Paro Festival Tour this nine-day trip is designed to allow you to enjoy the colour and dance of one of Bhutan’s major festivals. Not just this, you also visit the Tiger’s Nest, Thimphu, Bhutan’s tiny capital city, Punakha and spend a night in the rural area of Phobjikha, home to the rare black-necked crane that winters here.
This trip is an ideal way to enjoy Bhutan, with only one day of walking (to get to the Tiger’s Nest). It would suit anyone of any age and would be a great tour for children.
Accommodation is in good standard tourist hotels throughout. The food is a variety of Bhutanese, European, Chinese and Indian. Beware the local chillies though, as these can be very spicy!
Especially sensitive to the environment, one of this operator’s success strategies has been in visiting schools and supporting green educational values such as planting of trees, gardening, and maintaining clean and green surroundings, through speeches, games and donations of environment-related teaching materials. Small monetary contributions are provided as rewards to conservation-based clubs.
These treks explore areas least visited by tourists. This allows you to capture a natural, undisturbed essence of the country’s way of life as well as enhance income-generation opportunities and provide employment to the locals. Farmhouses are used for night-halts, and some of the meals are taken in the company of the villagers. Often visitors donate school supplies such as computers, note-books, school uniforms and other basic requirements.
Short Program:
Day 1: Arrival and sightseeing at Paro
Day 2: Festival in Paro
Day 3: Visit to Tiger’s Nest, overnight at Paro
Day 4: Festival in Paro and drive to Thimphu
Day 5: Thimphu sightseeing
Day 6: Drive to Punakha; sightseeing
Day 7: Drive to Gangtey; visit to Phobjikha
Day 8: Return to Paro via Wangdi
Day 9: Departure
Especially sensitive to the environment, one of this operator’s success strategies has been in visiting schools and supporting green educational values such as planting of tree, gardening and maintaining clean and green surroundings through speeches, games and donations of environment-related teaching materials. Small monetary contributions are provided as rewards to conservation-based clubs.
These treks explore areas least visited by tourists. This allows you to capture a natural, undisturbed essence of the country’s way of life as well as enhance income-generation opportunities and provide employment to the locals. Farmhouses are used for night-halts, and some of the meals are taken in the company of the villagers. Often visitors donate school supplies such as computers, note-books, school uniforms and other basic requirements.
Trip highs!
- Rich culture of the Buddhist festival
- Tiger’s Nest – monastery perched high up on the cliff
- Punakha – Bhutan’s largest and most magnificent monastery
- Phobjikha – home to the endangered black-necked cranes
Trip watch-outs!
- Chillies – these are dangerous!
- Two-hour walk to Tiger’s Nest is along quite a steep path, but for those who don’t want to walk, horses can take you up much of the way to a fantastic view-point
Karma Wangdi comes from Tashi Yangtse, the eastern-most part of the country. Engaged in the tourism industry for over 14 years, he has invaluable knowledge and experience on religion, culture, history, the unique identities and lifestyles of the people, as well as about the flora and fauna of Bhutan.
Keen to share the benefits of tourism, Karma looks to help local people not only in terms of employment, but also through creating awareness on the importance of the environment and conserving the rich natural assets of Bhutan.
Ideal For Whom
This trip is an ideal way to enjoy Bhutan, and see not only a colourful and interesting festival, but explore some of the highlights easily. There is only one day of walking, to get to the Tiger’s Nest. This involves a hike of a couple of hours up. Horses can take you up halfway to a fantastic viewpoint if you don’t want to walk. This trip would suit anyone of any age and would be a great tour for children.
When To Visit
Spring and autumn are the best times to visit, when the weather is warm, dry and fairly settled. There may be the odd showers in spring, while the skies tend to be clearer in autumn.
Winter is cold, but offers crisp, clear days and it gets quite warm during the day.
Summer is not the best time of the year to visit as this is when monsoon falls – but it usually only rains for a few hours each day.
Things To Bring
Sun hat or cap to use during the day, along with a scarf for covering the neck
Woolen hat or balaclava for evenings
Sunglasses
Water bottle – mineral water is available in plastic bottles, but it’s advisable to carry iodine, a filter or steripen to purify water and reduce plastic waste
By Air: Flights come into Paro Airport, the only international airport in Bhutan. It’s about a two-hour drive to Thimphu, the capital.
For foreigners other than Indian nationals, entry or exit into Bhutan has to be via a Druk Airways flight into Paro Airport. (Your visa will be arranged for you in advance by your operator). This means that a flight is needed at least one way, to enter or leave Bhutan.
By Land: It is possible for foreigners to enter Bhutan from Phuentsholing and to leave via Samdrup Jongar. There are no restrictions for Indian nationals, who in addition to the option of flying, can use either land border points.
Samdrup Jongar is a three-hour road trip to Guwahati in Assam, from where it is possible to fly to Kolkata, Delhi or Bangkok; or take a train to West Bengal, to Siliguri or Kolkata. This area is politically unstable, so it is wise to check in advance.
Phuentsholing, on the western border of Bhutan, is a few hours from Darjeeling, Sikkim and West Bengal. Siliguri is the main transport hub (169km). Buses leave Siliguri twice a day for Phuentsholing.
Panitanki (Ranigan), in north western Bengal, is opposite the eastern Nepal border town of Kakarbhitta. It is possible to arrange transport with the Bhutanese operator from here to Bhadrapur or Biratnagar for flights to Kathmandu. Panitanka is an hour away from Siliguri (35km) and buses run regularly.
Normal Payment Policy: At time of booking a non-refundable deposit of 10% is charged to your credit card in Euro equivalent by Travel To Care on behalf of the tour operator. Payment should be made 45 days in advance.
Normal Cancellation Policy: 50% refund if tour cancelled within 60 days from the start of the tour.
25% refund if tour cancelled within 45 days from the start of the tour.
No refund if tour cancelled less than 30 days from the start of the tour.
Payment Options: Bank draft to Bhutan National Bank, Bhutan.
Period(s) tour is not operational: N/A
