Bhutan tailor made tour, Kingdom of Bhutan

Planet

The charming mountain kingdom of Bhutan is the only country in the world that measures its citizens’ Gross National Happiness. By visiting Bhutan you can help to sustain this happiness by helping to preserve and sustain one of the world's 10 most biodiverse regions, with 72% of pristine forest cover.

On your trip we will ensure that we respect the country´s sustainability & happiness rules and customs by working with local partners, using local food and resources, and by educating our staff and our guests as much as possible - we will take you on a continuous journey that aims to show that nature is a gift that we should respect and cherish.

We try to keep extra unneeded waste to a minimum on all our tours and leave the smallest footprint possible on our hikes and treks. In our head office we also choose to have no printed brochures or material to avoid our carbon footprint and we are dedicated recyclers (just as Bhutan´s entire country is going paperless also).

By visiting Bhutan´s natural parks, you will directly contribute to conserve its native wildlife and natural environment, including more than 770 species of birds and over 165 species of animals, which roam free in the country’s 5 million acre network of protected areas. You will for example hike within the Black Mountains National Park or now called Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, the largest, richest and most intact temperate forest reserve in the entire Himalaya with more than 449 species of birds, including the endangered Black-necked crane. We work with licensed local trekking guides who are officially trained in the necessary trekking, mountaineering, environmental and cultural issues relevant to the country’s eco-tourism policies.

The hotels we pick subscribe to harness a healthy, green clean policy both for local communities and for their staff which ties in with our own belief and passion to keeping as green as we possibly can. You will stay at the Amankora lodges for example, whose values are founded on simple luxury complimented by unique locations and offering an enriching, enlightening and rewarding 'lifestyle' experience. The Aman resorts are focused on contributing positively to the long term viability of the destination, such as supporting local employment, using local produce for food to support local farmers, developing local work force by imparting training and assisting in a forestation programme in surrounding areas.

People

A fair deal: We only work with local guides that come from the very region you are visiting, giving back to their families and communities. While many operators pay per day or per tour, our guides receive an hourly rate which allows a fair and fruitful reward for their expertise.

If you do want to shop, we will encourage you to go to local markets where local artisans craft their products. which will help keep the money earned in that very community.

We will take you to the most sacred sites and villages in Bhutan which will directly help conserve the country´s traditional values and culture. The Tiger´s Nest Monastery or Taktsang for example, hanging on a cliff and standing above a beautiful forest of blue pine and rhododendrons, is a World Heritage site and is part of the world´s most powerful, sacred and spiritual places. The building you see today has been replaced several times and is kept alive through your contribution.

We will make sure you will have enough time to enjoy Bhutan´s rich, hospitable culture where local people enjoy sharing their way of life over lunch or tea.

A special local experience you can live with us is the hoisting of a Lung Dhar or Prayer Flag. Prayer flags are hoisted for happiness, long life, prosperity, luck and merit. The colours used in the prayer flags follow the concept of ‘Kham’ which are the five characteristic birth elements that determine an individual’s dominant personality. We work with a Buddhist Monk who will personally accompany you to a shop that sells prayer flags. You will get an insight to and an interpretation of your birth element in the Bhutanese way.

We will then buy a prayer flag with the colours corresponding to your birth element and head out to a designated place in Thimphu, where you will hoist the prayer flag. The Monk will chant the consecration prayers, once you finish the hoisting of your prayer flag.