Trip Includes
- Six nights first class (3-star) hotel accommodation, based on double occupancy.
- Meals: Full board (3 meals a day).
- All transfers and sightseeing as on itinerary.
- English-speaking local guides.
- Bhutan visa fee and government royalty.
- Sightseeing admission fees.
- Service of in-tour airfare booking.
Trip Does Not Include
- Drinks, tips and other personal expenses such as phone, laundry, etc.
- Extra expenses or loss due to nature and unforeseen events beyond the control of our management.
- Travel Insurance.
- International airfares and airport taxes.
- Hotels in the gateway cities before and after the trip.
Note on Itinerary
We do our best to adhere to the itinerary but it should be taken as a general guideline in terms of what you expect to do or see during the tour and may differ in the ground from exact sequence or order of the sights to the overnight places depending on the local conditions. As we continuously work to improve the tour, the final tour itinerary may be different which we will send to you about two months before the trip date.
Trip Activity Level.
This trip is motor vehicle-based cultural sightseeing with some short hikes and village visits; it is suitable for all travelers in general good health. Hiking to Takstang Monastery in Paro can be strenuous, but you can rent ponies that can take you about two-thirds of the trail up but not further and not on the return trip down. Some sights require climbing of stairs.
The longest drive in this trip will be five hours, from Punakha to Paro and other days, we have a shorter ride. We will undoubtedly have occasional stops for photography and refreshments. Roads in the Himalaya are narrow, and some portions may be rough and damaged. The trip doesn't need you to be athletic; nonetheless, you are expected to participate in sightseeing and hiking, and so it's advisable that you keep yourself fit. If you are not leading an active life, please, start some exercises like jogging, swimming, cycling or practice some aerobics in the months before the trip. It’s your responsibility to determine your fitness for this trip. If you have any health conditions, please consult your physician before you sign up for this trip.
Accommodations and facilities
The hotels are comfortable 3-star properties by local standard. Most hotels are locally managed small properties with traditional decor and friendly services and ensure adequate comfort. You will have en suite bathroom with 24-hour running hot and cold water. There may be the disparity in the rooms and travelers of the same group may end up in different types.
Tour Guides
Our Tour Guides are local people with college degrees, government certifications, and experience with and knowledge of the destinations and their history, culture, and religion. Our guides are, just as importantly, easy-going, detailed oriented, patient, and committed to a high level of customer service. They will uncover the wonders of the destinations that you would never find on your own, and make sure your tour is without a hitch. Your guide will also deal with the bureaucracy and passport or permit control, carry all necessary documents and vouchers, and stay alert to road and weather conditions. Note: Guides will change in each country, due to local licensing requirements.
Vehicle
We use clean, reliable, comfortable cars for all transfers and tours, often the Toyota Hiace microbus (capacity 8-9 persons) and Toyota Coaster Bus (capacity up to 20 persons); depending on group size, we might also use Japanese-made sedans, SUVs or minivans. We provide separate drivers and guides. Our drivers might speak little or no English, but they know the roads and are, in a pinch, mechanically skillful.
Altitude sickness and Health Concerns
The chances of altitude sickness in this trip are very slim. There are two occasions when you are at high elevations; Dhochula Pass(10,171 ft.) and Taktshang Monastery (10,240 ft.) but you should acclimate before that, and we do not spend a long time there. All the towns where we overnight are 8,000 ft and below where there is no risk altitude.
There are no mandatory vaccinations required for traveling to Bhutan. However, you may consider vaccination against rabies and Hep A. We recommend that travelers with cardiac-pulmonary issues or any other medical conditions consult their physician before departure.
You’ll be glad if you start some physical exercises in the months before leaving; jogging, swimming, cycling, hiking, and aerobics are all helpful. Fitness makes for a better journey and helps you accommodate the altitudes.
International and Internal Flights
The trip starts and completes in Paro, Bhutan. Flights to Paro arrives from Bangkok, Kathmandu (Nepal) or Kolkata and New Delhi, India. Most travelers prefer to fly from Bangkok as there are more flights than from elsewhere. We will book the airfare from Bangkok to Paro and return for you and bill you separately. We are also able to help you with international airfare booking and stop over hotels or sightseeing in the gateway cities.
Visa and Permits
Your passport must be valid for at least for six more months when you return from the trip. Bhutan visa is a part of the tour package, and we obtain it for you. We will email a copy of the document to you about three or four weeks before your trip date. You will get an actual visa seal on your passport upon arrival at Paro Airport immigration. Make sure you have two blank visa pages for each country you stop in during this trip.
Booking and payment schedule
When you are sure you are traveling, please don't delay in booking so that we can confirm you in preferred hotels and flights. We request an initial deposit of US$300 with completed booking form and passport scan. We advise you of the second payment which will be for the internal air tickets. Balance payment is due 90 days before your departure. Reservation booked within 90 days prior departure requires making full payment at the time of booking. We request balance payment by personal check or wire transfer, and if it's to be made by credit card, it costs an additional 3.5% to cover the merchant's fee. We reserve the right to refuse some form of payment.
Cancellation and refund
We must receive a cancellation request in written form (by email or fax). The cancellation fee structure will be as following:
- Ninety days prior departure: Administrative fee US$ 150 per person.
- 60-89 day's before departure: US$ 250 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%
- Visa fee is non-refundable.
Cancellation and refund of air tickets will be as per airline policy, and the consolidator levies $25 in fee. For details, please view booking and cancellation terms and conditions