Where the money goes
Bhutan is not a cheap country for tourists, even for Indians who pay far less than anyone else. Four things make up most of the cost: the Sustainable Development Fee, certified hotels, transport and, outside Thimphu and Paro, a licensed guide. Food and entry fees are smaller items.
The SDF is fixed at ₹1,200 per person per night for Indian adults. Certified hotels start around ₹2,500–3,500 a room in Thimphu and Paro, so a couple sharing pays at least ₹1,250–1,750 each per night. A licensed guide costs ₹2,500–3,500 a day and a car with driver ₹3,500–6,000 a day, shared by everyone in the vehicle. That last item is why group size matters so much.
The good news is that the two most visited districts, Thimphu and Paro, can be seen without a guide. A trip that stays there and uses public buses can be surprisingly affordable. All figures in this guide are indicative for 2025–26. Check current status before you travel.
The cheapest way in
Flying to Paro is quick but adds ₹7,000–15,000 each way on most routes from Bagdogra, Kolkata or Delhi. For budget travellers the road is the clear choice. From Siliguri, government and private buses run to Jaigaon at the border for about ₹150–250, taking 4–5 hours. Trains from NJP to Hasimara, 17 km from the border, are another cheap option.
At the border, you can save one night of SDF by sleeping in Jaigaon, where simple hotels cost ₹800–1,500 a room. Cross early the next morning, get your permit at the Phuentsholing immigration office, and take a public bus to Thimphu or Paro the same day. Jaigaon is crowded and noisy, but for one night it does the job.
Going home, reverse the plan: travel from Paro or Thimphu to Phuentsholing by bus, cross the border and either continue to Siliguri the same evening or sleep in Jaigaon or Jaldapara. Every night spent on the Indian side saves ₹1,200 per person.
Getting around inside Bhutan
Public buses link Phuentsholing with Thimphu and Paro several times a day. The fare to Thimphu is about Nu 300, roughly the same in rupees, for a journey of 5–6 hours. Thimphu to Paro costs about Nu 70–100. Tickets can be booked at the bus station a day ahead or through the national online system. Shared taxis are quicker and cost a little more.
Within Thimphu, taxis are metered or fixed-fare and cheap, usually ₹100–250 for short hops. In Paro the sights are spread along the valley, so budget ₹1,500–2,500 for a taxi day covering the museum, dzong and Kyichu Lhakhang, and about ₹1,000 for the return trip to the Taktsang trailhead.
Beyond Thimphu and Paro, you must travel with a licensed guide, and most people hire a car and driver with the guide. For two people that adds roughly ₹3,000–4,500 per person per day. For four people sharing, it drops to ₹1,500–2,500. If you are travelling as a couple, joining another couple or a small family for the Punakha and Phobjikha days is the single biggest saving available.
Where to sleep for less
Every tourist must stay in accommodation certified by the Department of Tourism, so the cheap guesthouses of Sikkim and Darjeeling have no equivalent. The budget end is made up of simple certified hotels in town centres and registered farmhouse homestays in the valleys.
In Thimphu and Paro, simple certified hotels cost about ₹2,500–4,000 a room. Farmhouse homestays in Paro, Haa and Phobjikha charge about ₹2,500–4,500 per person including dinner and breakfast, which often works out cheaper than a hotel once meals are counted. Rates rise in April, May, October and during Tshechu weeks, and fall in December, January, February and the monsoon.
Book ahead even on a budget trip. Immigration asks for your bookings when issuing the permit, and the cheaper certified rooms fill first in the Bengal holiday season around Durga Puja and in May and June.
Eating well for less
Bhutanese food is simple and filling. A plate of ema datshi, red rice and a vegetable dish in a local canteen costs ₹200–350, and momos or thukpa ₹100–200. Café lunches in Thimphu cost ₹250–450. Indian thalis are widely available in Phuentsholing and Thimphu at similar prices.
Most budget hotels and all farmhouses include breakfast, and many include dinner as part of the package. Plan to buy only lunch and snacks, and you can keep food costs to ₹400–700 per person per day. Bottled water is cheap; refilling a bottle from hotel filters is cheaper still and creates less waste.
- Ema datshi with red rice: ₹200–350
- Plate of momos: ₹100–200
- Café lunch in Thimphu: ₹250–450
- Suja, butter tea, or milk tea: ₹30–80
- Packed red rice or chilli powder to take home: ₹100–300
Sample budgets
The table shows indicative per-person costs for two adults sharing a room, travelling overland from Siliguri. The guide-free trip covers Phuentsholing, Thimphu and Paro; the guided trip adds Punakha and Phobjikha. Lunches, entry fees and personal shopping are extra. Use these as a starting point, not a quote.
Two patterns stand out. On the guide-free trip, the SDF and rooms make up about two-thirds of the cost, so the main levers are fewer nights in Bhutan and cheaper rooms. On the guided trip, the car and guide become the largest single item, so sharing them with another couple or family saves more than any change of hotel.
| Item (per person, twin sharing) | 6 nights: Thimphu and Paro | 8 nights: with Punakha and Phobjikha |
|---|---|---|
| SDF at ₹1,200 a night | ₹7,200 | ₹8,400 (7 nights in Bhutan) |
| Certified hotels and homestays | ₹9,000–10,500 | ₹12,000–14,000 |
| Buses, taxis and border transfers | ₹2,500–3,500 | ₹1,500–2,500 |
| Car, driver and licensed guide | Not needed | ₹15,000–18,000 |
| Lunches and snacks | ₹2,500–4,000 | ₹3,500–5,000 |
| Entry fees | ₹1,500–3,000 | ₹2,500–4,000 |
| Indicative total | ₹23,000–28,000 | ₹43,000–52,000 |
Honest ways to save
Bhutan's rules leave less room for bargain-hunting than other Himalayan trips, but there are real savings to be had. Most come from time of year, group size and where you sleep.
What you should not cut is the legal side. Staying in uncertified rooms, skipping the guide outside Thimphu and Paro, or overstaying your permit can lead to fines and trouble at checkpoints. A cheaper trip that runs smoothly is better than a cheaper one that does not. Check current status before you travel.
- Sleep in Jaigaon or Jaldapara on the Indian side at the start or end to avoid one or two nights of SDF.
- Keep a first trip to Thimphu and Paro, where no guide is needed, and use public buses.
- Share the car and guide with another couple or family when you add Punakha, Phobjikha or Haa.
- Choose farmhouse homestays, which include dinner and breakfast.
- Travel in late November, December, February or early March, outside festival weeks and Indian holidays.
- Carry small rupee notes and avoid card fees and poor exchange at the border.
- Book certified hotels two to three months ahead for the best rates in April, May and October.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
What is the cheapest way for Indians to visit Bhutan?
Go overland from Siliguri by bus to Jaigaon, sleep there to avoid one night of SDF, get your permit at Phuentsholing and take public buses to Thimphu and Paro. Stay in simple certified hotels or farmhouses and keep to Thimphu and Paro, where no guide is needed. Expect about ₹3,500–4,500 per person per day.
How much does a week in Bhutan cost for an Indian couple?
About ₹46,000–56,000 for the couple on a guide-free Thimphu and Paro trip, or ₹86,000–1,04,000 for eight nights including Punakha and Phobjikha with a guide and car. These indicative figures include SDF, rooms and transport, but not lunches beyond the estimate, flights or shopping. Check current status before you travel.
Is a guide really needed for a budget trip?
Only beyond Thimphu and Paro. Within those two districts you can travel by bus and taxi on your own. For Punakha, Phobjikha, Haa and treks, a licensed guide is compulsory for all tourists, including Indians. Sharing the guide and car with others is the best way to keep that cost down.
Are there hostels in Bhutan?
Very few. Tourists must stay in accommodation certified by the Department of Tourism, and the dormitory-style hostels found elsewhere in the Himalaya are rare. The cheapest legal options are simple certified hotels and registered farmhouse homestays. Check current status before you travel, as the certified list changes.
Can I save money by flying into Paro?
Rarely. Flights to Paro usually cost ₹7,000–15,000 each way and are seldom cheaper than the bus from Siliguri plus an extra night. Flying saves time, not money. A good compromise is to fly in and travel out by road, or the reverse, to save one long road day.
Is food expensive in Bhutan?
No. Local meals of ema datshi, red rice and vegetables cost ₹200–350, and momos ₹100–200. Most hotels include breakfast and many include dinner. Imported goods and alcohol are pricier than in India. Budget about ₹400–700 per person per day for lunch and snacks.
When is Bhutan cheapest to visit?
December to February and the monsoon months of June to August, when hotels cut rates and crowds thin. Winter is cold but clear and good for travel; the monsoon brings rain and landslides on the southern road. Avoid Tshechu weeks, Durga Puja and the May–June school holidays if cost matters.
Do I pay SDF for the day I leave Bhutan?
No. The SDF is charged per night spent in Bhutan, not per calendar day. A six-night trip pays six nights of SDF, even though you are in the country on seven days. Nights spent in Jaigaon or elsewhere in India do not count. Check current status before you travel.
Can I use Indian rupees everywhere in Bhutan?
Almost everywhere. The ngultrum is pegged at par, and rupees are accepted by shops, hotels, taxis and restaurants. Carry ₹100 and ₹200 notes, since some places refuse ₹500 notes. UPI works at many town shops. In villages, carry enough cash, as card machines and ATMs are scarce.
