Samdrup Jongkhar Town is located along the flatlands besides the Indian state of Assam at an altitude of approximately 150m. It is one of the oldest towns in Eastern Bhutan and has been developing rapidly over the years. It takes around 2 hour 30mins by car to Guwahati Airport in Assam, India. It takes about 6-7hrs to Trashigang by car.
Samdrup Jongkhar town holds the distinct honor of being the oldest town in Bhutan. This border town is a bustling little settlement packed to the brim with shopkeepers and hawkers from across the border.
There are several well maintained hotels, most of which serve a good mix of Bhutanese, Indian and continental cuisine. As a border town, Samdrup Jongkhar is often used as the entry point for merchants and tourists entering Eastern Bhutan overland. It is a gateway to Eastern Bhutan. Historically the region was administered by the Gyadrung stationed at Dewangiri.
A little way outside the town you can find the Mithun Breeding Farm. Mithuns are widely considered to be the best breed of cattle in Bhutan and this farm supplies farmers from the six eastern districts with this magnificent animal.
Today the road from Trashigang to Samdrup Jongkhar, completed in the 1960s, connects the eastern and southern regions of the country, allowing them to benefit from trade, especially through trade across the Indian border. In the past Samdrup Jongkhar was the main trading center for the Bhutanese and it is still a convenient exit town for tourists who have arranged to visit the neighboring Indian state of Assam.