I visited Bhutan in the month of December. You can visit Bhutan by air (Druk Airlines) to Paro or you can go via road. Bagdogra is the nearest airport from Bhutan border Phuentsholing. Take a taxi till Jaigoan and from there you can travel via taxi/bus to Paro or Thimpu. The embassy is situated 2 mins from the Bhutan Gate. I would suggest applying for a pass via the local agents as they are more aware of the procedure and you are free of the hassle to stand in long queues. Else, visit the online site to check the documents you would need to get a pass. The rules change every now and then.









My first destination was Thimpu. We hired a taxi till Thimpu and the journey is tiresome and long (5 hours). Make sure you hydrate yourself well. There are many hotels/restaurants on the way to take mini breaks. Thimpu is about 170 km from Jaigoan, India border. Make sure you carry your pass with you at all times as there are several check posts along the way.

The national language in Bhutan is Zonkha, but they also understand Nepali and English in Thimpu. Bhutan is called the land of Dragons and you can witness it the moment you enter Bhutan, be it their beautiful gates with Dragon paintings or their buildings. It feels like a different world of creativity and art. Each building, temple or monastery has its own charm- beautifully carved wood frontages, drawings on wall, small arched windows, and a sloping roof.











We reached hotel at night and left the hotel for dinner. The Clock Tower Square, which is situated at the heart of the city, was few minutes’ walk from our hotel. It consists of tower with clock on all four sides, prayer wheels and water fountain. The tower is hand crafted with flowers and Bhutanese painting of dragons. There are many shops, hotels, restaurants surrounding the square. You might want to spin the wheels as it is said to bring good luck.













The next day, we hired a local taxi to visit places nearby in Thimpu. We started early morning at about 7am. The driver took us to Buddha point (Buddha Dordenma). It was the best time to visit as it wasn’t crowded and we could see ariel view of Thimpu and the clear skies. It is a 52m tall statue of Buddha. You can also see thousands of mini statues in the area. The statue was constructed in China and was assembled in Thimpu.

Motithang Takin Preserve was our next destination. On the way from Buddha point to this preserve, you can see beautiful buildings (belonging to different ministries, post office, high court, etc.) The way is up hill from where you can see the palaces of the prince and the former queens. Takin is the national animal of Bhutan. Takin is a rare mammal and is also considered to be endangered species due to over hunting and destruction of forests. They are herbivore and generally forage in the morning and rest during the day. The preserve has many Takin's and you also get to feed them.

We were in a rush as I wanted to celebrate Christmas at home and wanted to do many things on a single day. So, we decided to go to the Tiger’s Nest (Paro Taktsang) on the same day. It was on my bucket list and I had forced my parents to take me there. I won this time, hurray! We asked the taxi driver to take us to Paro from where we can start our journey to the nest. There few hotels at the base where you can keep your luggage. The driver took us to one such hotel and they didn’t charge us for it. Though we compensated by buying few things from them.

The base camp is a small area. There were few locals selling souvenirs on sheds, renting stick, horse for the trek and parking area. It takes about 2-2.5 hours to reach the nest and almost the same time to come back as there is no rod and the path is steep. Make sure you take a mask along as it is dusty and water with you as it is a challenging and tiring trek. There is a cafeteria situated between the nest and the base camp. The route is scattered with number of temples. On this path, a large water fall, which drops by 60 metres (200 ft.) into a sacred pool, is forded over by a bridge. The track terminates at the main monastery where colourful paintings are displayed. This is a must visit for all those who love nature. It is a breathtakingly exquisite monastery. There is an entry fee of 500 Bhutanese Ngultrum, make sure you buy the ticket when you start your trek.

We were able to complete the trek on time and headed back to Phuentsholing. It was a tiresome day but filled with memories of beautiful carvings, buildings, monasteries and above all the feeling of being amidst untouched nature.



Few Tips:

- Indian Rupee is accepted everywhere in Bhutan, the conversion is 1 :1

- Must try Ema Datshi, it is a Bhutan's national dish

- Worth buying the Melamine crockery, the designs are refreshing



