Mandala Journeys

BHUTAN - Kingdom of Bhutan

Bhutan is a small country in the Himalaya mountains of South Asia. It is ruled by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who has been king since 2006. Bhutan was founded in 1644 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. The Bhutanese people are proud they have always been an independent country. Bhutan's capital city is Thimphu. The official language is Dzongkha. About 700,000 people live in Bhutan. The people and government of Bhutan are proud of their culture which is based on Tibetan Buddhism. 97% of Bhutan's people are Buddhist.

Until 1974 Bhutan was closed to the outside world. Now people can visit the country, but only in small numbers. The only airport is in Paro district. The country is bordered on the south by the Republic of India and on the north by Tibet. The main export of Bhutan is hydroelectricity which is sold to India. The economy of Bhutan is very small but is growing quickly. The currency is the Ngultrum, which is pegged at par with the Indian rupee.

How to reach

By Air

The National Air Carrier of Bhutan, Druk Air is the only airline, operates regular flights to and from Paro to Kolkata, Delhi, Gaya, Bangkok, Kathmandu, and Dhaka. There are international flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Bangkok, Bagdogra, Dhaka, Bodh Gaya, Kathmandu, Singapore, Guwahati, and Mumbai.

By Train

There is NO DIRECT TRAIN ROUTE in Bhutan. Tourists have to reach the defined station and then take a cab or local transport to reach Bhutan. Convenient and best options from India are New Alipurduar, Siliguri, New Jalpaiguri Station, and Hasimara. Direct shared taxis and buses from Siliguri to Jaigaon are available.

By Road

Phuentsholing, Samdrup Jongkhar, and Gelephu are the only land borders open to world tourists. Tourists may opt for the bus, private taxi or any other local transportation to reach Bhutan. Phuentsholing is located in the south-west which is around 170 km from the Indian national airport at Bagdogra, West Bengal.

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