SINGAPORE, 3 September 2025: Drukair will resume its seasonal flights from Paro, Bhutan, to Bangkok with a stop in Gaya, India, from 1 December 2025 to the end of March 2026.
The twice-weekly flights, using a 111-seat A319, will serve Buddhist pilgrimage tours originating in Bangkok, featuring a land tour from Gaya to Bodh Gaya, India, before returning to Gaya to connect with Drukair’s flight to Bhutan.
Paro-Gaya-Bangkok
KB122 departs Paro (PBH) at 1430 and arrives in Gaya (GAY) at 1520 (Wednesday and Sunday).
KB122 departs Gaya (GAY) at 1600 and arrives in Bangkok (BKK) at 2050 (Wednesday and Sunday). Flight time is three hours and 10 minutes.
Bangkok-Gaya-Paro
KB123 departs Bangkok at 1005 and arrives in Gaya (GAY) at 1145 (Monday and Thursday).
KB123 departs Gaya (GAY) at 1225 and arrives in Paro (PBH) at 1405 (Monday and Thursday). The flight time is approximately one hour and 10 minutes.
Planning a Buddhist pilgrimage tour from Bangkok to Gaya, India, and then to Paro, Bhutan, in December 2025, creates a beautiful and spiritually enriching journey.
Orientation
Bodh Gaya in northern India is one of the most significant sites in Buddhism, as it is where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Pilgrimage tours to Gaya visit Bodh Gaya, located 15 km from the airport, before exploring other renowned sites in the “Buddhist Circuit,” including Varanasi, Rajgir, and Nalanda.
Bhutan is a Buddhist kingdom renowned for its serene landscapes, monasteries, and the famous Tiger’s Nest (Paro Taktsang) monastery. Buddhist pilgrimage tours to Bhutan focus on its unique culture and sacred sites, accessible from Paro, a historic city and home to the country’s international airport, 47 km from the capital Thimphu.
December 2025 is considered a good time to visit both India and Bhutan. The weather is generally pleasant and dry, making it ideal for sightseeing and trekking.
Tour options and itineraries
While there are many tour operators offering packages for either India or Bhutan, it’s less common to find a single, pre-packaged tour that originates in Bangkok and features both Gaya, India, and Paro, Bhutan, in one seamless itinerary.
Here are some examples of available tours and how they might fit into your plan, sourced from tour companies with publicly accessible website information.
Tours focused on the Buddhist circuit in India
Maha Tare Buddhist Centre: This organisation is offering a “Bodhgaya Pilgrimage Funds” tour from 3 to 10 December 2025. The itinerary focuses on Bodh Gaya and its surrounding area, including visits to the Mahabodhi Temple, the Ganges River, and the ruins of Nalanda University.
Max Holidays and Buddha Trails, India: These companies offer various Buddhist pilgrimage tours in India, including multi-day trips that cover Bodhgaya, Rajgir, and Sarnath. You can find packages ranging from five to 15 days.
Tours focused on Bhutan
Asia Odyssey Travel and Heavenly Bhutan: These are examples of tour operators that offer Buddhist pilgrimage and cultural tours in Bhutan. Many of these tours depart from Bangkok, which serves as a major gateway for flights to Paro, Bhutan.
Intrepid Travel Australia and Veena World India: These companies also offer a variety of tour packages in Bhutan, featuring itineraries that include Paro, Thimphu, and other important sites. You can find tours of varying durations, from short getaways to longer, more comprehensive trips.
Creating your itinerary
A logical way to plan your pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya, India, and Bhutan would be to book your flights and tour components separately. You can book Drukair’s Bangkok-Gaya-Paro service twice a week and take a land tour to Bodh Gaya, returning to Gaya to connect with KB123 to Paro, Bhutan.
For the return to Bangkok, Drukair is scheduling just three direct flights from Paro (PBH) to Bangkok (BKK) on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday during December. However, there is also the option of flying to Bangkok via Gaya on Wednesday and Sunday.
The airline schedules six flights weekly on the Paro-Bangkok direct route during September and October and cuts back to five weekly in November and then three direct flights to the Thai capital in December.
Check-list
Visas: You will need to obtain visas for both India and Bhutan. The process and requirements vary by nationality, so it’s crucial to check with the respective embassies or consulates well in advance.
Customisation: Because a combined tour package is rare, you will likely need to work with a travel agent or tour operator specialising in custom itineraries. They can help you book flights and connect different tour segments to create a single, cohesive trip.
Tour Highlights: Be sure to check the specific itinerary of any tour you consider. A trip focused on Gaya should include the Mahabodhi Temple, while a Paro tour should include a hike to the Tiger’s Nest.
