutan, where one passes
4 of the 5 highest mountains
in the world. Weather
permitting; passengers will
be treated to intimate views
of Mt. Everest, Lhotse,
Makalu und Kangchenjunga.
Travel by Land : The
town of Phuntsholing in
south-western Bhutan is
currently the only land
border access open for
international tourists.
Phuntsholing lies
approximately 170 km east of
the Indian national airport
Bagdogra and nearby
Darjeeling. From here begins
a mountain journey of almost
unbelievable beauty. The
road leads from the northern
Indian tea plantations
through endless turns,
hair-pin bends and daring
stretches carved into the
mountain rock via Chhuka to
Thimphu. The travel time for
the 176 km stretch can be
more than 6 hours.
A combination of overland
and air travel is also
possible. All overland
travel requires an Indian
visa.
Traveling within Bhutan :
All major towns in the 20
districts of Bhutan are
accessible by road. Despite
high mountains, steep
slopes, and the deepest of
valleys, Bhutan has a
relatively well developed
network of roads. That said,
rarely will one find a
length of either straight or
flat road. In some stretches
one can encounter 6 to 7
bends per kilometer! Steep
ascents and descents are
characteristic of road
travel in Bhutan and this
can make travel much slower
than one may be used to.
Average speeds for road
travel rarely exceed 40
km/h, with tourist buses
making even slower progress.
One is however handsomely
rewarded for the long and
sometimes tiring car
journey, by the spectacular
views of towering mountains,
lush green jungle, ancient
villages and majestic
monasteries.
Majority of roads are sealed
but can still be bumpy and
are almost always single
lane. Bhutan’s drivers know
their land well and are
cautious and careful
drivers. The density of
traffic is normally very
low.
Tourist Buses :
Tourists can travel in
Bhutan with medium-sized
buses (20-22 seats), small
buses (8-12 seats) or hired
cars. Road widths do not
permit larger buses. |
