Nepal and Bhutan tour with added comfort

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

We try to reduce our carbon footprint across all our tours. This trip is carbon labelled, so our travellers can know exactly how their carbon footprint when choosing this trip. My measuring our carbon output, we can strive to reduce this across our full product range.

In Paro, we use an eco-friendly property, the resort features solar lighting, mud-brick walls, wooden roofs, and rooms built in a traditionally Bhutanese style with modern comforts in mind.

We do a great deal of exploration on foot, which is a great way to visit the numerous temples, National Parks, jungles, rivers, and local communities that make this trip so special. Exploring on foot, rather than from a bus or coach means our travellers can experience real life of these countries and reduces the carbon footprint of the group.

This trip includes many local meals, and lots of the food is sourced locally. We can also provide vegan and vegetarian meals if requested.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

This trip also includes the Feature Stay accommodation, Barahi Jungle Lodge. Perfectly positioned on the banks of the Rapti River, opposite Chitwan National Park. All buildings have been constructed from locally sourced materials and have thatched roofs. When Barahi Jungle Lodge was built in 2012, they planted over 5,000 trees across the 12 hectares of land, which, at that time, was barren grassland. Since then, they have continued to plant more trees every year creating the lush jungle forest that encompasses the resort.

Your tour leader will be an expert nature guide, helping our travellers spot marsh mugger crocodiles along with the various birds that inhabit the riverbanks of Chitwan National Park, as well as other amazing wildlife throughout this trip. Our travellers get the chance to come face to face with rare and fascinating wildlife in the breathtaking Phobjika valley, including a visit to a protection and information centre for black-necked cranes, a Premium Exclusive Experience. Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) is where our travellers can learn about the vulnerable black-necked cranes who fly to Bhutan each winter. The Phobjika valley receives more of these lovely visitors than any other part of the country, and the RSPN have taken special measures to protect them, as well as 13 other vulnerable species.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Get an intimate look at local culture with Exclusive Experiences, including a cooking class with the Seven Women social enterprise. Visit the headquarters of Seven Women, a social enterprise that works to improve the lives of disadvantaged women in Nepal. Meet the local women and hear how the enterprise has changed their lives. Tour their greenhouse and learn about Nepali vegetables, then learn some traditional recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.

We make a visit to a Tibetan community, hearing stories of their journey from Tibet to Nepal, learn about local life and take part in a traditional cooking demonstration to find out how to make delicious momos (steamed dumplings), which we then eat together for lunch. Eating in Nepal is never boring, and we include authentic Nepali restaurants, all locally owned, where travellers can try a diverse array of dishes. We also include a visit to a Voluntary Artists School in Thimphu, an institution where young people receive formal education in the art of traditional painting, sculpture, and woodcarving. Thimphu has an excellent range of handicrafts, most notably woven cloth, wooden masks, thangkas, silverware, jewellery, and bamboo crafts that come from all over Bhutan. Our travellers get the opportunity to shop here, supporting the organisation.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

Our trip is operated locally, and local leaders and experts are an integral part of our journeys, and all leaders and guides on this trip will be local to the area.

Since 2018 we have been a certified B Corporation. B Corps that look after their staff, work toward a more inclusive supply chain, and take corporate social
responsibility to the next level. For us, becoming a B Corp meant taking all the work we’ve already done – through our Foundation and our core operation – to the next level and conducting an extensive audit to ensure we meet the highest responsible business standards. We support a social enterprise in Seven Women and the Voluntary Artist school, helping children gain an education.