A Mystical Odyssey in Bhutan

7 - 13 May 2023 (7D6N)

_‍^{Destinations: Paro, Thimphu, Punakha
Topics: History, Culture, Spiritual, Adventure, Trekking}

_‍^{Journey through Bhutan’s unique topography and picture-book landscape through ancient gompas, traditional architecture and sacred mountains. Our 7D6N mystical odyssey promises an intoxicating blend of the ancient and modern that fascinates and invigorates.
‍}^{Only 12 spots available.}

Come As A Pair: US$6,490 per person
‍

_‍^‍^{Secure Early Bird savings of US$200 per person
from now until Feb 28, '23.

‍}^{Full payment required to confirm your spot}

Join As A Pair

Solo: US$8,190 per person
‍

_‍^‍^{Secure Early Bird savings of US$200 per person
from now until Feb 28, '23.

‍}^{Full payment required to confirm your spot}

Join solo

Itinerary

7 May: Arrival in Paro
8 May: Thimphu
9 May: Thimphu / Punakha
10 May: Punakha
11 May: Punakha / Paro
12 May: Paro
13 May: Depart Paro

Key Experiences

Ascend the steps to observe the modern hum of the Tango Monastery

Embark on a hike over just over an hour to from Dodena Village to the top of the Tango Monastery, offering breathtaking views over the valley north of Thumpu. Now the Drukpa Kagyu University of Buddhist studies, Tango serves as the seat of renowned Buddhist Master Gyelse Tenzin Rabgay, whose reincarnation– along with the reincarnations of other notable masters – still resides here.

Savour the best of Bhutanese dining and hospitality

At your welcome dinner at the Folk Heritage Museum Restaurant, known for serving some of the country’s most authentic dishes, you’ll enjoy the company of both a distinguished local historian and a practicing lama. One will regale you with tales of an illustrious past and the other will perform a traditional invocation.

Cleanse both mind and spirit in meditation at the historic Dra Karpo

Follow in the footsteps of Guru Rinpoche himself – also known as Padmasambhava – to the spectacular Dra Karpo, a monastery perched on a cliffside rising above the lower Paro. The devout come here to circumambulate the monastery up to 108 times, passing through a narrow cleft in the rocks below to be absolved of sins.

Ritual Ja dang ni (offering tea) with the monks of Eutha Goenpa

Earn merit in sacred almsgiving acts among the Eutha Goenpa’s more than sixty resident monks. As per Bhutanese custom, it is considered a praiseworthy deed to quench the thirst of monks engaged in prayer.

Overview

Our mystical 7D6N journey in the Land of the Thunder Dragon sets off from tiny Thimphu, where author and historian Tshering Tashi will provide a fitting welcome at your luxury lodgings.

Winding both east and west through stunning surrounds to the verdant valleys of Punakha and Paro, you’ll absorb the mountains’ sacred rhythms at their greatest stupas and buddha statues –hanging prayer flags, offering alms and praying in the company of nuns.

Learn to make mandalas, dine with a Bhutanese family and meditate with a venerable senior lama. Along your scenic route, you’ll enjoy a healthy dose of adventure as well, summiting the Dochu La by car and traversing the Punakha Valley in a white-water raft. Not least is a series of leisurely hikes complete with majestic Himalayan backdrops, winding through paddies and beneath cliffs to arrive at a handful of Bhutan’s most fascinating monasteries.

Itinerary

Bhutan

7 - 13 May 2023 (7D6N)

Journey through Bhutan’s unique topography and picture-book landscape through ancient gompas, traditional architecture and sacred mountains.

Our 7D6N mystical odyssey promises an intoxicating blend of the ancient and modern that fascinates and invigorates.
‍

_‍^{Destinations:}^Paro^,^Thimphu^,^Punakha^{Topics: History, Culture, Spiritual, Adventure, Trekking}

Join As A Pair Join Solo

Day 1, May 7
Arrival in Paro

Hike from your hotel through paddy fields to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, a Buddhist shrine that overlooks the valley. Enjoy the thrill of rafting down Punakha river. Late afternoon, visit the Wolakha Nunnery, perched high on a hilltop, which offers a great spot to pause and meditate. End the day with a visit to the stunning Punakha Dzong.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Zhiwaling Ascent or similar

Day 2, May 8
Thimphu

Visit the National Memorial Chorten for a glimpse of Bhutanese prayer life, before embarking on a leisurely nature hike to Tango Monastery. Sit down for a picnic lunch at Dodena, before ending the day with an evening prayer session at Zilukha Nunnery.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Zhiwaling Ascent or simila

Day 3, May 9
Thimphu / Punakha

Our representative will meet the group at the hotel and transfer you to the airport foStart the day with a visit to Buddha Dordenma. Hang prayer flags at the iconic Dochula Pass before moving onwards to the Royal Botanical Park at Lamperi. Enjoy a refreshing 2 hour hike to Punakha Dzong, arguably one of the most beautiful monasteries in Bhutan.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Dhensa Boutique Resort or similar

Day 4, May 10
Punakha

Day 5, May 11
Punakha / Paro

A very special experience awaits you today. It is an invitation to pause and enjoy a change of pace; to see the world from another perspective. You will have a chance to Drive from Punakha to Paro via the 3,050m mountain pass of Dochu La. Slow down in the afternoon with a meditation session with a senior lama at the Dra Karpo monastery. Participate in a tea ceremony with the 63 resident monks at the sacred Eutha Goenpa monastery.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & DinnerAccommodation: COMO Uma Paro or similarmeet our local personality Manuel Choqque a natural-born culinary wizard, placed in the Top 50 game changing producers in 2021.
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Go foraging for local ingredients that grow above 3,000m rarely seen anywhere else in the world before sitting down for a curated 8 tasting plate gastronomic experience put together by our own personality.

Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodation: Rio Sagrado, A Belmond Hotel or similar

Day 6, May 12
Paro

Make the pilgrimage to the sacred cliffside Taktsang Monastery. Enjoy a traditional lunch and learn about the local culture with a Bhutanese family. In the afternoon, participate in Mandala making with a buddhist monk at Paro Dzong. Swap memories over red rice beers and a dinner on your last evening before departing the next day.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: COMO Uma Paro or similar

Day 7, May 13
Depart Paro

Relax and explore Paro before departing.

Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch

Highlights

Enjoy panoramic views of the Punakha Valley on the ancient Talo Hike

Set off on foot through the picturesque hamlet of Talo, home of the Royal Queen Mothers of Bhutan. Passing through orange orchards and fields of Himalayan grapes, passion fruits and pears, the path descends gently through tiny villages to bring you to the river and the imposing monastic complex of Punakha Dzong.

Climb to Thimpu’s welcoming Zilukha Nunnery

Light your own butter lamps and offer donations at this lively nunnery high on a hillside overlooking Thimphu, established a half-century ago and now home to some 80 nuns. Its builder was the region’s singular engineering legend and lama Thangtong Gyalpo, inventor of an iron smelting technique used in bridges throughout Tibet and Bhutan.

Interact with the nuns of the Wolakha Nunnery

Approach the whitewashed stupas of the hilltop nunnery and college of Wolakha, offering panoramic views over the Punakha Valley and the chance to observe the sacred site’s everyday buzz. This was the country’s first institute to grant nuns a track to obtaining the equivalent of Master’s degrees in advanced Buddhist Studies.

Dine with traditional dancers at a rousing fireside farewell dinner

Enjoy an exclusive farewell feast at the Naksel Boutique, a luxurious retreat with incredible views. Amid seasonal flowers, prayer flags and a roaring fire, watch a series of both secular and religious dances. The last dance is known as tashi lepay, signifying an auspicious conclusion, and it is a Bhutanese custom for everyone present to rise up and take part.

Whitewater rafting down the Punakha Valley

Balance your spiritual fare with a healthy rush of adrenaline on a float down the Mo Chhu River, traversing a gentle, 10-mile stretch accentuated by white water rapids. Toward the end, you’ll be rewarded with a magnificent view of the towering walls of Punakha Dzong.

Experience the best of Bhutanese hospitality in a warm and memorable welcome

Journey Price

_‍^‍^{Save US$200 when you secure your spot before 28 Feb 2023
Full payment required to confirm your spot}

Come As A Pair: US$6,490 per person

Solo: US$8,190 per person

Join As A Pair Join solo

Regular Pricing

Join solo Join As A Pair

Inclusive of:
- Accommodation based on Single or Twin occupancy in the selected hotel or similar
- Private services including assistance in airports and transfers
- All guided excursions described in the itinerary with English-speaking guides
- All entrance fees for the included activities
- All specified meals (vegetarian option is available with no extra charge)
- 24-hours journey support
- Welcome amenities

Kindly note that travel insurance, flights and additional costs resulting from flight routes are to be purchased and arranged separately. Get in touch with our consultants for advice and assistance on the arrangements.

Recommended International Flight Details:
This is our recommended flight option if you’re travelling from Singapore.
DRUK Air
7 May 2023
SIN - PBH
Depart SIN at 1230
Arrive PBH at 1645

13 May 2023
PBH - SIN
Depart PBH at 0805
Arrive in SIN at 1610

This is our recommended flight option if you’re travelling from Bangkok.
DRUK Air
7 May 2023
BKK - PBH
Depart BKK at 0500
Arrive PBH at 0715

13 May 2023
PBH - BKK
Depart PBH at 1150
Arrive in BKK at 1600

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a visa to travel to Bhutan?

All visitors to Bhutan require a visa; all visas are issued from Thimphu; visas are only issued to tourists booked with a locally licensed tour operator, directly or through a foreign travel agent. Applications for tourist visas are submitted by the tour operator.

Can you arrange an extension to other parts of Bhutan and the region?

Absolutely. We can extend your trip to cover other parts of Bhutan and the region before and/or after this group journey, subject to availability upon payment of the deposit.

What does this insider journey not include?

Not inclusive of:
- International air tickets
- Domestic flights
- Excess baggage charges
- Additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations
- Alcoholic beverages
- Travel insurance
- Laundry
- Phone calls, radio calls or messages
- Other items of personal nature
- Tips
- Extra expenses originated in itinerary changes or others due to force majeure or other circumstances beyond Blue Sky Escapes’ control

What are the terms and conditions for this insider journey?

^{a) A 100% payment is required to secure your spot on our Journey to Bhutan.

b) Cancellations are to be advised in writing, and will be assessed on a case by case basis.
i. Cancellation 30 days or more prior to arrival: No cancellation/retention charge, subject to supplier policy and except for cancellation fee on air tickets/ train tickets or deposits made for Lodge.}^{ii. Cancellation within 30 days of arrival: Retention of full payment levied as cancellation charge.

c) We cannot give any allowance or refund for meals, activities, or other pre-paid services not taken during the journey. In the event of a no show, we reserve the right to retain the full amount paid.

d) We reserve the right to postpone the journey in the event a pre-requisite number of guests is not met or any other occurrences render the retreat impossible to run (e.g.,COVID-related restrictions imposed by the Singapore government or foreign government). If postponed, guests will have one week’s notice to cancel after which claims for a refund will no longer apply.

e) If a refund amount is to be processed, it will be refunded less any applicable credit card or bank transfer fees charged by third party payment processors.

f) We reserve the right to make the necessary amendments to the journey, including but not limited to the journey, accommodation, schedule and other details, where we deem fit to comply with the prevailing Singapore and relevant foreign government regulations.
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g) All guests must take out comprehensive travel insurance covering them for personal effects, personal accident, medical and emergency travel expenses, cancellation and curtailment.

h) Blue Sky Escapes can reserve seats on flights with a deposit or full payment. Please note that airfares may increase between time of booking, time of payment and the ticket being issued. Any costs incurred due to amendments will be borne by the traveller.

i) Blue Sky Escapes cannot be held responsible should airlines discontinue flights on certain routings or change scheduled timetables, resulting in missed connections etc. Should an amendment in a routing or itinerary be necessary we will re-quote you accordingly

j) Dietary Requirements: All dietary requirements can be catered for. When making your reservation, please advise us of any specific dietary requirements that you may have and these will be communicated through to the respective establishment.

k) Gratuities: Tipping is at your discretion. However management of the establishment will be able to assist with.

l) Prices are subject to change as per change in Government / Hotel / Airline policy without prior notice.

m) We are proud to be a conscious company in which sustainable travel is central to our philosophy and values; from taking care of our travellers, staff, guides, families and suppliers, to being respectful to the local people we meet, and preserving the pristine environments we travel through. Each journey we craft takes into account all of these components. To mitigate any impact of the carbon footprint we leave behind, we work with One Tree Planted to plant a tree for every traveller we send on a journey.}

Get US$200 off your first journey.

Get US$200 off your first journey.

Journey with us on A Mystical Odyssey in Bhutan (12 - 18 March '23).

A Mystical Odyssey in Bhutan