https://youtu.be/T5ewPNDWUIk

Podcast conversation with Rishi Sarma.

Main areas

  • Western Bhutan – Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Paro
  • Central Bhutan – Bumthang
  • Eastern Bhutan – OTBP, multi-day white water rafting/camping, visiting with nomadic yak herders

Experiences in Bhutan are vast. A few suggestions…

  • One of the biggest Buddhas in the world at 177 ft tall.
  • Markets, opportunity to meet with locals, cooking lessons with a local family.
  • Beautiful architecture and cultural immersion.
  • Private blessing ceremony for long life and wish fulfillment.
  • Temple of fertility (or divine madman)
  • Rafting on the glacier-fed rivers.
  • Beautiful hikes overlooking valleys and snow-capped peaks.
  • Private guided meditation session with a monk.
  • Private picnic overlooking the valley.
  • Experience forest bathing.
  • Tigers Nest Monastery (Taktsang).
  • Hiking in the Himalayas – Short/ Day hikes.
  • Yoga

Off the beaten path places & other favorites

  • Eastern Bhutan
  • Merak & Sakteng to understand the ways of the yak herding community
  • Helicopter ride to Mt. Jhomolhari or any other high-altitude lake for a picnic champagne breakfast.
  • Rafting down the Drangme Chu with camping by the river and coming out in India
  • Horse riding in the valley exploring an old nobles household which is now a museum
  • Westernmost valley in Bhutan. A great place for guests to get away from the usual circuits to explore rural Bhutanese life and spending a night in one of the old renovated farmhouses.

Fascinating people that you can meet while you are in Bhutan:

  • Mynak Trulku Rinpoche* (on my personal list)
  • Dasho Karma Ura

Insider Access:

  • Private breakfast at a monastery followed by a blessing ceremony and a private tour of the monastery by the head monk
  • A Private masked dance festival (Tshechu) for a group in a remote village.

A few of Rishi’s personal favorites (watch the show for more)

Cafes/ Restaurants

  • Project ZZA – a fusion restaurant that incorporates Bhutanese dishes into an international menu
  • Cloud 9 – Brilliant burgers with a Bhutanese twist.
  • Chig Ja Gye – Bhutanese fine dining restaurant in Bhutan. o Namgay Artisanal Brewery in Paro – Excellent place to sample local beers especially the Red Rice Lager.
  • Mojo Park – the bar to go to in Thimphu for live performances and to meet locals
  • Handicraft market in Thimphu for some locally produced handicrafts

Picnic spots:

  • Picnic by the riverside in Talo/ Cherry area in Thimphu
  • Picnic breakfast the Gangtey 360 point
  • A hot stone bath in the potato fields of Gangtey

HOTELS 5-star Luxury

Takeaway tips

  • Best time to visit – March to June & October to Dec are considered peak season. Our favorite time is winter (Dec – Feb) when we get clear blue skies and snow-capped mountain views.

Other areas that can be combined with Bhutan

  • Nepal – natural add-on before Bhutan, great places to visit like Chitwan National Park for Rhinos, snowcapped mountain views from Pokhara and Dhulikhel, Heritage in Kathmandu.
  • Tibet
  • Sri Lanka

 

  • Government has mandated minimum spend ($250pppd)
  • Altitude – be mindful of the destination order of your trip
  • Paro is the only international airport
  • There are only 2 airlines, both Bhutanese, that fly into the country. Between them, there are only 6 planes! Plan ahead. Because there may be hotel space, but you can’t actually fly in.

Extraordinary Experiences for
Adventurous Families

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