Route

I would here explain route upto DoChu La few KM beyond Thimpu.
The route explanation shall be divided into Three parts:

1. Reaching Border town Phuentsholing
2. Phuentsholing to Paro
3. Paro to Thimpu to Dochu-La

Reaching Phuentsholing

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Phuentsholing is the Border town in Bhutan opposite the Indian town Jaigaon.
This the entry point to Bhutan and you need to reach this place.
Jaigaon is located in the north eastern past of  WestBengal.
To reach Jaigaon, you need to reach Siliguri if you are not coming from the North-Eastern part of India.
Here’s the route:
Siliguri>New Jalpaiguri> MainaGuri > Dhupgiri > Goyerkata > Bairpara > Madarihat >Hasimara > Jaigaon

 





 


From Siliguri, head for Jalpaiguri. Take the state highway instead of National Highway. The road might not be nice but is faster. Near Mainaguri, the road might be confusing, keep right. Head for Dhupgiri stright, take a left turn. The road is a bit confusing here as the road normally is a bit right. So ask people. Next you need to take a right.







 

It is at Hasimara that you will find the signboard indicating Jaigaon. Its at a tea estate that you need to take a left to the road to Jaigaon. Then you will see a evident right turn and then when you enter Jaigaon, keep left. At the V point, keep left. Soon you will see the Bhutan entrance gate.

Phuentsholing to Paro.
Phuentsholing > Gedu > Tshimsham > Chuzom > Paro

Traffic rules of Bhutan is bit different from India.
The difference shll be explined at the bottom of this page. 
The road from P’ling to Paro is a hilly road. At some places it is quite dangerous. During the monsoon, it is LANDSLIDE prone and becomes extremely dangerous.







 

To get on the road to Paro, go straight from the entry gate. At T point take right. If Right turn is prohibited, take left and take the next right. Again take  right where the road bends slightly. Follow the road as it goes. Then take  a left where it merges a broader road. The road’s inclination increases. Soon you’ll find a chekpost on your left. Do not try to avoid it.
 
Enter your details at the checkpost. After the checkpost, the road become narrower. At a point the road you’ll see a road which goes left up the hill, that is the road you have to take.  In monsoon, this road goes bad and muddy as the top layer gets washed away. 









 

Next you would come across various signboard of TALA Hydel Power. You will cross a small town GEDU. You have a petrol station here. After Gedu, few KM ahead you’ll find DANTAK CANTEEN run by Indian Army.







      
In monsoon, the quality of road after Dantak Canteen goes bad. Next important town on your route shall be Tsimasham. Tsimasham is approximately 25 Km from Dantak Canteen. Its  nice place to stay at night if are running behind time(late). You even have decent place to eat here. You even have a Petrol station just outside the town.









 



After Tsimasham, you’ll be crossing Chapcha. Before Chapcha, you’ll come across another checkpost. It is after Chapcha, that the road gets much broader. Chapcha has Indian Army camp as well as lots of speed breakers. Next you’ll see a river running on your left. You’ll also cross the highest point on the road to Paro.
 














 





You’ll see a road going left at Chuzzom. You’ll see  signboard which says Paro<-( left) and Thimpu Straight.
Thats where you need to turn left. You’ll see a checkpost on the road to Thimpu. That checkpost is not applicable on you as you are turning left towards Paro.









 

Turn left at Chuzom onto the bridge, and turn right after the bridge. The bridge you crossed was the confluence of the rivers PARO and THIMPU.








 


You’ll cross a lot of bridges and then after a small civilization you’ll find road to PARO AIRPORT. At that point, the road might be confusing, but remember that the road to Paro is on the right if the Airport. 
 







 



After the Airport, the road shall run parallel to the river. It looks beautiful. Soon you’ll see a white structure on the road and the road shall bifurcate. Take the left one. Soon you’ll reach the city ‘PARO’. Mind it, the road is one-way in your direction .i.e. no traffic coming towards you. 









 






Paro to Thimpu
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To get to Thimpu from Paro, Follow the reverse route till Chuzom and after crossing the confluence bridge, turn right. DO not forget to get yourself registered at the checkpost. This road directly leads to Thimpu.








 


The road is beautiful and broadens at the end. When you near the city area, keep left. Turn left just before you see a flyover before you. Turn right at the petrol station you see. Head straight towards the main market.


Thimpu to DoChu La

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To get to Dochula, you need to get back to the highway. From the Petrol station, go straight and at the taxi stand, turn right. If its a one-way, go straight and take a right after the archery ground on your right. You may trun right or left onto the road next.Your aim shall be to reach the highway on the other side of the river. You may reach other side by any of the two bridges.








 







 




Once you reach the other side, turn right. Road is bit confusing at the taxi stand you encounter, you need to go under the bridge. Next you will reach one more confusing point where you have no option but to ask people there. Soon after a checkpost, the becomes quite meandering and you’ll reach dochula in 20 minutes after the checkpost.

Important Traffic rules

• Uphill traffic get the preference.
  Means, if a car is going down the hill and the driver spots a vehicle coming up the hill towards him, he should stop the car spotting a broad place on the road. The uphill vehicle does not break its motion.
• Right indicator means - ‘do not overtake’
  If the vehicle ahead of you flashes its right indicator, it means you should not overtake that vehicle. It might have stopped for some uphill traffic or for some other reason to avoid any traffic issue, he tell you to stop and not overtake. If you see a vehicle coming towards you with its right indicator flashing, means he has stopped for you and you should go towards it without worrying about traffic.
• Left indicator means you may get ahead.
  If the vehicle ahead of you flashes its left indicator, means its asking the vehicle behind it to come ahead.
• Do not use high beam at night.
• Always keep left especially at turns.
• Use horn to the minimum.
• When you reach behind a CAR at night, switch off your headlights and turn on your parking and fog lamps to avoid any reflection of your light in that car’s rear view mirror.

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