Bhutan vacation, cultural tour
| country: | Bhutan | ||||
| departures: | 2010: 15 Apr | ||||
| price: | From US $2,230 - US $2,670 (12 days) excluding flights
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| more info: | Extra US $100 per person for the Village Library Project contribution. Child price from US $1,130 Minimum age 12 | ||||
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
introduction to Bhutan vacation, cultural tour
During our 12 spectacular days in the beautiful Himalayan kingdom, we will spend 5 days traversing wildly wonderful scenery, winding our way up to the village library site, nestled deep in the mountains in the northwest region of Bhutan. After a day of relaxation, soaking in the natural Gasa Tshachu hot springs and exploring the village, we will spend an intensely rewarding day working with the villagers to help set up their new library. After completing their primary education from the far flung community schools, students come to the only high school to further their education. The books and audio visual equipments contributed through the project will greatly support the institute to improve their library section and enhance the knowledge base and help the students in getting easy reference. The remaining days will be filled with brilliant new experiences before returning to Thimpu and Paro. Spring and autumn are the best times to go.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Paro. Arrival in Paro, Bhutan. Upon arrival you will be greeted by Wind Horse staff and transfer to the capital city of Thimphu. Overnight at Hotel Riverview. |
| Day 2: | Thimphu. Visit cultural sights in Thimphu including a visit to the National Library, Hospital of Traditional Medicine, Simtokha Dzong and a handmade paper factory. Overnight at Hotel Riverview. |
| Day 3: | Gangtey. Drive across the Black Mountains into the beautiful hidden valley of Phobjikha. Visit an ancient Gangtey monastery with monastic school and receive an audience with one of the chief abbots or principal monk of the monastery. You may also see the rare and endangered Black-necked crane. Overnight at Hotel Dewachen Lodge or similar in Phobjikha. |
| Day 4: | Wangdue. In the morning, take a walk in a village and around the nature conservation trail. Visit Wangdue town and Wangdue Phodrang Dzong. Later in the afternoon, drive north of Punakha and hike short distance to Khamsum Yuelley Chorten Temple. Overnight at Punatsang Chuu Cottages or similar. |
| Day 5: | Gasa. From Punakha, the road leads north through an idyllic countryside crossing rural agricultural paddies, through deep semitropical jungles and begin ascending to a small village of Damji. From various points along the trail, the historic Gasa Dzong becomes visible high above, glued to the valley wall and appears floating in the space with snowcapped peaks on the background. Our final stretch of journey is less than 2 hours of steep climb uphill to Gasa. Overnight in camp or guest house as available. |
| Day 6: | Gasa Dzong. In the morning, meet the local officials and participate in setting up the library. Later visit Gasa Dzong, local homes, schools and others areas of interest. This evening, enjoy a cultural program from the community. |
| Day 7: | Gasa Hot Springs. Participate in library inauguration ceremonies, the handing and take over. In the afternoon, walk downhill for about 1 hour to Gasa Hot Springs. The Gasa Hot Springs and its accommodations is managed by Jigme Dorji Park. People from all over Bhutan come here to relax in the restorative pools and treat themselves for many days and we do the same after our long day of trekking. Overnight camp near the hot spring. |
| Day 8: | Punakha. Trek back to Damji village and drive back to Punakha. If this was not covered on earlier visit, take a tour of Punakha Dzong, which is the former capital of Bhutan. Overnight at Punatsang Chuu Cottages or similar in Punakha. |
| Day 9: | Dochula Pass. Drive back to Thimphu over Dochula Pass. Stop at the pass to enjoy a panoramic view of Eastern Himalayas. From this Pass, Gasa trek route is visible at a distance. Lunch at Thimphu and drive to Paro in the evening. Overnight at Tenzinling Resort in Paro. |
| Day 10: | Paro. Visit the National Museum, Royal University of Bhutan, Rinphung Dzong, Kichu Temple and a local village. Overnight at Tenzinling Resort in Paro. |
| Day 11: | Tiger's Nest. Visit the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong and transfer to the trail head for a hike up to Takstang Monastery (Tiger's Nest). Return to Paro for your farewell dinner. Overnight at Tenzinling Resort in Paro. |
| Day 12: | Return home. After breakfast drive to the airport for your return flight home. |
small group cultural tours
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as experiencing new cultures.how this holiday makes a difference
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Community
This trip will help the middle high school to develop good library facilities for about 250 students. There will be an exchange program between the clients and students to share their knowledge and experiences and parents of the students will be invited to grace the inaugural ceremony. The visit to the traditional arts and crafts factories will contribute towards the sustainability of the indigenous craft. Local authentic dishes will be served wherever possible in locally owned restaurants or hotels. Meet with the local community to learn more about the black neck cranes and its harmonious co-existence with the local community and talk to some members from Phobjikha Environment Management Committee. In the Phobjikha valley, guests can chose to stay with the local family in a farm house to experience their lifestyle and hear stories about the sacred cranes and their valuable heritage. Environment The maximum number in the group will be 11 people and pack horses will be used to minimize the negative impact on the environment. Degradable and non-bio degradable products will be separated and disposed of in proper places. Camps will be at designated places with proper toilet facilities and trekking and walking will be on designated trails only. Appropriate transport will be used to minimize carbon emissions and save energy. The visit to the crane information centre will give you in depth knowledge about this rare bird. Here, a local representative will brief you on plans and programs implemented to foster economic incentives to the locals and strengthen conservation awareness. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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