Cultural holiday to Bhutan
Highlights
Paro | Taktsang Monastery | Haa valley | hike to Kila Gompa | Wangchulo Dzong | Thimpu | Dogar Dobji Dzong | Tango Monastery | Lamperi | Wangduephodrang Dzong | Gangtey Valley | Tang Valley | Bumthang | Trongsa | Ura ValleyDescription of Cultural holiday to Bhutan
This cultural holiday to Bhutan is perfect if you like to take in the local culture while keeping active. You値l get to walk amongst the country痴 dramatic peaks as well as engage with the local people and learn about Bhutan痴 history.Your adventure kicks off in the peaceful Paro Valley, where you値l visit the legendary Taktsang Monastery, supposedly one of the divine resting places of the Guru Ringpoche. Then you値l drive through fantastic scenery to the Haa Valley, where you値l trek to the Kila Gompa, a nunnery perched on a cliff face at 3500m. From here you値l have stunning views of the Chomolhari Peak.
After a night spent at a local farmhouse, you値l hit the road again, driving over the 3000m high Dochu La pass to Wangduephodrang, where you値l stay at a pretty riverside lodge. The Gangtey Valley is next on the agenda, and is home to the Gangtey monastery, the only Ningmapa monastery in Bhutan, as well as some lovely nature trails. Heading into central Bhutan, we値l explore many more monasteries and dzongs, and cross over the 3590m Shertang La pass to reach the Ura Valley.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com
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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.Responsible tourism
Cultural holiday to Bhutan
Carbon reduction
Your holiday will help support local people and conservation. We must also reduce CO2. Learn about the CO2 emissions of this holiday and how to reduce them.
Environment
The natural landscapes we explore on our cultural holiday to Bhutan are some of the richest, often most challenging, yet at the same time some of the most fragile environments on earth. With education, experienced leadership and appropriate equipment and techniques, it is possible to travel responsibly through these regions. For us, it is critically important that such wilderness travel experiences do not diminish the natural values of the environment.
Our environmental sustainable principles: True sustainability is a guiding aspect in all aspects of our business planning and operations. Specifically our tour operations should be managed in a way where the natural and cultural values of the host region are undiminished in the long-term.
Where possible, we engage in partnerships with local environmental groups and/or land managers to actively campaign for conservation or promote environmental protection and/or rehabilitation.
Our Responsible Travel Guidebook: Our philosophy since 1975 has been to leave only footprints and take only photographs. To reiterate this, every customer who travels with us receives a copy of our award-winning Responsible Travel guidebook. This detailed book outlines our environmentally sustainable principles, and outlines how each customer can minimize their impact while travelling.
Global Warming and Carbon Balancing: The root cause of Global Warming is society's dependence on emission creating fossil fuel. Planting trees is not going to reverse this trend or cancel our carbon emissions very quickly or effectively. We believe the way to reduce these dependencies is to create clean energy production. Therefore, we support renewable energy projects like wind and solar power, and we are aligned with Climate Friendly, the gold standard setter in effective, meaningful action addressing climate change. So, while we believe that tree planting can play a small role in greenhouse gas abatement, we have gone the extra mile in promoting a longer term solution. Is this cheap? No. Is it responsible? Absolutely!
Community
This trip allows ample time to appreciate the rich cultural history of this secluded Himalayan Kingdom. In the company of our local guides and with the use of local transport and accommodation you can be assured that as much of your money as possible feeds back into the local communities that you visit. Our strict policy of small groups ensures that this trip is both environmentally and culturally sensitive.
As with all travel to Bhutan, this trip is carefully controlled by the Bhutan Tourist Authority which exists to protect the country痴 unique culture and thus minimise the negative effects of mass tourism. It also ensures that local people benefit from the revenue such tourism brings to the country.
Our responsible travel principles: Our company aims to maximise the positive benefits of tourism for host communities. This includes training and employment of local staff, using local suppliers and assisting in the development of sustainable local businesses.
We actively minimise the negative effects that tourism can have by ensuring that tourism does not divert resources away from local communities or drive up prices on local resources.
We provide opportunities for real cultural exchange, where locals and visitors alike can share and learn from each other in an environment of mutual respect.
We contribute to the welfare of the host community. This is epitomised in our Community Project Travel program where we organise for our travellers to spend time in disadvantaged villages upgrading basic facilities such as health, education and water access.
We strive to educate our travellers about the destination and its local cultures as well as providing guidelines on appropriate behaviour to minimise impact.
No local payments policy: Local cash payments are becoming increasingly popular with many operators in the adventure travel industry. This policy seems to benefit the tour operators more than the local economies or the travellers, as it avoids local taxes and transfers the costs and risks of cash handling onto the travellers. In accordance with our Responsible Travel practices, we have chosen a policy of not asking for such payments.
3 Reviews of Cultural holiday to Bhutan
Reviewed on 08 Nov 2018 by Leslie Miller
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The Jambay Lhakhang Festival and Tiger's Nest Monastery; the journey through the Himalayas.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Pack layers - the temperature will vary during the course of the day; prepare for mostly vegetarian meals; slip off shoes are helpful as you will remove them often; prepare for a beautiful and enjoyable journey.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Outstanding.
Reviewed on 04 May 2014 by Ingrid Blatz
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting two of Bhutans Queens (there are 4 from the last King and one from the current one) in beautiful temples and listening to their wise words, experiencing their humble characters.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The trip offers a multitude of things:nature,very nice people,culture,buddhist spirituality, lovely walks,you can't go wrong going
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely benefitted people financially.The other 2 I cannot judge.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
unbelievable and above expectation in every respect
Reviewed on 19 Nov 2009 by Daniel Collings
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Bhutan was a wonderful destination to visit. This beautiful mountainous country had picture postcard views almost everywhere one looked. The local people are friendly, the Dzongs are amazing and located in fantastic positions. The festival we saw was brilliant with highly colourful costumes and masks. Our visit to one monastery was special as only our group had the chance to just listen to the chanting monks with their drums and horns. Although this country is starting to modernise it is still very traditional. I am glad we visited it when we did, but I fear that in 10-15 years this country may have changed too far.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
It can get cold at night and although our accommodation was in resorts, hotels and guesthouses we were glad that we took our sleeping bags when we stayed in Bumthang. The temps dropped below zero and heating in the rooms was a little tricky. Also beware of eating meat as most of this is imported from India and Indian hygiene can be poor. Half our group went down with food poisoning after eating meat in our Thimpu hotel.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
That is a hard question to answer. We spend money on souvenirs and refreshments but I presume the high cost of visiting Bhutan helps to finance the country痴 infrastructure. Where ever you go the price of souvenirs seems to be reasonably well fixed.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
This was a great destination and I am truly pleased that I have had the chance to visit it. But it is an expensive destination. I would still recommend Bhutan to anyone who can afford to go.
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