Bhutan - tips?
We are considering a cultural trip to Bhutan. Do we need to go with a US tour company or are there local tour companies who can do the same thing for us for less? Any and all Bhutan travel tips would be greatly appreicated.
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Whether you go with a US tour comppany or make arrangements directly with a Bhutanese company, all arrangements ultimately go through a Bhutanese company. A full listing is available at www.kingdomofbhutan.com
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oops - I posted too soon.
There have been a couple of reports posted here on Bhutan in the last couple of years. See if the search function is working, |
You can book through either. I used Jachung Travel out of San Fran. They have a relationship with Eagle Tours in Thimpu Bhutan. I cannot say enough good things about my experience with these companies.
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You might first want to check out guidebooks for Bhutan. You asked a very basic question, so I'm guessing you haven't done a lot of research yet. You can get Lonely Planet Bhutan and Footprint Bhutan.
It's true that however you book your trip, you'll eventually go through a local Bhutanese company. If you get help from a U.S. travel agent, you'll pay a significant mark up but some people like the ease of doing it this way. I used a local company, Rainbow Travel and Tours, based in Bhutan. They were great and it was easy to make all arrangements directly with them. You'll find a complete list of recommended travel agents, both in the U.S. and in Bhutan, in the two books I mentioned. |
I did not pay a markup for booking through Jachung. Some companies do charge wire/mailing fees -- you might ask about that. Also -- most will not take credit cards, or if they do, you may have to pay a couple of percent extra.
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