Where else but the happiest country in the world could you trek among the Himalayas, smiling the whole time at the sheer beauty of the temples and landscapes around you? This active tour will get you out and about to visit some of the most gorgeous temples and monasteries in this part of the world. Trek sacred mountain passes of the celebrated Druk Path, ascend to the profound Taktshang Monastary (Tiger’s Nest), and explore the unique beauty of the city of Paro. Bhutan is the only place in the world just waiting for you to walk all over its happiness. (Warning, it’s contagious here.)
What's Included
Your Wellness Moment: Institute of Traditional Medicine Services, Thimphu. Arrival transfer. Paro orientation tour. Chelela Pass hike. Kila Goempa Nunnery hike. Druk Path trekking (4 days). Motithang Takin Preserve visit. Folk Heritage Museum visit. Institute for Zorig Chusum visit. Kuenselphodrang visit. Memorial Chorten visit. Chime Lhakhang visit. Punakha Dzong visit. Kyichu Lhakhang Temple visit. Local Archery Grounds visit. Drukgyal Dzong visit. Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest) visit and hike.
Highlights
Hike among mystical peaks in the Himalayas, visit dzongs and Buddhist gompas, trek along the famous Druk Path, enjoy incredible views of Mt Jomolhari, take in stunning Himalayan mountain views
Important Notes
1. CAMERA RULES
Please note there may be times during your visit to Bhutan when the use of video and/or still cameras may be inappropriate. Local people may consider that filming is too intrusive and in these circumstances we will request that you do not film. At all times be aware and sensitive to the impact of photography and seek permission before taking photographs of people and respect their wishes if they refuse.
If you are still using film for a camera, bring plenty of it – film is often hard to find in Bhutan and can be of inferior quality.
2. CULTURE
Accommodation in Bhutan can be very simple. Electricity and water can often be sporadic. All meals are included and almost always buffet-style with plenty of western options.
Bhutan, a Buddhist country, believes in ahimsa so the barking of dogs (and there are a lot of them) at night can be annoying. It’s advisable to bring earplugs. If you are able to travel with a lot of patience and a good sense of humour, then we know that you – like all of us – will be captivated by what Bhutan has to offer.
3. CLOTHES
The prime requirement for clothes you bring on Bhutan trip is that they are comfortable and appropriate to the weather conditions that you are likely to meet. For protection against cold, particularly at night, a number of relatively thin layers is better than a few thick ones. Thermal underclothes, being small and light, can be very useful. Bhutan is very conservative and you should dress accordingly. As a general guideline, shoulders and legs should be covered at all times. The wearing of shorts is not allowed (except while hiking) as it will restrict your entry into buildings of a religious nature and family homes. A water and windproof jacket is useful and a hat and sunscreen essential. Due to the altitude, it can be cold in the mountains even in the summer.
4. FLIGHT
Your flights into Paro, Bhutan, must be booked by you online. Please visit the following airline websites to do so:
Druk Air
https://www.drukair.com.bt/
Bhutan Airlines
https://www.bhutanairlines.bt/
Flights can be booked from: Bangkok, Kathmandu, Delhi or Kolkata (please check Visa requirements if flying via India). Once your flight is booked, contact your G Adventures agent, who will be happy to assist in booking your International connections.
5. EXTRA NIGHTS
If you are planning to extend your stay in Bhutan, pre or post-tour accommodation MUST be booked through G Adventures in order for us to issue a valid visa for the duration of your stay. These extra nights will include a guide and meals in addition to the accommodation.
Group Size Notes
Max 15, avg 12
Meals Included
10 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 10 dinners
Meals
Most meals in Bhutan are included in the cost of the trip – some are in the accommodation where it is the best quality/availability option. Most meals are served buffet-style with a selection of traditional Bhutanese food, some western-style (often pasta) as well as some Chinese. Fresh local vegetables are in abundance and while Bhutan is almost mostly vegetarian, there usually is one meat dish available (on some occasions, there can be shortages, as all meat is imported from India).
Transport
Private vehicle, walking.
About our Transportation
Traveling by road in Bhutan is certainly not what people are used to in Western countries. The roads in the mountains might not be the best but our drivers always keep the safety of the passengers first. Most roads consist of a series of switchbacks going up and back down mountain passes and can be quite bumpy. If you do suffer from motion sickness, we recommend you bring medication for the drives. We use private transport for the duration of this tour.
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nts), camping (3 nts).
My Own Room Exceptions
Nights 4-8
About Accommodation
The idea of camping can be a daunting one. For those not accustomed to ‘roughing it’ for a few days we offer a full camping service. All tents are pitched for you, meals are prepared and served and the washing up is done by G Adventures staff. This leaves you with more time to enjoy your surroundings and is ideal for first-time campers who may be worried about the challenges such a trip can entail. When camping we are exposed to the elements, and whilst there are times when the weather is fine and temperatures are pleasant, there may be days when it is foggy, rainy and cool. In certain locations there may also be a number of bugs. These factors, however, should be seen as minor downsides to a camping experience which will allow you to get up close to the beautiful nature that Bhutan has to offer. All camping equipment (with the exception of your sleeping bag and pillow) is supplied. We supply canvas dome tents with built-in mesh insect nets on the doors and windows. Mattresses are also available, which are approximately 4cm thick, warm and comfortable.
While on trek, we provide full-service alpine camping at designated communal campsites. Your porters will be carrying your tents, which they will pitch for you at these sites. The campsites are fairly basic, and exposed to the elements. They will not have electricity, nor shower facilities, and toilet facilities are basic long drop latrines, which could become dirty at times (especially when it is raining), as other hikers share the same facilities. Your crew will prepare basins of warm water for washing daily. All camping equipment (with the exception of your sleeping bag and pillow) is supplied. All meals on the mountain will be prepared for you by your group’s cook.
Joining Hotel
For details of your joining hotel please refer to your tour voucher, G Account, the G Adventures App or contact your travel agent.
Emergency Contact
Should you need to contact us during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call either the G Adventures Local Representative (if one is listed below) or our G Adventures Local Office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible.
AIRPORT TRANSFER
If you have purchased an arrival through G Adventures or if an arrival transfer is included in the cost of your tour, please note that:
Your arrival transfer has been arranged based on flight information provided to us. If you are advised of a flight schedule change within 48 hours of your scheduled arrival time, we will do our best to rearrange your arrival transfer however we cannot guarantee this. If your arrival transfer does not arrive within 30 minutes after you have exited the arrivals area please take a taxi to your start point hotel.
EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS
G Adventures Local Representative (Bhutan):
Ms Wangchuk Dem
Phone: +975 17 74 74 28
Secondary
Mr Rajju Maskey
Phone: +977 9802014444
G Adventures Local Office (Delhi)
G Adventures South Asia Manager, Rishab (Delhi, India)
>From outside of India: +91 88 5180 6614
>From within Delhi: 88 5180 6614
>From within India, but outside Delhi: 088 5180 6614
G Adventures Office Bangkok, Thailand
During Office hours (Weekdays, 9am-5pm Local Time): +66-02-3815574
If you are unable for any reason to contact our local office, please call the numbers listed below which will connect you directly with our Sales team who will happily assist you. Hours of operation by region can be found here.
Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100
Calls from UK: 0344 272 0000
Calls from Germany: 0800 365 1000
Calls from Australia: 1 300 796 618
Calls from New Zealand: 0800 333 307
Outside North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK: +1 416 260 0999
What to Take
This is a very active trip, meaning you will be on the move most of the time, so pack as lightly as possible. We provide one porter for every two travellers; your trekking gear will be carried by the porter in a water-proof duffel that we will provide. The maximum the porters are allowed to carry is 7.5kg/16.5lb per passenger. Please note that as you will be sharing the duffel with a fellow trekker from the group during the trek, a lightweight cotton or plastic bag is recommended to keep your gear separate.
Important to note:
- Please read the ‘Checklist’ section of this trip notes for additional details of what you need to bring for the trek on this trip.
- You will need to bring a comfortable medium sized day pack to carry the things that you will need during the day. This should have a waist strap or (better) a padded waist belt.
- The weather is subject to change in high altitude so layered clothing is recommended throughout the year.
Packing List
Additional Items:
• Sleeping bag and liner (Seasonally appropriate)
Cold Weather:
• Long-sleeved shirts or sweater
• Scarf
• Warm gloves
• Warm hat
• Warm layers
Conservative Dress:
• Modest clothing that covers knees and shoulders (Long pants, long skirts, shirts that cover shoulders)
• Shawl or scarf (for temple visits)
Documents:
• Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)
• Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)
• Passport (required) (With photocopies)
• Required visas or vaccination certificates (required) (With photocopies)
• Vouchers and pre-departure information (required)
Essentials:
• Binoculars (optional)
• Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
• Cash, credit and debit cards
• Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)
• Ear plugs
• First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
• Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
• Fleece top/sweater
• Footwear
• Hat
• Locks for bags
• Long pants/jeans
• Moneybelt
• Outlet adapter
• Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)
• Reusable water bottle
• Shirts/t-shirts
• Sleepwear
• Small travel towel
• Sunglasses
• Toiletries (Preferably biodegradable)
• Watch and alarm clock
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Windproof rain jacket
Health & Safety:
• Face masks (required)
• Hand sanitizer (required)
• Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)
• Rubber gloves
High Altitude Trekking:
• Down jacket (Recommended for winter season)
• Hiking boots (Worn frequently prior to departure)
• Pack liners to waterproof bags
• Reusable water bottler – minimum 1 litre (Aluminium or Nalgene polypropylene are best)
• Sandals (For wearing around camp in the evenings)
• Sleeping bag and liner, 4 season
• Spare boot laces
• Thermal base layer
• Waterproof gloves
• Whistle
• Windproof rain gear
• Wool socks
Trekking:
• Gloves
• Hat
• Hiking boots/sturdy walking shoes
• Hiking pants (Convertible/Zip-off and quick dry recommended)
• Snacks (Protein bars, chocolate, dried fruits, candies, energy sweets.)
• Socks (Trekking socks (woollen or synthetic, not cotton).)
• Thermal base layer (Woollen or synthetic, not cotton.)
• Walking poles (Highly recommended.)
Warm Weather:
• Sandals/flip-flops
• Shorts/skirts (Longer shorts/skirts are recommended)
• Sun hat/bandana
• Swimwear
Note: Between December and March temperatures can get down to -10 C / 15 F at night and it’s possible that it will be required to walk through up to 1/3 meter of snow, as well as deal with ice on the trail. So please make sure you pack warm clothes.
Visas and Entry Requirements
For Bhutan, G Adventures will arrange the visa for you. The cost of the visa is included in the tour price. The Bhutanese visa is issued to your passport on arrival. No passport photos are currently required for this, but it’s always good to travel with a couple current photos.
In order to arrange the Bhutan visa, you must provide G Adventures with the following:
- Arrival and Departure flight details for Paro
- Scanned colour passport copy, which must meet the following requirements: the image must be extremely clear with no obstructions covering any part of the passport; it must have all details (including background letters) on the passport page in readable print; and there must be absolutely no reflections (due to flash photography) on the image itself.
These details need to be submitted to us 35-40 days before departure.
We will then arrange the Bhutanese visa for you. The visa letter will be forwarded to you 2-5 business days before departure. We cannot get the visa letter issued any sooner, as it is issued by the Bhutanese government. Please print out the visa letter, you will be required to show this before boarding your flight to Paro.
Important: If you are planning to extend your stay in Bhutan, pre- and post-tour accommodation MUST be booked through G Adventures in order for us to issue a valid visa for the duration of your stay.
If arriving and departing Paro from India, please note that the Indian government has recently made some changes to visa regulation due to misuse of the Tourist visa. We encourage all passengers to contact the Indian consulate or embassy in their home country to get up to date information on entry requirements. This is especially important for those planning on entering India multiple times in a two month period.
Foreigners holding an Indian Tourist visa, who after initial entry into India plan to visit neighbouring Nepal, Bhutan or Sri Lanka and then re-enter into India within 2 months need to get special authorization.
Money Exchange
Bhutan is essentially a cash-based economy, so you will need ngultrum (local currency) for any expenses (drinks, souvenirs, optional activities, etc.). You should not rely on using your ATM card or credit cards in Bhutan. Bring additional cash (USD is best) and exchange that at the airport so you have local currency from the beginning, as it is not always possible to find an ATM or exchange. The local currency is valueless outside of Bhutan so make sure that you change back all excess Bhutanese currency before you leave.
Emergency Fund
Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an ‘emergency’ fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!
Tipping
It is customary in Asia to tip service providers such as waiters, at approximately 10%, depending on the service. Tipping is expected – though not compulsory – and shows an expression of satisfaction with the people who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the local guides or drivers we use. You may do this individually, or your CEO will offer to collect the money and tip as a group. Recommendations for tipping drivers and local guides would range from USD1-2 per person per day depending on the quality and length of the service; ask your CEO for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture. Also at the end of each trip if you felt your G Adventures CEO did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference; however as a guideline USD20-30 per person, per week can be used.
Optional Activities
No optional activities
Health
Please note inoculations may be required for the country visited. It is your responsibility to consult with your travel doctor for up to date medical travel information well before departure.
You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure. We recommend that you carry a First Aid kit and hand sanitizers / antibacterial wipes as well as any personal medical requirements. Please be aware that sometimes we are in remote areas and away from medical facilities, and for legal reasons our leaders are prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache tablets, antibiotics, etc. In Asia pharmacies tend to stock the same western drugs as you get at home but they are usually produced locally so please bring the full drug name with you when trying to purchase a prescription drug. When selecting your trip please carefully read the brochure and itinerary and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel. Please refer to the Physical and Culture Shock ratings for trip specific information. G Adventures reserves the right to exclude any traveller from all or part of a trip without refund if in the reasonable opinion of our CEO they are unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group.
**HIGH ALTITUDE- This is medically defined as anything over 8,000 feet (2,440 meters). Most people can travel to 8,000 feet with minimal effects. However, everyone reacts to altitude differently and altitude sickness can on set with some people irrespective of fitness and age. For details on how to best prepare and what to do in the unlikely event you are effected on your adventure, please consult your physician.
Minimum Age
You must be 18 to travel unaccompanied on a G Adventures tour. For minors travelling with a guardian over 21 years old, the minimum age is 12.
International Flights
Check-in times and baggage allowances/restrictions vary by airline and can change at any time. For the most up-to-date information for your flight, please contact your airline. We recommend checking in online in advance to avoid potential delays at the airport.
Group Leader
Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout, local guides.
PRODUCT_LINE: ADDP, ID: 23627