Highlights of the Trans Bhutan Trail
Overview
Highlights
- Hike the ancient trans bhutan trail with local trekking guides
- Interact with artists at choki art school
- Hike along the divine mad man trail
- Enjoy amazing farm lunches and cooking sessions with locals
- Immerse into local life at a homestay in bumthang
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Trip includes
- Your Welcome Moment: Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting
- ThimphuYour Local Living Moment: Bhutanese Homestay
- Arrival transfer
- Visit Choki Art School
- Sustainable Development Fees
- Pangri Zampa Monastery visit
- Thimphu Dzong visit
- Visits to Buddha Point and Memorial Chorten
- Hike the Divine Madman Trail
- Toebchandhana Lhakhang (temple) visit
- Punakha Dzong visit
- Bhutanese Cooking Demonstration
- Pelela Pass Segment of the Trans Bhutan Trail
- Rukubji’s village Lhakhang (temple) visit
- Chorten (stupa) visit
- Trans Bhutan Trail Trongsa Portion
- Trongsa Dzong (fortress) visit
- Jakar Dzong (fortress) visit
- Pema Choeling Nunnery and Mebartsho Lake visit
- Bhutanese Farmhouse Lunch
- Bumthang Brewery visit
- Ta Dzong National Museum visit
- Paro Rinpung Dzong and Ta Dzong visits
- Departure transfer
- All transportation between included activities
Itinerary
Upon arrival enjoy a private transfer from Paro International Airport to Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital city. The rest of the day is yours before a brief welcome meeting in the evening with the rest of the group in the hotel. Afterwards head out to enjoy dinner together at...
Spend the day seeing the best of Thimphu’s many highlights. In the morning transfer to the scenic Kabesa valley, just north of Thimphu, to visit the Choki Traditional Art School, an institution offering free education to underprivileged youth who have an interest in l...
Begin the drive early with packed breakfast to Pelela, where the group will rejoin the Trans Bhutan Trail. Descend through meadows below Pelela and stop at a traditional farmhouse in the village of Rukubji to enjoy a hot lunch before visiting the temple known as Kuenz...
Wake with the sun and eat breakfast at camp before transferring towards the town of Trongsa to rejoin the Trans Bhutan Trail at the viewpoint high above the town. Recreate the experience of past royals as you descend as a group into the steep valley below. See spectac...
Devour a quick breakfast this morning before heading out for a tour of Trongsa Dzong (fortress), first built as a small meditation room in 1541. Visit a selection of the Dzong’s 23 lhakhangs (temples), before heading to the Trongsa Ta Dzong (watchtower), which now houses the fascinating Royal Heritage Museum. The remainder of the day will be at leisure to explore Trongsa at your own pace.
Bid farewell to Trongsa after breakfast at your hotel and transfer towards the city of Bumthang. Once you arrive, visit the majestic Jakar Dzong (fortress), also known as the ‘Castle of the White Bird’. Observe unique features like its fifty-meter utse (tower) and a s...
Have some breakfast before beginning your next trek on the Trans Bhutan trail. Along the way stop at the Pema Choeling Nunnery to learn about this institution and how it was created to increase opportunities for Bhutanese girls,coming from rural or vulnerable backgrou...
After an early breakfast travel to Punakha. After lunch set out on an afternoon trek down into the adjacent valley on a section of the Trail known as the ‘Divine Madman Trail’. Hike from 1-2 hrs to the Diving Mad Man temple of Chimi Lakhang. After taking a look around...
Enjoy some breakfast before heading out for a day of exploring around the charming town of Punakha. Visit the Bazam (bridge) just across the river from Punakha Dzong (fortress). In order to cross the bridge on foot you must be wearing formal Bhutanese dress, including...
Drive to Paro. Enroute stop at Dochu La pass and visit the 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens. Upon arriving in Paro, enjoy a sightseeing tour. Visit Paro’s Ta Dzong or ‘watchtower’ which is now Bhutan’s National Museum, later in the afternoon. Continue to the stunning Paro Ri...
Tuck in to breakfast at your hotel before heading northwest out of Paro for a visit to the iconic Taktshang Goemba, more commonly known as the ‘Tiger’s Nest Monastery’. Precariously perched on a sheer cliff face 900 metres (2,950 feet) above the Paro Valley floor, the...
Enjoy one last breakfast before being transferred from your hotel to the airport for your flight home.
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Dates & Availability
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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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Transportation & flights
Important Notes
1. CAMERAS Please note there may be times during your visit to Bhutan when the use of video and/or still cameras may be inappropriate. Local people may consider that filming is too intrusive and in these circumstances we will request that you do not film. At all times be aware and sensitive to the impact of photography and seek permission before taking photographs of people and respect their wishes if they refuse. 2. HIKING AND WALKING Please note that there is a lot of walking and light hiking on this trip and some of it at higher altitudes. Please ensure you are in decent physical condition and able to walk for extended periods of time. 3. EARPLUGS Bhutan, being a Buddhist country believes in ahimsa so the barking of dogs (and there are a lot of them) at night can be annoying. It's advisable to bring earplugs. If you are able to travel with a lot of patience and a good sense of humour, then we know that you - like all of us - will be captivated by what Bhutan has to offer. 4. CLOTHING The prime requirement for clothes you bring on Bhutan trip is that they are comfortable and appropriate to the weather conditions that you are likely to meet. For protection against cold, particularly at night, a number of relatively thin layers is better than a few thick ones. Thermal underclothes, being small and light, can be very useful. Bhutan is very conservative and you should dress accordingly. As a general guideline, shoulders and knees should be covered at all times. The wearing of shorts is not allowed as it will restrict your entry into buildings of a religious nature and family homes. A water and windproof jacket, a hat and sunscreen are essential. 5. FLIGHT Your arrival and departure flights into/out of Paro, Bhutan, must be booked by you online. Please visit the following airline websites to do so: Druk Air http://www.drukair.com.bt/ Bhutan Airlines http://www.bhutanairlines.bt/ Flights can be booked from: Bangkok, Kathmandu, Delhi or Kolkata (please check Visa requirements if flying via India). Once your flights are booked, contact your G Adventures agent, who will be happy to assist in booking your International connections. 6. EXTRA NIGHTS If you are planning to extend your stay in Bhutan, pre or post-tour accommodation MUST be booked through G Adventures in order for us to issue a valid visa for the duration of your stay. These extra nights will include a guide and meals in addition to the accommodation. 7. LUGGAGE Please note that if you have extra luggage or bags you do not wish to bring along for the entire trip you will be able to leave them at the joining hotel and retrieve them at the finishing hotel when the trip ends. 8. ACCOMMODATION NOTE: Please be aware that properties we stay in with only two stories may not have elevators installed and climbing the stairs with your luggage will be necessary.
Meals
Most meals in Bhutan are included in the cost of the trip - some are in the accommodation where it is the best quality/availability option. Most meals are served buffet-style with a selection of traditional Bhutanese food, some western-style (often pasta) as well as some Chinese. Fresh local vegetables are in abundance and while Bhutan is almost mostly vegetarian, there usually is one meat dish available (on some occasions, there can be shortages, as all meat is imported from India).
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
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