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Thimphu in January
Mixed month: January is outside the recommended season (March – May, September – November). Nothing in our data flags January as a problem, but it isn't the season the place is best in.
The season opens in March, 2 months away.
2 days in Thimphu in January · from ₹8,819 for two
Stay, food & local travel; getting there extra
Before you book January
Closures, crowds and rules at Thimphu this month.
Worth knowing
Totals Exclude the Sustainable Development Fee
Bhutan charges a Sustainable Development Fee per person per night on top of your hotel: ₹1,200 for Indian citizens (₹600 for children aged 6-12), US$100 for most other passports (fixed until 31 August 2027; half for children). This plan's totals do not include it, because it depends on your passport: add it for every night you spend in Bhutan.
What it costs
For two sharing a room; 2 days on the ground, getting there not included.
Budget
₹8,819 for two
- Room a night₹2,500
- Food a day, each₹910
- Main sight entry, each₹500
Mid-range
₹20,332 for two
- Room a night₹6,500
- Food a day, each₹2,100
- Main sight entry, each₹500
Luxury
₹61,048 for two
- Room a night₹30,000
- Food a day, each₹4,900
- Main sight entry, each₹500
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), 23 km away
Then: Transfer · 1h 30m (Car with driver / guide's vehicle, per vehicle)
Flights from India: from 8 cities, one way from ₹14,000
Routes compared
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
Instead in season this month.
- Gelephu · great month
- Phuentsholing · great month
- Punakha · great month
- Phobjikha (Gangtey) · good month
Nearby in Paro & Thimphu:
Want this as a real plan?
Thimphu in January, day by day, priced for your group.