Itinerary (day-by-day)

Day 1 - Your journey through the fabled kingdom starts with one of the world's most scenic flights, coming into the Paro Valley. After stepping off the plane into the cool mountain air, we will enjoy lunch and then a short drive to Thimphu (60kms/2 hours). Time permitting we will visit the National Museum of Bhutan. You will have time to admire the museum's collection of rare Bhutanese artifacts and art, traditional weaving and other eclectic pieces. This afternoon we will prepare the bikes and enjoy a brief sightseeing pedal around the city. Wind down your first day in Bhutan with our welcome dinner and orientation. 15 mi / 25 km.

Day 2 - The ride today heads through a region not often seen on other bike tours in Bhutan, pedaling north to visit the Pangri, Tango and Cheri Gompas. These fortified monasteries have provided spiritual guidance to the local residents for centuries. Now the Tango and Pangri Gompas are centers of higher learning, with Pangri teaching astronomy and Tango instructing monks in Buddhist Philosophy Cheri monastery was built in 1620 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in memory of his father. Beautiful frescoes of saints, who have attained Buddhahood, adorn the monastery, including a very beautiful statue of ‘Tara’. It is now a center of three year retreat for the monks. 36 mi / 58 km.

Day 3 - Mid morning we will shuttle to Dochula Pass (you also have the option to cycle up). The views from the pass are magnificent, offering a panorama of the eastern Himalayas. Enjoy lunch at the pass before starting the 26 mile descent from the pass to Punakha through the leafy temperate forests and semi-tropical zone with abundant orange trees, bananas and bamboos. 31 mi / 50 km, Pass: Docula (3100 m) (43 mi / 69 km if you cycle up).

Day 4 - Today's relatively flat ride offers opportunities to visit some of the famed temples of the region and enjoy the quiet rural countryside. Today you will visit the Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, a buddhist saint who unified Bhutan in the 17th century. Punakha served as the capital of Bhutan until 1955 and it still is the winter residence of the Je-Khenpo (Chief Abbot) and the central monk body. We will again spend the night in Punakha. 28 mi / 45 km.

Day 5 - Switching modes of travel today, you will set out for a hike through the countryside, visiting several small villages before reaching a temple overlooking the valley. From this higher vantage point you can enjoy great vistas of the area through which you rode yesterday and will raft later today. Descending back to the valley floor, enjoy a great Bhutanese lunch before setting out to raft the Pho Chu River. This scenic float throws some class 2 and 3 rapids at you to excite and refresh, a great way to round out our visit to the Punakha Valley.

Day 6 - After breakfast, you will be shuttled back to Paro, where we spend out last couple of nights. Our hotel here is the former residence of the local governor. In the afternoon, you will visit a small village further up the valley, home to the family of our Bhutanese manager. An opportunity to experience the daily life, as we visit the family farm and explore the village.

Day 7 - This morning we will enjoy a hike to visit the renowned Tigers Nest Monastery (Taktshang Goemba). We will have permits to actually visit the temple and will enjoy most of day here in the mountains, hiking and sightseeing. The Taktshang Goemba is one of Bhutan's most spectacular monasteries, clinging to the cliff face, high above the surrounding valley floor. Upon our return to Paro, you will have a chance to finish your last minute shopping needs. We'll gather for a final Bhutanese dinner, swapping tales of the ride and country.

Day 8 - We will shuttle everyone back to the airport for your flight to Bangkok.

Prices:

Tour cost: $3395 - adults
               $2795 - students 13 to 18 (also currently enrolled college students up to 25*)
               $2595 - children 8 to 12
Single supplement: $400
Tour deposit: $400
* College / University students must provide photocopies of school id and current registration card.

Lodging:

Hotels, Guesthouses and Resorts
... More about this trip's lodges.

What's Included:

• 7 nights accommodation (double occupancy)
• 7 dinners
• 8 lunches
• 7 breakfasts
• Rental bike
• Sagwagon
• Baggage transport
• Guide staff
• Visa fee
• International flights between Bangkok & Paro
• Paro Airport tax
• Shuttle from/to Paro Airport

Meeting & Flights:

Arrive at Bangkok Airport 4:30 am on Day 1

Fly into Bangkok (BKK) before 3 am on Day 1.
Fly out of Bangkok (BKK) after 2 pm on Day 8.

Flight Notes:

International Airfare from your home to Bangkok, Thailand IS NOT included in the Package Cost for this trip. This cost is the responsibility of each guest.

Because we start cycling right away upon arrival in Bhutan, we heartily recommend that guests arrive in Bangkok at least a day ahead, to allow time to rest up from the long flights before pedaling.

If you elect to arrive in Bangkok on Day 1, you will need to claim your baggage and clear customs, then check in again in the departure area. Druk Air does not have a connecting counter in the transit lounge.

Visas & Travel Documents:

Passports are required for all guests. Your passport should have at least 6 months validity past your intended travel dates. Visas fees and processing are included with in the tour price.

Route Conditions

The entire ride is on paved roads, narrow but with little or no traffic. Pavement is a bit course and suitable for touring, sport road and also performance road bikes with wider tires (25 or wider). Terrain is quite hilly, but shuttles are provided for the long uphills climbs. The hiking portions involve long uphill stretches, with long downhill returns. Rafting is class 2 & 3 rapids in paddle rafts.

Payment Dates & Cancellations:

This tour has a 60 Day Prior to Departure deadline for balance due and cancellations. All bookings must be paid in full on or before 60 days prior to departure (not the 45 day deadline listed in our general booking conditions). In addition the cancellation deadline for receiving a partial refund or transferring to another date is also 60 days prior to departure. Please review the Booking Terms and Conditions Addendum for Bhutan for complete terms.

Pre/Post Tour Options

A variety of stopover programs are available for Bangkok, with hotels, airport shuttles and some sightseeing. We also have several delightful tour packages that could be enjoyed before or after your ride in Bhutan. Perhaps a visit to fabled Angkor Wat on our 4 day package, that includes cycling through the ruins and a boat trip to visit remote inaccessible temples. You might want to enjoy a cruise along the Mekhong River as it travels from Chang Khong, Thailand to Luang Prabang, Laos, then enjoy a couple of days exploring the UNESCO Heritage City of Luang Prabang. For complete details visit our Asia Stopovers Page.

Trip Starts

Trip Ends

Price

Sgl Sup

Deposit

Bike Rental

Sign Up

Jul 1, 2009

Jul 8, 2009

$ 3395

$ 400

$ 400

n/a

Aug 5, 2009

Aug 12, 2009

$ 3395

$ 400

$ 400

n/a

Please Note:
Our apologies, but our computer programming skills are not perfect, our application can not change prices based on age. If you are booking a family trip and want to pay it off in full right now, please select the check payment option and send us an email requesting an invoice for credit card payment when you have completed the booking process. If you use the credit card option, your card will be automatically billed at adult rates for everyone.

If you are registering and paying only the deposit at this point in time, then you can use the credit card system, as the deposits are the same regardless of age.

Go When You Want
Private departures can be scheduled pretty much year round except December and January. During these two months there is no rafting available and a chance of snow at higher altitudes during the cycling leg. The rest of the year is fine. Please be aware, that the discounted family rates shown on this page apply only during July and August. If you select a date outside this time a higher rate will be charged. Get the wheels rolling and Request Your Personal Date today.

Need Adobe Reader (for pdf) ? Click Here