Tour type: Small Group
Group size: Min: 2 | Max: 12
Accommodation: 3 to 4-star & boutique hotels
Meals:
Transport: A/C minibus/people-carrier & internal flight
Highlights: Kathmandu's temples & stupas, Paro Dzong & National Museum, Thimphu weekend market, Dochu La Pass, Punakha Dzong, Phobjika Valley, Taktshang monastery, Nepalese & Bhutanese food & culture, beautiful Himalayan scenery, easy hikes
Any visit to Bhutan needs to be combined with at least a little time in either Nepal, India, Thailand or China, and this tour takes in a few days in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal at either side of your time in Bhutan. Bhutan is a unique and fascinating place, and your 8 days in the country allow you to explore several fascinating Dzongs, visit beautiful temples, and enjoy some short walks through spectacular scenery. Throughout the trip you'll learn about Bhutan's cultural and religious heritage and how it permeates everyday life. Travelling in Bhutan is a very different experience to nearby India, Nepal or China, and one never to be forgotten.
The tour starts in Kathmandu with a tour through its busy streets and surroundings seeing stupas, temples and palaces. After a spectacular flight to Bhutan (not included - see Tour Notes), you visit the Paro Dzong (a combination of a monastery, fort and town hall) and national museum and your guide begins his introduction to the country's history and way of life.
From Paro you follow slow winding roads through mixed forests and over the Dochu La Pass to the Punakha Valley. Here you visit the huge and beautifully situated Punakha Dzong and enjoy an easy riverside walk from a hilltop temple through mixed forest and fields of vegetables and chillies. We'll also visit the Phobjika Valley, famous for being the migratory destination of the endangered Black Necked Crane, and Gangtey Dzong.
We then time the tour to visit the capital Thimphu during the huge weekend market. Returning to Paro you climb up to Taktshang monastery (Tiger's Nest), possibly Bhutan's most famous and recognizable site.
When back in Nepal, you visit the ancient centre of Bhaktapur, the important Pasupatinah temple and Boudhnath stupa, and spend a night enjoying beautiful mountain views from the rim of the Kathmandu valley.
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Several of our departures on this tour take place during festivals in Bhutan. These festivals, or Tsechus, are a fantastic time to visit the country, with parades and masked dances taking place in and around the Dzongs. On these dates we may adjust the itinerary slightly to make the most of being there during the festival. We also encourage you to book early on these dates as flights in and out of Bhutan can sell out well in advance at these times.
Small-group departure dates & prices are given below. Departures on festival dates may have slightly adjusted itineraries. The tour is also available privately on any other date for a small supplement. Please contact us for info.
The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often on this tour. From time to time we may exchange these for similar properties at the same level. In general, specific hotels cannot be guaranteed on our group tours, but you may select your preferred options if you are booking a tailor-made trip.
Apsara Boutique Hotel
Kathmandu
Apsara Boutique Hotel is located in Kathmandu, 0.9 miles from Kathmandu Durbar Square. The hotel has a terrace and views of the mountains. Free WiFi is provided throughout the property.
Mandala Resort
Paro
Mandala Resort offers a hot tub and sauna, and is located in Paro. Rooms are fitted with a flat-screen TV with cable channels. There is a private bathroom with a spa bath in each unit.
Green Resort
Punakha
The RKPO Green Resort is located in the heart of the Punakha Valley, between Wanduephodrang and Punakha Dzongs, and with forests to the sides and terraced rice fields leading down to the valley floor. The hotel has 34 deluxe rooms and 4 suites.
Dewachen Hotel
Gangtey
This impressive stone-and-wood building in Tabiting village is the first choice for most travellers. The rooms are large and stylish, and the good restaurant has floor-to-ceiling bay windows that offer great valley views.
Ariya Hotel
Thimphu
coming soon
Hotel Country Villa
Nagarkot
Offering a restaurant that serves Indian and International delights, Hotel Country Villa is Situated 7,200 feet above sea level, spread in 2.51 acre land. Free WiFi access is available in the public areas of the property.
Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time in the destination youre visiting. However, we do also offer some extra options to complement the tour and add some additional sightseeing or activities, or some extra time at either end of the tour.
All accommodation based options (e.g. Single supplements, extra nights, cruise upgrades) should be booked and paid for in advance so that we can make the appropriate arrangements. Other options may either be booked and paid for in advance or while you are on the tour, though we recommend booking in advance to ensure there are no issues with availability.
Many options are priced the same throughout the year, but some may incur single or high season supplements - full details are given on the tour reservation form or on request.
The detailed Tour Notes below have been written to give you some more detailed information about how the tour runs, what to expect, and how to prepare for your holiday. We recommend downloading an up to date copy of these shortly before you travel in case of any changes.
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