Bhutan: Dragon Kingdom

9 days
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Small Group Tour
Bhutan is perhaps the most mysterious and diverse of all the Himalayan kingdoms, where for centuries a traditional Buddhist culture has thrived in isolation from the rest of the world. It is a country that puts its people and environment first – a place where progress is measured in gross national happiness not GDP, and that’s not just carbon neutral, but car...

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Bhutan is perhaps the most mysterious and diverse of all the himalayan kingdoms, where for centuries a traditional buddhist culture has thrived in isolation from the rest of the world.
    • It is a land of contrast – with lush forested valleys, fortified monasteries, sacred mountains, art and architecture unique to the region.
    • The captial thimphu is charming and serene, a delight to explore.
    • The opportunity to explore the rural lifestyle and architecture of bhutan via the beautiful punakha and haa valleys
    • Visiting taktsang (the tiger's nest) – a small monastery clinging to a rocky cliff 900 metres above the valley floor in paro is truly a highlight.
    • Your two-night 'feature stay' in paro was envisioned and created by a local bhutanese company, combining traditional elaborate hand-carved wooden cornices, masterful stonework, and modern amenities.

What's this trip about?

    Bhutan is perhaps the most mysterious and diverse of all the Himalayan kingdoms, where for centuries a traditional Buddhist culture has thrived in isolation from the rest of the world. It is a country that puts its people and environment first – a place where progress is measured in gross national happiness not GDP, and that’s not just carbon neutral, but carbon negative. It’s a place of lush forested valleys, fortified monasteries, sacred mountains, and art and architecture unique to the region. This journey begins in Paro and heads straight to Thimphu, where there are two days to discover the history and heritage of this charming and serene capital. Walk in the countryside and back in time with visits to the beautiful Punakha and Haa Valleys. Here the rural lifestyle and architecture of Bhutan is explored before returning to Paro. Finish with a true highlight – the spectacular Taktsang (the Tiger’s Nest), a small monastery clinging to a rocky cliff 900 metres above the valley floor. A journey through the astonishing beauty of the people, landscape and culture of Bhutan will have your happiness levels off the scale.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityOperator does not provide
End CityOperator does not provide

Travel Themes

  • Cultural

Destinations

  • Asia
  • Bhutan

Attractions

  • Punakha

Activities

  • Culture

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Paro – Thimphu

Welcome to Bhutan, the last Shangri-La. Depending on the clarity of the weather and your flight path into Paro (2,280m), you may be met with an awe-inspiring view of the massive eastern Himalayan peaks on your way in, including Kanchenjunga (the world's third highest ...

Day 2 Thimphu

After breakfast you will venture out to explore Thimphu, first driving to Buddha point (where a 51-metre-high gilded statue watches over the city) to enjoy an excellent panoramic view of the city. On your way back you will take a short hike around the small enclosure ...

Day 3 Punakha

This morning, travel out the castle-monastery of Simtokha Dzong, the first built by Zhabdrung (in AD1629) and said to guard against a demon that escaped into the nearby rock. Next, climb the winding Dochula pass (3100 m) through beautiful tropical forest and sparse vi...

Day 4 Punakha

Begin the day with a short 30-minute drive from the Punkha Dzong to the base of a hill where a ridge-top monastery sits. In this almost sub-tropical valley, begin a hike at a suspension bridge that crosses the Mo Chu river and cross through paddy fields before startin...

Day 5 Haa Valley

Today you will travel to one of the most remote and sacred valleys in Bhutan – the Haa Valley. This area only opened to tourism in 2002 and has one of the strongest auras of stepping into the past, in a country that already feels lost in time. The surroundings mountai...

Day 6 Haa Valley

Enjoy a full day of exploration in this culturally rich valley, which is also known for being the ancestral home of the Royal grandmother. The two most important temples here are the seventh century Lhakhang Karpo (White temple) and Lhakhang Nagpo (Black temple), whic...

Day 7 Paro

Retrace the drive up the spectacular Cheli La Pass and return to Paro (approximately 2 hours). Upon arrival in Paro, visit the impressive Ta Dzong, a 17th century watchtower above the Paro Dzong that now houses the National Museum. It features an excellent collection ...

Day 8 Tiger's Nest Monastery – Paro

After an early breakfast, prepare to hike to the legendary Taktsang (Tiger's Nest), a magnificent monastery, clinging on a rock cliff 900 meters above the valley floor. The legend, dating back to AD747, says that the Great Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhawa) flew here from ...

Day 9 Paro

After breakfast your driver and tour leader will transfer you to the airport for your onward flight. Please note that your departure flight is not included as part of the trip and must be booked separately.

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Dates & Availability

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Last Updated: 9/3/2021

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Peregrine Adventures.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Comfortable Hotel (6 nights),Paro Spa Hotel Feature Stay (2 nights),

Transportation & Flights

Private vehicle,

Transportation & flights

Private vehicle
Guides
All Peregrine Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Peregrine Adventures endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Peregrine Adventures we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you were interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your leader. If you have credit card insurance your group leader will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. Travellers who reside within the European Union or Switzerland receive basic international health insurance, so travel insurance is not mandatory under European Union Law. However, as this does not cover situations such as emergency rescues, private health care, or repatriation to their home country, comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended. European Union or Swiss travellers who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below:
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You will need a valid passport to travel internationally. As a general rule, most countries require that your passport has a minimum of 6 months validity remaining. Your passport details are required to complete your booking. Please ensure the name on your passport matches the name on your booking and airline tickets exactly and contact us immediately if there are any errors. We recommend taking copies of the main passport pages and other important documents with you as well as leave copies at home with family or friends. VISAS Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. Entry requirements can change at any time. It is important that you check your government's foreign travel advisories along with the consular website of the country or countries you are travelling to for the most up to date information specific to your nationality and circumstances. Please be aware that not all visa information found online from other sources may be valid while COVID-19 restrictions are in place. Visas can take several weeks to process, so make sure you research the requirements as soon as you have booked your trip to allow for obtaining any necessary documents as well as the application and processing time. Your booking consultant can advise on a visa processing service or you can apply yourself directly through a consulate. COVID-19 Entry and Exit Requirements Below you will find general visa advice about the destinations on your trip. Due to constantly evolving COVID-19 requirements and restrictions, please refer to your government's foreign travel advice for the most up to date information.You may also refer to our travel alert page for more info https://www.intrepidtravel.com/en/travel-alerts Make sure you are familiar with the current border measures and entry requirements as these are quite complex and changing frequently without notice. Please also ensure you have a travel insurance policy that covers your travels as well as medical or COVID-19 related expenses within the country. RETURN TRAVEL Please ensure you stay up to date with any current testing or quarantine requirements for returning to your home country or transiting through other destinations after the completion of your tour. We are able to help facilitate taking a COVID-19 test while on trip. Please ensure you have funds available to cover the cost of this test which will be payable directly to the testing site. Your Intrepid Tour Leader will provide more details at the group meeting as well as assist with booking appointments for all travellers who need to be tested. BHUTAN All nationalities require a visa for Bhutan. Travellers can only enter Bhutan on a group visa as part of a tour. Independent visas are not issued. The cost of the visa is included in your tour. Please provide your booking agent with the following at time of booking in order for us to apply for your group visa: - a clear uncut scanned colour copy of the two pages of the personal details section of your passport - email address you will access while travelling - arrival and departure flight details Due to the controlled nature of travel in Bhutan the group visa can only be submitted once we have the above details from ALL travellers in the group. Failure to advise any of the information as above can slow the visa issuing process, and delay the visa for the whole group. Generally visas are issued within 5 days of departure and as close as 48 hours prior to travel into the country. We will send your group visa to your travelling email address. Please print this group visa as you must show it at check-in for your flight to Bhutan and on arrival at immigration in Bhutan, where you will have an entry stamp placed in your passport. Please note that the visa is issued by the Royal Government of Bhutan and will contain the nationality and passport number of every member of the group who is travelling on the same departure.
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Tashi Namgay Resort
  • Opposite to Paro International Airport and on the bank of Paa Chu River http://www.tashinamgayresort.com/
  • Paro
  • BHUTAN
  • Phone: +975 8 272 318
Trip ID
peregrine-PHDK

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