Bhutan›Punakha & Phobjikha›Phobjikha (Gangtey)›January
Phobjikha (Gangtey) in January
Good month: January is in the middle of the recommended season (October – March). Against it: Cold Nights, and the Cranes Are Here.
The season runs to the end of March, 2 months away. Monsoon: Landslides on the East-West Highway usually starts in June, 5 months away.
2 days in Phobjikha (Gangtey) in January · from ₹7,858 for two
Stay, food & local travel; getting there extra
The weather in January
What the season does to Phobjikha (Gangtey) this month.
Heads up
Cold Nights, and the Cranes Are Here
Phobjikha is at 3,000 m: winter nights fall well below freezing and Lawala and Pele La can have snow. It is also crane season (late October to February), the reason to come; pick a hotel with heating or a bukhari stove.
What it costs
For two sharing a room; 2 days on the ground, getting there not included.
Budget
₹7,858 for two
- Room a night₹2,500
- Food a day, each₹780
- Main sight entry, each₹300
Mid-range
₹17,556 for two
- Room a night₹5,500
- Food a day, each₹1,800
- Main sight entry, each₹300
Luxury
₹44,664 for two
- Room a night₹18,000
- Food a day, each₹4,200
- Main sight entry, each₹300
Totals cover the room (taxes included), food, local transport, entry and a 10% buffer: the figures the planner opens on. These are typical rates; Tourisma has no month-by-month rates for Bhutan yet, so they don't move with the month.
Getting there
Fly into Paro (PBH), 75 km away
Then: Transfer · 6h 45m (Car with driver / guide's vehicle via Dochula, per vehicle)
Flights from India: from 8 cities, one way from ₹14,000
Entry rules
No visa needed for up to 7 days
- No visa, but a free entry permit and the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of ₹1,200 per person per night (₹600 for children aged 6-12, none for 5 and under), which this plan's totals do not include. Apply online at immi.gov.bt about five working days ahead, or at Paro airport or the Phuentsholing immigration office when you arrive, and pay the SDF for every night.
- The entry permit covers Paro and Thimphu only. For Punakha, Phobjikha, Haa, Bumthang, the east or Gelephu, get the free route permit at the Immigration Office in Thimphu (or through your operator) before you drive on; checkpoints on the road ask for it.
- Plan on a licensed Bhutanese guide beyond Thimphu and Paro and at dzongs and temples: a Department of Tourism notice of 8 April 2026 says every tourist needs one. Hotels, operators and taxis can arrange one.
- To stay longer than the permit allows, extend it at the Immigration Office in Thimphu before it runs out.
Carry: Indian passport valid for at least 6 months, or your original Voter ID card (Aadhaar, PAN and driving licences are not accepted); Children under 18: passport, or birth certificate with a school ID card; Hotel bookings for every night (asked for with the permit); SDF payment receipt; Driving in your own car: driving licence, registration and insurance papers, for a vehicle permit at the border.
The SDF for Indians is officially reviewable after two years; guides say ₹1,200 a night holds to 31 August 2027. Sources disagree on whether the entry permit runs 7 or 15 days and whether Indian visitors need a guide; confirm with immi.gov.bt or your operator before you go.
Checked 2026-10; confirm with the embassy before you fly.
Elsewhere in Bhutan in January
Also in season this month.
- Gelephu · great month
- Phuentsholing · great month
- Punakha · great month
Nearby in Punakha & Phobjikha:
Want this as a real plan?
Phobjikha (Gangtey) in January, day by day, priced for your group.