Bhutan Group Tour Kochi to the Kingdom
Through the border at Phuentsholing, up to Thimphu, over the Dochula Pass to Punakha, and into the Paro Valley for the climb to the Tiger's Nest on Day 6.
Return economy flights, entry permits handled in advance, 7 nights with daily meals, and a Fortune escort from Kerala with a Bhutan government-authorised guide — all in one booking.
The Journey in One Look.
The tour runs 8 days on fixed departures from Kochi . The group flies Kochi to Bagdogra and enters Bhutan by road at Phuentsholing, then travels on through Thimphu, Punakha and Paro, with the Tiger's Nest climb on Day 6. There are 7 nights of accommodation with meals as per the itinerary, a Fortune tour escort from Kerala alongside a Bhutan government-authorised guide, and the entry permits are processed in advance by Fortune. The route runs Kochi, Bagdogra, Phuentsholing, Thimphu, Punakha, Paro, then back through Phuentsholing and Lataguri to Bagdogra and Kochi.
Duration
8 Days, 7 Nights
Departures
Aug 22 · Sep 14 · Oct 14 · Nov 9
Route
Thimphu · Punakha · Paro
Highlight
Tiger's Nest, Day 6
Flights
Return Economy
Permits
Handled by Fortune
Day by Day
In through Phuentsholing, up to Thimphu, over the Dochula Pass to Punakha, into the Paro Valley for the Tiger's Nest, and back out to Bagdogra.
The group assembles at Cochin airport for the flight to Bagdogra. On arrival, the drive runs through the Indian plains to Phuentsholing, the border town where Bhutan begins, at 293 metres. The evening is free to explore the town.
Drive Bagdogra to Phuentsholing 171 km, 3–4 hours. Overnight in Phuentsholing. Meals: dinner.
After breakfast and permit formalities, the road climbs from plains to foothills to full Himalayan slopes, past waterfalls and changing forest. Thimphu, at 2,350 metres, is the only capital city in the world without traffic lights. The evening is free in the town.
150 km, about 5 hours. Overnight in Thimphu. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
A full day in the capital. Kuensel Phodrang, where the great bronze Buddha was cast in China and carried here by sea and road, and which will hold 125,000 gilded Buddha statues at completion. The Motithang Takin Preserve, home of Bhutan's unusual national animal. The Folk Heritage Museum, a 19th-century rammed-earth home kept as a family left it. The Royal Textile Academy and its hand-woven silk kiras. Changangkha Lhakhang, the 12th-century temple where parents bring newborns for blessings. Tashichho Dzong on the Wang Chhu, holding the throne room and the King's offices.
Overnight in Thimphu. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Cross the Dochula pass, where 108 chortens stand against a 360-degree panorama of the Eastern Himalaya, at its clearest on winter days. Visit Chimi Lhakhang, then the Punakha Suspension Bridge, the longest in Bhutan, strung over the Po Chhu toward villages tied to the Divine Madman. Punakha Dzong rises where the rivers meet, approached over a cantilever bridge and a steep wooden stair, and holds Bhutan's holiest relic within its monastic quarters. Punakha sits at a gentle 1,310 metres.
76 km, 1.5–2 hours. Overnight in Punakha. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Drive to the Paro valley, one of the widest in the kingdom, rice fields and a crystalline river running its length below Mt Jomolhari on the Tibetan border. Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan's two ancient demoness-pinning temples, built by the seventh-century king Songtsen Gampo, its floor polished smooth by centuries of pilgrims. Rinpung Dzong, monastery and fortress of the Drukpa lineage and a candidate on Bhutan's UNESCO tentative list, and Ta Dzong, the round watchtower that is now the National Museum. Paro sits at 2,280 metres.
135 km, 4–5 hours. Overnight in Paro. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
The day belongs to Taktsang. Bhutan's most iconic building seems to float 900 metres above the valley floor, and the long, steep path reveals it again and again through the forest until the final approach. Time to climb, time to descend, and an evening to rest.
Overnight in Paro. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
After breakfast, descend out of the kingdom to Phuentsholing, and after lunch continue into India to Lataguri.
Overnight in Lataguri or Siliguri. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
After breakfast, transfer to Bagdogra airport for the return flight to Cochin, where the tour ends.
Tour ends. Meals: breakfast and lunch as per flight timings.
What's Covered & What's Not
Documents
Entry Permits, the Essentials
Indian nationals need no visa, but every traveller needs an entry permit — and land permits issue on working days only, so timing matters. Here is what to have ready.
01
No Visa, But a Permit
Indian nationals need no visa for Bhutan, but every traveller requires an entry permit.
02
Advance Online Permits
Advance online permits are processed by Fortune; a clear colour scan of the passport (minimum six months' validity from the return date) and flight details are needed at least 10 working days before travel.
03
e-Permit Clearance
The e-Permit clearance is printed and carried, and the actual permit is stamped on arrival.
04
On-Arrival Documents
On-arrival permits accept a passport or Indian voter ID; children need an original English birth certificate and student ID; carry photocopies of documents and 4 passport photos.
05
Working Days Only
Land-entry permits are issued on working days only, Monday to Friday, so timing matters, and Fortune plans the crossing around it.
06
Where the Permit Covers
The entry permit covers Phuentsholing, Thimphu and Paro; the special permit for Punakha is processed at the Department of Immigration in Thimphu en route.
Cancellation Policy
| When you cancel | Charge |
|---|---|
| More than 30 days before departure | 50% of the tour cost |
| Within 30 days of departure | 100% of the tour cost |
One Road In, Endless Reasons to Take It.
Four departures, thirty seats a group, and a kingdom at the end of the climb. Send us your date and headcount, and your permits start moving.