Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

More like highlights, of which there were many. The walk up to the Tiger's Nest Monastery. An out of programme trip organised by our leaders to visit the beautiful dzong in Punakha together with an impromptu visit to a local festival in Wangdue Phodrang. Stories of the Divine Madman and seeing phalluses painted all over the houses which are a sign of good luck here. Watching boy monks dancing in costume inside their dzong. Assisting in a ceremony inside one of the temples. Watching the festival in Thimpu and observing the locals dressed in their best ceremonial clothes, and more mundane things - but not least important! - like hot water bottles at night on trek, solar lamps, delicious pizza and cake made by the camp chef.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Norbu and Karma were excellent leaders. Both were well organised and took great care of the group. Karma took care of the monastic/temples side of the trip explaining everything about the Buddhist religion, whilst Norbu told us more about the politics, royal family and social/environmental structure of the country and how they are striving to get it all right. Both were complimentary to each other. Karma fell over backwards to try and keep us happy......during the rain! He even washed our muddy boots in the river at the end of the trek!

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is NOT a trek for BEGINNERS. The altitude is something to be taken seriously (over 4000mts asl) and also physical fitness is an absolute must. Trekking, albeit the foothills, in the Himalayas is hard on the body. However, if you are used to hill walking , you will love it.

Suggestions

Just that if you do go, try to go over one of the festival periods as it's well worth it. Oh, and if you think you will lose weight with all the walking......you won't! The food on trek is wonderful and loads of it!

Most Inspirational Moment

The trek from Paro to Thimpu. Through forests and across mountains. The camping was great.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was very knowledgable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just go!

Most Inspirational Moment

From start to finish everything was different, but the most outstanding feature was the friendliness and happiness of the people.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader and assistant leader were excellent. I treated them as friends, well they are.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The altitude does make a big difference. What would have been easy trekking in the UK becomes more difficult at altitude. You can get tablets for altitude sickness. One of our group did suffer but within half an hour of taking the tablets, was well recovering.

Suggestions

Bhutan is remote and you fly in through Kathmandu, You get a half day in Kathmandu on the return and it is advisable to make the most of this opportunity. Bhaktapur and the stupa at Boudhanath a well worth a visit. We got Taxis from the airport upon arrival from Bhutan, they stayed with us for the afternoon and did not cost the earth.

Most Inspirational Moment

Waking up in the morning to the most incredible sunny, white frosty views over a mountain lake.

Thoughts on Group Leader

very helpful and willing to make our trip as enjoyable as he could.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Always take enough layers - was warm and wet during the day but very cold at night.

Suggestions

Great detox as there is no alcohol while camping!

Most Inspirational Moment

The warm up hike day was amazing, to be walking up to Tigers nest monastry and hearing the monks chanting with it echoing through the valley..just great way to start the trip!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Group leader was great, very helpful and friendly. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

Enjoy! Also ask your guide about hot stone baths in Paro, they were great! 

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the reincarnation of Desi Tenzin Rabgye Rimpoche at Tango monastery.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Outstanding

Advice for Potential Travellers

What are you waiting for?  Go!

Most Inspirational Moment

No particular moment but throughout we experienced friendly and relaxed people who gave expression to the  Bhutan culture of "Gross National Happiness".  

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader (Pasang) was excellent, friendly, helpfull and always happy. The assistant ( Dorgi) was also very good, he took the leader in explaining the Bhutan culture.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Ensure you have a 3/4 season sleeping bag and warm cloths for the evenings.

Most Inspirational Moment

Trekking through the Himalaya was mindblowing for me. You don't get to meet any people and can walk in your own pace in a breathtaking environment and that to me was sooo amazing. Also being able to learn about the culture and attend the Thimphu festival was a definate highlight.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Pasang and Dorji were absolutely fantastic tourguides who took care of everyone at all times. They were very knowledgeable and easy-going. If I ever come back to Bhutan I would make sure that either one of them would lead the tour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Trekking in altitude is definately something different then doing the same amount of kilometres in 'normal' conditions so make sure to be fit... Also make sure to take a shirt with a collar cause otherwise you cannot attend the Thimphu festival. This was not mentioned as clearly in our tripnotes so a couple of people ended up borrowing shirts from the guys...

Most Inspirational Moment

I think managing to sleep at 4,100m and feel ok. Finally I had acclimatised and was much fitter! The scenery was mind blowing too - you really felt you were at the centre of the world!Bhutan still feels very untouched but it's definitely starting to change so you need to go NOW... 

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Pasang was fantastic. He looked after all of us amazingly well. Dorji who was the local guide was very kind too and I felt that we all built up a great relationship with them both which meant we got far more out of the trip as we had a much more of an understanding of Bhutan.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes whilst on the trip notes it said it was a moderate trip it is definately equal to doing the Inca Trail which is listed as moderate to challenging i.e. you need to train! This was something that I didn't do a huge amount of before we left as I come from Derbyshire and equate the Yorkshire Dales with walking not trekking. I did survive though and am now far more fit!

Most Inspirational Moment

trekking in complete solitude.  Unlike other countries & treks, we barely came across any other travellers.  The trek is completely unspoilt and the scenery is stunning.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Passanz & Dorji, our group leaders, were fantastic.  Very knowledgable, great communicators and they kept us all motivated during the trek

Advice for Potential Travellers

Evenings/nights during the trek can be very cold and damp - make sure you bring a down jacket and a very good sleeping bag.

Suggestions

It would have been nice to have longer in Bhutan and get a chance to see more of the country.