Bhutan Cultural and Humanitarian Adventure - Buddhism 101
AdventureWomen’s customized Bhutan adventure travel tour to this tiny Himalayan Kingdom may become one of the most remarkable travel experiences of your life! In addition to hiking, cultural exploration and sightseeing, on this Bhutan adventure vacation you have the opportunity and privilege to “give back” to the people of Bhutan with three special humanitarian projects that AdventureWomen has integrated into the Bhutan travel itinerary.
Throughout your Bhutan journey you are immersed in the culture, history, and Buddhist practices of this amazing country. You’ll visit the friendly Bhutanese people in their traditional pastoral hamlets; walk to spectacular ancient dzongs, monasteries and Buddhist temples; and ogle at sweeping vistas of scenic valleys and snow-capped Himalayas. Culturally and spiritually, this modern-day “Shangri-La” is a profoundly rich country where human relations and Buddhist beliefs outweigh economic indicators — where “gross national happiness” is promoted by the King of Bhutan as a measure of his enchanting country’s progress.
You are invited to join AdventureWomen on a travel adventure in Bhutan like no other. You’ll feel like you have seen Bhutan through the eyes of its people, and leave with a deep respect for this country’s rich traditions.
Main Attractions
Explore a country where Buddhism permeates all strands of cultural, ethical, and secular life.
“Give back” with three humanitarian projects in Bhutan: donate blankets and/or clothes to a Buddhist nunnery or monastery; sponsor and attend a special prayer ceremony at a remote temple; donate children’s books, written in English, to grade schools.
Visit Haa, only recently opened to tourists, and stay two nights in an elegant tented camp.
Allow for the “magic” of spontaneous and unplanned activities in Bhutan — festivals, ceremonies, rituals — and be treated to events experienced by few visitors to this unique and special destination.
End your stay with two nights at a new luxury hotel, handcrafted in traditional Bhutanese-style architecture, combining fine Bhutanese hospitality with 21st-century technology.
Eleven nights in the best available hotels and guesthouses on a double occupancy basis with private baths. Two nights camping in comfortable walk-in cottage tents with sleeping bags on cots. Toilet tents and hot shower facilities are available.
Dining
All meals from arrival in Bhutan to departure.
About Liquor
Available with meals at additional cost.
Rates
$5,295.00per personCurrency Converter (Rates shown are in US Dollars. Rates and terms are subject to change.)
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Trip Itinerary
Days 1-2: Departure from USA to Bangkok, Thailand Depart from Los Angeles International Airport (or other west coast airport) for your flight to Bangkok, Thailand, for the start of your Bhutan adventure travel tour. Due to crossing the International Date Line, you arrive in Bangkok, Thailand, losing one day.
Day 3: Fly from Bangkok to Paro, Bhutan Meet the group for your flight from Bangkok to Paro, Bhutan, with glorious views of eight of the ten tallest peaks in the world including Mount Everest, Kanchanjunga, and Mount Makalu. After visa formalities and luggage collection, check into the Paro hotel and visit the Rinpung Dzong (Paro Dzong), administrative and religious headquarters for the Paro district and location of Bernardo Bertolucci’s movie, “Little Buddha.”
Days 4-5: Haa and a Buddhist Nunnery Travel west to Haa, a pristine valley in Western Bhutan that has remained off-limits to tourists until only a year ago. Walk to an isolated nunnery for the first humanitarian project where you donate much-needed clothing and/or blankets to the nuns who live here. Stay in a Bhutanese-style deluxe tented camp at a beautiful campsite for the next two nights.
Day 6: From Haa to Punakha View extraordinary vistas on a drive from Haa to Punakha. Pass chortens (stupas) and prayer flags before heading up to Dochula Pass at 10,000 feet, surrounded by thousands of prayer flags dedicated to the Kingdom’s Peace and Gross National Happiness.
Day 7: Punakha Dzong Visit the magnificent Punakha Dzong, the “Palace of Great Happiness,” built in 1647 by Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel, the man who unified Bhutan. Rebuilt after a flood in 1994, it is an architectural and artistic masterpiece. Visit and hike to Khamsum Yuley Lhakhang, where you learn about Tantric Buddhism in all its complexities. Containing some of the best Tantric art in Bhutan, you are able to compare this art with the more traditional Buddhist statuary and wall paintings that you saw at the Punakha Dzong.
Day 8: Phobjikha and Black-Necked Cranes Walk through the village of Lobesa to visit Chimmi Lhakhang, a temple dedicated to “the Divine Madman,” a pilgrimage site for childless couples. Depart for the hidden valley of Phobjikha, a designated conservation area and home to a large flock of rare and endangered black-necked cranes that migrate from Tibet and winter here. View yaks who also live at this high altitude. Tonight experience a Bhutanese “stone bath,” where rocks are heated in a bonfire and then put into the bathwater of a “hot tub.”
Day 9: Wangdi and Gantey Gompa Hike through the beautiful Wangdi Valley to visit the famous Gantey Gompa, the oldest and largest Nyingma Buddhist monastery in Bhutan.
Day 10: The Capital City of Thimphu Drive to Thimphu, the only capital city in the world with no traffic lights! Spend the remainder of the afternoon exploring the town, or just relaxing. Shop at interesting handicraft shops for masks, beautiful hand-woven textiles, carpets, jewelry, and Bhutanese wooden products.
Day 11: Thimphu and Special Prayer Ceremony Sponsor and attend a prayer ceremony at the Choed Monastery, plus donate jackets and blankets to the nuns and monks. Our second humanitarian project, we are fortunate to sponsor this VERY special event, rarely experienced by tourists. Share lunch with the monks and nuns and then have a rare chance to receive another special blessing and introductory teachings on Buddhism from the Lama.
Choose from many options for the remainder of the day:
Visit the Farmer’s Weekend Market.
Visit the Takin Preserve for a chance to see the takin, Bhutan’s national animal.
See or try your hand at a Bhutanese archery game, Bhutan’s national sport.
Attend a traditional Bhutanese banquet this evening with local Bhutanese friends.
Day 12: Paro and the Magical “Tiger’s Nest” Hike to the famous and magical monastery known as Taktsang (the “Tiger’s Nest”), one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in the Himalayan World, then check in to your new, luxurious hotel. Combining fine Bhutanese hospitality and the best of 21st-century technology, the hotel’s elaborate hand-carved wooden cornices and masterful stonework co-exist beautifully with cutting-edge technology.
Day 13: Full Day of Relaxation at the Luxury Hotel Ziwaling Spend a relaxing day at the 5-star luxury Hotel Zhiwaling, taking advantage of all its wonderful amenities!
Day 14: Paro to Bangkok Transfer to the airport for our departure from the “Land of the Thunder Dragon” and our return to Bangkok, Thailand. Depart Bangkok for Los Angeles, or choose to stay in Bangkok for more adventures on your own!
This Package Includes
12 days /11 nights in Bhutan in the best available hotels and guesthouses on a double occupancy basis with private baths.
Two nights camping in comfortable walk-in cottage tents, with sleeping bags on cots and a magnificent Bhutanese traditional center tent for dining and multi-purpose activities. Toilet tents and hot shower facilities are available.
All meals and sightseeing from your arrival to your departure in Bhutan.
All ground transportation in comfortable coaster buses, minivans, or 4WD SUVs between overnight destinations.
Entrance fees to sights and monasteries.
Bhutan visa and visa fee.
All donation fees for three humanitarian projects.
The services of knowledgeable, English-speaking local guides.
One AdventureWomen trip escort.
Notes
What Clients Say About AdventureWomen “My memories of Bhutan will be part of my very being forever... Thank you for your commitment to creating extraordinary adventure opportunities for women.”
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