BHUTAN BY ROAD

The ‘Land of Druks’ or the ‘Land of Thunder Dragons’ as we call it, Bhutan boasts as one of the most pristine and untouched travel destinations in the entire world. Enchanted by the gracious charm of Eastern Himalayas and its fascinating snow-capped peaks, this beautiful country can be easily reached from Indian territory via multiple mediums; air, train, and roadways.

However, if you are yearning for the most exciting way to reach Bhutan, you should always opt for a roadway journey. Sharing its borders with Indian state of Assam and West Bengal, this Happiest Kingdom in the Himalayas can be easily accessed via three entry points – Phuentsholing, Gelephu, and Samdrup Jongkhar. Among all these three points, the town of Phuentsholing is known to be the most popular. While Phuentsholing town is the only entry point in West Bengal, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar are the two popular entry points to reach Bhutan by road from Assam.

Bhutan by Road Via West Bengal:

In case you want to reach Bhutan by road via West Bengal, you should first reach Kolkata or any other closest Indian town in the state. Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, and other towns in West Bengal can also be ideal options to embark on a roadway journey to Bhutan. Following your arrival in any of these destinations, you can hire private vehicles or board the regular buses to reach Jaigaon town in Alipurduar district of West Bengal. Sharing border with Bhutan via Phuentsholing town, Jaigaon is the most preferred entry point to Bhutan. Once in this town, you can easily acquire a valid Bhutanese Visa (if applicable) and make you way to reach Bhutan by road.

Distance between Jaigaon and other destinations:

Kolkata – Jaigaon : 702km (17 Hours via NH-12)

New Jalpaiguri – Jaigaon : 153km (4 Hours via NH-17)

Siliguri – Jaigaon : 150km (4 Hours via NH-17)

Cooch Behar – Jaigaon : 67km (1.5 Hours via NH-17)

New Alipurduar – Jaigaon : 56km (1.5 Hours via NH-317)

Hasimara – Jaigaon : 16km (1 Hour via NH-317A)

Bhutan by Road via Assam:

For those, who plans to reach Bhutan via Assam, they can enter the Land of Thunder Dragons either through Gelephu or Samdrup Jongkhar. If Gelephu is in your mind, you should traverse to Bongaigaon town in Assam, which is around 50km (1 Hour’s drive) away from Gelephu via NH-127C. And if Samdrup Jongkhar is in your mind, you should travel all the way to Guwahati, and embark on a roadway journey to reach Samdrup Jongkhar to reach Bhutan by road by driving through NH-27 and NH-127D. This roadway journey usually covers 103km (2.5 Hours).