Bhutan is a small mountain kingdom nestled in the Himalayan Mountains between India and China. Each November we organize a few small groups tours to explore its monasteries (lhakhang), fortresses (dzongs) and rivers (chhu).
Are we in Bhutan for 12 days?
Our trip itinerary is 12 days and we are in Bhutan for 9 days. The itinerary includes two days of travel at beginning and one day at the end. You will be responsible for booking your flight to and from Bangkok, but we will arrange the flight to and from Bhutan.
The flights from Bangkok, Thailand to Paro, Bhutan are in the morning of the 3rd day and we typically land in Bhutan mid-morning. On the 11th day we fly from Paro, Bhutan back to Bangkok, Thailand. The return flight times vary each year and typically arrive in Bangkok around 5 PM. We suggest you plan your flight home (or to your next destination) for the following day in case flights out of Paro are delayed.
Where do we meet?
We have an optional pre-trip meeting in Bangkok the night before we fly to Paro. If you can’t make that meeting then we’ll meet you when you arrive at the Paro, Bhutan airport.
Can we fly from another country/city?
Yes, there are are regular flights from Dehli, Kathmandu, Singapore, and a few other locations. Give us a call if you would like to fly from somewhere other than Bangkok, Thailand.
How many days do we raft?
We do 4 half day rafting trips spread throughout the 9 days we’re in Bhutan.
How difficult is the rafting?
We raft two low volume rivers with technical Class III+ rapids (Paro Chhu and Thimphu Chhu) and two high volume rivers with Class II and III rapids (Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu).
How difficult are the hikes?
The hikes are all on established trails and vary in length. We hike through rice fields, on gravel roads/paths, and cobble stone walkways. Most of the hikes have a bit of elevation gain but we just take our time to get where we are going. Many people ask about the hike to Tiger’s Nest.
It is a steep hike on a pretty nice trail/dirt path. We start early in the morning, take our time to get up there, and enjoy it as a group. That is the only thing we schedule for the day so we can take our time for the hike up and down.
Are we camping or staying in hotels?
There is no camping on this trip. We will be traveling between three valleys: Paro, Thimphu, and Punakha and staying in hotels each night.
Do the hotels have WiFi?
Yes. There is Wifi at each hotel but sometimes it may not work or may be slow.
What is the food like?
The food is served buffet style and varies from day to day. At breakfast you will typically find eggs, toast, sausage, veggies, yogurt, cereal, porridge, coffee, and tea. Lunch and dinner tend to be a mix of “internationals cuisine” with rice, meat, veggie curries, and noodles. The national dish is a spicy cheese sauce over rice with chilis called Ema Datshi. You will see it out at most meals and it is fun to give a try if you like spicy food.
