Day 1
We planned Bhutan trip for 5 days, I would not say it was a very well planned trip, but it did go very well ,Although from Mumbai there is no direct flight to Paro, you will always have a transit via Delhi, so how we landed at Bagdogra airport on Friday. As per our research on Bhutan we were aware that we will not get any permit to enter Bhutan lands on Saturday and Sunday. So our wander freak mind decided lets go to Sikkim and Gangtok for next three days. It turned out to be really amazing plan, I’ll write about this trip in another blog, we started around 9 am from Gangtok and reached Jaigaon by 2pm, everything was going as planned we were super excited just to see the entrance of Bhutan which is Phuntosholing. It is Jaigaon and Phuntsholing which shares the border of Bhutan and India. Please notice without any permit you can still roam inside Bhutan as far as 7 km from Jaigaon border :), something jinxed our excitement in the Mid way, it was a very important festival for bhutanese, Losar which is new year celebration in Bhutan. Its a national holiday for Bhutan so a government holiday no passport office or border services actually work today :). What did you learn, whenever travelling good to plan your holidays by checking out your own calendar but even important to check other countries important holidays, if not one can always enjoy Sikkim 🙂
Even after talking to a lot of people and pleading the minimum authorities present around the border we did not get any permit today.All the time when something is not working out for me i know something else unknown and unseen is developing for me,Then we happen to visit Latagudi National park.I cannot go into details of latagudi at the moment just a lush green breeze and beautiful day safari ,So the break spent well i don’t know how but i think we become most productive with our time when we are travelling.
New Day New start:-
Day 3
Now that we are more intelligent and smarter than before,We start early in the morning we strike right on the jaigaon border and stop right in front of Druk Hotel .We already got printed permit forms and 5 of us filled it,We were required to produce at least two government documents ,Mind it Adhaar card doesn’t work as a government document in Bhutan passport office.I suggest carry passport and Pan card .If you don’t have a pan card have your driving licence .
Passport office opens at 8 am ,Everybody is peaceful at the office ,the only noise you are going to hear at the phuntosholing passport office will be of your own or the fellow travelers entering the country.It was sometimes so disgusting ,this was our first lesson many things can be handled just by looking at each other ,Understand more talk less.
Anyways,we submitted our forms and waited for our turn ,it took around 15-20 min ,Also by this time we booked a taxi for 4 days for around 20,000 INR as soon as we were free from Phuntosholing passport office.This package included taxi and driver for four days and he was on his own for food and stay .Bhutan is so welcoming that all the hotel will always take care of the drivers and they will have stay accomodated as well ,if you are staying in those hotels too.
Where to eat in Phuntosholing:-
Bon apetite:-We had first breakfast at Druk restaurant and these people are so humble and kind hearted.we indulged into bhutan cuisine like keva datse ,momos and also some indian food.
What we can never forget was tea everywhere in Bhutan.It was now very good to start the day so we embark on to destination Thimpu,If you require bhutan permit forma , you can download visa form from the following link.
http://www.mohca.gov.bt/index.php/download-immigration-forms/
Phuntsholing – Thimphu Hwy will be approximately 4 hours,Keep your permits handy there will be routine car checks once or twice.
We reached late night at 9:30pm ,amidst the mountain we found a completely flat city called as thimpu the Capital of bhutan.After so many twirls and twist in my car,i could not believe i ll get to see this ,an amazingly flat city thimpu.They have Mercedes and BMW showrooms all across the city,So after actually reaching on top of the mountain i see this.it is a well planned city and so it was very comforting too .
We reached to hotel Osel, I am usually good at booking hotels but it was different. My room overlook had a view of Buddha Dordenma sitting on top of the mountain. It was so so blissful. Apart from this kitchen was closed but they kept food for us.
Guys one thing i want to mention here they have got really big rooms so incase you want stay in one room.I have google map which i created for my trip to bhutan,you guys can follow that.
I love creating maps.if you plan to drive on your own or you can refer this for a full itinerary,
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1leCJU5m-Et5GJt0A2I4xhCVFdao&ll=27.471726070458065%2C89.59719500000006&z=11
Next day we headed to punakha dzong, you will require to get another permit trust me its the second last permit paro thimpu punakha permit. So we again start at 11 the worst you can do in place of mountains. We first wanted to visited the big golden budha we saw late at night from our windows.
Then we headed directly to punakha dzong .If your are referring mymap you will see Dochula is on the way so first we visited dochula. It was misty and hardly any clarity still it was one of the amazing dzong we saw here.
Thimpu to Punakha is again 2hrs and 30 minutes. One thing no drive is easy you will have good view but also if you have some motion sickness due to heights do have one diamox or something in the morning and enjoy the ride. For you all attaching some of my favorite pictures.
Then we had delicious lunch a bhutanese buffet yes its delicious as it sounds. And cutleries with dragon cups.
When you are here do not forget to taste thukpa.
Here all the shops shut down after 8:30pm, there are lot of karoke clubs in thimpu. I love bhutan peach wine Zumzin, I bet you will not have it for once.
Prepare for next day its long.
Next day we headed for Ha valley and Paro. But if you have time plan to visit Chimlakhand .
We headed for ha valley its truely far and its the most beautiful valley of bhutan plan to take some homestay here and soak the beauty of this place. Visit Chele La pass on your way back to Paro.
We reached Paro 5-6 pm and this time my stay was Tashi Namgay Resort.if you want to stay in bhutanese stay this is it.
Day 5
Alrighty, next morning planned to visit paro taktsang or tiger’s nest.
As early you can start its not just a dzong its a strenuos trek.
Atleast 5 km of trekking uphill and then 700 stairs.
It will take atleast 4-5 hours and 1 hour to see the dzong. It depends while going up 200 ascend and 500 decend and vice versa when you come back.
Mostly you will have sense of accomplishment after this day,But close the day by visiting Paro Dzong,Rinpun dzong and the national museum of Bhutan.
Keep 3 days for Paro,this is the most beautiful place.I will write about Taktsang trek in detail in my next blog.It is way too interesting and a one of the most interesting and beautiful treks.