SIGNATURE JOURNEY | Spring 2020
Journey to discover the colorful history of Bhutan’s Warriors Pageant
Travel to see Bhutan’s first 2020 mask dance festival & welcome the magnificent Himalayan springtime
Group | 12 Days | Moderate Touring
Dates: March 01 ~ 12, 2020
Get an early start on Bhutan’s exciting 2020 travel season with this early March departure to experience the colorful “Pageant of Warriors,” a unique festival that celebrates the handpicked historical guardians of Buddhist treasures in Bhutan. From the western valleys of Paro, Thimphu and Punakha this active adventure takes you cross-country to the beautiful central regions of Bumthang where we explore a network of hidden valleys. We close our journey with a scenic mountain flight back to Paro and a final hike up to spectacular Tiger's Nest!
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Active country hikes and walks
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A festival of Buddhist pageantry and dances
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High-end, traditionally authentic lodges & accommodations
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Highlights of western & central Bhutan
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Markets, monuments, museums and more
EXPEDITION OVERVIEW
FROM OUR PHOTOGALLERY
ITINERARY
A group of Bhutanese warriors, the Paazaaps, have long been entrusted with the safety of Bhutan’s holy Buddhist relics, housed inside the great fortress of Punakha in western Bhutan. It is a sacred duty they have performed with honor and pride for centuries. This early springtime festival celebrates their important contributions to Bhutanese history, and the colorful role they play in protecting the cultural treasures of the country, providing us with a wonderful excuse to visit the festival and range across the Bhutanese countryside. We start with the western cultural centers before making our way overland across to the surpassingly lovely valleys of central Bhutan, with stops along the way to visit a series of unforgettable monasteries and temples. A short flight past the peaks and valleys of Bhutan, and a final climb up to fabulous “Tiger’s Nest,” closes this remarkable 2020 adventure.
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To see photographs and read about a recent warriors pageant festival, please see our picture story: Bhutan’s Procession of Warriors Festival.
DAY BY DAY
DAY 01: FLIGHT FROM BANGKOK, THAILAND TO PARO, BHUTAN
DAY 03: GIANT BUDDHA, HIKE & LUNCH; PUNAKHA
Today, start the day with a walk around the giant Buddha Dordenma, the world's largest bronze Buddha. Follow this with a hike through the prayer-flags-strewn forests above the capital, arriving in town for lunch. Enjoy a healthy organic meal including Bhutanese cassava noodles and dumplings and soup and salad before continuing to Punakha, Bhutan's old capital in the arly afternoon. Check in to your lovely lodge overlooking the valley's monumental 17th century dzong!
DAY 10: FLIGHT TO PARO / PARO MARKET
DAY 09: EXPLORE TANG VALLEY
DAY 08: EXPLORE BUMTHANG
DAY 06: TRANSFER TO JAKAR, CHUMEY WEAVING CENTER
DAY 12: BANGKOK, THAILAND/DEPART
DAY 05: TRANSFER TO GANGTEY/TRONGSA
DAY 04: FESTIVAL DAY IN PUNAKHA
DAY 02: EXPLORE THE MARKETS & MONUMENTS OF BHUTAN’S CAPITAL CITY
Thimphu has some of the most interesting markets in the country as well as many colorful temples and monasteries scattered colorfully around the valley. We explore some of the best options in our itinerary today. Later, dive into Bhutanese culture with a trip to the magnificent Royal Textile Academy and learn about Bhutan's 13 sacred arts and crafts. End the day with an evening walk with Buddhist devotees at the National Memorial Stupa, built in memory of Bhutan's third king.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Ariya Resort or comparable
DAY 07: PILGRIM’S WALK, JAKAR
DAY 11: HIKE TO TIGER’S NEST/PARO MARKET
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
The activities on this trip are rated as moderate and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. 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
Mountain Resort - Bumthang, Bhutan
Set against a sacred cloud forest a short distance below Bumthang's Jakar Dzong (fortress), our family-run lodge in Central Bhutan features the best elements of traditional architecture, including flagstones of river rock, the beautiful wood-and-stone masonry construction of Central Bhutan, and spacious rooms with wood paneling and post and beams of fragrant pine. Guests can enjoy a healing soak in traditional "hot stone" baths enhanced, in accordance with indigenous practices, by mugwort and other medicinal herbs. It's our perfect base for exploring the ample beauties and blessings of the central highlands of Bhutan.
DATES & PRICES
2020 Dates
March 01 - 12, 2020
2021 Dates
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March 01 - 12, 2021
2020 Pricing
$4,500
Per Person doubles; Single traveler Supplement ($550/-pp)
2021 Pricing
$4,500
Per Person doubles; Single traveler Supplement ($550/-pp)
Prices are per person based on double occupancy and do not include international airfare to/from your destination or internal flights during the expedition. Single traveler prices are available upon request. Internal flights are $980 per person & $175 per person where a short-duration flight is included on the itinerary. Surcharges may apply to certain travel dates based upon international or local holidays, as well as local events and festivals. All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars and subject to change.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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All ground transportation, visas for Bhutan and airport transfers
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All Accommodations
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All meals, including excursions to try well-known local restaurants
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The expertise and services of your Bhutanese Trip Leaders, Guides & dedicated trip field staff
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Courtesy booking services & arrangements for round-trip regional flights from gateway cities (such as Bangkok) to Bhutan & any internal domestic flights (airfare is additional).
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Sightseeing, special events & receptions, visits and entry fees
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All environmental national parks & conservation fees and permits
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All Trek Arrangements (if you signed up for a trek), including community camping and commissary equipment (comfortable and roomy two-person tents, kitchen and dining tents, and other community equipment), camp, cook and support staff
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
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Airfare to and from destination, as well as internal airfare where applicable
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Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance
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Alcoholic beverages
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Gratuities
GUEST COMMENT
“The country is beautiful, and its story is compelling but the special sense of a privileged view into the life of the country that you provided is beyond describing. We are very grateful; thank you!”
~ Laurie H. Z, Denver, Co.
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 using the contact form on our Request Full Details page.
*Bangkok is the primary Gateway City & offers the most frequent and most reliable flights to Bhutan.
PRIVATE TRIPS
CUSTOM JOURNEYS TAILORED JUST FOR YOU
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Did you know we also arrange custom journeys throughout the year? Just tell us what you need from your trip and we will put it together for you.
TRAVEL EXTENSIONS TO
CAMBODIA & LAOS
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(with optional Bangkok Transit arrangements)
If you'd like to spend a little more time exploring the magnificent World Heritage sites of Cambodia and Laos before or after Bhutan with arrangements in and out of Bangkok, we can take care of those details as well. Tie in a visit to the awe-inspiring temples of Angkor Wat or explore the quaint streets of Luang Prabang where French Colonial meets a distinctly unique Asian sensibility.
REGIONAL
EXTENSIONS
|SPOTLIGHT
