Day 1: Arrive Paro
Fly into Paro by Drukair flight ( Royal Bhutan Airline). After immigration and customs formalities, you will be received by the representative of Access Bhutan Tours & Treks and driven to your hotel. After checking into your hotel and after refreshments you will visit the following:
Farm houses in Paro Valley and a visit to a farm house offers a good glimpse into the lifestyle of a farmer.
Druk Home Museum (private Museum) which exhibits historical and religious artifacts.
Kyichu temple,one of the 108 temples built in the 7th century by the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo. The story goes that a giant demon lay across the whole area of Tibet and the Himalayas and was preventing the spread of Buddhism. To overcome her, King Songtsen Gampo decided to build 108 temples, which would be placed on all the points of her body. Of these 108 temples, 12 were built in accordance with precise plans. Thus, it happened that in about the year AD 638 the temple of Jokhang in Lhasa was built over the very heart of the demon.
Paro downtown where you can visit local stores and also have free interaction with local people.
Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Paro
Day 2: Paro Tshechu
Today you experience the color, excitement and spectacle of the Paro Tshechu Festival. It is the most divine and deeply symbolic of all the Buddhist festivals celebrated in Bhutan. Dressed in traditional finery, devotees flock to the Paro Dzong to proclaim their faith and receive blessings. Monks and lay people, dressed in elaborate silk brocade costumes perform festive dances of good triumphing over evil to the haunting sounds of trumpets, cymbals and flutes. The dances and costumes have survived unchanged for thousands of years, each dance is an exact re-enactment of visions seen by Bhutan’s great Buddhist saints and any changes would be seen as sacrilege. Many dances will be performed today including: Lords of the Cremation Grounds. Terrifying Deities, Heroes, Novel Man and Ladies Lencham , Stag and Hounds. The dances are interspersed with folk songs and clowning aided by copious amounts of butter tea and a locally produced potent alcoholic barley spirit.
You will spend the whole day at Paro festival with lunch in between. You will also take time off to visit the interior of Rinpung Dzong, built in 1645 to defend the valley against Tibetan invaders. The Dzong is now being used as an administration center and school for monks.Then walk down to Rimpung Bridge (Traditonal Bridge), oldest bridge in Bhutan.
Dinner and overnight in Paro.
Day 3: A day hike to Taktsang Goempa (Tiger's Nest Monastery) in Par
After breakfast,you will hike up to Taktsang Monastery, also known as "Tiger's Nest". The climb up to the viewpoint will take around 1 ½ hours and from there you will enjoy a spectacular view of the monastery clinging to the side of the cliff. Stop for refreshment at the View Point Cafeteria. Then walk further up to the monastery which will take about 1 hour. It is said that in the 8th century Guru Rinpoche flew on the back of a tigress from eastern Bhutan to this place and meditated in a cave here for 3 months. The principal Lhakhang (monastery) of the present monastic complex dates from 1692. Taktsang was damaged severely by fire in 1998 but has now been fully restored to its former beauty.
After visiting the monastery, walk back down to the road on the way stop for lunch at the view point cafeteria and then walk further down to the road point. Then drive back to hotel and relax.
Dinner and overnight in Paro.
Day 4: Paro Tshechu and Paro-Thimphu (54 km, 1 hr)
Early morning before dawn, you make your way to the early morning blessing from Guru Thongdroel (Thangka of Guru Rhinpoche). Today is the most auspicious day of the festivities and dances of the Heroes, Ging and Tsholing, the Eight Manifestatons, the Sixteen Fairies and the Religious Song are all performed in a magnificent cacophony of sound and color.
After witnessing the unveiled Thongdroel and receiving the blessing, you will return to your hotel for breakfast and then visit the National Museum, housed in the Ta Dzong (watchtower). Here is an intriguing collection of artefacts which provide you with a wonderful insight to the rich culture and heritage of the Kingdom of Bhutan.
From the Ta Dzong you will go to the festival ground to get a glimpse of the last day of Paro festival.
In the evening you will travel to Thimphu, the next destination on your tour in Bhutan.
Dinner and overnight in Thimphu
Day 5: Thimphu Tour
After breakfast, visit the following:
Bhutan Postal Museum (recently established)-The museum tells the story of Bhutan’s progress and development through the evolution of communications and postal system in the country. And also you can get personalized Bhutanese postage stamps with your photo on them. You can bring along your favorite photo to put on the stamps and put these stamps on your postcard to send to your family and friends
National Museum which is a good place to see the art of traditional weaving being kept alive and preserved through exhibition and has a good collection of old textiles which are rich in colors and designs. You will also see people weaving with intricate designs.
Simply Bhutan or The Folk Heritage Museum, an outdoor museum that gives an insight into rural life in Bhutan.
The School of Traditional Painting of Arts and Crafts where students undertake a six-year course on the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan.
Centenary Farmers' market (if tour coincides with Thu-Sun) where farmers would be selling their wide range of farm produces (vegetables from farms and wild ferns or bamboo shoots collected from forest, flour, rice, roasted rice, rice flakes, spices, yams both cultivated and wild ones collected from forests, fruits, etc) and livestock products (mainly cheese and butter). Free interaction with people from town as well as from villages come to this weekend market. Weekend market is from Thursday-Sunday( 4 days).
The Memrial Chorten which was constructed in 1974 as a memorial for the third King of the country, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who is widely regarded as the father of modern Bhutan.
Tashichhoe Dzong, a fortress of the glorious religion. It was built in 1641 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and was reconstructed into present structure by the late King, His majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in the year 1962-1969. It houses the secretariat building, the throne room and the office of the king, and the central monk body.
Takin Preserve, which houses the national animal the Takin that is only found in Bhutan. This is an extremely rare member of the goat family. Found in herds in the very high altitudes (13,125ft and over). They live on a diet of grass and bamboo. It can weigh as much as 550 pounds.
Changankha Lhakhang (temple): This temple situated atop a small hound overlooking the Thimphu valley was built in the 13th century by the illustrious Lam Phajo Dugom Zhigpo. The temple is considered the spiritual home of children born in the Chang valley.
Kuenselphodrang where largest Buddha statue in the country is perched on the hillock overlooking the Thimphu valley and also if interested/if time permits, take a leisure walk throughKuenselphodrang Nature park and enjoy the nice view of the entire Thimphu valley below Craft Bazaar where craftsmen and artisans from across the country display and sell their handicrafts. Government-run Handicrafts Emporium and local crafts shops, to browse through examples of Bhutan's fine traditional arts. Here you can buy hand-woven textiles, thangkha paintings, masks, ceramics, slate and wood carvings, jewelry, and other interesting items made from local materials
In the evening stroll around Thimphu town and you may visit local handicraft stores.
Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Thimphu.
Day 6: Thimphu Short Nature Hike to Tango Monastery
After breakfast, travel to the base camp of Tango Monastery which lies north of Thimphu city. From the base camp which is the end of motor road you hike up to the Monastery is through the forest filled with oak and fine trees as well as Rhododendron flower trees which will be in full bloom during spring season.
The Tango Monastery site has had religious significance since the 12th century when it was the home of the highly revered Buddhist monks who brought the Drukpa Kagyupa school of Buddhism to Bhutan.
The Tango Monastery was built in 1689 by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgyal. The three-storied monastery was built with the help of the locals and was completed within two months.
At present Tango Monastery is the center for higher studies for monks. The view from Tango Monastery is breathtakingly beautiful. You will experience complete peace and serenity in this area. After visiting the monastery, walk back to the road and then drive back to Thimphu .
Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Thimphu.
Day 7: Thimphu-Punakha/Wangdue (71 km, 2 1/2 hr)
After breakfast, drive to Punakha via the Dochula pass. An hour's drive from Thimphu will take you to this pass (3140 m) where one can have a superb view of the Eastern Himalayas on a clear day with a powerful binocular telescope. Visit the beautiful 108 chortens built on the hill by Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo for the security and well being of His Majesty the King of Bhutan. Also visit Druk Wangyel Temple which was built to honor His Majesty, the fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The past and future appear to merge in the details of the temple that tells the story of a supreme warrior figure whose vision pierces the distance future.
Drive onto Punakha, the old capital of Bhutan and presently the winter residence of the central monk body. Visit the Punakha Dzong, located on the island of the Pho-Chu (male) river and the Mochu (female) river. Visit the Dho Jha Gha Lam Temple.
In the evening, walk through the Metshina Village and take a 20-minute walk through the rice fields to the Devine Madman's Monastery-Chhimi Lhakhang, famously known for its fertility shrine, where couples unable to concieve come here for blessing.
Overnight at hotel in Wangdue/Punakha.
Day 8: Punakha-Paro
Distance: 125 km
Estimated travel time: 3 1/2 hrs
After breakfast, drive through upper Punakha valley passing through farmhouses and take a leisure walk through farmhouses and then through nature to the beautiful Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten temple built by the Queen Mother of Bhutan for peace and stability in this ever-changing world. This temple is situated on the hilltop overlooking the valley below. The leisurely walk up to the temple would take about 1 hour. Visit the temple and also enjoy the breathtaking view from there.
After lunch,drive back to Paro. After a refreshment drive up the valley to visit the historic Drukgyel Dzong which was built in the 16th century to mark the Bhutanese victory over the Tibetan invaders.
Dinner and overnight at hotel in Paro.
Day 9: Paro Departure
After breakfast, you will drive to the Paro Airport for your flight to your onward destinations.
End of Tour Program
Exclusions:
- Fee of US$20/person for Mules/horse ride to Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Optional)
- Single room supplement of US$ 50/room/night (optional)
- Bhutanese Visa fee of US$40/person (must be paid in advance with tour cost)
- Airfares (optional)
- Travel insurance (recommended)
- 4 star and 5 star accommodations and meals (optional)
- Other personal expenses like overseas calls, laundry,etc
Bhutan Trip Cost for this 8 Night 9 Day Bhutan Tour Package Price
HIGH SEASON APRIL 2018
01 PAX@ $ 2320.
02 PAX @ $ 2240
03 AND ABOVE @ $ 2000.
Booking Terms & Conditions
Bhutan is still an emerging destination and, along with its neighbours India & Nepal, experiences occasional disruptions due to unforeseen circumstances affecting travel arrangements.
It is important you are both aware, and accept, that pre-planned arrangements may occasionally need to be amended at late notice due to events beyond the control of any operator involved in the provision of your travel related services.
It is essential you carefully read and agree to the following Booking Terms & Conditions. These form a component of the contract you enter into when making travel reservations to Bhutan, India or Nepal (and incl other regional areas such as Bangladesh and Tibet) with Bhutan & Beyond and our overseas partner suppliers.
1. Booking Form & Passport Scan:
Please ensure you fully complete our tour booking form on-line and submit this in order we can hold a reservation on your behalf. At the same time, or as soon after as possible, we require a quality scan of your passport photo page which we use to issue your visa. We appreciate you limiting this to less than 1 MB in file size.
2. Deposits and Final Payments:
Usually we require a deposit of not less than A$1500.00 per person within 14-21 days of your Drukair flights to/from Bhutan being confirmed. In some higher season periods we may be required to collect your deposits within 3 days of your Drukair bookings being confirmed. In the case of India and Nepal tours, and/or when Drukair flights are not a requirement for your Bhutan tour, a lesser deposit of approx A$500.00 per person is required.
Final balance of tour funds are due no later than 50 days prior to your arrival in Bhutan, India or Nepal. Please note your bookings could risk cancellation should payments not be received by the due date.
3. Cancellation & Voluntary Amendments:
After deposits have been paid they become totally non-refundable and it is essential you have your travel insurance in place for your protection. Voluntary amendments between time of deposit payment and final balance payment deadline will generally be handled with no additional service fees where possible & subject to space availability.
After final balance has been received cancellations will incur fees as follows. Unless advised otherwise similar fees will apply to our Nepal, India & other regional tours. Ex Australia airfares and stopover accommodation will be subject to the cancellation and amendment fees set by the specific airlines/hotels concerned.
Deposit date until 60 days prior arrival in Bhutan Deposit is forfeited
60 days-45 days prior arrival in Bhutan 100% of Drukair/Bhutan Airlines fares.
75% loss of tour cost
45 days or less prior to arrival in Bhutan No Refund Permitted
4. Your Health & Travel Insurance:
You are personally responsible for ensuring your general health & fitness is sufficient for your planned journey and it is mandatory you hold adequate comprehensive travel insurance before you pay your final balance. We strongly recommend you consult your personal doctor or nearest Travel Medical Alliance (TMA) centre at least 6 weeks before departure for advice on vaccinations and medications. TMA can be contacted in Australia toll free on T: 1300 421142.
**IMPORTANT NOTE RE TRAVEL INSURANCE**
Some travel insurance providers (ie. American Express) no longer offer any cover at all for a range of adventure activities such as trekking, white-water rafting and even holiday activities such as bungy jumping. It is essential you ensure your chosen insurance policy covers you for all the activities you intend to undertake whilst on your journey.
5. Itinerary Changes:
Bhutan, Nepal & India are sometimes challenging regions to travel in for a wide variety of reasons. Bhutan & Beyond, along with our partner operators in each region, reserve the right to make necessary changes to your pre-arranged and prepaid itinerary structure where unforseen circumstances dictate such changes. Depending on circumstances a refund may not be offered for such late changes and your travel insurance will, in most cases, cover for any financial loss.
6. Flight Delays & Cancellations:
Bhutan & Beyond and our partner ground operators take no responsibility for airlines amending flight times at short notice and/or cancelling and/or rerouting flights for operational reasons. We urge all travellers to this region to ensure they have at least 5 hours connection time between air flights where possible.
7. Trip Costs:
Our travel package costs are always quoted in US Dollars and are subject to exchange rate fluctuation until converted into Australian dollars on the day you choose to pay your final balance due. Occasionally we reserve the right to increase prices after a trip has been quoted on however this is only in instances beyond our control. An example of this is a foreign Govenrment imposing higher tourism taxes before travel has been undertaken or an airline increasing fuel surcharges prior to ticketing.
Unless advised otherwise your trip pricing does NOT include items of a personal nature, medications, travel insurance, telephone calls, laundry, visa charges (except Bhutan where visa fees are always included), excess baggage charges, daily incidental expenses or drinks.
In Bhutan all meals are included in the package costs whereas in India and Nepal generally breakfasts only are included with a few rare exceptions such as wildlife lodges.
8. Minimum Trip Participants for Small Group Tours:
All our standard small group ‘cultural tours’, which have set dates, are guaranteed to depart even if only one person is booked. There is no cost surcharge either so please book with absolute confidence on these tours. The maximum tour size will be 8 persons and the average tour size is 4-6 persons. We like to keep our tours small. Less is best in Bhutan!
For our small group motorcycle tours, trekking tours and other special interest tours a minimum of 3 persons is required to avoid a small cost surcharge of US$30 per person per night. There may be other conditions with these tours from time to time.
9. Motorcycle Insurance & Mandatory Bond Requirements:
On our motorcycle tours your Royal Enfield 500cc motorcycle comes with comprehensive travel insurance cover included with the exception of a US$500 excess. This excess must be paid directly to Bhutan Motorcycles in the event of an accident or damage to your motorcycle or for any 3rd party damage. However this excess is covered using our specially negotiated insurance policy from QBE and can be claimed for on your return. It is therefore mandatory that all motorcycle tour participants purchase their main comprehensive travel insurance from QBE via Bhutan & Beyond to guarantee full protection while riding.
It is also mandatory to hold a ‘full motorcycle’ license allowing the rider to use an ‘over 250cc’ motorcycle legally.
Furthermore an additional motorcycle BOND of US$500 must be made available to Bhutan Motorcycles in cash prior to commencing your journey after arrival in Bhutan. This will be refunded at the end of your trip should no damage have occurred during your journey.
10. Your Acceptance of Risk.
You acknowledge your journey to/from and through this region of South Asia comes with the usual risks of travel and, in some cases, additional risks that are associated with adventure activities and the specific nature of your chosen journey. You accept these risks and the possibility personal injury, death, property damage or loss may result from your deciusion to participate in such a journey.
You agree that should you be affected by any sickness, serious injury or other unforseen circumstance that Bhutan & Beyond, and/or any of our overseas partner operators, can arrange any urgent medical treatment or emergency evacuation as deemed necessary for your safety and that all such costs will be borne by you and/or your travel insurer.
You also agree that upon completion of our tour booking form and payment of your deposit that you release all claims of liability against Bhutan & Beyond (and all staff) and any and all of our partner operators overseas , including all their staff, for any personal injury, death , property damage, loss or inconvenience sustained by you as a result of this tour, be it a private journey or as part of a small group tour.
