Asia - Bhutan Travel

Happy New Year!

I have been researching travel to Bhutan in April/May. I would love to hear from FTers who have been there very recently, especially anyone who was traveling independently.
I would be in Bhutan for around 10 days in spring 08 to trek in various regions, and to see the local culture/architecture/paintings/monasteries/landscape/mountains.

Considerations:
1. I want to avoid times of festivals, when the Nikon brigade pours in, evidently. Mid-April appears to fit the bill (later in spring season, few festivals). Or are the festivals great--even with many westerners present?
2. I would like to see the tops of the Himalayan ranges. Best visibility is evidently in winter, Nov-March, but it's also very cold. I want mild/hiking temperatures. How is visibility in April?
3. I am intentionally traveling independently--to experience the place first-hand at my own time and desire. Hiring guides/drivers there.
Any observations--pro and con timing/region would be appreciated. Thanks and cheers!

My understanding is to get a visitor's visa you need to have pre-booked a tour/guide.

Please continue to follow this thread in the FT Asia Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

My understanding is to get a visitor's visa you need to have pre-booked a tour/guide.

That was certainly the case when we were there in March. Our tour guide said we could come back privately in a few years (but not in 2008 for some reason) but that he would have to sponsor us in. Otherwise you do need the guide unless things have changed since March. There didn't seem to be any guides and drivers available independently in any case.

We usually travel independently and we found having a minder to be a bit restrictive. We very rarely managed to do anything on our own.

March by the way was very cold (we had some snow) but still clear.

Not sure where you got the idea that the festivals are full of Westerners toting cameras. Perhaps in Paro and Thimphu that's the case but we went to the Punakha festival where there were the two of us and only 2 other Westerners amongst hundreds of Bhutanese. This was one case where having a guide paid off. Our guide had a schoolfriend who'd become a monk at Punakha and he invited us into the monk's quarters. We had tea there with our guide translating between us and the monk and his uncle (a senior monk).

THANK YOU!


Kiwiflyer and NorthorSouth-- this is precisely the kind of up-to-date information I wanted.

I've checked all the books, and the travel/official/tour company websites and weather charts, and I want to make smart decisions based on what it is really like.

your comment on the lack of tourists at festivals is especially encouraging.

I visited Bhutan in early December 2006 for two weeks. I too travel independently, but wasn't able to in Bhutan as it is the requirement that you need to book with a Government approved travel agent, which will generally include a guide, driver, flights to and from Paro as well as hotels (although it is possible to come over by land).

I booked with Bhutan Tourism Corporation Limited (BTCL), which if I remember correctly is the oldest travel company in the Kingdom. http://www.kingdomofbhutan.com/ Hey, and they are listed on the Royal Securities Exchange of Bhutan (no joke).

Flying to Paro from Kathmandu, the view of the Himalayas was unbelievable, although I too would have preferred to hike through them. That being said, the daily fee is around $220 whether touring the country and staying in hotels or hiking and camping.

Were I in your situation, I would take the Bhutan trip with a guide to meet the people, see the historic sights and landscapes of Bhutan (check out Phobjika Valley) and save the hiking. You are able to walk around freely in towns, so that was how I got my independent fix. I was also one of very few tourists at that time of year. Most nights I had an entire hotel to myself and only once or twice did I have to share any of the sights with any other westerners.

To get my Himalaya hiking fix I would go in Nepal to Upper Mustang or something like that where no one really ever goes. They changed the rules regarding hiking without a guide in Nepal, but I think it would be still be worth it.

In the last 2 years I had been to 40+ countries and Bhutan is certainly in the top 3.

PM me if you want some more info, pics, contacts, etc...

Hi Liquid--


thanks so much for this great information.
I will follow your suggestion and use the (sounds like government-owned) tour company.

I'm planning to go in April, so weather should be better, mid-spring it appears.

I'll keep you posted on travel plans as they go forward.

Thanks to FTers for insights into this trip. It is hard to believe that Bhutan is not 'discovered' and overrun (especially now that Nepal is somewhat dangerous) but it seems the government-imposed daily fee and other restrictions have worked in reducing hordes.

This is a government, of course, whose goal is not Gross National Product but Gross National Happiness. I am looking forward to finding out how it all works. Any other tips--on regions, locations, timing--would be appreciated.

If money isn't a major factor to you, Aman resorts seems to have an excellent setup in Bhutan.

Thanks, RichardInSF
Yes, I'm checking on Aman lodges--and they just opened a new one in Bumthang, Bhutan.

In case it's helpful, there's a wonderful trip report in another discussion board about the Bhutan experience:

http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7053