SPOTLIGHT
PRIVATE BHUTAN FOUNDATION JOURNEY
Perkins International
ACCOMMODATIONS
High-end traditional lodges
GROUP SIZE
Private
DURATION 15 days; 18 days
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Easy to Moderate
Or call 1-855-4-BHUTAN (248826)
TRIP TYPE
ACTIVE ● CULTURE
ASK A QUESTION
The activities on this trip are rated as moderate and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. The hikes on this trip can range from moderate to challenging, depending on your abilities. Trip members should be in good health and comfortable standing or walking for extended periods of time and confident navigating mixed and steep terrain that may include rocky trails, slippery conditions and, or, steps and stairs. Daily activities include city walking tours, hiking to and entering monasteries, temples and fortresses, driving over winding mountain roads and easy to moderate hiking with some strenuous options where possible. The general elevations in the valleys will mostly range from 6,800 ft to 9,000 ft, with drives that will take us over higher passes before descending to the average elevations mentioned above. The final hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery is 10,000 ft.
Accommodations
The high-end accommodations on this journey feature traditional Bhutanese style with modern elements. The lodges are handpicked for regional character, comfort, and hospitality, including our beautiful family lodge in the central highlands of Bhutan, the Mountain Resort (see more on the Mountain Resort below). In peak season, depending on availability, we may use lodges comparable to the ones we have listed or advertised.
Expedition Staff
Every expedition is curated by expert native-born guides and trip leaders who also facilitate meetings and learning experiences with other locally knowledgeable people along the way. Our experienced team shares valuable insights and local expertise to ensure a culturally rich adventure of discovery through the Himalayan landscape and traditions of Bhutan.
The activities on this trip are rated as moderate and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. The hikes on this trip can range from moderate to challenging, depending on your abilities. Trip members should be in good health and comfortable standing or walking for extended periods of time and confident navigating mixed and steep terrain that may include rocky trails, slippery conditions and, or, steps and stairs. Daily activities include city walking tours, hiking to and entering monasteries, temples and fortresses, driving over winding mountain roads and easy to moderate hiking with some strenuous options where possible. The general elevations in the valleys will mostly range from 6,800 ft to 9,000 ft, with drives that will take us over higher passes before descending to the average elevations mentioned above. The final hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery is 10,000 ft.
Accommodations
The high-end accommodations on this journey feature traditional Bhutanese style with modern elements. The lodges are handpicked for regional character, comfort, and hospitality, including our beautiful family lodge in the central highlands of Bhutan, the Mountain Resort (see more on the Mountain Resort below). In peak season, depending on availability, we may use lodges comparable to the ones we have listed or advertised.
Expedition Staff
Every expedition is curated by expert native-born guides and trip leaders who also facilitate meetings and learning experiences with other locally knowledgeable people along the way. Our experienced team shares valuable insights and local expertise to ensure a culturally rich adventure of discovery through the Himalayan landscape and traditions of Bhutan.
The activities on this trip are rated as moderate and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. The hikes on this trip can range from moderate to challenging, depending on your abilities. Trip members should be in good health and comfortable standing or walking for extended periods of time and confident navigating mixed and steep terrain that may include rocky trails, slippery conditions and, or, steps and stairs. Daily activities include city walking tours, hiking to and entering monasteries, temples and fortresses, driving over winding mountain roads and easy to moderate hiking with some strenuous options where possible. The general elevations in the valleys will mostly range from 6,800 ft to 9,000 ft, with drives that will take us over higher passes before descending to the average elevations mentioned above. The final hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery is 10,000 ft.
Accommodations
The high-end accommodations on this journey feature traditional Bhutanese style with modern elements. The lodges are handpicked for regional character, comfort, and hospitality, including our beautiful family lodge in the central highlands of Bhutan, the Mountain Resort (see more on the Mountain Resort below). In peak season, depending on availability, we may use lodges comparable to the ones we have listed or advertised.
Expedition Staff
Every expedition is curated by expert native-born guides and trip leaders who also facilitate meetings and learning experiences with other locally knowledgeable people along the way. Our experienced team shares valuable insights and local expertise to ensure a culturally rich adventure of discovery through the Himalayan landscape and traditions of Bhutan.
The activities on this trip are rated as moderate and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. The hikes on this trip can range from moderate to challenging, depending on your abilities. Trip members should be in good health and comfortable standing or walking for extended periods of time and confident navigating mixed and steep terrain that may include rocky trails, slippery conditions and, or, steps and stairs. Daily activities include city walking tours, hiking to and entering monasteries, temples and fortresses, driving over winding mountain roads and easy to moderate hiking with some strenuous options where possible. The general elevations in the valleys will mostly range from 6,800 ft to 9,000 ft, with drives that will take us over higher passes before descending to the average elevations mentioned above. The final hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery is 10,000 ft.
Accommodations
The high-end accommodations on this journey feature traditional Bhutanese style with modern elements. The lodges are handpicked for regional character, comfort, and hospitality, including our beautiful family lodge in the central highlands of Bhutan, the Mountain Resort (see more on the Mountain Resort below). In peak season, depending on availability, we may use lodges comparable to the ones we have listed or advertised.
Expedition Staff
Every expedition is curated by expert native-born guides and trip leaders who also facilitate meetings and learning experiences with other locally knowledgeable people along the way. Our experienced team shares valuable insights and local expertise to ensure a culturally rich adventure of discovery through the Himalayan landscape and traditions of Bhutan.
ACCOMMODATIONS
HEALTH & SAFETY
HEALTH & SAFETY
We are following strict national and international safety guidelines and protocols (Royal Government of Bhutan, WHO, and CDC (US) recommendations) to keep you, our staff, and the Bhutanese people safe. This includes new measures for maintaining personal health and hygiene, social distancing best practices, face covering requirements, cleaning, handwashing and more.
UPDATED BOOKING & CANCELLATION POLICY
UPDATED BOOKING & CANCELLATION POLICY
With global travel resuming, we have changed our booking and cancellation policies back to normal. Normal cancellation policies are now in effect and final trip payment is due (4 months/120 days before trip start date, whichever is earlier). Trip cancellation policies are outlined in our trip confirmation emails and available by request.
PEACE OF MIND
May 06 - 20/23, 2023
$14,129/- (Daphne); $17,569/-(John); $15,259 per person (Lukas and Catherine)
Includes $2,940-$3,540 per person government SDF fees and taxes; $1450 per person Business class Drukair and Drukair-Bhutan Airlines combo tickets; $375 per person one-way charter domestic flight.
not available
not available
not available
DATE
*When signing up together as part of the same group
Prices are per person based on double occupancy and, unless otherwise stated on your travel program, DO NOT include international airfare to/from your destination or regional flights to Bhutan from Gateway Cities such as Bangkok or Delhi, and internal flights in the country during the expedition. We will arrange such regional flights for our guests and fares will be quoted at airline cost as a courtesy to our guests with no extra booking or reservation fees. Regional flights from Delhi are from $820 per person (economy) and from $1,200 per person (business class); Bangkok fares from $980 per person (economy) & $1,400 per person (business class) fare as noted on your travel itinerary. Domestic fares start from $175 per person for One-Way internal domestic SCHEDULED flights and $375 per person for PRIVATE CHARTERED chartered flights EACH WAY requiring a minimum of 12 passengers for charters. Airfares are subject to change by airline, and surcharges may apply to certain travel dates based upon international or local holidays, as well as local events and festivals.
Single Traveler supplements will be assessed in addition to our published trip price, and are available on request. All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars and subject to change.
If you'd like to travel with your own special group of friends or family on dates different from the ones shown above, this expedition can be arranged March through May & October through February.
TRAVEL SEASONS
$14,129/- (Daphne); $17,569/-(John); $15,259 per person (Lukas and Catherine)
Includes $2,940-$3,540 per person government SDF fees and taxes; $1450 per person Business class Drukair and Drukair-Bhutan Airlines combo tickets; $375 per person one-way charter domestic flight.
not available
not available
not available
DATE
*When signing up together as part of the same group
Prices are per person based on double occupancy and, unless otherwise stated on your travel program, DO NOT include international airfare to/from your destination or regional flights to Bhutan from Gateway Cities such as Bangkok or Delhi, and internal flights in the country during the expedition. We will arrange such regional flights for our guests and fares will be quoted at airline cost as a courtesy to our guests with no extra booking or reservation fees. Regional flights from Delhi are from $820 per person (economy) and from $1,200 per person (business class); Bangkok fares from $980 per person (economy) & $1,400 per person (business class) fare as noted on your travel itinerary. Domestic fares start from $175 per person for One-Way internal domestic SCHEDULED flights and $375 per person for PRIVATE CHARTERED chartered flights EACH WAY requiring a minimum of 12 passengers for charters. Airfares are subject to change by airline, and surcharges may apply to certain travel dates based upon international or local holidays, as well as local events and festivals.
Single Traveler supplements will be assessed in addition to our published trip price, and are available on request. All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars and subject to change.
If you'd like to travel with your own special group of friends or family on dates different from the ones shown above, this expedition can be arranged March through May & October through February.
TRAVEL SEASONS
2023 Dates & Prices
2023 Dates & Prices
DATES & PRICES
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Flight and airfare costs to and from Bhutan, such as your international flights to a regional Gateway City (e.g., Bangkok or Delhi); roundtrip flights to Bhutan from the regional gateway cities (which will be arranged by us at cost) and internal airfare where applicable for domestic flights in the country (which will also be arranged by us at cost)
Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance
Alcoholic beverages
Gratuities
All ground transportation, visas for Bhutan and airport transfers
All Accommodations
All meals, including excursions to try well-known local restaurants
The expertise and services of your Bhutanese Trip Leaders, Guides & dedicated trip field staff
Courtesy booking services & arrangements for round-trip regional flights from gateway cities (such as Bangkok) to Bhutan & any internal domestic flights (airfare is additional).
Sightseeing, special events & receptions, visits, and entry fees
All environmental national parks & conservation fees and permits
All Trek Arrangements (if you signed up for a trek), including expedition-grade high altitude, sub-zero sleeping bags, community camping and commissary equipment (comfortable and roomy two-person tents, kitchen and dining tents, and other community equipment), camp, cook and support staff (we reccomend you bring your own fitted hiking poles and personal sleeping bag liners)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
ITINERARY
PRACTICAL DETAILS
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TRIP PHOTOGALLERY
Connect from western Bhutan on a private domestic charter flight to attend the royal palace event, its adaptive use reincarnation as a modern museum that celebrates the rich culture and heritage of the kingdom. Next, we drive by car to another ancestral region of the royal family, to Trongsa, a lush forested region that encompasses parts of the Black Mountain Range and the Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park. Here we stay as guests of Khedrup Rimpoche, spiritual leader of the Riphel Mebar monastery. Next, we trade car seats for inflatable rafts under the care of the River Guides of Panbang. An exhilarating freshwater navigation follows, bringing you to the confluence of the kingdom's two major rivers: the Drangme-Chhu and the Mangde-Chhu. Spend a few days exploring the ecologically rich Panbang region, then take a drive up from the kingdom's tropical southern borders to the capital Thimphu. A day of meetings and a final return to Paro for the flight home completes this comprehensive itinerary that's sure to leave you with many rich memories.
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Celebrating Bhutan Foundation's Wangduechhoeling Palace Event & reconnecting with the cultural highlights of Bhutan through a royal lens
MAY 06: BANGKOK/BHUTAN, PARO
VIEW DAY BY DAY
Depending on your flight preferences there are two options for the flight in. If you choose Delhi as your option your flight KB201 departs Delhi at 12:30 p.m. and lands 03:20 p.m. If flying from Bangkok instead, your flight from Bangkok, KB0131, departs at 05:00 a.m. and arrives in Paro at 08:40 a.m. via a brief stop at Bagdogra, India. After pick-up at the airport we drive you to your hotel, the Le Meridien Paro Riverfront, just a few minutes down the road.
Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Le Meridien Paro Riverfront
MAY 07: THIMPHU/SIX SENSES
Today we take the short (25-minute) flight to Bumthang, in central Bhutan, and check in at the Mountain Resort across the road from Wangduechhoeling Palace. Our domestic chartered flight from Paro lands at Jakar Airport late morning. After pickup, we make the short drive to the lodge, followed by welcome refreshments and lunch. Later, we take a short drive up the valley past imposing Jakar Dzong to hike a central section of the new Trans Bhutan Trail from Lamai Goempa, built in the 1800s as a palace for the first king, now home to the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment Research (UWICER), a Bhutan Foundation project site that supports environmental education, ecological studies and forestry conservation services in Bhutan.
MAY 08 ~ 11 : EXPLORING THE ‘VALLEY OF THE QUEENS’/DHENSA
Palace Event: The Bhutan Foundation-supported palace renovation for adaptive use is formally unveiled today. Its dynamic new incarnation is a museum that's more than just a repository of unique and rarely-seen historical artifacts, manuscripts, and religious objects. It stands as a cultural and historical institution that intersects with the present and sends its visitors— Bhutanese and international—on a journey of inquiry and exploration into the origins of Bhutan and the modern Bhutanese state. Attended by the members of the royal family and Bhutanese dignitaries, today's fitting ceremony launches it into its new role as an exciting place to learn about the rich narratives drawn from the annals of Bhutanese history. A sneak peak of the exhibitions and programs of the Palace will be presented at this event along with the traditional ceremony of installing the Gyaltshen of the Palace. Future visitors to the museum will also enjoy audio- visual galleries and exhibits that bring the palace's unique history to life, and children and youth will be able to participate in hands-on activities that educate, inform, and stoke their learning.
MAY 12: TRANSFER TO GANGTEY
Drive 2.5-3 hours to Gangtey with a morning stop at Chimme Lhakhang, the “Temple of the Divine Madman.” Then, continue driving up the Black Mountain Range to Gangtey valley, arriving in time for lunch. In the afternoon, we visit the Crane Center and explore the tranquil nature trail along the flanks of valley.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Gangtey Dewachen Lodge or comparable
MAY 13: TREK TO GOGONA/SWISS CHEESEMAKING
After breakfast, take a hike to Gogona with a packed picnic lunch from the hotel. The trail winds through fields and forests and climbs to Tsele-La Pass. Next we descend gradually through forests of juniper, bamboo, magnolia, and rhododendron. A final short climb ends at Gogona, where the residents, originally nomadic, speak a central Bhutanese dialect called Mangdibikha, which is entirely different and doesn’t share any cognates with the language spoken in Gangtey. The hiking distance is approximately 15 km, taking over 6 – 7 hours. After a visit to the Gogona Milk Processing Unit and the Gogona Yargay Chithuen Detshen (GYCD), which makes the local Swiss Cheese, you’ll take the return drive by car via the farm road back to Gangtey. The drive back takes 1.5 hours.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Gangtey Dewachen Lodge or comparable
MAY 14: DRIVE TO TRONGSA/BUMTHANG
After breakfast, drive 4.5-5hours to Bumthang with a a stop at the Chumey weaving center, and, or Trongsa (time permitting, enter the Trongsa Dzong and the Temple of Jawo Jampa “Buddha of the Coming Age” to admire the beautiful frescoes painted by Lama Moenlam Rabzang, a gifted artist, scholar, and lama who worked in the early 1900s for the first king before traveling to Tibet to return only decades later to live and teach in eastern Bhutan. This evening, check into the Swiss Guest House at Kharsumphe, run by the children of Dasho Fritz Maurer, the well-regarded senior citizen of Bumthang. Sent originally by the Hoch family to kickstart and train people in Swiss-inspired small-scale diary industry, Fritz’s work and contributions in Bhutan have far-exceeded all expectations and he is now enjoying a happy semi-retirement surrounded by his Bhutanese children and grandchildren. The lodge is a delightful blend of Switzerland and Bhutan in their warmth, hospitality and dining services.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Swiss Guest House at Kharsumphe
MAY 15: HIKE TO ‘SWAN TEMPLE’
Hike today to Ngang Lhakhang—a name that means ‘Swan Temple’—with lunch enroute or on the grounds of the old family temple. Located in the Choekhor valley of Bumthang, it was built in the 16th century by a Tibetan lama named Namkha Samdrip, Today it remains a residential site with guest rooms for visitors. On returning to Jakar, celebrate with Red Panda Beer, Schnapps, home made Stroopwafel, and or local Gouda cheese and crackers at the convivial Red Panda, a cafe run by one of Dasho Maurer’s daughter-in-laws and his son Namgyal, who also runs the excellent and rigorous precision furniture making workshop next door. Yet another way in which the Hoch family’s Swiss-Bhutanese connections endure is through Namgyel’s work re-skilling and training national Dessup program trainees who will go one to become productive citizens in the country with their newly acquired skills.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Swiss Guest House at Kharsumphe
MAY 16: TRANS BHUTAN TRAIL TO TANG VALLEY
Take an optional hike today from Kharsumpe directly up the hill on the Trans Bhutan Trail to descend into Tang Valley. After the 3-4 hour hike, you will be picked up by car at Pemachhoeling nunnery, and continue the drive to Orgyenchhoeling for lunch with Ashi Kunzang Roder, Bhutanese author and prominent member of an old nobility family from the region. Tour the old museum and manor with its excellent collection of artifacts and historical records before the return drive to Jakar with a stop to see the SEN program at Tang High School, and Tang Rimochhen or "Tiger Claw Cliff."
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Swiss Guest House at Kharsumphe
MAY 17: TRANS BHUTAN TRAIL FROM THARPALING MONASTERY
This morning drive 1.5 hours to the Tharpaling monastery and hike a spectacular section of the Trans Bhutan Trail from the high ridge above the monastery. After parking, take the steep half-hour hike to Kitiphu Ridge (elevation 11,800 to 12,000 feet). There are excellent birds-eye views of Jakar township from here on the one side and all of Tharpaling and Chumey on the other side! You can see the mountains toward eastern Bhutan with partial views of the majestic Gangkar Puensum range in clear weather.
At the very top of the rocky outcrop above the high ridge, there's a striking statue of Longchhen Rabjampa, founder of Vajrayana Buddhism’s Longchhen Nyingthik tradition.
If circumstances favor, the hike down the ridge will reveal the last rhododendrons blooms of the season. The trail winds down through pine forests, birch, chestnut, spruce and hemlock. A number of colorful wild pheasants and other avi-fauna are commonly seen in the area.
The 10- to 11-kilometer downhill trail leads to Kiki-La pass at the south end of Jakar, where you’ll be picked up by car on the national highway.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Swiss Guest House at Kharsumphe
MAY 18: WANGDUECHHOELING PALACE EVENT
Palace Event: The Bhutan Foundation-supported palace renovation for adaptive use is formally unveiled today. Its dynamic new incarnation is a museum that's more than just a repository of unique and rarely-seen historical artifacts, manuscripts, and religious objects. It stands as a cultural and historical institution that intersects with the present and sends its visitors—Bhutanese and international—on a journey of inquiry and exploration into the origins of Bhutan and the modern Bhutanese state. Attended by the members of the royal family and Bhutanese dignitaries, today's fitting ceremony launches it into its new role as an exciting place to learn about the rich narratives drawn from the annals of Bhutanese history. A sneak peak of the exhibitions and programs of the Palace will be presented at this event along with the traditional ceremony of installing the "Gyaltshen" of the Palace. Future visitors to the museum will also enjoy audio-visual galleries and exhibits that bring the palace's unique history to life, and children and youth will be able to participate in hands-on activities that educate, inform, and stoke their learning.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Swiss Guest House at Kharsumphe
MAY 19: BHUTAN FOUNDATION BOARD MEETING/ FOURTH CYPRESS/PROJECT SITE TOURS/HIKES
Optional temple walk/ Hike to Tang: If you’re not busy at the board meeting today, we offer the traditional walking “pilgrim’s circuit” of the valley floor, stopping at a series of beautiful temples ranging from the 7th to the 17th centuries. There are also opportunities today to tour some of the project sites of the Bhutan Foundation, such as the Bumthang Hospital, the location of our nomadic health camps, and a visit the highly successful Bumthang Herbal Tea Farm, a local social entrepreneurship program created in partnership with the Loden Foundation.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Swiss Guest House at Kharsumphe
MAY 20~23: DOMESTIC FLIGHT TO PARO/TASHI AIR TO BANGKOK/THIMPHU
This morning our early charter flight to Paro brings the Alioths back to Paro in time to catch their return flight to Bangkok. Cunninghams travel onward to Thimphu for a final round of meetings, social calls and local sightseeing, with flexible touring options.
This celebratory journey weaves hiking, culture, meetings, site visits, and other activities under the auspices of the Bhutan Foundation, culminating with the Wangduechhoeling Palace Event. Travel logistics by Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions includes air (from Bangkok), transportation, guides, accommodations, meals, all tour services and all land costs. Between explorations into the Himalayan landscape, meetings with royal family members and other Bhutanese people, and the revival of a national landmark, this journey offers special memories for everyone involved in the collaborative effort to restore the Wangduechhoeling Palace to an adaptive version of its former glory.
Following your arrival amid the rice fields of Paro, we take you to Bhutan’s newest “glamping” spot, the Tiger’s Nest Safari Camp. Next, provided energy levels are still high, we’ll hike to spectacular cliffside Taktshang monastery.
From there, we move to Thimphu for a relaxing stay at the Six Senses lodge in Thimphu, nicknamed “Palace in the Sky” for its magnificent scale and location overlooking the kingdom’s capital. Then we make our way to ancient Punakha, following some of the landmarks and paths described in Her Majesty’s beautiful and evocative memories of her childhood.
Next it’s on to surpassingly lovely Gangtey valley, where we visit a local artisanal Swiss Cheese maker whose work began with the arrival of Fritz Maurer, who came to Bhutan at the behest of the von Schulthess family and the Third King, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. Finally, in Bumthang, we celebrate another project that Daphne—who represents the third generation of her family's deep connections to Bhutan—has worked on with foundation Co-Chair, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck. The Wangduechhoeling Palace Event marks a historic milestone for the ancestral home of the Wangchuck Dynasty, reviving it as an institution for the common good.
Finally, it's an early return flight to Paro and onward to Bangkok for Lukas and Catherine, and a farewell round of social calls and meetings for Daphne and John in Thimphu before their own return home.
CUSTOM TRIPS
If this trip or schedule doesn't meet your needs, we also arrange private journeys throughout the year with flexible dates.
WHAT TO EXPECT
NOTES ON ELEVATION GAIN
The highest elevation gains on this trip will be during the trek to Aja Ney (Days 06-09). Aja Ney sits on an elevation of approximately 11,500 feet (or 3,500 meters) at its highest point. In our experience, the majority of our travelers suffer only minor discomfort upto 12,000 feet during our treks, especially if they have already spent some days acclimating and hiking in the kingdom. Your time in Bumthang before the trek should help. Further, if driving, the highway goes over Thrumshing-la pass, which is at a similar altitude and may help in acclimation. Further suggestions and advice on dealing with potential altitude sickness or discomfort is included in our comprehensive, 38-page Pre Departure Packet which you should receive by email well before trip departure.
The remainder of the activities on this trip are rated as described below:
The activities on this trip are rated as moderate and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. The hikes on this trip can range from moderate to challenging, depending on your abilities. Trip members should be in good health and comfortable standing or walking for extended periods of time and confident navigating mixed and steep terrain that may include rocky trails, slippery conditions and, or, steps and stairs. Daily activities include city walking tours, hiking to and entering monasteries, temples and fortresses, driving over winding mountain roads and easy to moderate hiking with some strenuous options where possible. The general elevations in the valleys will mostly range from 6,800 ft to 9,000 ft, with drives that will take us over higher passes before descending to the average elevations mentioned above. The final hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery is 10,000 ft.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The high-end accommodations on this journey feature traditional Bhutanese style with modern elements. The lodges are handpicked for regional character, comfort, and hospitality, including our beautiful family lodge in the central highlands of Bhutan, the Mountain Resort (see more on the Mountain Resort below). In peak season, depending on availability, we may use lodges comparable to the ones we have listed or advertised.
EXPEDITION STAFF
Every expedition is curated by expert native-born guides and trip leaders who also facilitate meetings and learning experiences with other locally knowledgeable people along the way. Our experienced team shares valuable insights and local expertise to ensure a culturally rich adventure of discovery through the Himalayan landscape and traditions of Bhutan.
ABOUT CULTURAL EXPEDITIONS
Our cultural expeditions are bespoke itineraries designed for active travelers that combine guided excursions, cultural insights, art and customs, with distinguished accommodations featuring a traditional ambience. Our journeys are small group adventures of usually 8 to 12 travelers, with a maximum of 16 guests per group. Unlike most tour providers who think nothing of a single guide leading an entire busload of travelers, we maintain a maximum of 4 guests per Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions guide, not counting support staff. This ensures that our journeys feel more like a shared adventure with local friends than a tourist's jaunt through the countryside.
GETTING THERE
Fly from your home city to Bangkok, Singapore, New Delhi Kolkata, or Kathmandu (Main Gateway Cities)*
Overnight
Fly from Gateway City to Paro, Bhutan.
IMPORTANT: Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions makes round-trip flight arrangements from the Gateway City of your choice to Bhutan as a courtesy to our travelers. Airfare is not included in trip price.
For further details please email us contact us using the Reserve Online button on this page.
*Bangkok is the primary Gateway City and offers the most frequent and most reliable flights to Bhutan.
OUR TRAVEL EXTENSIONS
(with optional Bangkok Transit arrangements)
If you're thinking of traveling to some of the other interesting destinations in the region before or after Bhutan you may like to consider our travel extensions. That way you can spend less time juggling and coordinating multiple bookings and more time experiencing the magnificent World Heritage site of Angkor Wat, a peaceful Laotian sojourn, discovering Vietnam or experiencing India.
For further details, and to see past travel extensions, please visit our Regional Extensions page.
WHAT TRAVELERS ARE SAYING
“Karma and his team perfectly orchestrated a wonderful series of valuable insights into Bhutan and Bhutanese culture. My particular area of interest was to learn about Bhutan’s challenge of balancing the goals of their Gross National Happiness Policy with the need to grow their economy and promote industry in the kingdom, which Karma addressed by arranging fascinating meetings with Bhutan’s Economic Affairs Ministers and other Bhutanese dignitaries and media personalities. A fantastic trip all-around with great hiking, culture, current affairs, insights into Buddhism and everything in-between.”
~ Heinrich Karl Friedrich Eduard Pierer von Esch, ex CEO, Siemens AG-Germany (front, third from left)
EXPLORE OUR STUNNING LANDSCAPE WITH BHUTAN HIMALAYA EXPEDITIONS
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