The Kingdom of Bhutan is probably the most mysterious of all the Himalayan Kingdoms. It lies landlocked in the eastern Himalayas between Nepal and India, amidst the highest mountains in the world. It is a land of diverse contrasts, with beautiful forests of rhodedendrons, pine and cedar, rugged mountains, lush valleys, and lakes teeming with trout.

This trip gives you an insight into the deep cultural heritage of Bhutan, combined with a six day trek. We explore some of the monasteries and ancient fortresses (dzongs) of Paro and the capital Thimphu, and enter the beautiful Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest), which clings precariously to the rock cliff. Our trek takes us along trails leading high above the valleys, crossing the chain of mountains that separates the valleys of Paro and Thimphu. We trek through thick alpine and rhodedendron forests and along remote trails, encounter yak herders establishing camps, and marvel at the spectacular backdrop of the beautiful Himalayan mountains.

Paro. The flight into Paro on Bhutanese’s national carrier, Druk Air, is a befitting introduction to the spectacular beauty of the country. In clear weather, magnificent views of the world’s highest peaks give way to the lush green Paro valley as you land. As you enter Paro valley, you will see the silvery Pa-chu (Paro River) meandering down the valley, the Paro Dzong (fortress) and the Tadzong or watch tower, and as you step frorm the plane you will be met with the cool, clean fresh air.

After clearing customs and visa control you are met by your guide and transferred to your hotel to settle in and have lunch.

Paro is a picturesque valley with quaint clusters of hamlets amid terraced paddy fields. The site of the nation’s first airport, Paro, still retains tradition by way of architecture and farming.

After lunch we will meet at 2pm in the hotel foyer,  and visit the Rinpung Dzong, built in 17th century to defend the valley against Tibetan invaders. The dzong is now used as an administration centre and school for monks.

The afternoon ends with a walk through Paro's main shopping district. Dinner is taken back at the hotel.

Paro - Trek to Jele Dzong.  After an early breakfast you will be picked up from the hotel to drive to Paro and further up to Ta Dzong or the National Muesum to begin our trek.

The crew and mules will be waiting near to Ta Dzong. We will hand over our luggage, and whilst the mules are being loaded, we will visit Ta Dzong, an ancient watchtower, which now houses the National Museum. The dzong was converted into the National Museum in 1968. The museum boasts antique thangka, textiles, weapons and armour, household objects and a rich assortment of natural and historic artefacts. 

After the Museum, we begin our trek. Distance 08 Kms and walking time 4-5 hours.

Starting at Ta Dzong, (2300m) we end up and camp at Jele Dzong (3436m). The trek trail is a rather gradual climb until the camp, and if the weather is clear the Paro valley can be seen with the Mt. Jumolhari (7314m) and snowcapped mountains behind the valley. We have a picnic lunch on the way, and camp near to a monastery.

Simkota to Phajoding. 

Distance 10 Kms and walking time 3-4 hrs.

Starting at Simkota (4040m) and camping at Phajoding (3870m). You begin with a gradual climb up to Phume la (4210m), the highest elevation for this trek. If the weather permits you will have beautiful views of Mt. Gangkhar Punsum (7541m), the highest mountain in Bhutan, and other Himalayan peaks. Below, you can see the entire Thimphu valley.

Thimphu Valley Sightseeing - Paro.  Thimphu has a population of about 98,000. The town is made up of just three lines of shops and is the only capital in the world without traffic lights. After breakfast, we drive north through the Thimphu Valley and glimpse Dechhenchholing Palace amid the forest of pine trees along our route. We continue our drive further on till we reach the base of Tango Monastery. From here we walk for 2 hours to reach the top, where we visit the monastery. Founded in the 13th century, Tango Monastery is a monastic school founded by Lama Gyalwa Lhanampa. The current buildings are 15th century and constructed by the memorably named ‘divine madman’, Lama Drukpa Kuenley. Residing at Tango today is an important reincarnate lama recognized to be the seventh reincarnation of Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye. After our visit we walk back to the motorable point and then drive back to Thimphu for lunch. After lunch we take a walk in the beautiful Thimphu Valley and visit the Memorial Chorten, National Library and School of Arts and Crafts, and then in the evening we drive to Paro. Overnight and dinner at Hotel Olathang or similar.

Paro

Bhutan

Tel: + 975 8 271304/305

Fax: + 975 8 271454

Please note that your departure transfer is included. Please ensure that you provide us with your flight departure details so that we can organise this transfer for you.

The Pre-Departure meeting is held at 2pm THE DAY of the scheduled departure date. The pre-departure meeting is held to discuss the tour itinerary in more detail, meet your crew and fellow passengers.

In each departure city we have named a joining hotel from where the tour will leave. It is your responsibility to make your way to this hotel.

PLEASE ADVISE KUMUKA OR YOUR AGENT IF YOU WILL BE ARRIVING LATE AND ARE THEREFORE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE PRE-DEPARTURE MEETING.

In addition the crew will check that all passengers have the necessary travel documents, insurance and immunization certificates for the tour. It is IMPORTANT that you attend this meeting. Please advise KUMUKA or your AGENT if you CANNOT attend this meeting.

All passengers MUST bring:

1. Passport.

2. Vaccination Certificate.

3. Travel Voucher.

4. Travel Insurance Policy.

Your passport is a valuable document and you should exercise extreme care in keeping it safe. We recommend that you keep your passport on you at all times, preferably in a money belt that is worn under your clothing. We advise that you take copies of relevant pages in your passport and any visas that you may purchase in case of loss or damage. Your tour leader will require your passport details at the pre-departure meeting. Again, we recommend that you have a photocopy of all passport details, kept separate. Your passport must be valid for six months after the END of your tour, and must have one blank page for each country to be visited.

Departure Tax from Paro Airport is approximately US$12.

Please note that this is a guide only, and taxes are subject to change.

For detailed climate information see www.kumuka.com

Travel Tip: Always bring a lightweight, waterproof jacket and/or an umbrella even during the height of summer - this should prepare you for anything!

We suggest passengers budget for between US$10-15 per day for personal expenses, souvenirs, evenings out, drinks, etc. Be aware that some countries are more expensive than others and that if you are travelling through several your expenses will vary enormously. Similarly there will be some days when you spend nothing at all and others when you exceed your budget.

Bhutanese currency is called Ngultrum (Nu) and it on a par with the Indian Rupee. Both the Ngultrum and Indian Rupee can be used in Bhutan.

US dollars cash and Travellers cheques, and other world currencies can easily be exchanged at Banks in larger towns within Bhutan, and also at some shops and larger hotels.

Banks are open from 10am to 1pm Monday to Friday.

In the capital, Thimphu, some of the smaller bank branches are open on Saturdays and Sundays for currency exchange. 

You are advised to carry most of your money in Traveller’s cheques - preferably American Express, or Cash (US Dollar)

Please note that Banks in Bhutan do not accept credit cards. Visa Cards and American Express credit cards will be accepted in a few shops. No other credit cards are accepted.

Please use your discretion and be sensitive to cultural differences in the countries that you visit, in particular visits to religious buildings and when taking photographs. Your Tour Leader will advise you of any specific customs to observe. Dress discretely, especially if you are visiting religious sites. For women this means skirts or long pants with T-shirt. For men, this means long shorts or trousers with a T-shirt. Always take your shoes off when entering temples or any religious site.

Care should be taken to respect the conventions of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and other religious and ethnic groups, particularly in respect of clothing and footwear.

We suggest that you take into account the time of year you will be travelling, and pack accordingly to the season. Quick drying clothes are recommended, and at many hotels there are laundry facilities. Your tour leader will advise where laundry facilities are available.

Personal Effects:
Camera & film, Spare passport photos, Water bottle, Money belt, Torch, Sewing kit, Sunhat/ Sunglasses, Music cassettes /CDs, Books, Wet Ones, Soap to wash clothes, Writing materials, Swiss Army knife, Calculator, Personal toiletries, including tampons, Contraceptives, Insect Repellent, Sunscreen.

NOTE: If you wear glasses, it is advisable to bring a spare pair since opticians are uncommon. If you wear contact lenses you may find that climatic changes and dust can create visual irritation, therefore, it is advisable to bring a pair of glasses.

The Bhutanese language in called Dzongkha.

English will be spoken in the larger cities. You might like to take the time before your trip to read up on the country you will be visiting and perhaps learn a few words of the language. Your effort will always be welcomed and will make your trip all the more enjoyable.

Bhutanese food is generally hot and spicy. The national dish of Bhutan is spicy chillies mixed with a cheese sauce. Chillies are treated as a vegetable, as opposed to a seasoning in the Bhutanese diet. A wide variety of vegetables are a daily staple of the local diet, and red and white rices are served at every meal. Meats, poultry and fish are also found on many menus, along with Tibetan momos and noodle dishes.

For visitors, Chinese, Indian and Continental foods are also available. Meals are usually served buffet style in the hotels.

Vegetarians or those with special dietary needs - please notify Kumuka of your special requirements as soon as possible so we can do all possible to assist your needs.

Tipping is not expected in Bhutan, but salaries are low and any gratuities for good service will be gratefully accepted.

Bargaining is generally not expected, as most shops have fixed prices in Bhutan.

Kumuka Travel Money
The easiest way to buy currency and travellers cheques, without having to leave home.

• Easy to arrange either online or over the phone 
• Great value - no commission, only a straightforward £5 fee 
• Fast delivery direct to your home - next day if you order before 2pm Mon to Fri 
• Choose from over 60 currencies or American Express Travellers Cheques

www.kumuka.com/TravelMoney.aspx (UK customers only)

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

KUMUKA WORLDWIDE

UK OFFICE

Hillswood Business Park
3000 Hillswood Drive Chertsey KT16 0RS
Tel: 020 7937 8855 Fax: 020 7937 6664
Email: sales@kumuka.com
www.kumuka.com

AUSTRALIAN OFFICE