Highlights of Bhutan

With major must do things in Bhutan bundled into one itinerary, this trip is specifically designed for travelers who have thrill for adventure, and are interested in learning about Bhutanese lifestyle, history, culture, religion and traditions. This adventurous trip is designed to give you an amazing travel experience filled with excitement and adventure. It assimilates a number of adventure activities in the breath-taking unexplored landscapes of Bhutan. Outdoor adventures, activities like white water rafting, mountains/motor biking, hiking and trekking are in offer. It provides opportunities to interact with people and delve deeper into the ways of life that continue to uphold the unique tradition and culture in face of the changing times. There is prospect of watching archery match (Bhutanese National Game), attending festivals, visiting Buddhist ceremonies in villages or local temples, exchanging conversation with locals or school children. Organic foods and traditional herbal treatments are some of treats we have for you.

OVERVIEW

Itinerary

Day 01 Arrival at Paro. Welcome and transfer Thimphu.

Day 02 Thimphu sightseeing - Buddha Dordhenma Statue, National Memorial Stupa, Simply Bhutan Museum, Changangkha Lhakhang, the 13 Art School, Farmer’s Market, Trashichodzong & nightlife of the capital city.

Day 03 Drive to Punakha via Dochula Pass & White-Water Rafting

Day 04 Punakha to Trongsa to Bumthang. Sightseeing- Chendebji Chorten, Tronga Dzong, Royal Heritage Museum, & Chummey Weaving Center.

Day 05 Bumthang day walk/mountain bike & sightseeing- Kurjey, Jambay, Tamshing & Kenchosum Lhakhang, Jakar Dzong, Lhodrak Kharchu Buddhits School, Chamkhar Town & The Burning Lake.

Day 06 Bumthang to Phobjikha. Sightseeing- Domkha Palace, Prakar, Gangety Goemba & Black Necked Crane Center & Mountain Bike (optional).

Day 07 Phobjikha to Paro & sightseeing- Tamchoe Goemba, Wangdue Dzong, Lampelri Botanical Park, Farm visit & Traditional Herbal Treatments.

Day 08 Paro Day Excursions (Motor biking optional) Sightseeing- Paro National Museum, Rinpung Dzong, Dumtseg Lhakhang, Chelela Pass, Kila Goemba, Dzongdra, Paro Town & Nightlife.

Day 09 Trek to Bumdra & Sightseeing - Sang Choekor Buddhist School, Chhoe Chhoe Tse Lhakhang & Bumdra Monastery. Camp below Cave of a thousand prayers.

Day 10 Trek back to Paro via Tiger’s Nest AKA Taktshang

Day 11 Farewell & transfer to the Airport. Departure from Paro.

Passport and Visa

Your Visa is Guaranteed by us. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the last day of your trip and there must be a blank visa pages for the visa sticker, entry and exit seals. We apply the Bhutan visa in advance for you and we will email you the approval 3 to 4 weeks prior the trip. Your passport gets actual visa seal upon arrival at the Paro airport. If you are traveling via Indian cities, you need to obtain Indian visa before your travel begins. If you are traveling via Bangkok (Thailland) Kathmandu (Nepal) or Singapore you can obtain visa upon arrival.

Flight and Airfare

Airfares are not included. You need to book and purchase your return international flights from your home country to Bangkok/Kathmandu/Delhi/Kolkatta/Singapore. Please click here to check out the flight schedules. We will book your return flights for Bhutan and invoice you separately.

Group Size

The trip is guaranteed with minimum 2 participants and maximum 18.

Booking/Deposit

When you are sure you are going to Bhutan, it will be wise to put your reservation in line as early as possible as Bhutan flight reservation is quite a tricky matter. Druk Air is the only airlines flying into and out of Bhutan and operates with 2 A 319 craft with capacity less than 100 passengers and gets filled up quickly. Paro-the only airport of Bhutan is connected with Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkatta, Kathmandu and Singapore but with limited operations.

A deposit of 20% on land plus the cost of airfares is requested along with booking application and passport photocopies.

Balance Payment

The balance and final payment is due 60 days prior departure. The payment schedule may vary with customized and private trips on case-to-case basis. All payments as of now has to be made through wire transfer. Credit card payments facilities are yet to be introduced to Bhutan.

Accommodations

In Bhutan, majority of the hotels are 3 stars (by international standard), which are small properties with 20-30 rooms. They are built in traditional Bhutanese architecture. You will have en suite bathroom with running hot and cold water. The hotels exhibit Bhutanese decor and are generally comfortable. All the hotels provide free Wi-Fi. The lobbies and receptions are cozy. They are staffed with friendly locals.

• Hotel Taraphendeyling in Thimphu
• Merepuensum Resort in Punakha
• Gakiling Guest Housein Phobjikha
• River Lodge in Bumthang
• Bhutan Mandala Resort in Paro
• Luxury camping on Trek

Note: The hotels listed are our preferred properties but they are subject to change. This is because the hotels in Bhutan have few rooms and demands are high most of the time but our objective is to provide the best in the category. With our reputation, and many years of good relationship with the hotels, we normally get our preferred hotels.

We have a few luxury 4 & 5 star hotels in this region, accommodation upgrade may require an additional top up.

Meals

Our tour features 3 meals a day with evening tea and refreshments. Bhutanese delicacies are rich with spicy chili and cheese. It is varied and each region has its own specialties. You’ll find lots of dairy, a wide variety of fresh organic vegetables, and spices such as cardamom, ginger, caraway and turmeric. Meat and poultry dishes are usually served in the form of stews or curries and all meals are accompanied by either white or red rice. Buckwheat and maize are sometimes substituted for rice. All the hotels, resorts and local restaurants serve delicious local food and some of them also serve Chinese and Indian cuisines.

Tour Guide

Our guides are college educated locals, proficient in English and trained and licensed by the Tourism Council of Bhutan. Most importantly they are friendly and committed to deliver the best services.

Road and transportation

Anyone with regular health condition can sign up for this trip, as this is largely a motor vehicle based tour with some optional hikes. There are a few hiking excursions on this trip. If you are not into hiking, you can stay back with the driver and explore other stuffs. Traveling from one city to another requires 2-3 hours driving. On this trip the roads are perfectly paved and are often carved into hills and follow rivers. We travel in SUV, Mini Van and Japanese coaster bus, depending on the group size. Drivers are skilled and know the Bhutan roadways very well. Driver may speak little or no English. The guide and driver are not the same person.

Travel Protection Plan

While we do our best to ensure that your trip goes as smoothly as planned, there is always a chance of unforeseen events and conditions such as illness, accident, inclement weather, flight cancellation, missed connection, or loss of baggage etc. which may cause interruption, delay or total cancellation of your trip putting your hard earned travel investment in jeopardy. It’s also possible that you may need medical assistance, emergency evacuation or medical transportation when you get ill or involve in an accident when you are traveling in remote areas. Our trip cost does not cover any of these expenses or losses and so we strongly recommend you that you should protect yourself and your travel investment against those unfavourable conditions.

Cancellation and Refund

Notice of cancellation and refund request must be received in written form. Cancellation fee structure has been listed below:

• 90 days prior departure-No charges
• 60-89 days prior departure-US$ 150 (Administrative Fee)
• 45 days to 59 days prior departure-20% of the land cost
• 30 days to 44 days prior departure-50% of the land cost
• 20 days to 29 days prior departure-80% of the land cost
• Less than 20 days-100%
• Airfare cancellation fee will be as per airlines policy. Some hotels may ask a non-refundable deposit which will be communicated to you accordingly.

Download Highlights of Bhutan Package Details