Adventures in Luxury Travel | Bhutan

HIGHLIGHTS Main areas • Western Bhutan – Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Paro • Central Bhutan – Bumthang • Eastern Bhutan – OTBP, multiday white water rafting/camping, visiting with nomadic yak herders Experiences in Bhutan are vast. A few suggestions... • one of the biggest Buddha’s 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 fulfilment • 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 himlayas – 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 • Western most 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 which 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 Aritisanal 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: o Picnic by the riverside in Talo/ Cherry area in Thimphu o Picnic breakfast the Gangtey 360 point o A hot stone bath in the potato fields of Gangtey HOTELS 5 star Luxury • Thimphu – Amankora, Six Senses • Punakha – COMO Uma Punakha, Amankora, Six Senses, andBeyond Punakha River Lodge (to open in 2022) • Gangtey – Gangtey Lodge, Amankora and Six Senses • Bumthang – Amankora, Six Senses • Paro – COMO Uma Paro, Amankora, Six Senses, Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary 4 star • Thimphu – Taj Tashi, Zhiwaling Ascent, Druk Hotel • Punakha – Dhensa • Paro – Le Meridien, Naksel, Zhiwaling Heritage 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. PREVIEW Bhutan – known for trekking through magnificent mountains, visiting the historic Tiger’s Nest, extraordinary culture and as the country that measures its Gross National Happiness. It’s also a photographer’s dream. This week on Adventures in Luxury Travel I talk with Rishi Sarma, about the incredible experiences waiting for you in Bhutan. We will cover: The many ways to explore the country, including: • Best destinations for hiking • Other active adventures including mountain biking and white water rafting • Where to visit one of the biggest Buddha’s in the world at 177 ft tall • Making dinner with a local family • The contemplative side of Bhutan – planning a private guided meditation session with a monk, a private picnic overlooking the valley or experiencing forest bathing. • Learning the ways of traditional yak herders • Accommodations – the magical luxury of Amankora, &Beyond, Six Senses and more We will also talk about how the law that disallows independent travel in the country impacts your travel. At a special time on Friday, July 2 at 9a ET you are invited to join the live conversation with me and Rishi.