How to Reach Gangtey Valley in Bhutan

The scenic Gangtey Valley or the Phobjikha Valley is among the most sought-after destinations in the Land of Thunder Dragons. Enchanted by the salubrious beauty of Himalayan glaciers, this prismatic valley is the abode of the much devout Gangtey Monastery; thus, it got the name Gangtey Valley.

If you are planning for a trip to this quintessential piece of land, or are thinking about how to reach Gangtey Valley, here is what you need to watch for. Let’s find out how to reach Phobjikha Valley by air, train, and roadways.

How to Reach Gangtey Valley by Air

As Gangtey Valley doesn’t have any airport, Paro International Airport in Paro Valley would be the sole airport for those searching for how to reach Phobjikha Valley by air. Also, since not all the airports in India offers flight to Paro International Airport, one should select from the below list of airports to reach Phobjikha Valley by air.

Bodhgaya Airport in Gaya (Bihar)

Bagdogra Airport in Siliguri (West Bengal)

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata

Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati (Assam)

Following arrival at Paro Airport, visitors can follow roadway journey to reach Phobjikha Valley.

How to Reach Gangtey Valley by Train

The Land of Thunder Dragons doesn’t have any railway connectivity with India. Thus, a direct train journey to Gangtey Valley won’t be possible. However, if you are looking for how to reach Phobjikha Valley by train, you can book your tickets to either New Jalpaiguri, New Alipurduar, or Hasimara railway stations; Hasimara would be the closest Indian railway station to Bhutan. From any of these railway stations, you can reach Phobjikha Valley by driving through the town of Jaigaon in West Bengal and continuing the drive through Phuentsholing in Bhutan.

How to Reach Gangtey Valley by Road

Jaigaon in West Bengal’s Alipurduar district is the closest Indian town to Bhutan. Starting from this town, you can enter Bhutan via Phuentsholing town, and continue driving through Phuentsholing-Thimphu Highway to reach Phobjikha Valley by road. The journey would take around 7 hours while covering a total distance of 266km.

Another great way to reach Gangtey Valley by road would be from Kolkata via Thimphu. There are direct buses plying between Kolkata and Thimphu. Operated by the Royal Bhutanese Government, these buses take around 18 hours to reach Thimphu form Kolkata. On reaching Thimphu, one can avail local buses to Phobjikha Valley via Wangdue Phodrang.