Destinations

Darjeeling || Kalimpong || Sikkim || Gangtok || Pelling || Aritar / Arhitar || Ravangla || Duars / Dooars || Arunachal Pradesh || Meghalaya || Assam || Bhutan || Nepal || Andaman & Nicobar || Himachal Pradesh || Sundarban || Siliguri ||

Bhutan

Internationally known as the land of Dragon 'Druk Yul’ or the Land of the Thundering Dragon. The entry to this landlocked country is through Phuentsholing by road 182 kilometers from Siliguri or Paro by flight. It is one of the most isolated nations in the world. Bhutan is stunning with glaciated mountain peaks and an extremely cold climate in the winters.  Most peaks in the north are over 7000 meters / 23000 feet above sea level; the highest point is the Kula Kangri, at 7553 meters / 24780 feet. There are only three entry points i.e. Paro, Phuentsholing and Samdrup Jongkhar and two exit points i.e. Paro and Phuntsholing. The Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked South Asian nation situated between India and China, it is a unique blend of the old and new, deeply spiritual and mystical. It is also referred as the Last Shangri - La. Captivating landscape, with an incomparable diversity of flora and fauna makes Bhutan is a perfect destination for all. The serenity, virginity, landscapes, architecture awesome and the charming people is mesmerizing offering spectacular views of the Himalayas including Mount Everest and Chomolhari. It offers Spectacular Mountain views, immense scenic beauty, unique culture, lifestyle, this mystic country maintain its age - old traditions in the modern world. It is the last surviving refuge of traditional Himalayan Buddhist culture. There are several principal ethnic groups Bhutanese, Ngalops, Sharchops and Lhotshampas are the major. The national language is Dzongkha and the script is called Chhokey, it is related historically and culturally with its northern neighbor Tibet, yet politically and economically it is closer to India. Masked dances and dance dramas are common traditional features at festivals and are worth attending.

Places of interest in Bhutan are

• Jakar 
• Bumthang 
• Paro 
• Phuentsholing 
• Punakha 
• Thimpu 
• Samdrup Jongkhar
• Gangtey 
• Haa 
• Wangdue Phodrang 
• Trongsa

72 percent of the country is under forest cover with a very rich species of flora and fauna makes the country a biological / ecological hotspot hence the National Institute of Traditional Medicine has been established at Thimpu. Mammals include the tiger, one horned rhino, golden langur, clouded leopard and the sloth bear. Tiger, common leopard and goral, black bear, red panda, squirrel, wild pig, barking deer, snow leopard, blue sheep, Tibetan wolf and Himalayan musk deer.

Communication / Connectivity

Airways – Bagdogra airport (IXB) is 192 Kilometer from Phuentsholing. Bhutan’s national air carrier, Druk Air, operates several flights per week from Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata and Kathmandu to Paro. One of the spectacular flights flies passengers through the stretch between Kathmandu and Bhutan. The flight passes along the Himalayan Range and all the peaks seems so close to eyes, it’s a flight to cherish. Recent addition is the flight from Paro to Bagdogra airport, suppose to be operational from March 2009. It will be easy to complete the Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Dooars and Bhutan circuit in one go.

Roadways – Jaigaon the Indian border town is 180 kilometers from Siliguri. Phuentsholing in Bhutan is approximately 182 kilometers by road from Siliguri.  Phuentsholing is six / seven hour's drive from Bagdogra / New Jalpaiguri and seven hours drive from Gangtok or Darjeeling. The Royal Bhutanese Government runs a bus service to Phuentsholing from Kolkata. These buses depart from Kolkata Esplanade bus station and reaches Phuentsholing via Siliguri. Phuentsholing is the only entry / exit point via road. The other is only entry point is in Assam.

Railways – There are no railway in Bhutan. Government of India is planning to set up a railway network as per a recent understanding between the two countries. The signing has also been done and the project is on the anvil. Yet one can travel close upto the Bhutan border by Indian Railway. Nearest major railway station is Alipurduar but Birpara is close by a few kilometers in the Northern Frontier Railway.

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