Our 14 day trip to Bhutan was a wonderful and memorable experience. If is also from our understanding, a path less travelled as few people explore the eastern part of Bhutan. This is one of the reasons why we wanted to write a testimonial and advertise the intact nature and culture in the eastern part of Bhutan.
Route:
The route we followed started in the very far east (close to the border with Assam, India) and followed the following route: Samdrup Jonghar, Trashigang, Rangjung, Trashiyangtse, Mongar, Lhuntse, Khoma, Bumthang, Trongsa,Phobjikha, Punakha, Thimpu and Paro. We chose to spend more time in Bhutan in order to able to explore the ”intact” part of Bhutan in the east, where the nature is breathtaking and Bhutanese people still preserve old tradtions (such as raw silk weaving using back strap looms, which we got to experience first hand). Since we were driven by Bhutan Vajra Adventures for the entire trip we had many opportunities to admire the scenic forest trails (and stop countless times to feed our landscape photography addiction!). We also passed Bhutan’s highest pass Thrumsing La (12,467 ft) from which the view is very impressive.
Lodging:
We were all very happy with the lodging our guide chose for us. Even in the eastern, more rural part of Bhutan we stayed at hotels which were extremely clean; the staff also being extremely welcoming and helpful. We remember with great pleasure the breakfast we had in Mongar at Hotel Wangchuck, where we were served delicious food on the balcony with a breathtaking view of the mountains nearby.
Our tour also included two overnight stays at farmhouses which were a very pleasant experience for us. We found the hosts in both farmhouses to be very welcoming, hospitable and kind. We also got to experience ”living” in a typical Bhutanese house and eating delicious traditional Bhutanese food.
* It is to be noted that in the eastern, more rural part the lodging standards are not your typical European ones- if you are used to lavish hotels, it would be a good idea to check with the agency if there is any other options for you.
Bhutanese culture and sightseeing:
It would be nearly impossible to include everything we saw and experienced during our 14 day trip in a testimonial, so I will just give a brief overview. It included many visits to monasteries and Buddhist temples (”Dzong”) where our guide, Karma was great at being patient in explaining the ins and outs of Buddhism. We feel that we got a great understanding of Buddhism, as well as ganed apperciation and respect for it.
We also visited the Tower of Trongsa Museum, the Ura Valley (believed to be home to Bhutan’s earliest residents), sacred places which are linked to local legends, Buddha statues and the famous Tiger’s Nest.
Both while visiting these objectives as well as during our journey, our guide Karma did a wonderful job at explaining various Bhutanese traditions, beliefs and customs which gave us an insight into a culture that is completely different to ours. He was extremely knowledgeable and patient with the plethora of questions we had.
* We would recommend this tour if you are truly interested in learning about Buthanese and Buddhist culture as a whole- visiting all the aforementioned landmarks enables you to immerse yourself in an entirely unique world.
Transport:
The entire tour was done using Bhutan Vajra’s own van, which was driven by a very talented and experienced driver, Wangchuck. He expertly navigated through Bhutan’s rural roads making our journey as comfortable as possible. It is to be noted that particularly in the Eastern part it is impossible to travel fast even by car due to the mountain roads which are present everywhere in Bhutan. This, however gives you the opportunity to admire the beautiful nature. You will notice that most of the roads are currently under construction and will be improved soon- we hope that it won’t make Bhutan lose any of its charm.
* We believe the road conditions make the tour less ideal for people who are sensitive to sudden movements and get car sick easily (plenty of bumps). This, however, can be overcome if you keep a positive attitude, keep the next objective in mind and maintain a sense of humour.
We can’t thank enough our main guide Karma Tshedup, his apperentice Sherab and our driver Wangchuck for making our Bhutan adventure such a memorable experience. They always made sure we had everything we needed and that we were happy with the itinerary. Our guides were very knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and courteous so we are extremely happy we chose Bhutan Vajra Adventures. We whole heartedly recommend their services and hope to return soon- there is still so much more of Bhutan that we wish to explore.
Best regards,