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Before you go

If you bring medications with you, pack them in their original, clearly labelled containers. You can also bring with you a signed and dated letter from your physician describing your medical conditions and medications, including generic names. Especially if you carry syringes or needles you need to have a physician’s letter documenting their medical necessity. If you have a heart condition, bring a copy of your ECG taken just prior to travelling. Also bring double your needs of regular medication, in case of loss or theft. You can’t rely on many medications being available from pharmacies in Bhutan.

Vaccinations

Specialised travel medicine clinics are your best source of information; they stock all available vaccines and will be able to give specific recommendations for you and your trip. The doctors will take into account factors such as past vaccination history, the length of your trip, activities you may be undertaking and underlying medical conditions such as pregnancy. Most vaccines don’t produce immunity until at least two weeks after they’re given, so visit a doctor four to eight weeks before departure. Ask your doctor for an International Certificate of Vaccination (otherwise known as the yellow booklet), which will list all the vaccinations you’ve received. The World Health Organization  has the excellent and annualy revised book ‘International Travel & Health’.

Health care in Bhutan

Bhutan doesn’t have private health clinics or physicians, but all district headquarter towns have a hospital. In case you get sick, Thimpu’s Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Referral Hospital is the best facility. Treatment is free, even for tourists. In rural areas it’s difficult to find reliable medical care, so you best take a first aid kit with you. Most large towns have shops selling medicines. Many of these are available without a prescription.

Food & drinks

Watching what you eat and drink is always the best remedy. Don’t use ice cubes and don’t drink tap water, it is best to drink bottled water, opened at the spot. If you can’t buy bottled water, then boil the water for at least 5 minutes. Be cautious with salads and food from a roadside shed, and make sure food is well heated before consumption. If you have diarrhea, use Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS).

Emergency

In case of emergency, use the following alarmnumbers:

• Police: 113
• Fire-brigade: 110
• Ambulance: 112

Insurance

Never travel without health insurance, even if you are fit and healthy. Accidents do occur and then you at least don’t have to worry about your insurance costs to be well covered. Emergency evacuation is very expensive if you are not or not well insured. Some policies ask you to call back (reverse charges) to a centre in your home country where an immediate assessment of your problem is made. You may need extra cover for adventure activities such as rock climbing or rafting. If your health insurance doesn’t cover you for medical expenses abroad, consider getting extra insurance. 

You can enter Bhutan by plane through the internationals airports of Bangkok (Thailand), Calcutta/Kolkata (India), Gaya (India), Siliguri (India), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Yangon (Myanmar, former Birma) or Kathmandu (Nepal). Paro Airport in the south west of the country, is Bhutan’s one and only international airport. From there a drive of approximately 1,5 hours takes you to the capital of Thimpu. Bhutan’s one and only national carrier is Druk Air. For complete flight schedules and other related flight information go to the Druk Air website: www.drukair.com.bt.

In general, Druk Air flies about three times a week. However, their flight schedule changes regulary and delays do frequently occur because of the changeable Himalayan weather. This means your program possibly has to be adjusted after the booking. It’s best to build an extra day or two in your itineraries in case of flight cancellations. You must confirm your travel during festival seasons (March, April, September, October, November) at least four months in advance with your ground agent or tour operator to ensure seats with the airline. Before you can purchase your Druk Air tickets, your visa first has to be issued.

Entering by land

You can also enter Bhutan by land via the border town of Phuentsholing (southwest Bhutan). Note though that unless you are an Indian national, you have to either enter or exit Bhutan on a Druk Air flight. Ask your tour operator what your best options are, depending on your wishes to also visit India and/or Nepal. If you enter Bhutan via India, don’t forget to get your passport stamped when leaving India.

If you enter Bhutan by land, one of the first things you need to do, is obtaining a Bhutanese visa. Go to the visa officer in the drungkhag (subdistrict) office and present your passport, two photos and a US$20 fee. Indian nationals need to fill in two copies of a form, and bring five photo’s and photocopies of their identification document (passport, driver’s licence or voting card) to the office of the Indian embassy.

Note:

all immigration check posts and offices are open 365 days. The Regional Offices and the head office in Thimphu are open only during working days. For further information, contact the Department of Immigration at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Travel plans required

You can’t travel without plans through Bhutan; always book your journey in advance. However, you can choose travelling in a group, individually or fully customized.

Bhutan knows several climat zones, ranging from alpine with eternal snow in the mountains to temperate in the center of the country to subtropical in the south. The climate can be quite unpredictable, even within a day or from one day to another.

In the Thimphu and Paro valleys, the winter daytime temperature averages 15°C during clear winter days but drops well below freezing during the night. You can expect light snow fall there, alternated with infrequent heavy snowstorms. Mid December to early January can be a beautifully clear and dry time in Western Bhutan. In the higher elevations late December through mid February is the period of heaviest snow fall. During the summer, the fluctuations are less; daytime temperature often rises to 30°C. Usually Punakha and the central valleys are a few degrees warmer. The Himalayan higher peaks are snow covered all year long and because of frequent snow fall, the road ices up at the higher passes, particularly around Thrumshing La. From May to late September summer monsoon affects Bhutan. From June to August you can expect clouded views over the Himalayas from the higher passes. The wet season does have its advantages though, because from March through May the valleys have beautiful shades of fresh green and only in springtime you can see the spectacular rhododendron in full blossom. In August many species of wild orchids are in full bloom. September through November are usually very mild and clear, with sharp clear skies and magnificent views of the Himalaya range. Although each of Bhutan’s seasons has its' advantages and disadvantages, the spring and fall are traditionally the most popular times to visit the kingdom.

High Season: Mar, Apr, May, June, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec

Low Season: Jan, Feb, July, Aug