Trip Includes
- Accommodation on double occupancy basis.
- All transfers and sightseeing by a private vehicle.
- Ten breakfast, Ten lunches, and ten dinners.
- English speaking local certified Tour Guide.
- Sightseeing admission fees.
- Bhutan visa fee.
- Service of airfare reservation (We will quote you airfare separately once we book the ticket for you).
Trip does not include
- Internal and international airfare. Return internal airfare (Bangkok-Paro-Bangkok) is estimated about $950.
- Drinks, tipping, laundry and other personal expenses.
- Extra expenses or loss due to nature and unforeseen events.
- Travel Insurance.
Trip Difficulty Level, Road, and Transport
We designed this trip aiming for hiking enthusiasts who want to travel to the areas away from the motor vehicle tracks and explore the areas less traveled. While we use motor vehicles for city visits and transfers from one town to other, we generally plan to head off on foot for some of the most beautiful walking and hiking once we’ve arrived. All the walks and hikes can be done at our own pace, interacting with the locals, and capturing the beautiful scenery and unique Bhutanese architecture. Hikes can be two to four hours long, sometimes a bit longer, but no hiking or trekking experience is necessary to join us. Hiking trails are often the traditional path of Bhutanese locals and pilgrims; at times it can be steep.
We do not attain any significant altitude in this trip, so altitude related sickness is not a concern. Keep in mind that roads can be an adventure in themselves – they are not always paved; they are times steep, dusty and bumpy as they skirt steep hills; and they can at times be blocked temporarily due to erosion or landslide. We don’t drive far, but sometimes we drive slowly for four or five hours. Some days can be shorter.
Anyone in general good health can enjoy this trip, although we suggest some advance walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming ahead of the time to keep you fit.
Accommodations
For the most part, we will stay in moderate to best-available accommodations, which are usually small hotels with 10 to 20 rooms of varying designs, rarely with gift shops. Outside Thimphu and Paro, “best available" might be very basic, sometimes without hot water (or any water, for that matter). These adjustments are, we think, part of learning about a new country. During the festival period, high demand for accommodations sometimes means we have to use alternative hotels; your cooperation and understanding in this matter is very much appreciated.
Paro and Thimphu have a couple of international chain resorts with remarkably high prices. Our trips do not feature them, but we can book them for additional charges.
Meals
Bhutan trips feature three meals each day, mostly at our hotel, usually served in a buffet that includes rice, vegetables, and noodles. Our guide can arrange some dinners at local restaurants, but remember that traditional Bhutanese food always features chilies, and the most popular dish, ema datshi, is made with large, hot, green chilies in a cheese sauce.
Guides
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 delivering the best services.
International and internal airfares:
The tour starts and finishes in Paro, Bhutan. There are no direct flight connections from USA or Europe to Bhutan. You need to first fly to Bangkok or Delhi or Kolkata or Kathmandu, spend a night there and next day fly you can fly to Bhutan as the flight is usually in the morning. Bangkok is the most popular gateway for travel to Bhutan as there are daily two flights from Bangkok and the US citizens and most European passport holders don't need a visa for Thailand.
From Kathmandu and Delhi also there are four or five flights a week depending on the season. You need to book your international airfare to Bangkok (or Delhi or Kathmandu) on your own and we will take care of the flight onwards. Please, do not buy your international airfare until Bhutan flight schedule is available.
Passport and Visa
Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the last day of your trip, and there must be two blank visa pages on your passport for the visa sticker, entry and exit seals. We will apply a Bhutan visa for you and will email you an electronic version about three weeks before your trip date. You will need to print it out and bring along. Your passport gets actual visa seal upon arrival at the Paro airport. If you are traveling via Indian cities, you need to obtain an Indian visa before you leave home. If you are flying via Kathmandu, Nepal, you can obtain Nepal visa upon arrival.
Note on Itinerary
Although we will do our very best to adhere to the itinerary schedule as listed; it is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control.
Booking/Deposit and Payment Schedule
A deposit of US$ 300 is requested along with completed trip registration form to hold your place on the trip. We also need a color scan of the passport. You can charge the deposit on any major credit cards. When it's time to purchase the Bhutan flight tickets, we will request you the second payment for the flights. Final and balance payment is due 90 days prior departure.
Final payment by credit card also attracts an additional 3.5% fee. You will save this fee by paying personal check or cashier's check. We reserve the right to refuse some form of payment.
Cancellation and refund
We need to receive a notice of cancellation in written-by email or fax. The cancellation fee structure is as below.
- 90 days prior departure: US$ 150 (Administrative Fee).
- 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%.
Travel Protection Plan
While we leave no efforts to make your tour smooth and enjoyable, there may be unforeseen events and conditions such as illness, accident, inclement weather, flight cancellation, missed connection, or loss of baggage etc. which may cause interruption, delay or total disruption of your trip putting your hard earned travel investment in jeopardy. It’s also possible that you may need medical assistance, emergency evacuation or medical transportation when you get ill or involve in an accident when you are traveling in remote areas. Far & High’s Tour cost does not cover any of these expenses or losses, and so we strongly recommend you that you should protect yourself and your travel investment against those unfavorable conditions.