Please help in my Bhutan Planning

Old Jan 26th, 2007, 06:02 PM
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Please help in my Bhutan Planning

This isn't the first (or last message) I'll probably post re: Bhutan --- just trying to work out the details.

My main questions this time around:
- are 4 days enough/too little/not worth it for Bhutan? We would obviously do Paro and maybe one more city.
- the costs for 4 days is working out to be very $$$, and we're not even staying at the 5 star hotels. We've travelled to much of SE Asia and India... and are wondering, is Bhutan really worth it? How unique is the experience?

Any thoughts or help would be appreciated!
Thanks!
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Old Jan 26th, 2007, 06:18 PM
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Sorry, I should add we are also considering Nepal on this same trip -- so will this be somewhat similar?

Also, I think it's important to note we're not trekkers, really just interested in culture, the sites, the peace and people.

Thanks.
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Old Jan 26th, 2007, 07:42 PM
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We are again considering Bhutan, we did preliminary planning a couple of years ago. It is quite expensive and the regular accommodations would not be mistaken for luxurious. The price per person per day is US$200-240 depending on how many people in your party. If you book with an agency not located in Bhutan, they have to contract with a Bhutanese agency, and usually will mark up the price, so beware of that.

Personally, I wouldn't go to Bhutan for just 4 days. I'm looking at 10 days, but wouldn't opt for less than a week. It will be rather differnt from Nepal (where I have been).

The best guidebook on Bhutan is the Lonely Planet book.

Do a search on this board - there have been a few trip reports on Bhutan. There was someone with a recent report who was there for just a few days, so that might help you decide if it is worth it to you.
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Old Jan 26th, 2007, 08:35 PM
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Four days might just be worthwhile if it included a festival, but you really need longer. I've been to Bhutan, although not to Nepal, but I think Bhutan is indeed unique. The dress, the houses, the lifestyle (although five years of TV may have had an effect) are all unique. Plus, out in the countryside, even on the road (there are only two) you can feel as if you have stepped back to the beginning of time. You can read my trip report on Bhutan at www.wilhelmswords.com/asia2001.
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Old Jan 28th, 2007, 07:58 PM
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Yes, Bhutan is worth it. It's very different than any other country in Asia. I would suggest either:

1. 5 days - Paro, Thimphu, Punakha
This is the best itineray for a shorter trip. It's really worth it to go to Punakha.

2. 4 days - Paro, Thimphu. A little too short, but better than not going at all. Spend more of the time in Paro.

3. 10 days - all the way to Bumthang. That's what I did.

I'll be finishing my trip report on Bhutan one of these days...soon. I went to Bhutan one year ago.
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Old Jan 29th, 2007, 06:30 AM
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Mealea, I'm anxiously awaiting your report!
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Old Jan 29th, 2007, 09:10 AM
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Melea can you post your itinerary here please?

Thanks

J
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Old Feb 7th, 2007, 02:05 PM
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I'm also planning a trip to Bhutan for December. After researching drive times (max 4-5 hrs a day)hotels, Lonely Planet and 15+ itineraries from top US companies, I'll share the itinerary I'm submitting to several Bhutanese tour operators for their bids and comments. I welcome yours.
Thursday: fly Paro from Bangkok, hang out in Paro
Friday: tour Paro valley and Haa valley, o/n Paro
Saturday: drive to Thimpu for weekend market + city touring o/n Thimpu
Sunday: drive Thimpu to Punaka Dzong, on to Wangdu
Monday: drive/tour Wangdu to Gantey - see
National Day celebrations
Tuesday: Gantey to Chumey valley o/n locally or in
Trongsa
Wednesday: attend festival in Trongsa
Thursday: Trongsa festival
Friday: drive Trongsa back toward Thimpu
Sat: return to Paro, sightseeing enroute and in town
Sunday: depart Paro to Delhi
Would I be rushing the flow if we arrived in Paro a day later and began Friday midday?
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Old Feb 7th, 2007, 05:33 PM
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Robbie, I'm in the process of drawing up an itinerary as well. I'm really torn, as I don't want to move every day. I fear I'll just see scenery and not get a real flavor for the people and the culture, on teh other hand I want to see as much as I can. I'll also be interested to know which Bhutanese agencies you are submitting your proposal to.

If we go this year, our trip will be in November.
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Old Feb 7th, 2007, 06:38 PM
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Bhutan is an amazing country, still very unspoilt. It is like visiting a living museum and everyone appears to be very happy. The previous King (who has since moved aside for his son) tried to preserve the country's culture and traditions so most locals wear the traditional garb (compulsory when visiting official places). Houses too have to be built in a traditional style. He was more interested in the Gross National Happiness as opposed to the GNP. There are beautiful dzongs (looks like the Potala in Tibet), beautiful scenery and beautiful people. It's the first country I have visited in the third world where I pay the same price for a bottle of mineral water as would my local guide when you walk into a shop. I would recommend Bhutan to everyone. The high costs are a deliberate measure to reduce the number of tourist and to deter backpackers. Note that the $200 per day minumum includes accommodation, guides, food etc.
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Old Feb 7th, 2007, 08:58 PM
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To Kathie and all, I too am torn about how to see all that I reasonably can while in Bhutan and not forsake really experiencing the place. Any place where there's a town, I want to linger to mix and mingle.
The main highway appears to be the only east-west thoroughfare as far as I can tell. So if the destination is an important monastary off the main highway, I have the impression that there aren't many places to stop, except to appreciate the majestic scenery. If the activity at the monastery is interesting, I'm happy to stay several hours( or a day) visiting with monks (and interpreters) and foregoing some other "must see" place.
I plan to stress to tour operators that we want a guide who is very flexible, so that if we want to stay an extra day in an area or make other adjustments, he/she will make that happen.
I am hoping that 2 1/2 days at the festival in Trongsa will give us some concentrated interaction with local people. I also stress to guides that I'm interested in attending local life cycle events (births, weddings, house blessings, local sacred days, funerals, etc.) if our presence would not feel intrusive. (We were treated like honored guests at a funeral in Tana Toraja in '05 and it felt like we all were enriched by our interactions). What are your thoughts?
I'll let you know in a few days who I've decided to solicit bids from. Keep me posted on the same on your end.
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Old Feb 8th, 2007, 01:06 AM
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It would be interesting to see if the tour operators can be flexible in terms of extra days in places you find interesting. My impression was that the trip was pretty much fixed on where we had to stay each night. We could change what we wanted to do during the day, but the hotels had to be booked and they got booked out pretty quickly.
Best of luck anyhow. It's a wonderful country. My tip is make good friends with your guide and he might invite you back to his house for a family home-cooked meal - a real experience away from the tourist approved restaurants. And maybe the guide won't feel obliged to accompany you everywhere and give you some space...
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Old Feb 8th, 2007, 04:28 AM
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In flying into Paro, make sure you get the first class seats. It's a real blast coming in to land at Paro. If you are in1st class (4 seats on our plane) the captain/flight attendant might leave the door to the flight deck open and you'll have a fantastic view out the nose of the plane. The plane aims for the valley wal, then makes a steep banking turn to the right and right over a little hilltop. It is fantastic..like a roller coaster in a way, and I swear it looked like we were going tofly right into the mountainside! Also, 1st class has reasonably good meals.

We flew from Nepal to aro, then drove overland to the Indian bordr for our trip to Sikkim and Darjeeling areas of India.

I cannot recommend the overland exit. When we were there, it was right after some of the worst flooding in years, and many of the roads were washed out. It took 9 hours insteadof the usual 5. I will say though, that the scenery was quite nice.

The best hotels in Bhutan are no better than around 3 star hotels. hutan is pricey because they severely limit the number of tourists allowed into the country. At least they did when we visited in fall 2000.

Do take a day to do the horseride up to Eaglesnest (Tigersnest?? I forget..) Be aware, though, if you weight more than 150 lbs you will probably have to walk partway up the mountain trail.

We ran down the mountain...took about 20 minutes and our guide wascoming behind us telling us to be careful. A real hoot.


Mark-
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Old Feb 8th, 2007, 05:25 AM
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Mark - I went overland from Paro to Siliguri (for the toy train to Darjeeling) in 2001, and the trip was fine (and fascinating). There were some washouts on the road across Bhutan, but they didn't hold us up that much. My group hiked to the Tiger's Nest overlook - cars could get closer than before as they were rebuilding after the fire and needed to get supplies in.

Getting off the roads (all two of them) in Bhutan requires hiking, and this would be a great country to do that.

The view from the cheap(er) seats on the plane is pretty spectacular, too.
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Old Feb 8th, 2007, 05:35 AM
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Thursday...they were repairing the washed out roads when we ent through Interestingly enough, they brought in crews from India to do all the work. And, like Nepal, people drive like crazy in Butan....passing while going around bind corners, etc...

Yes, I really enjoyed looking out the windows at the himalayas peeking above the clouds.
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Old Feb 8th, 2007, 05:41 AM
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Those of you who have been to Bhutan, tell us how long you were there and what your itinerary was. Were there places where you wish you had lingered longer? Any advice on planning?
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Old Feb 8th, 2007, 07:03 AM
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Kathie - I posted the link to my Bhutan trip report upthread, but to summarize:

I went on a Geographic Expeditions 14 day trip, they no longer offer that exact itinerary, and if you're not traveling solo I wouldn't recommend a group tour (I feel a little silly with a car, driver, and guide just for one person).

Fly BKK to Paro, 3 nights, so-so museum, visit dzongs, walk around valley, hike to Tiger's Nest viewpoint

Drive to Thimpu, 1 night at Hotel Druz (sitting room and bedroom), attend festival, market, archery

Drive to Chuzomsa, 1 night at Kychu Resort (great location right above a river)

Drive to Jakar, 4 nights at guesthouse owned by Yangphel, the local operator (too far outside town, not that there's anything going on in town at night), festival, thangka raising, visit Ura valley

Drive to Trongsa, 1 night

Drive to Punakha, 1 night, visit dzong (it was being renovated after a fire, so we were allowed inside), visit disco
(there is VERY little nightlife in Bhutan!)

Drive to Thimpu, 2 nights, sightseeing

The group then flew back to BKK, I was driven to Phuntsoling for one night, and then a different driver took me
on to Siliguri.

The scenery everywhere was absolutely gorgeous. The hotels were fine. The food was boring - hotel buffets all the time. One night three of us got our local guide to take us into Jakar to "eat out", but it was clear this was not normal practice, and the food was pretty much the same as at the hotels. If I was going to do it over, I wouldn't have gone for so long, unless I was hiking.

Definitely make sure you're there for a festival. I particularly enjoyed the one while we were Jakar, as it was a small rural one, and aside from a couple of independents we were the only outsiders.
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Old Feb 8th, 2007, 07:53 AM
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Thank you, Thursdays, somehow I missed the earlier link, but I will read your full report carefully. There are two of us, and we'll go without a group. Your comments are very helpful. It's so hard to decide how to use our time in Bhutan!
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Old Feb 8th, 2007, 08:28 AM
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Kathie - if you're up to it I would definitely plan to hike. For me one of the great charms of Bhutan was standing out in the countryside and feeling I was back at the dawn of time, and obviously that works better if you're away from the road. And there are only two roads to start with.

I hate to say it, since the country is unique and fascinating, but I was getting a little bored by the end of the trip - same food, same dress, same architecture, too much time on the bus. That might have to do with being on a tour, though.
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Old Feb 8th, 2007, 08:38 AM
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off topic here, but Iran was like hat Thursday, with regards to food. Everywere we went it was Kebab.. Lamb Kebb, Chicken Kebab, Fish Kebab...Kebab, Kebab, Kebab!

After about a week we finally got the guide in Isfahan to actually take us someplace that served food other than Kebab...once...it was better.

And let me tell you...don't bother with their take on pizza!...instead of sauce, they layer mushrooms...blech! (unless you like mushrooms. Still, the Iran trip was fun, being nearly the only foreigners in the country 3 weeks after 9/11 in 2001.

Mark-
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