The silence of Hidden kingdom...............
BUTAN
The silence of
Hidden kingdom...............
The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan is
fast emerging from centuries of self imposed isolation. First opened to tourists in 1974
in very regulated manner upon the coronation of present Bhutanese King, this mountain
kingdom is still perhaps the world’s most exclusive tourists destination. Due to the
Royal Government’s far-sighted policy to preserve the countries pristine environment
and its culture, the harmful effects to industrialization and mass tourism on the
environment and the traditional lifestyle of Bhutanese have been carefully avoided. This
makes Bhutan a truly unique destination. An unspoiled country with majestic mountains, a
unique cultural heritage preserved for many centuries, an architectural style like no
other, a landfill
of warm hearted and friendly people, reveals a true paradise in the lost era of the
present century.
The tours and treks we offer to familiarize the Himalayan Kingdom Bhutan:
| Culture
tours # West Bhutan # Bumtang Central Bhutan # West - East |
04 days
US$ 600.00 08 days US$ 1400.00 11 days US$ 2000.00 14 days US$ 2600.00 |
| Walking
Tours # No: 01 # No: 02 |
8 days US$ 1400.00 15 days US$ 2800.00 |
| Easy
Treks # Dagala Thousand Lake Botanical Trek # Black Mountain Trek |
15 days US$ 2800.00 15 days US$ 2800.00 |
| Alpine
Treks # Chomolhari Trek # Laya - Lingshi Trek (snow Man) # Bicycle Tour from west to east of Bhutan |
13 days US$ 2400.00 29 days US$ 5600.00 17 days US$ 3200.00 |
Western Bhutan
Day 01 Fly to Paro from Kathmandu. Transfer to hotel. O/N (Over
night ) at Druk Hotel.
Day 02 Morning drive to the old ruins of Drukyel Dzong and a visit
to the Ta-Dzong, National Museum. After lunch a 2 hour
drive to Thimphu. On the way visit the Simtokha Dzong built
in 1627 by Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel. O/N at Druk Hotel.
Day 03 Sightseeing tour of the memorial chorten, Indigenous
Hospital, Dupthop Nunnery. Lunch at Plums Cafe. After lunch
visit the Handicraft Emporium and then Tashichodzong. A fare
well party will be hosted
Day 04 Early morning drive to Paro for departure. Be-Yul’s
representative will bid you fare well at Paro airport.
Arrive Kathmandu and Transfer to Hotel.
Day 01 Fly to Paro from Kathmandu. Transfer to Druk Hotel for O/N.
Day 02 Morning drive to Drukgyel Dzong 18kms, away from the hotel. On the way back visit a typical
Bhutanese Farm House also a short visit to the temple built in the 7th century. After lunch visit the
Ta-Dzong that houses the National Museum of Bhutan followed by a short walk to Paro Rimpung
Dzong. Evening at leisure. O/N at Druk Hotel.
Day 03 In the morning drive to Satsam Chorten., From there two hour trek to Taksang cafeteria. Hot lunch
will be served at the Cafeteria followed by a short walk back to Satsam Chorten and 2 hour drive to
Thimphu. O/N at Druk Hotel.
Day 04 Sightseeing at Memorial Chorten, National Library, Nuns Monastery, Changlimithang Monastery,
Indegenous Hospital. Lunch at Druk Hotel. After lunch at leisure. At 5 P.M. you will visit the
Tashichdzong (Thimphu Dzong). O/N at Druk
Hotel.
Day 05 A 3 hour drive to Punkha across the Dochula Pass. Lunch at Hotel Zantopelri. After lunch visit the
Punkha Dzong. O/N at Zantopelri.
Day 06 In the morning drive 3 hour to Gantay Gompa. Pack lunch will be served. After lunch drive back to
Thimphu. O/N at Druk Hotel.
Day 07 In the morning you will witness the Folk and Mask Dance performed by the Royal Dance Academy.
Lunch at Druk Hotel. After lunch at leisure. O/N at Druk Hotel. Day 08 Early morning dive to Paro to
fly to Kathmandu. Arrive Kathmandu and transfer to Hotel.
In addition to paces of interest in Paro, Thimphu and Punkha, another fascinating destination is the sacred valley of Bumtang. The picturesque drive to Bumtang takes you through regions profuse in flora and fauna, several magnificent mountain passes and places of great historic sights and ancient palaces of the ruling importance. The Tongsa Dzong is a prime example, it is by far the largest Dzong in the country and was in olden times the seats of the dominate power in feudal Bhutan. A three hour drive from Tongsa takes you up to a height of 12500 feet - The Yotola Pass and then down to 9500 feet to the valley of Bumtang. Considered the most secred valley, Bumtang as a rich areity of religious-Historical sites and ancient palaces of ruling family of the valley. The cultural trip to Bumtang also includes a 3 day walking tour to the sanctified spot where Guru Padhmasambhawa meditated. He was the great saint who converted the Bhutanese frompagan worshipers to peace loving Buddhist.
This tour takes you right across the country along the lateral highway and gives you glimpses of ethnic groups of Drukpas different in their dialects and customs. It offers you maximum coverage of the country.
Guided by day-walk includes 5/6 hours walk a day with packed lunch and return to hotel for overnight. It gives an opportunity to visit and view local villages and have direct contact with local people also ample time to take photographs. Hot lunch and tea in local form houses will be arranged. Occasionally it will be possible to participate in local sports, folk dances etc.
Dagala mountain range divides two prominent valleys of Thimphu and wangdi. The altitude of the plateau is around 4000 meters. It has many lakes of different sizes and in most lakes' one can find trout fish. Alpine flowers, rhododendrons, different species of pheasants, musk deer are found in abidance. The plateau is also a grazing ground for yaks in summer. Best times for trekking in these parts are May/June and Sept/Oct.
Black mountain range nearly divides the country in two, running from north at the Tibetan border to the south, rich in wild life at the sanctuary of Manas. The portain near Pelela pass on highway to the east is very picturesque with specious high valley of Rukubji, Phobjikha, Gogana and Khotakha. The big monastery of Pema Lingpa lineage at Gantay Gompa and small beautiful active Gompas at Gogona are worth visiting. The route follows rich rhododendron forest and typical villages.
There is very little tourist traffic on the pristine trekking routes in Bhutan. This is primarily a positive off shot of the Bhutanese Government’s policulimiting tourist to four thousand a year. Naturally one has the pleasant sensation of breaking fresh ground on treks in Bhutan.
The Chomolhari trek follows the
crystal clear trout rich upstream trail of Paro Chulalong the verdant Rhododendron
canopied forest and salubrious green alpine meadows. Mt. Chomolhari, having one of the
most beautiful peaks in East Himalayas, stands at a magnificent 7300 meters with age old
frontier forts and
sprawling yak pastures in its foreground a truly rewarding sight for determined trekker.
In the course if the
trek, one will have sojourned through several places rich in history in Paro, Thimphu and
Punkha valley.
Diverse flora and fauna. The bluesheep and the takin can be spotted on this trek. This area is one of the most unique in the country. The snowman’s trek is very difficult compare with other trek.
Bicycle Tour - across Bhutan
Bhutan’s mountainous terrain’s offer a fascinating adventure for bicycling
enthusiast. The route along Bhutan’s West-East Highways(appx 600kms) is an exciting
route with challenges
of surmounting a new pass over 3000 meters every day. The highways winding up an shown
mountains with
drops of thousand of feet keep one too high an adrenaline to feel the sightest pinch of
monotony.
As one progress along the route, there is a discernible change in the flora and temprture when one gradually descends, from the aping height, into the temperate regions of the east. All along the route the interruptionby picturesque, and almost medieval, villages and towns rich in cultural spots make a welcome diversion.
FESTIVAL DATES FOR THE YEAR 1999
PUNAKHA DROMCHOE
20/02/99 - 24/02/99 ( Sedra) 24/02/99
CHORTEN KORA (Tashi Yangtse)
16/03/99 - 17/03/99
GOMKORA TSHECHU (Tashi Yangtse)
25/03/99 -
26/03/99
PARO TSHECHU
27/03/99 31/03/99 Thongdrol ( Thanka display ) 31/03/99
CHUKHA TSHECHU
25/03/99 – 26/03/99 URA YAK CHOEY (Bumthang) 25/04/99 - 01/05/99
KURJEY TSHECHU (Bumthang)
23/06/99
NEMALUNG TSHECHU (Bumthang)
21/06/99 - 23/06/99
WANGDUE TSHECHU
17/09/99 – 20/09/99
THIMPHU DROMCHOE
16/09/99 - 17/09/99
THIMPHU TSHECHU
20/09/99–
22/09/99
TAMSHING PHALA CHOEDPA (Bumthang) 19/09/99 - 21/09/99
THANGBI MANI (Bumthang)
24/09/99 - 26/09/99
JAMBAY LHAKANG DRUP (Bumthang)
24/10/99 - 28/10/99
PRAKHAR TSHECHU (Bumthang)
25/10/99 - 28/10/99
MONGAR TSHECHU
15/11/99 – 18/11/99
TASHIGANG TSHECHU
11/99 - 19/11/99
TRONGSA TSHECHU
17/11/99 - 20/11/99
LHUNTSHI TSHECHU
17/12/99 - 19/12/99
Climate: ( general )Days are normally warm. Nights can at times be very cool, and winter even below freezing. Monsoon showers occur in summer (Heaviest in July and August), and sometimes even in spring and autumn. The most visited months are March, April, May, September October and November. During these months you may expect mostly warm sunny days and cool/cold nights. Whereas rain or snow is not usual at these times, it is a possibility.
What to Bring: Personal clothing: Strong, normal clothing
(According to the season), preferably cotton for
summer and woolen clothing for evening and winter. For Trekking strong comfortable
trekking boots, warm
socks, sunglasses, headgear, raincoat, and warm clothing, including a down Jacket for
higher altitude treks
and for the evenings. A sleeping bag is a most; medium too heavy is advised. (Note:
for trekking, a load of
25 kg is allowed)
Insurance:The purchase of Medical, baggage and trip
cancellation insurance is strongly recommended in your home country before the
commencement of your journey. Besides reimbursement of non-refundable air tickets,
it should also cover the cost of rescue operations by helicopter in the event of an
evacuation.
A sense of Adventure:
* Prices are established by the Royal Government of Bhutan.
* The Royal Government’s policy is to preserve its culture and traditional values. One of the main methods of
Achieving this is your cooperation. You are required not to buy antiques.
* Royal Government of Bhutan allows no more than 4000 tourists world wide to enter Bhutan.
* Bhutanese people are friendly and welcoming to visitors. They
generally enjoy you taking their photo.
* Dzongkha is official language of Bhutan, but English is widely spoken.
Price include:
* Airport transfers,
* All meals & accommodation. (single rooms are provided subject to availability, without surcharge)
* Surface transport with in Bhutan and between Phuntsholing/Bagdora and sandrup Jonkhar/Guhati for groups
by land between Bhutan & India
* Guides and guiding service.
* Sightseeing including entry to museum.
* Royalties and other taxes. Other than visa US$ 20 and departure tax US$ 10.
* Porterage, riding/pack ponies and yaks wherever required.
Not included are:
* Visa fee and airport tax
* Personal items and alcoholic drinks etc.
* Insurance.
Flights: Ktm-Paro: Mon, Thu US$ 175
Paro-Bkk: Tue, Thu, Sat US$ 329
Surcharge:- Group of 01 pax US$ 40.00 perday/person
- Group of 02 pax US$ 30.00 perday / person
- Group of 03 pax US$ 20.00 perday / person
- No surcharge for group of 04 pax & more.
- Diplomats for those countries have diplomatic relation with Bhutan & Student discount 25% on
tour cost.
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ROTOCOL DIVISION THIMPHU
VISA APPLICATION FORM
(Please fill in block capital letters)
( Note : If any particulars
furnished below are found to be incorrect or if any information is found to have
been withheld, the visa, if granted, is liable to be canceled at any time )
1. Full name : Mr./Ms ----------------------------------------------
2. Permanent address:-----------------------------------------------
3. Place of birth:--------------------- Date of birth---------------
4. Nationality-------------------------
5. Nature of Passport:Diplomatic/official/Ordinary/UN Laissez-Passer
6. Passport number-----------------Date of issue:---------------
Place of issue:-----------------Date of expiry :------------------
7. Occupation/ Profession--------------------------------------------
8. Period for which visa is required: From-----------To--------------
9. Point of entry / exit into Bhutan : Entry Point-------------------
Exit Point--------------------
10 Purpose for visiting Bhutan:--------------------------------------
11 Is this your first visit to Bhutan? Yes/No.If not give details of earlier
Visit-----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Place----------------------------------------------------------
Date------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------(Please delete whichever : is not applicable )
Signature of applicant
For official use only :
Type of visa----------------------------------------
Visa number---------------------------------------
Date of issue--------------------------------------- (Attach passport
Visa clearance number---------------------------- size Photograph )
For details please contact |
