Trip Includes
- Accommodation on a double occupancy basis
- All transfers and sightseeing by a private vehicle.
- Three meals a day.
- English speaking local tour guide.
- Sightseeing admission fee.
- Bhutan visa fee.
- Service of airfare reservation.
Trip Does Not Include
- Airfare to and out of Bhutan.
- Drinks, tipping, laundry, phone, internet, and other personal expenses
- Extra expenses due to nature and unforeseen events.
- Travel Insurance.
Trip Difficulty Level, Road and Transport
This motor vehicle-based trip will accommodate all travelers in general good health. The trip’s highest altitude is at Dhochu La Pass (10,000 feet or 3,048 meters); our stop there is brief, and our overnight stays are all in lower, far more comfortable elevations. The trip requires some easy walking and hikes, all of which are optional. Bhutan roads – cut into steep hillsides and mountains, alone winding rivers, and sometimes unpaved – can be a challenge. We use Japanese cars, micro buses, and minibusses, depending on group size. SUVs are available for an additional charge.
Accommodations
Thimphu and Paro are the major cities of Bhutan and offers some choices of accommodation. The standard tour includes 3-star hotels by local standard. They are usually small properties with 20 or 25 rooms. They are boutique style properties with traditional decor, features en suite bathroom, running hot and cold water and are adequately comfortable. If you wish, you can upgrade to four star or five star properties. There are some high end properties such as Aman, Como, Six Senses, as well.
Meals
Your trip features 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners. Most meals are arranged in tourist class restaurants or at your hotels. Meals are usually set menu, served in buffet style. Most in-house restaurants don't serve a la carte, unless you have a special dietary requirement.There are not whole lot of choices but meals are hearty and plentiful.Meals include rice, bread, curried vegetables, noodles or spaghetti and chicken or pork dishes. As Bhutan is a Buddhist country, they don't slaughter animals in Bhutan and the meats are imported and so you may find meat chewy or tough. Beware: Local style meat dishes are cooked with bones and traditional dishes always features hot pepper, and the most popular dish, ema datshi, is made with large, green hot chilies in a cheese sauce.
Tour Guide
Your trip will be led by a local English speaking certified guide whom you meet at Paro airport and will accompany you throughout the trip. Our guides are college-educated Bhutanese, proficient in English, and trained and licensed by local tourism authorities. Just as important, they are friendly and committed to deliver the best services. Guide and driver are not the same person.
International and internal airfares:
Currently, there are two airlines- Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines and flight to Bhutan come from Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata, Kathmandu, Singapore, and Mumbai. Both Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines are partners to none of the other major international carriers, and so you are not able to buy a through ticket from Europe and the Americas. So, you need to buy a ticket to a gateway city such as Delhi or Kathmandu or Bangkok and separate ticket for onward journey. You can book a flight on Druk Air or Bhutan Airlines site, or we can help you book the reservation and bill you separately.
Passport and Visa
Remaining validity of your passport must be minimum 6 months beyond your return date. Make sure, you are not running out of blank visa pages. Bhutan visa needs one blank visa page (Not the endorsement page) and some blank spaces for entry and departure seals.
We will apply for your Bhutan visa in advance and will email you a copy of this about a few weeks before your arrival in Bhutan. You need to produce the document when you check in flight for Paro. You will get actual visa seal on your passport at Paro airport on arrival.
If your travel starts in India, you must obtain an Indian visa beforehand.
Best time for this trip:
This trip can be undertaken throughout the year but definitely October and November are the best months when temperatures are mild, skies are clear and we have clear visibility. The second best season is from March through early May.
Booking Deposit and Payment Schedule
Tour Deposit: US$ 300 per person
The second payment will be for the in-tour airfare if you ask to book one for you.
Balance payment
The balance and final payment is due 90 days prior departure. Balance payment by credit card attracts an additional 3.5% fee.
Cancellation and refund
- One hundred eighty days prior departure: No penalty unless stated as non-refundable.
- Ninety days prior departure: Administrative fee US$ 150 per person.
- 60-89 day's before departure: US$ 300 or 25% of the land cost whichever is higher.
- Forty-five days to 59 days before departure: US$ 450 or 50% of the land cost whichever is higher.
- Thirty days to 44 days before departure: US$ 600 or 75% of the land cost whichever is higher.
- Less than 30 days: 100%.
Cancellation and refund of air tickets cost will be as per the airline's policy plus the consolidator's fee US$ 25 per ticket. Cancellation terms and conditions of certain services may vary which will be informed per case to case basis.
No refund or adjustment to other services will be made for any unused land or air services for any reason whatsoever, once the tour begins. We highly recommend that all travelers purchase trip cancellation insurance.