We did this trip with some fear and trepidation as we would be trekking at altitude for the first... virginia morris, 2018 See more reviews
Bhutan is a country whose culture and environment are still free from the negative influences of... Tim Brooks, 2017 See more reviews
A good combination of an interesting, short trek and cultural visits, including the Thimpu... Pam Peers, 2017 See more reviews
Excellent trip packing in the cultural highlights, a festival, and trekking which is kind of... Simon Cuming, 2016 See more reviews
Although we had disappointing weather - it rained mostly while trekking - this trip takes you to... Marian Watson, 2015 See more reviews
Such an amazing country! The scenery, the people - I've never been to such a peaceful place. Anonymous, 2014 See more reviews
They measure their wealth in terms of Gross Domestic Happiness and I would think they top the... Anonymous, 2014 See more reviews
Fascinating country, very lovely people, amazing scenery and a very humbling experience. Anonymous, 2014 See more reviews
This is a great trip to get an introductory into Bhutan; culture, trekking and amazing scenery,... Anonymous, 2013 See more reviews
Just the most incredible experience. The serenity of the country and its people is remarkable,... Anonymous, 2013 See more reviews
Itinerary Expand all Kathmandu to Kathmandu Day 1 Arrive Kathmandu Land in Kathmandu and transfer to our hotel. The evening is free to relax.Royal Singi Hotel or similar Day 2 Fly to Paro; visit Paro Dzong and museum We fly to Paro today. If the weather is clear, we should get a fantastic view (from the left hand side of the plane) of much of the eastern half of the Himalaya, including Everest,Makalu, Kanchenjunga and Chomolhari (Jhomolhari). After completing visa formalities in Paro, we transfer to our hotel. The Paro valley is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Bhutan. Its blue pine-covered hills and attractive, solidly built farmhouses among the paddy fields are dominated by the massive dzong, or fort. This afternoon we aim to visit the Paro Dzong and the National Museum above it. Paro Dzong is one of Bhutan's most impressive, and the finest example of Bhutanese architecture you will see. The inward sloping walls form a massive structure that towers over the town. Built in the 17th century it was one of Bhutan's strongest and most important fortresses and it was used on several occasions to defend the Paro Valley from invasions by Tibet. Formally the meeting hall for the National Assembly, the dzong now houses a monastic school and district government offices. Scenes from the 1995 film 'Little Buddha' were filmed in the dzong. West of the dzong a traditional wooden covered bridge called Nyamal Zam, a reconstruction of the original bridge, which was washed away in a flood in 1969. The most famous pictures of Paro Dzong are taken from the west bank of the river, just downstream from the bridge. At the top of the hill above the dzong is the old watchtower known locally as Ta Dzong. Originally built in 1656, it was renovated in 1968 by King Jigme Dorje Wangchuk to house the National Museum. Damaged by the earthquake in 2011, the museum is housed at the present time in a new building above the Ta Dzong. Inside the museum there are collections of masks and thangkas. Please note that the itinerary above could change subject to flight timings, which are generally unpredictable.Rema Resort or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 3 Warm up hike to Taktsang also known as Tiger's Nest Monastery Today we will have a warm up hike to Taktsang Monastery. 'Tigers Nest' Monastery, is perched on the ledge of a cliff high above the Paro Valley. Partly destroyed by fire in 1998, it has now been completely restored to its former magnificence. We drive a short distance from the hotel and then hike up for about 1.5 hours to a viewpoint, for the classic views of the monastic buildings which cling impossibly to the cliff wall opposite. For the energetic there is the chance to walk another 2 hours to the actual monastery. The walk is good for acclimatization and we recommend you wear trekking boots and take trekking poles and plenty of water. Please note there about 100 steps up and down. Returning to the hotel we have time in the afternoon to explore Paro town.Rema Resort or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Trek to Jele Dzong Today we start our trek. After breakfast we have a short drive to the ancient Ta Dzong watchtower (2400m). The first day's trekking is not long in terms of hours but it’s all the way uphill and we do gain quite a lot of height. From Ta Dzong it is a gentle climb for about 3 hours on a jeep track to a prayer wall. The trail then narrows and we continue climbing up a little steeper now through the forest. We have lunch about an hour further on in a clearing and then it’s about an hours walk in the afternoon to the Jele La (3550m) and our camp just below Jele Dzong (3530m). If the weather is clear we can see the Paro Valley below. The energetic can walk up and visit the Dzong. Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 5 Trek to Jangchulaka After breakfast we have time to explore the ancient 14th century Jele Dzong and if lucky we may be allowed inside. Our days walk begins with a short climb up the ridge before a descent into through thick rhododendron forest. Climbing back up again we emerge on the ridge and at times we can see the Paro Valley way below us and if the weather is clear we may even spot Chomolhari in the distance. Look out for the colourful Blood Pheasants which inhabit the forests. The trail climbs the ridge most of the day, through forests of rhododendrons. Today is a short day and we camp tonight at the yak herder’s settlement called Tsokam, just beyond Jangchu Lakha (3780m). Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 6 Follow the ridge with spectacular views of Jichdrake to reach Jimi Lang Tsho A long day today and probably the hardest walk of the trek. We climb steeply up from camp on a narrow trail for about an hour to rejoin the main trail. We continue climbing through a rocky landscape littered with small rhododendron bushes. We reach a col at 4073m marked with prayer flags and then drop down a short way to a cave. The trail then climbs again quite steeply to a ridge at 4080m, from where on a clear day we get spectacular mountain views including Chomolhari and Jichudrake. We have lunch on the ridge to enjoy the views and then continue a little further up the ridge to 4120m. From here we contour round a little and then drop steeply on a rocky trail to the shores of Jimi Lang Tscho (3885m), well known for its trout. Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 7 Trek to Labana Another long but great day's walk with good mountain views. The trail climbs from camp along a rocky trail up to Janye Tscho Lake at 3956m. Climbing even higher and steeply there are two more lakes above us Dungtscho Tscho and Dungtscho Sama before we finally reach a cairn at 4150m. Below is Simthoka Lake (4090m) the highest lake on our trek. From the lake the trail undulates all the way to our camp at Labana (4100m). Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 8 End Trek, drive to Thimphu The trail today climbs gradually up to the Labana Pass at 4235m (the highest point of this trek). The views get better and better and on a clear day we can see Gangar Punsum, Table Mountain and much of the Bhutan Himalaya. Way below is the Thimphu Valley. From the top we traverse the hillside with great mountain views and descend towards Thimphu. There are a couple of small climbs to cols but the general direction is downhill. From the Phajoding Labsa chorten we descend quite steeply to Phajoding Monastery for lunch. There are several temples here and a monastic school and the place is a visited by many Bhutanese. We descend even further through forests of blue pine to the end of our trek at Motithang, just above Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. We should reach our hotel by mid afternoon. The evening is free to explore Thimphu. Hotel Gakyil or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 9 Excursion to Punakha Today we take an excursion to the nearby town of Punakha. The route climbs steeply in places to the Dochula Pass. At 3050m (10,000ft) the views over the eastern Himalaya are magnificent although this is most definitely weather dependent! We descend to the valley floor and continue to sub-tropical Punakha. At an altitude of 1350m the difference in temperature and flora is apparent. Punakha was the old capital of Bhutan and the dzong was the second one to be built in Bhutan. This remarkable fortress is situated between two rivers and it has survived many fires, an earthquake and a glacial flood. Over the years it has been repaired and added to and has several interesting features to protect it against invasion. In the afternoon we'll drive back to Thimphu to spend the night. Please note that for festival departures this day's itinerary does not apply, see the 'is this trip for you' section for more details. Hotel Gakyil or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 10 Thimphu sightseeing; drive to Paro We spend most of today visiting the main sights of the town including the Memorial Chorten, which was built in 1974 to honour the memory of the third king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, Simtokha dzong and a painting school. In the late afternoon we have a short (1hour) drive back to ParoDewachen Resort or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 11 Fly to Kathmandu Today we fly back to Kathmandu. The rest of the day is free to explore the temples and markets of Kathmandu or go shopping. We have several sightseeing tours on offer (see the notice board in the hotel in Kathmandu), or you may want to explore Kathmandu on your own. The Kathmandu Durbar Square is full of ancient temples and palaces. You may want to visit the monkey temple at Swayambhunath or the largest Hindu temple in Nepal at Pashupatinath or the one of the largest Buddhist stupas in Asia at Bodnath. Once you have had your fill of culture the colourful markets of Thamel are great for souvenir hunting. Please note that due to the recent earthquake some of these places may be closed; your guide will be able to give you more information on this.Royal Singi Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 12 End Kathmandu Our trip ends in Kathmandu after breakfast.Please note that sometimes due to opening times, holidays or festivals we have to change the timings of the sightseeing around. We will endeavour to show you all the sights in the time available. In case it is not possible to visit any of the sights described in the notes above an alternative will be provided. Meals included: Breakfast
Bhutan You will need a visa for Bhutan, which we will organise for you. The cost of the visa is included in the price of the trip (USD40). You will need to send us a clear copy of your passport on booking. We need this in order to organise your Bhutan visa in advance of your arrival. Please make sure that we have a copy no later than 6 weeks before departure. The passport copy can either be sent by post or scanned, in which case it has to be very clear and in colour. If you need to get a new passport for the journey, please apply for this immediately, and send us the copy/scan as soon as you receive your new passport. It is VERY important that the information you give us is 100% correct, and that the copy of the passport you send us is the one on which you will be travelling to Bhutan. Visa regulations can change without notice: please check the current regulations in good time to obtain a visa if one is required.
Nepal Most nationalities require a visa for Nepal, which can be obtained in advance or on entry. If you wish to apply before departure the current visa cost is £20 for a 15 day visa and £35 for a 30 day visa for UK passport holders. The current cost of a visa on arrival is US$25 for 15 days, US$40 for 30 days or if extending your stay $100 for 90 days. All are multiple entry. The visa on arrival fee can be paid for in cash in US Dollars, Pounds Sterling or Euros. You will also need a passport photo. Application forms are available in the immigration hall (or for electronic passports there are visa registration machines which, after inserting your passport, automatically fill out a form for you). You must firstly join the queue to pay the visa fee, and then go to the relevant immigration desk to obtain your 15, 30 or 90 day visa stamp. There can be long queues for visas on arrival. Non UK nationals should check requirements with their nearest embassy (a few nationalities are not permitted visas on arrival).
Bhutan There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice.
Nepal There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. There is low to no risk of malaria throughout Nepal and antimalarial tablets are not usually advised although may be considered for certain higher risk groups; you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. The risk is highest in the low lying southern ‘terai’ districts bordering India. A yellow fever certificate is only required if travelling from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or for travellers having transited for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of transmission. Dengue fever is a known risk in Nepal. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Most of our trips to Nepal go to high altitudes where there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please refer to the Altitude Warning within the Trip Notes for further advice on AMS.
Hotels & Camping You will spend 7 nights in hotels with en suite rooms and 4 nights in full service camps. Your rooms in Bhutan will be simple, as tourism in the country is still in its infancy. All food is included and is usually a simple mix of Bhutanese, continental and Chinese buffet served buffet style. The camping will be in spacious 2 person tents. We will also provide dining and toilet tents, stools, tables, cooking and kitchen gear and there will be a team of support staff. All groups will be accompanied by a local leader, who will be supported by a cook, assistant guides and yakmen. Whilst on the trek you will be woken up with a cup of hot tea, and we will also provide a small bowl of warm washing water in the mornings.
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Reviewed April 2018 virginia morris Trip: Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon Fabulous country, fabulous trip...go!! We did this trip with some fear and trepidation as we would be trekking at altitude for the first time. We were very keen to visit Bhutan before it modernises and we also hoped to see the rhododendron in bloom in the Himalaya. We had done quite a bit of training for the trek and this paid off as we were fit enough for the grade of walk. We loved the country, the people, the Buddhist culture and the government philosophy of 'improving gross national happiness'. This is evident everywhere and seems very genuine. From the minute you land in Paro you know you are somewhere very special. It is quite wonderful to be immersed in their culture for the whole time you are there. The trek was not what we expected as we had snow every night and had to walk on icy surfaces some days and were perhaps colder than we had anticipated. The excellent trip notes had suggested we bring adequate sleeping bags and down jackets, so we were always cosy at night. We did perhaps miss some of the spectacular views because of the weather and the rhododendrons were only just in bud..so if you want to see them you should plan your trek in May rather than April. However, we were able to be a part of the Paro festival and this was fascinating. Exodus puts together a very good and varied itinerary, in comfortable accommodation, with great guides, good transportation and excellent food throughout. You are well acclimatised to altitude and the trekking is not too hard. We were disappointed to have to share campsites with other groups. There are a lot of trekkers on the Druk path and if you want solitude on trek you should go on one of the longer treks. This is a great introduction to trekking in the mountains and we felt extremely well looked after. My gluten free meals were always varied and plentiful. The main food is rice and veggies and many differing ways of cooking them. Breakfast was always wonderful too. We thoroughly recommend this trip and Exodus as a company. Go...you won't be disappointed. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Reaching the highest summit and hanging prayer flags. What did you think of your group leader? Our leader Norbu was absolutely fabulous. He was calm and confidant and always with a smile. His knowledge was outstanding. He always helped out if anyone was struggling with the trek or altitude. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take adequate warm clothing and a good sleeping bag. Is there anything else you would like to add? I cannot wait for my next exodus trip
Reviewed December 2017 Tim Brooks Trip: Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon Land of the Thunder Dragon Bhutan is a country whose culture and environment are still free from the negative influences of the modern world. It's a quiet even serene place, free from pollution and benefitting from a low population (just some 700,000 people live in this small kingdom). The five day point-to-point trek was well run and enjoyable. It included visits to a couple of fascinating monasteries. The highlights have to be attending the spring festival in Paro and the half-day trek to the world-famous Tiger's Nest monastery. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Although the spring festival in the Dzong in Paro was amazing, it's the unexpected things of most trips which last in my memory. For my trip in Bhutan, this was the welcome we got from the monks in the monastery on the last day of our trek as we headed down the valley towards Thimphu. What did you think of your group leader? Our guide Norbu and his team looked after us very well. I hope to go back one day and see more of this lovely country. Norbu informed me that Exodus is thinking about opening a new trek in the high Himalayas in the north-west of the country. I couldn't see this trip as an option in 2018 - but will keep a look out for it. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Bhutan had been on my bucket list for quite a few years and I was not disappointed. While the cost of the trip is prohibitive, the tourist tax means that there are still relatively few tourists in Bhutan, meaning it's unspoilt. Furthermore, you really don't need much spending money as the tourist tax covers pretty much everything from the accommodation and transport to meals. The only money you'll need is for drinks and souvenirs. This makes the price of the trip more bearable in the overall scheme of things. Is there anything else you would like to add? Go now before others do. We were lucky with the weather on our trek, but others are not so lucky - so go prepared with all weather clothing for the trek. The approach by plane into Paro airport is not for the faint-hearted. However, it's one of the most fascinating airports in the world, rivalling Lukla in Nepal for hairiness. You will be amazed how close the runway is to the mountains. The plane makes a sharp left-turn in its final approach to landing - so have your camera ready for some aerial shots. The terminal building is impressive too with typical Bhutanese painted walls.
Reviewed October 2017 Pam Peers Trip: Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon Interesting trip to a fascinating country A good combination of an interesting, short trek and cultural visits, including the Thimpu festival. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Hanging lots of prayer flags at various of the summits. The momos at the end of the trek were very welcome. What did you think of your group leader? Norbu and Ganga were excellent guides! Great fun to be with and very informative about the country they are so passionate about. The team as a whole was excellent and looked after us really well Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take gaiters ... we didn't and regretted the omission. The descent on the final day was very muddy. Definitely take walking poles ... Is there anything else you would like to add? The Karaoke bars in Thimpu are well worth visiting , a real insight into modern day Bhutan.
Reviewed April 2016 Simon Cuming Trip: Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon (18Mar16-30Mar16) Excellent trip packing in the cultural highlights, a festival, and trekking which is kind of necessary given the daily rate charged by the Bhutanese authorities! So probably the best and most affordable! way of experiencing Bhutan What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? a toss up between the Paro festival and the 5 days trekking What did you think of your group leader? Norbu was an excellent leader; extremely knowledgeable and helpful in explaining his countries culture and showing us the sights, including an impromptu archery lesson! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? For the 5 day trek I would suggest that people prepare for lower night time temperatures, possibly down to -10 degrees C
Reviewed October 2015 Marian Watson Trip: Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon Trekking with Culture in Bhutan Although we had disappointing weather - it rained mostly while trekking - this trip takes you to one of those beautiful places which the majority of people still haven't heard of. And that's the beauty of it. There are few tourists and the Bhutanese themselves are delightful and unspoilt. The Buddhist culture and local traditions are fascinating There is no hard sell and there are no hawkers. They are happy for you just to have a look at their crafts without buying when you go into the shops. This is after all The Land of Gross National Happiness. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? More like highlights, of which there were many. The walk up to the Tiger's Nest Monastery. An out of programme trip organised by our leaders to visit the beautiful dzong in Punakha together with an impromptu visit to a local festival in Wangdue Phodrang. Stories of the Divine Madman and seeing phalluses painted all over the houses which are a sign of good luck here. Watching boy monks dancing in costume inside their dzong. Assisting in a ceremony inside one of the temples. Watching the festival in Thimpu and observing the locals dressed in their best ceremonial clothes, and more mundane things - but not least important! - like hot water bottles at night on trek, solar lamps, delicious pizza and cake made by the camp chef. What did you think of your group leader? Norbu and Karma were excellent leaders. Both were well organised and took great care of the group. Karma took care of the monastic/temples side of the trip explaining everything about the Buddhist religion, whilst Norbu told us more about the politics, royal family and social/environmental structure of the country and how they are striving to get it all right. Both were complimentary to each other. Karma fell over backwards to try and keep us happy......during the rain! He even washed our muddy boots in the river at the end of the trek! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? This is NOT a trek for BEGINNERS. The altitude is something to be taken seriously (over 4000mts asl) and also physical fitness is an absolute must. Trekking, albeit the foothills, in the Himalayas is hard on the body. However, if you are used to hill walking , you will love it. Is there anything else you would like to add? Just that if you do go, try to go over one of the festival periods as it's well worth it. Oh, and if you think you will lose weight with all the walking......you won't! The food on trek is wonderful and loads of it!
Reviewed November 2014 Anonymous Trip: Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon Bhutan - Land of the Thunder Dragon Such an amazing country! The scenery, the people - I've never been to such a peaceful place. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The trek from Paro to Thimpu. Through forests and across mountains. The camping was great. What did you think of your group leader? The group leader was very knowledgable. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Just go!
Reviewed November 2014 Anonymous Trip: Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon Bhutan They measure their wealth in terms of Gross Domestic Happiness and I would think they top the league. The most beautiful country where tradition is encouraged, set in the foothills of the Himalayas, beneath the snow capped mountains of the high Himalayas. The trekking was not too difficult in itself, but 16,000 feet of altitude certainly adds an extra degree of exertion. But what views, what Majesty and what a feeling of achievement when you have completed it. I walked in the Himalayas. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? From start to finish everything was different, but the most outstanding feature was the friendliness and happiness of the people. What did you think of your group leader? Our leader and assistant leader were excellent. I treated them as friends, well they are. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The altitude does make a big difference. What would have been easy trekking in the UK becomes more difficult at altitude. You can get tablets for altitude sickness. One of our group did suffer but within half an hour of taking the tablets, was well recovering. Is there anything else you would like to add? Bhutan is remote and you fly in through Kathmandu, You get a half day in Kathmandu on the return and it is advisable to make the most of this opportunity. Bhaktapur and the stupa at Boudhanath a well worth a visit. We got Taxis from the airport upon arrival from Bhutan, they stayed with us for the afternoon and did not cost the earth.
Reviewed November 2014 Anonymous Trip: Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon BHUTAN Fascinating country, very lovely people, amazing scenery and a very humbling experience. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Waking up in the morning to the most incredible sunny, white frosty views over a mountain lake. What did you think of your group leader? very helpful and willing to make our trip as enjoyable as he could. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Always take enough layers - was warm and wet during the day but very cold at night. Is there anything else you would like to add? Great detox as there is no alcohol while camping!
Reviewed November 2013 Anonymous Trip: Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon BHUTAN: LAND OF THE THUNDER DRAGON This is a great trip to get an introductory into Bhutan; culture, trekking and amazing scenery, what more could you want? What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The warm up hike day was amazing, to be walking up to Tigers nest monastry and hearing the monks chanting with it echoing through the valley..just great way to start the trip! What did you think of your group leader? Group leader was great, very helpful and friendly. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Enjoy! Also ask your guide about hot stone baths in Paro, they were great!
Reviewed April 2013 Anonymous Trip: Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon BHUTAN: LAND OF THE THUNDER DRAGON Just the most incredible experience. The serenity of the country and its people is remarkable, and the scenery outstanding. The holiday of a lifetime. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Seeing the reincarnation of Desi Tenzin Rabgye Rimpoche at Tango monastery. What did you think of your group leader? Outstanding Do you have any advice for potential travellers? What are you waiting for? Go!
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