All foreign national tourists visiting Bhutan must travel through all-inclusive package tours, for which there is a fixed tariff set by the Royal Govt. This tariff includes the services of accommodation & meals, transport & Guide, sightseeing and entrance fees.

All tours must be booked through local Tour Operator such as Wind Horse and entire land arrangements made by the same agent.

For clients travelling in peak seasons and festival time, it is necessary to book 8 weeks in advance. Festivals held in autumn and spring are peak time for tourists and without early reservation it can be difficult to confirm flights and hotels.

Bhutan unit of currency is the Ngultrum. 1Nu = 100 Chetrum. The Ngultrum is pegged to the value of Indian Rupee. Approx. 1 $ =Nu. 43

AIR: The best way to enter Bhutan is by Druk Air, the national air carrier. Following stations are connected with Druk Air flight:

INDIA : Delhi, & Calcutta

NEPAL : Kathmandu

THAILAND : Bangkok

BANGLADESH : Dhaka

Druk Air is the only Airline operating in Bhutan. For more information about Airline, please refer page on Druk Air Schedule or visit web: www.drukair.com OR you can E-mail us at info@bhutanholidays.com

Entry / Exit to / from Bhutan is also possible through Phuntsoling, the southern Bhutanese border town. Bagdogra, in the state of West Bengal (India) is the nearest airport approx. 04 hour drive from this place. For travelers wishing to visit Indian states of Sikkim, West Bengal along with Bhutan, Phuntsholing serves as the convenient point.

Exit from Bhutan can be made through Samdrup Jongkhar also. This frontier Bhutanese town is approx. 3 hours drive from Guwahati, the capital City of Assam State. Samdrup Jongkhar is the authorised exit point only and an important link for visiting north-east India.

All our tours are escorted by well trained, knowledgeable guides, certified by Department of Tourism. Most of the guides are English speaking but Japanese, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian speaking guides could also be provided with prior information additional and on cost.

Bhutanese delicacies are limited with spicy chilies and cheese. However you will be served a buffet of Continental food with some local dishes too. On treks, our trained cooks prepare dishes suitable to western taste ranging from Continental to Chinese and Bhutanese to Indian.

CLOTHING

Due to wide range of temperature and climate conditions, it is advisable to bring appropriate clothing. For protection against cold; layered clothing is better than a few thick ones, so choose your cloths accordingly. On treks, Cloths should be preferably be made from natural materials which will allow the body to breathe better. You may be offending people if you walk around in skimpy or tight fitting clothes. Although there are normally opportunities to wear shorts, we would advise women to wear shirts or loose trousers, men should not wear singlets. During visit of monasteries, Dzong and the other religious institutions you should not wear shorts, hats and should be properly dressed. Here is a general list of things to bring on Bhutan trip.

Clothes as per season, sunglasses, spare glasses or contact lenses, pair of casual shoes, washing kit, shaving kit, towel, hat, umbrella, camera, film and accessories, books, maps, insect repellent, hand cream, small sewing kit, safety pins, torch or flash light with spare batteries, mirror, nail clippers, scissors, sun cream, lip salve or soluble aspirin, antiseptic cream, anti-histamine cream [for relief of insect bites], anti diarrhea, preparation of relief of sunburn etc. (We will send you check list of things to bring based on the trip you undertake)

The photographic opportunities on all trips are immense. You will also wish to record the local people, their houses and shops, etc. You can always ask by gesture, if it is ok to take pictures. Don’t take your destination as a living museum. Also while visiting Dzongs, Monasteries and religious institutions, please follow your guide’s instruction carefully. Although films and batteries are available locally, it is best to bring it yourself.

Anyone who enjoys outdoor life and is physically fit can participate in our treks and tours. However some treks may be rigorous and difficult because of high altitude and therefore a good training of fitness for at least a month at home is required for treks going to an altitude in excess of 4000mts/1500 ft. There are no compulsory vaccinations for travel to Bhutan or within the continent. However it is recommended that you be protected against Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis A, Malaria, especially if you are travelling out of Bhutan. If you have heart condition, please check with the doctor to ensure that it is ok to undertake high altitude treks.

When travelling anywhere in the subcontinent, it is imperative that you have full comprehensive insurance cover to protect against unforeseen accidents and mishaps. Such policies are not available in Bhutan. It should adequately cover baggage & travel delays etc. and helicopter evacuation, transportation and medical assistance incase of treks.

Rooms and tent camp accommodations are provided on double occupancy basis. If you wish to reserve a single tent or hotel room, an additional surcharge is applicable. Single occupancy is usually from $ 10 –25 a night.

Wind Horse Tours, Treks & Expedition reserves the right to modify or alter any trip itinerary due to circumstances beyond our control, such as flight cancellation, weather conditions, and group transportation problems, political strike or restrictions etc.

Airport tax of Nu. 300 per person is payable at the time of departure. It is subject to change.

There are comfortable hotels and lodges at all tourist destinations. Western Bhutan has better hotels while in Central and Eastern part of the country, accommodation establishments are simple and offer minimum facilities. There is no star categorization of hotels here and five star luxuries are not available.

Hotels in western towns; Thimphu, Paro, Punakha are well developed providing decent accommodation and cuisine. However when one ventures into central and eastern region, the lodging gets more rudimentary. Even when you travel to remote areas of central and eastern Bhutan through Wind Horse, you can be sure that your accommodation in lodges, guesthouses, smaller hotels and tented camps will be of an approved standard.

Away from the towns and villages there are purpose-built huts on some of the principal trekking routes. Otherwise, there is nothing like camping out under the clearest night skies that you have ever seen. Wherever you spend the night, the warm Bhutanese hospitality will make you feel welcome.

We have carefully selected the accommodation units with the best of location, service and ambience.

Wind Horse uses the best establishments available. Although the best units cannot be compared to International standards but still they offer the necessary facilities. Situated conveniently in the heart of city or around the spectacular landscape, and built in traditional design, the units are well maintained

Sometimes the best hotels maybe the only establishment which may be very modest. In these cases, we feel that inconveniences are outweighed by unforgettable experience of these more remote areas.

To make most of your holidays enjoyable, it is essential that you choose one within your capability. Following grade approximately define the trek difficulty. However you should ask for more details to know the exact grade.

DISTANTCE & DRIVING TIME BETWEEN VARIOUS PLACES IN BHUTAN

All mode of travels within Bhutan is by motor vehicles as there are no domestic airlines or trains. However motor roads are well maintained and link most parts of the nation. The mountainous terrain and winding roads restrict the average driving speed of vehicles to less then 35 kms per hour.