8-Day Bhutan Encounters Tour

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Tour Code: 472072

8-Day Bhutan Encounters Tour

5.0 (0 reviews)
Tour Code: 472072
Departure City
Paro
End City
Paro
Tour Type
Cruise
Duration
8 days
Language
English Live
Guide Type
Guided Tour
Activity Level
Moderate
Quality
All Inclusive Tour

Highlights

This 8-day tour of Bhutan provides a fantastic chance to explore one of the world’s most remote and fascinating countries. The itinerary is designed to provide a balance between some historic and cultural sightseeing with some short walks through the Bhutanese countyside and some beautiful scenery. You'll also enjoy plenty of Bhutanese food and learn a lot about Bhutanese culture and Buddhist way of life

Itinerary

Cultural tour of West Bhutan, including sightseeing and gentle walks

This 8-day tour of Bhutan provides a fantastic chance to explore one of the world’s most remote and fascinating countries. The itinerary is designed to provide a balance between some historic and cultural sightseeing with some short walks through the Bhutanese countyside and some beautiful scenery. You'll also enjoy plenty of Bhutanese food and learn a lot about Bhutanese culture and Buddhist way of life. The tour starts in Paro where we greet you at the airport, which is surely one of most attractive in the world. We visit Paro Dzong and learn about how these beautiful buildings with their joint monastic and civic function have administred life in Bhutan over the centuries. We cross over the higher Dochu La Pass, hopefully enjoying some great Himalayan mountain views, and explore the Punakha Valley with its huge riverside Dzong, and also the Phobjikha Valley which is famous for being the home to many endangered Black Necked Cranes which migrate here from Tibet. We also arrange the itineraries so that you can visit the huge weekend market in the capital Thimphu which displays produce and crafts from all over the country. We have timed several of the departure dates to fit in with some of Bhutan's special 'tsechus', which are important religious festivals held in and around the Dzongs with maksed dances, processions and other. The itineraries on these dates may be adjusted slightly to make the most of the festivals and take account of the limited accommodation availability at the time. Flights into Bhutan are available with the national airline, Druk Air, from Singapore, Bangkok, Delhi & Calcutta and Kathmandu. We offer a range of options to add a little time in India, Nepal, Singapore or Thailand to enable you to connect on with your main international flights.

Day 1, Arrive in Paro Paro airport provides a first taste of Bhutanese architecture and is surely one of the world’s most beautiful. In the afternoon we visit Ta Dzong, originally a Watch Tower and now the National Museum. Then walk down to Paro Dzong and learn how these spectacular buildings have combined the monastic and civic administration of Bhutan for centuries. | OVERNIGHT: Paro hotel | MEALS: Dinner | EXTRAS: Single Room Supplement, Extra night - pre-tour Day 2, Paro to Punakha Valley Cross the 3050m Dochu La Pass 3050m today on steep winding roads through beautiful dense forests. In the Punakha Valley, a short walk visits the Chimi Lhakhang Temple, built by Lama Drukpa Kuenley or ‘The Divine Madman’ and renowned for blessing barren women with fertility. Keen birdwatchers can drive to the Che Le La Pass at sunrise in search of Blood Grouse and the Himalayan Monal. | OVERNIGHT: Punakha hotel | MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 3, Punakha Dzong drive to Gangtey A morning walk to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten takes in river banks, mixed forest and terraced fields of chillies and vegetables. Next we visit the spectacular Punakha Dzong, which lies between two rivers known as Phochu and Mochu which symbolise masculine and feminine co-existence. After lunch, drive on to Gangtey. | OVERNIGHT: Gangtey hotel | MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 4, Phobjikha Valley walk, Gangtey We enjoy a nature walk today in the beautiful Phobjikha Valley, famous for the rare black-necked cranes that make it home between October and March after an arduous migration over the Himalayan mountains from the Tibetan plateau (the annual Crane festival in November is well worth a visit). We also visit the Gangtey Monastery. | OVERNIGHT: Gangtey hotel | MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 5, Drive to Thimphu via Wangdue Phodrang Re-cross the Dochu La Pass to the capital Thimphu. En-route visit the ancient Dzong at Wangduephodrang, which is relatively un-restored and gives a real feel for how these buildings have run life in Bhutan over the centuries. | OVERNIGHT: Thimphu hotel | MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 6, Thimphu tours Today’s sightseeing in Thimphu includes the Memorial Chorten, Folk Heritage Museum, School of Arts & Crafts and the Takin research centre. All our tours also aim to fit in with the huge weekend food and crafts market, which is a great place to pick up a souvenir of your time in Bhutan. A stop at the national stadium to view an archery tournament is also well worthwhile. | OVERNIGHT: Thimphu hotel | MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 7, Taktshang (Tiger’s Nest) walk Start early for a 2-3 hours steep uphill walk to the iconic Taktshang monastery, perched on a sheer 800m rock face. Taktshang is probably Bhutan’s most famous site and attracts pilgrims from all over Bhutan. In the afternoon, visit the ruined Drukgyel Dzong and the 7th century Kyichu Lhakhang temple. In the evening you could enjoy a relaxing traditional hot stone bath to ease any tired limbs. | OVERNIGHT: Paro hotel | MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 8, Paro, departure airport transfer Your time is free until we transfer you to the airport for departure. We can book your international Druk Air flights into Bhutan and extension options in Kathmandu, Delhi and Bangkok are available to enable connections to your onward flights. | OVERNIGHT: N/A | MEALS: Breakfast | EXTRAS: Extra night - post-tour
Tips
| MEALS Dinner | EXTRAS Single Room Supplement, Extra night - pre-tour

Visiting Attractions

Punakha Dzong

Punakha Dzong

Thimphu Memorial Chorten

Thimphu Memorial Chorten

Motithang Takin Preserve

Motithang Takin Preserve

Paro Taktsang

Paro Taktsang

Kyichu Lhakhang

Kyichu Lhakhang

Chimi Lhakhang

Chimi Lhakhang

What’s Included

Includes
  • All accommodation as per itinerary in 3-star level hotels
  • All meals as indicated in the itinerary
  • 24/7 airport transfer service
  • All transport in private vehicles
  • Bhutan visa fee, Tourism development fee and government royalty
  • Local tour guide/tour leader
  • All national park entry and activity fees
  • All entrance fees to sites visited
    • Excludes
  • International flights (available on request)
  • Travel Insurance (compulsory)
  • Single room supplements (chargeable if a same-sex room share is not available)
  • Drinks, snacks and other personal expenses (e.g. Laundry)
  • Tips for tour leader and driver
  • Any other items not mentioned above

    • Special Notes

  • Accommodation
    The accommodation on this tour is at the Bhutanese 3-star level. Like all aspects of tourism in Bhutan, hotels used for tourists are strictly regulated and inspected and all must reach a good standard to obtain their license to cater for tourists. So, you should expect good clean rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and some traditional Bhutanese styling in the building’s architecture and design. We use the following hotels on many of our tour departures but others may also be used from time to time subject to availability and our satisfaction with service being provided at the time.

    Paro – Janka Resort
    Thimphu – Jumolhari
    Punakha Valley – Dragons Nest Resort
    Gangtey/Phobjikha – Dewachen Hotel
  • Transport
    We use modern people-carriers or minibuses for this tour, based on the final number of people in the group or in your party.
  • Transfers
    Your airport transfers are only included on the first and last day of the set tour itinerary, plus on any additional days if you book your hotel room with us. If you make your own arrangements for additional accommodation at either the beginning or the end of the tour then you will need to arrange your own airport transfers on these days.
  • International Flights
    We want to give you as much flexibility as possible when it comes to booking your holiday with us. So, to take account of people with varying travel plans, we don't include your international flights in the main tour price. We are however very happy to book your flights for you, and our ATOL (UK flight sales license) covers all holidays booked together with a flight from the UK.

    There are two considerations when it comes to flights to connect with this tour.

    Flights into Bhutan
    Druk Air is the Bhutanese national airline and the main airline for flying in and out of Bhutan. The airline flies daily to Bangkok, with flights slightly less frequently to other destinations including Kathmandu, Delhi, Kolkata and Singapore. Fares are cheapest to Kathmandu, followed by Delhi, Kolkata, Bangkok and Singapore being most expensive. Bhutan's first private airline, Bhutan Airlines, provides extra capacity with flights from Bangkok, Kolkata, Delhi and Kathmandu.

    Unfortunately at the moment, neither Druk Air or Bhutan Airlines code-share with any other airline or connect with the international flight system. This means that you can't buy a flight ticket from your home country all the way to Bhutan. You need to buy two tickets, one with Druk Air/Bhutan Airlines, and one with an international airline to connect with the flight into Bhutan. You'll need to collect your luggage and re-check in between the two flights. You therefore need to allow plenty of time between the two flights in case of any delays - if you miss the Druk Air/Bhutan Airlines flight on the way out, or your international flight on the way home, then the airlines will not be obliged to arrange a new flight for you and you may need to pay for a new ticket (if available).

    Nearly everyone travelling to Bhutan therefore adds a short stay of at least one night in Nepal, India, Thailand or Singapore at either end of their tour. We are happy to make all these arrangements for you.

    Please contact us with your preferred dates and departure airport and we’ll give you a selection of airlines, times and fares to choose from. Your airport arrival & departure transfers in Bhutan are included whether you book your flights independently or through us.
  • Group Size/Tour Leaders/Guides
    We are committed to being a small group operator, as we feel this gives everyone in the group the best chance to get to know their fellow travellers and to hear and make the most of their guide. There's no point in us providing great guides if you’ve got to peer over 30-40 shoulders to see them! So, we won't ever put you in a 50-seater coach with 49 other people and just one guide. Instead, we set our Bhutan group departures to have a maximum of 12 travellers.

    Tailor-made tours are available for any number of travellers from one upwards. Discounts apply if there are 3 or more people in your group.

    Fully trained English-speaking Bhutanese guides are provided to escort you throughout this tour and many of our travellers consider them a highlight of their tour. Some tours (such as bird watching or trekking tours) will have specialist guides chosen based on the itinerary and activities included on the tour.

    At Encounters Travel we only use local Bhutanese guides and drivers. We feel this gives you the best experience of the country and the sites you are seeing.
  • Entrance Fees
    All your entry fees and permits to any sites, dzongs or monasteries visited on the tour are included in the tour price. Some sites not mentioned in the itinerary that you may like to visit during free time or if you are customizing this tour may require special permits - please ask in advance or check with your guide for details.
  • Tipping
    While an accepted part of the tourist industry in Bhutan (i.e. guides, drivers and hotel staff), tipping elsewhere is generally discouraged and unnecessary. Any amounts you do tip should always reflect the level of service provided.

    It is normal and accepted for people to tip differently, and you should not feel under any pressure to tip any particular amount.

    We are often asked for advice on common amounts however, and can give the following guidelines...

    1-2 persons travelling:
    US$5-10 pp per day for your guide & US$4-7 pp per day for your driver.

    3-8 persons travelling:
    US$5-8 pp per day for your guide & US$3-5 pp per day for your driver.

    9-12 persons travelling:
    US$4-6 pp per day for your guide & US$3-5 pp per day for your driver.
  • Health and Vaccinations
    You should ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including emergency evacuation and repatriation.

    Recommended vaccinations and other health protection measures vary according to the country you are visiting and where you are travelling from. We recommend you contact your GP/medical practitioner or a travel clinic for current information on vaccinations needed for your destination. You should ensure that you are up to date with vaccines and boosters recommended for your normal life at home, including for example, vaccines required for occupational risk of exposure, lifestyle risks and underlying medical conditions. In addition, additional courses or boosters normally recommended for the countries in this region are:

    Nepal: Additional vaccinations: Diptheria, Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area. Bhutan: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area.

    Tibet: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area.

    Malaria: Vaccinations are not available against Malaria, which is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that can be very serious and sometimes fatal. You should avoid mosquito bites by covering up bare skin with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers and applying insect repellents to exposed skin. When necessary, sleep under a mosquito net. Mosquitoes are most active during and after sunset. You should consult with your GP/medical practitioner/travel clinic about the most appropriate malaria prophylactic medication to take for the regions you are visiting. In general the lowland regions Bhutan are considered malarial zones, while higher altitudes including central Bhutan including Paro, Thimphu, Punakha and Bumthang are not. Nepal is considered mainly low risk with prophylactics not normally required.

    Yellow Fever: This disease is spread by infected mosquitoes that bite during the day. A Yellow Fever Certificate of vacinnation may be required as a condition of entry depending on which country you are arriving from, or that you have travelled or transitted through recently (including connecting flights with stopovers of over 12 hours). You can view a World Health Organisation map of areas where the virus is present in monkeys and therefore a potential risk to humans. Please ensure you have this certificate with you and to hand if necessary. Please inform us of any pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or asthma and any prescription medicine you may be taking. We also need to know about any food allergies or physical disabilities that you may have.
  • Passports and Visas - Bhutan
    We will arrange your Bhutan for you in advance of your arrival. You will need to provide us a scanned copy of your passport identity page (with your photo and personal details) as soon as possible after booking. The visa will normally be issued by the Bhutanese authorities around 10 days before your arrival and we will then email it to you. You will need to print the visa out and show it to the Druk Air staff when you check in. No payment is required at this stage or when you arrive in Bhutan - all costs are included in your tour price. .

    If you are connecting the tour with Nepal, then Nepal visas are available for most nationalities on arrival in Kathmandu airport for a fee of US$25 (higher fees apply if your total time in Nepal will be over two weeks (from first arrival to last departure).

    If you are connecting the tour with India, then you will need to obtain an Indian visa in advance - these are not available on arrival in Indian airports. We recommend you allow a minimum of 4 weeks to apply for this visa.

    If you are connecting the tour with Thailand, then many nationalities can arrange a free tourist visa on arrival in Bangkok airport.

    Please contact us if you have any questions about visa requirements for your travel plans and nationality.
  • Voltage
    A range of different sockets can be found in Bhutan, including two and three round pronged and three flat pronged (Type D,F,G). The supply is 230 volts. Universal adaptors are available in most airport shops if you don’t have one already. All hotel rooms have electrical sockets where you can re-charge cameras, phones etc. Hair dryers may be available on request from the hotel reception if not in your room already but cannot be guaranteed.
    If you have US appliances (110 volts) you will need a voltage converter as well as a plug adapter.
  • Money
    The local currency in Bhutan is the Ngultrum (Ng), which is pegged to the Indian Rupee. Indian rupees are accepted widely (except 500 or 1000 rupee notes which are not accepted) so if you are entering Bhutan from India you don't need to dispose of your Indian currency before leaving the country.

    All your meals, plus mineral water & tea/coffee during mealtimes are included in the price of your travel through Bhutan. You will only need to carry spending money to cover souvenirs, small offerings at temples & monasteries, alcoholic or soft drinks in your hotel or other bottled drinks during the day. There are only a few ATMs in the country (including Paro & Thimphu) where you can withdraw local currency (Visa, Mastercard) so we recommend bringing some cash in US Dollars, Euros, GB Pounds, or Indian Rupees with you that you can exchange into local currency on arrival. You can tip your guide & driver with any currency.
  • What to take
    Luggage: Whatever you're doing in Nepal, Tibet or Bhutan, you'll find that large rigid wheeled suitcases are cumbersome - you may be able to wheel them inside the airport and your hotel, but due to the condition of roads and pavements that's often about it. As many of our tours involve a degree of adventurous activity, we strongly advise you to bring a more practical bag for these i.e. a rucksack or holdall. These are easier for both your porters, and yourself to carry around. Suitcases are OK for our cultural tours in Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan though, but please aim to bring small or medium sized ones rather than very large. If you are trekking or rafting, or doing a lot of travel throughout the country, then as little as possible is the basic message. A rucksack or holdall (50-70 liter approx.) for your main luggage, and a daypack for you to use during the day should be plenty. While rafting we only take essential kit on board the rafts, and your main luggage will travel by bus to the take-out point. While trekking your porters (Nepal) or ponies (Bhutan) will carry your main luggage, leaving you with just a daypack with things you'll need during the day. You can also leave some luggage locked safely in the pre-trek hotel if you wish. We recommend that couples plan to leave one main bag behind, and pool their remaining luggage in their other bag for the porter to carry.

    Luggage limits: Most international airlines allow 20-23kg per person of hold luggage. Domestic flights often have smaller allowances around 15kg. As airline rules vary we recommend that you take no more than 20kg of luggage if your tour just includes international flights, and no more than 15kg if there are any domestic flights included in your itinerary. Please ask us for details if you are unsure. Any excess baggage fees will be your responsibility to cover. Most airlines allow between 5kg and 10kg for hand luggage so we suggest that you take no more than 5kg unless you have confirmed that your airline(s) will allow more than this.

    If you are trekking with us, we ask that you keep the weight of your main bag that the porter will carry to a maximum of 12.5kg. This then allows the porter to carry up to 2 bags, and a maximum of 25kg (the International Porter Protection group's advised limit for Nepal is 30kg, which then leaves a little more weight for their own kit). This weight allowance includes your sleeping bag if you are hiring it from us and not carrying it with you to Nepal
    If you are doing an Everest trek and flying from Kathmandu to Lukla, then flight luggage limits are 10kg for your main bag and 5kg for hand luggage - total 15kg. You can re-arrange that after you arrive in Lukla. Please keep to these limits as while you can pay for extra weight, it may be held back until the next flight which may then be delayed or cancelled.
    Treks in Bhutan follow the same weight limits for your ponies.
    You may leave other luggage securely locked in your hotel during the trek. If you are travelling as a couple then we suggest you leave one main bag in Kathmandu and share the other main bag that the porter will then carry.

    Clothing & Climate: Nepal and Bhutan have a climate that ranges widely depending on when you visit, and where you are visiting.
    - Autumn - late Sep-Nov: The weather is good and very warm, with lots of sunshine, getting quite hot during the day in lowland regions. It will still be cold at night at higher altitudes if you are trekking. Shorts & T-shirts are fine while you are walking, but you should still bring warmer clothes for the evenings. There is a good chance of rain in September and early October, so bring a waterproof.
    - Winter - Dec-Feb: It will be pleasant in lowland regions with very little rain, but will be cooler at night. Long trousers and shirts are advised during the day, and you will need warm clothes in the evenings. If you are trekking, then it will be cold during the day, and extremely cold at night, particularly at higher altitudes. Several warm layers are recommended so you can regulate your comfort as you walk, including a waterproof, even if only to protect from cold winds. We include thick down jackets in our optional trekking packs for comfort in the evenings at higher altitudes. - Spring - Mar-May: The weather is very pleasant during the spring, and again shorts & t-shirts are fine while you are walking. There is a higher chance of rain as the season progresses, so a thin waterproof is recommended in case. It gets very hot and humid in the lowlands from May onwards.
    - Monsoon - Jun-mid Sep: It will be hot and sticky during these months, with lots of rain, so come prepared accordingly if you are visiting during these months - gaiters are highly recommended if you are trekking to keep out leeches.


    A huge variety of cheap trekking gear is available in Kathmandu (fleeces, waterproofs etc.) and buying some here can save you carrying it with you, and support the local economy. However, you should definitely bring your own walking boots.

    Modesty rates highly in Nepal and Bhutan especially for women, so please ensure all clothes are loose fitting and not too revealing. You'll find the Bhutanese dress fairly smartly or in national dress, so you will stand out even more if you look scruffy.

    Day Packs and Main luggage: You will want a sturdy and comfortable daypack to carry your day-to-day items with you while you are walking (clothes you may change in and out of regularly, drinks, snacks, camera). You will also need a sturdy holdall or backpack for your main luggage. Your porters or ponies will carry this for you, so suitcases are not appropriate. They may leave earlier than you, and may not walk with you throughout the entire day, so bear in mind that you won't have access to this luggage all the time - you need to ensure you are carrying everything you require during the days walk in your daypack. You can leave luggage behind in storage at your hotel so you don't need to take everything with you on the trek.

    All tours: We recommend that you bring a sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, a basic first aid kit, toiletries, money belt, small torch, camera & charger.
  • Travel Insurance
    Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our tours and needs to cover personal accident & liability, medical expenses and repatriation, travel delay & abandonment. We also strongly recommend that you take out cover against cancellation and lost/stolen baggage. Personal medical insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover and is generally not suitable for travel on our tours. You will not be able to join your tour if you have not provided us with details of your insurance or if you arrive without cover in place (no refunds will be due in this event).

    You may arrange your own insurance, or you can take advantage of a comprehensive policy that we can arrange for you through Endsleigh Insurance which has been designed to be suitable for our tours. The policy is available to travellers of all nationalities and you do not need to live in the UK to take out the policy. For full details of cover provided, prices and to apply for one of our policies, please complete travel insurance application form.

    Note: Any country that borders the Mediterranean is considered as 'Europe' for the purposes of travel insurance (including Turkey, Israel, Egypt and Morocco). If you are doing a tour that visits one country in 'Europe' and one that is 'Worldwide' (for example, an Egypt and Jordan tour), then you need a 'Worldwide' policy. When completing the form you should enter your travel dates including any extra days involved in overnight flights or connecting travel between your home and the tour. Our policies are not able to cover any extra time or activities other than your tour and options booked with us and your travel to & from home.

    If you plan to arrange a hot air balloon flight locally, or do some scuba diving during your tour, you should check the small print in your policy to make sure these are covered (these are covered in our policy). Please also check the maximum altitude that you will be reaching and that full cover including emergency evacuation is provided up to this altitude.

    If you are taking expensive camera gear or other electronic equipment with you then please check the coverage and the fine print of your policy to ensure that you have sufficient cover.

    IMPORTANT: We must have your travel insurance details (policy number and type of insurance) before you depart or you may not be allowed to join the tour. If you haven't told us already, please let us know the details when you can. You should take a paper copy of your insurance policy with you as you may be asked to show this at the start of the tour.

    • This tour/activity is overseen by a select local operator in the region. Upon booking your tour or activity and after receiving confirmation, you will be issued an e-ticket detailing the local operator's name and contact information. If you require assistance finding a specific tour, please contact us for more information.
    If any of the attractions are closed due to Covid-19, the guide will arrange the itinerary based on the actual situation on the tour date. Please understand. Thanks.

    Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirement: If you have traveled to or transited through yellow fever-endemic regions including East African countries (excluding Tanzania) or South American countries, either before or after your trip, you may be required to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. This requirement can apply not only for joining tours but also for certain flights or entry into specific countries. For more details, please refer to the official site: Yellow Fever Risk Areas - Fit for Travel
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