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
India Bhutan Paro Thimpu
 3-DSC01993 India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (1)





 


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.
4-DSC02002 India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (1) 6-DSC02001






 

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.
India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (12)India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (11)Good roads of bhutan






 

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.
Thrrough the fog...in the mudIndia Bhutan Paro Thimpu (24)Skid! 
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. 
India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (30) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (19) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (20)








 

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.
India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (27) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (25) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (26)






   India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (34)  India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (36) PARO!! i never knew u were here PARO!! 
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.
India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (39)India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (37)India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (38)A typical GENERAL store...where u get everything in GENERAL








 



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.
 India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (41) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (44) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (46)







India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (45)
India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (47)
India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (48)




 





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.
India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (51) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (49) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (50)








 

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.
200 yrs old India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (52) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (53)







 


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. 
India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (55) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (56)  India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (57)







 



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. 
India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (62) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (58) India Bhutan Paro Thimpu (61)








 






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.
3-DSC02132 Thimpu Entrance gate 2-DSC02128







 


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.
9-DSC00854 DOCHULA!!  The restricted are witout a permit5-DSC00783







 6-DSC007987-DSC00801 8-DSC00831







 




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.
Blogger Labels: DoChu,Thimpu,Paro,Bhutan,Jaigaon,Siliguri,India,Jalpaiguri,MainaGuri,Dhupgiri,Goyerkata,Bairpara,Madarihat,Hasimara,Gedu,Tshimsham,Chuzom,TALA,DANTAK,Tshimasam,Chapcha,Chuzzom,Dochula,

23 comments:

  1. Hi,

    Its a very informative blog, but i have one doubt. I have a India Registered Motor bike which i need to enter Bhutan for touring purpose of 10 days. Is there any special permit for bike, if so where it can be attain from.

    Thanks and Regards,
    Ankit Negi

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, Special permit is required to cross over.
    The permit for Bike is same as that of a car.
    See link above in my blog "Vehicle Permit"
    For further queries.. do post here !

    ReplyDelete
  3. Neil, thanks for this wonderful site and information. I am planning to ride by bicycle from Siliguri to Thimpu and from there to Paro and back to Siliguri around end of Feb 2016. I would like to connect with you directly over email to discuss some details. Would be great if you can write to me on shashidhar.gurumurthy@gmail.com and I can then share my phone numbers. Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am planning to ride by bicycle from Siliguri to Thimpu and from there to Paro and back to Siliguri around May 2016. How would it be around that time? I mean climate etc.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am planning to ride by bicycle from Siliguri to Thimpu and from there to Paro and back to Siliguri around May 2016. How would it be around that time? I mean climate etc.

    ReplyDelete
  6. hi neil.. thanks for the informativeblog. i am planning to travel to bhutan.. have few doubts.. wanna speak to u... can u leave ur contact details at siddalingsh@yahoo.co.in. will be waiting for ur reply.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well, the information I have is as old as 2009. Still if you want any info, you may mail me at neilsatyam@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. hiee neil ,
    i am willing to visit bhutan through Phuentsholing so will i need a passport to do so, or i can visit bhutan with an indain government id

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mansoor, you can visit Bhutan without Passport. All you need is a voter ID . If you do not have voter ID, you can get Identity Slip issued at Indian Consulate there.

      Delete
  9. Hi Neil,
    I'm planning to go Paro from Delhi via Drukair. I neither have passport not Voter ID. I've read for those who do not have any of these documents, need to get Identity Slip from Indian Consulate. So on reaching there where can I easily get the Identity Slip? Is it only being issued at Phuentsholling?

    ReplyDelete
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