Paro Valley – The beautiful valley is home to many of Bhutan’s old monasteries and temples. The country’s only Airport is in Paro. The valley is also home to mount Chomolhari (7,300 meters) situated at the northern end of the valley whose glacier water forms the Pachu flowing through the valley. The following are some of the prominent places to visit in Paro.
Paro Dzong – This 15th century massive fortress/monastery is also the administrative center of the dzonkhag. It is also known as Rinpung Dzong.
Ta Dzong – Built as a watchtower the Ta Dzong has since been turned into the national museum.
Drive to Haa through Chele La (3,988m). From the pass you can see Paro valley on one side and then Haa valley on the other. You can also have a picnic at Chele La if you like to. In Haa, some sightseeing and then going to katsho village and visiting the Katso Lhakhang.
The valley of Haa was only opened to Tourist in 2002 and Haa is the least visited valley in Bhutan due to the lack of Tourist infrastructure. This has helped in keeping Haa the way it has always been, with Bhutanese families living their traditional and simple life. There are no tourist standard hotels in Haa valley so we return back to Paro for the night.
Beyond Satsam Chorten, we hike up to the Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest). The 1.5-hour hike to the cafeteria is also a vantage view whereby you can enjoy the stunning view of the monastery. Prayer flags adorn the cliffs and this is also where Guru Padmasambhava landed on the back of a tigress in the 8th century. After a sumptuous local lunch, we will retrace our steps to visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.
Drive to Punakha vial Dochula Pass. The journey takes you on mountain roads, with spectacular alpine scenery. The drive will go over the Dochu La Pass at 3,050 m where on a clear day you can see Eastern western Himalayas of Bhutan.
Dochu-la Pass: We will stop at Dochu-la Pass, here we see 108 chortens built by the present Queen mother of Bhutan Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over Indian militants and to liberate the souls of people who lost their lives. Continue through the bustling market town of Wangduephodrang, and up winding mountain roads through mixed forests and over high passes before ascending into the wide and picturesque Phobjikha Valley. Phobjikha is one of Bhutan’s few glacial valleys, and chosen winter home of black necked cranes (November – March) migrating from the Tibetan plateau. Upon reaching Phubjikha, walk around the valley and visit crane center & Gantay Monastery.
On the way to Paro, halt at Chimmi Lhakhang – a 20 minutes-walk across terraced fields through the village of Sopsokha from the roadside to the small temple located on a hillock in the Centre of the valley below Metshina. Ngawang Chogyel built the temple in 15th century after the ’divine Madman’ Drukpa Kuenlay built a small chorten there. It is a pilgrim site for barren women.
Upon reaching Punakha, visit following places:
Punakha fort (Dzong): which was old Capital of Bhutan and observe the stunning view and beauty of the fort.
Punakha Suspension Bridge: This bridge is one of the longest bridges in Bhutan which conntects People form Shengana, Samdingkha, and Wangkha villages across the Tsang Chu River (aka Po Chu) to Punakha DzongThe bridge offers a spectacular view of the river and valley, and the east bank is a good starting point for multi-day treks in the nearby mountains.
Gasa to Rodophu (Elevation 4215 m)
The Valley of Phobjikha is well known as the winter home of the Black Necked Crane (Grus Nigricollis). Bhutan is home to around six hundred black-necked cranes with Phobjikha being one of the popular places that the birds migrate to in the winter months from the Tibetan plateau. The elegant and shy birds can be observed from early November to end of March. Overlooking the Phobjikha valley is the Gangtey Goempa. This is an old monastery that dates back to 17th century.
Gangtey Monastery is one of the main seats of the religious tradition based on Pema Lingpa’s revelations and one of the two main centres of the Nyingmapa school of Buddhism in the country. The well-known Terton Pema Lingpa makes the Monastery in the late 15th century.
Buddha Point: Located at Kuenselphodrang Nature Park, the 169 feet bronze statue of Buddha Dordenma, Vajra Throne Buddha makes it one of the largest statue of Buddha in the world. The Buddha Dordenma symbolizes indestructibility, and it is said to emanate an aura of peace and happiness to the entire world. The Buddha statue will be completed soon, currently awaiting for the completed paintings but visitors can drive up to the Buddha point and view the tallest statue of Lord Buddha. The view of Thimphu valley from the Buddha point is spectacular and beautiful,, especially at night.
National Memorial Chorten: Meet the elderly generation in circumambulation at the National Memorial Chorten. Chorten means ‘Seat of Faith’ and Buddhists often call such monuments, the ‘Mind of Buddha’. Treat yourself with the fantastic depiction of Buddhist teachings in the form of paintings and sculptures at this temple. As the name denotes this National Memorial Chorten was consecrated on July 28, 1974, in memory of the Third King.
Simply Bhutan: A living museum and a photo studio with a mission to engage and empower youth entrepreneurs through preservation, promotion and showcasing of Bhutanese tradition and cultural diversity. [Opening hour Summer 09.00 AM – 17.00 PM, Winter 10.00 AM – 16.00 PM]
We compiled a list of frequently asked questions about Bhutan travel. If you do not find what you are looking for, please feel free to contact us (WhatsApp/ call +975 17171610 or email at asiavalleystravels@gmail.com)
The Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) is a daily levy paid by visitors to support Bhutan’s development. Since the kingdom first opened its doors in 1974, guests have played a critical role in our country’s growth.
The SDF is collected by the national exchequer and funds are allocated to various projects that create long-term, sustainable opportunities for the Bhutanese people, through free healthcare, education and training, upskilling the tourism and hospitality industry, improved infrastructure, environmental preservation and conservation, cultural preservation programmes and initiatives that support local businesses and economies. The SDF is also a vital means of maintaining the exceptional forest cover and carbon-neutrality for which our small nation is world-renowned and globally critical. The SDF also helps us to ensure that we can continue to offer guests tranquillity and an intimate experience.
The SDF is USD 100 per night for adults from all countries except for India. Children aged between 6 years and who have not yet turned 12 are eligible to pay USD 50 per night. Children who have not yet turned 6 years old do not have to pay any SDF.
The SDF for Indian nationals (showing a valid Indian passport or Voter ID card) is Nu. 1,200 (or the equivalent amount in Indian rupees) per person, per night. Children aged between 6 years and who have not yet turned 12 are eligible to pay Nu./INR 600 per night. Children who have not yet turned 6 years old do not have to pay any SDF.
No. This incentive is not combinable with the SDF waiver for border towns.
Tourists visiting Samtse, Phuentsholing, Gelephu, and Samdrupjongkhar towns for 24 hours need not pay Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) beginning April 14, 2023. The waiver will be enforced for a year. The SDF waiver will only apply for tourists who do not travel beyond the designated zones of border towns. However, SDF will apply for visitors who travel beyond the designated zone of border towns.
Tourists will be charged SDF if they go beyond Gurung Basti in Samtse, and beyond Rinchending Checkpost in Phuentsholing. The designated zone in Gelephu is at Aipoli Bridge and Pinchinna checkpost in Samdrupjongkhar.
Extensions must be made in person at the Department of Immigration and must be paid in US Dollars.
For Indian Nationals, extensions can be made in person at the Department of Immigration and must be paid in INR.
The guests should cancel their visa application and apply again. Please allow at least five working days to process the visa application. The SDF that they have already paid can be used when applying again and any excess will be refunded. SDF payments cannot be refunded after guests have either arrived in Bhutan or have departed Bhutan.
Yes, guests who have already obtained a visa and booked trips to Bhutan can take advantage of the new SDF incentive. They will need to cancel their existing visa application and re-apply. Please note that DoI will forfeit their original visa fee (USD 40) and guest will be required to pay the USD 40 visa fee again when they process their new visa application. The SDF that they have already paid can be used when applying again.
Only guests from India are eligible to pay the rate of Nu. 1,200 (or equivalent in Indian Rupees) per day.
Yes, the SDF will be refunded by the Department of Immigration for any cancelled or shortened trips; any bank charges will be deducted from the total refunded. Requests for SDF refunds should be submitted online using the visa portal. The refund will be processed after visitors leave Bhutan.
Yes, the SDF will be refunded for any nights that are not spent in the kingdom.
The most popular time of the year for visiting Bhutan are the spring months of March, April, and May and the fall months of September, October, and November. Also, many festivals take place in spring and fall. However, we believe, Bhutan is a year round destination. The winter months start from December to February, but the typical sky then is clear with bright sunshine. The monsoons start from June through August with only light showers during the evenings & nights. Many savvy travelers are discovering the advantages of lean season travel to Bhutan during the winter months of December through February and the summer months of June and July.
All International tourists wishing to enter Bhutan require a visa which must be pre-arranged through a license Bhutanese Tour Operator like us. Visa clearance must be obtained through us prior to travel. For Indian passport (or VIC) holders, Bangladeshi nationals and persons from the Maldives may obtain a visa on entry. There is a misconception that obtaining visa to visit Bhutan is very difficult. This is not the case. Visas can be obtained in about three working days, if all papers are in order. All forms and paperwork will be processed by us and the following items are the only things required of you, to process visas for Bhutan
You may depart for Paro International Airport (Bhutan) from Bangkok, Singapore, Kathmandu, New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bagdogra or Guwahati airports. At present two carriers operate to Bhutan – Drukair and Bhutan Airlines. We can help secure reservations on either of the airlines. Ticket purchase can also be taken care of by us and sent across to you, as all tickets are E-tickets. Reconfirmation, changes etc can all be routed via our office.
Bhutan now has a host of variety of hotels. You can get standard hotels with all the basic necessities, clean and hygienic. There also a number of luxury hotels offering the best of facilities matching any international 5 star property. You can also choose to camp or try out the home stays in villages that are now becoming very popular with guests.
The most distinctive characteristic of Bhutanese cuisine is its spiciness. Chillis are an essential part of nearly every dish and are considered so important that most Bhutanese people would not enjoy a meal that is not spicy. Rice forms the main body of most Bhutanese meals. It is accompanied by one or two side dishes consisting of meat or vegetables. Pork, beef and chicken are the meats that are eaten most often. A wide selection of western and Indian food is also available in many of the restaurants around the country.
The weather varies across different parts of Bhutan. Depending on the altitude, the climate varies from semi-tropical to alpine. In Thimphu, the capital city, the temperature ranges from -2.5°C in winter to 25°C in summer. In Southern Bhutan, the climate is tropical in the monsoon season and may range from 15°C in winter to 30°C in summer. The east is also warmer than the west. The central regions enjoy sub-tropical climate with very cool winters while the northern parts of the country have harsh climate including snowfall two to three times every winter.
Bhutanese currency is known as the Ngultrum. It’s value is tied to the Indian Rupee which is also accepted as a legal tender. Most tourist hotels and few shops also accept international currencies like US dollar and the Euro and major credit cards i.e., VISA and Master card are accepted. Major convertible currencies and travelers’ cheques can be exchanged at banks in all major towns.
+975-1717-1610
info@asiavalleystravels.com
asiavalleystravels@gmail.com
