10 Days Bhutan Walking Adventure Tour Package

Duration: 10 Days / 9 Nights
Priced From: $9,595 pp dbl. occ.
Dates: Nov, Feb,Mar, Nov
Start/Finish: Bangkok / Bangkok

Where else in the world is happiness an official development goal? The last of the Buddhist Himalayan kingdoms, Bhutan’s official policies include working toward sustainable development and Gross National Happiness.

Set against the backdrop of sacred mountains, this isolated kingdom offers an entirely unique travel experience. Granted permission to be some of the mere 14,000 visitors permitted in Bhutan each year, we’ve made the most of it, uncovering paths known only to villagers, gaining access to a secretive monastery, and venturing away from the cities’ luxury hotels to remote lodges that give us access to the snow-capped Himalayas. 

Trip Highlights

• Experience a puja at a traditional Tantric Buddhist temple

• Walk to the Dzongdrakha, a village of eight farmhouses and four temples, and a meditation place of Guru Rimpoche

• Hike the Punakha Valley to the Punakha dzong

• Listen to the tales of the Divine Madmonk before receiving a fertility blessing from a red-robed lama in the Phobjika Valley

• Climb up to Taktshang Lhakhang (Tiger’s Nest), set into a cliff face 800 metres above the Paro Valley

Tour Accommodations

Zhiwa Ling, Paro
Located in a quiet setting below Tiger's Nest, outside of Paro town, this is the first local Bhutanese luxury hotel. Though newly built, it was constructed in the traditional style of architecture; hundreds of carpenters crafted the intricate wood carvings that adorn the beams. 
 
Amankora Punakha, Punakha
Situated north of the grand Punakha Dzong and across a suspension bridge over the Mo Chhu, the Amankora Punakha has eight suites in three rammed-earth buildings, with wood-panelled interiors, traditional wood-burning bukhari stoves, and king-sized beds. The surrounding citrus orchard has views across the nearby rice paddies and up the Punakha Valley.

Amankora Gangtey, Phobjika Valley
Set on a forested hill, the Amankora Gangtey has sweeping views of the Phobjika Valley, fields of dwarf bamboo and the surrounding mountains. The hotel features a comfortable combined living and dining room, with cozy chairs and family-style dining tables, and an intimate yoga and meditation room.

Kichu River Resort, Wangdi
This simple but picturesque and comfortable resort hotel overlooks the Dang Chhu (chhu means river) and offers the perfect atmosphere for relaxing.

Taj Hotel or Hotel Jumolhari, Thimphu
The Taj Hotel (pictured) is under construction and scheduled to open by January 2008. If it is not yet completed we will stay at the Jumolhari, which combines the charm of traditional Bhutanese hospitability with the style and intimacy of a boutique hotel. Visit the mini-library and browse through books on Bhutan and Buddhism.

11/09