Who will meet me at the airport?
As you exit the terminal building at Paro airport, you should look for the Bhutan Paragliding signboard. Karma Tshering, your guide will be holding this and will lead you to the minibus that takes you to your hotel.
(Back to top)
What will my hotel accommodation be like?
We have taken particular care in choosing our hotels in Bhutan for quality, comfort and location. Every room has an attached bathroom with constant hot water. We eat both breakfast and dinner in our hotels each day.
(Back to top)
Do I need a Visa for Bhutan?
Most countries issue visas from their embassies abroad and stamp it in your passport, but not Bhutan. The Bhutanese visa process may appear complicated, but is actually quite straightforward once you understand it. All visas are approved from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thimphu and there is no point in applying for a visa through a Bhutanese embassy abroad. Visas are only issued to tourists booked with a local licensed tour operator, directly or through a foreign travel agent. Applications for tourist visas must be initialized by Bhutan Paragliding. We submit the visa application to Department of Tourism (DOT) in Thimphu. It, in turn, checks that you have completely paid for the trip and then issues an approval letter to us. With this approval in hand, we then make a final application to the ministry of Foreign Affairs, which takes up to a week to process the visa. It’s not necessary to fill in a special visa application form. Just provide the following information to us in Bhutan: your name, date and place of birth, passport number and its date and place of issue and date of expiration. If any item is missing the whole process is delayed. Double-check that the information you send is correct; if there are any discrepancies when you arrive in Bhutan, there’ll be further delays and complications in issuing the visa. When the visa clearance is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it sends a visa confirmation number to us and to Druk Air. Druk Air will not issue your tickets to Paro until it receives this confirmation number and then rechecks the visa information when you check in for the flight. The actual visa endorsement is stamped in your passport when you arrive at one of the two ports of entry for tourists, either at Paro airport or (if entering by road) at Phuentsholing. When the visa is issued, you need to pay US $ 20 and present a passport photo with your passport number written on the back. You will then receive a visa for the exact period you have arranged to be in Bhutan. If some unusual event requires that you obtain a visa extension, we will arrange it. When you arrive in Bhutan, the visa officer will invariably be able to produce your approval form from the file and the visa will be issued on the spot. It’s helpful, however, to have the reference number or even a faxed copy of the visa authority available to aid the immigration officials and Druk Air to find your information quickly. Visas are issued for a 15-day period; extensions can be obtained in Thimphu at a cost of Nu.510.
How do I get to Bhutan?
Today, Bhutan’s national air carrier, Druk Air, operates several flights per week from Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata And Kathmandu to Paro. The modern Airbus A-319 jets carry passengers through one of the most spectacular flight paths in the world. A particular highlight is the stretch between Kathmandu und Bhutan, where one passes 4 of the 5 highest mountains in the world. Weather permitting; passengers will be treated to intimate views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Makalu und Kangchenjunga. Landing in the Paro Valley, surrounded by 4000 meter high mountains stretching across the west of Bhutan, means a visual landing is the order of the day.
Current flight schedules for Druk Air are available at www.drukair.com.bt
(Back to top)
What money and how much should I bring?
The Ngueltrum is the currency in Bhutan. It is a closed currency, so you will not be able to obtain any until you arrive in the Kingdom. However it is close to the Indian Rupee and we recommend that you purchase your Ngueltrum after you arrive at your Hotel; they all have exchange desks. All major currencies can be exchanged and credit cards and Travellers Cheques are accepted in the main cities.
The cost of your trip includes almost everything, except bar bills, laundry and gifts. So you do not need to bring much money with you.
What our price includes?
Please refer to the separate trip dossier to see exactly what is included in your trip cost.
What about the surcharge?
Individual tourists and smaller groups of less than three persons shall be subject to surcharge, over and above the minimum daily rates applicable, as follows:
Single individual US$ 40 per night
Group of 2 persons US$ 30 per person per night.
What should I bring with me?
The most important point to remember when packing your clothing is that, it should all fit into your main rucksack and weigh less than the baggage allowance of 20 kg. This is hard to do with your flying equipment as well, so we recommend that you upgrade to business class on the Druk Air flight into Paro, which costs an extra $120 or accept the excess baggage charge of $4 per kg.
What will the weather be like?
Bhutan has an average altitude of 2000m. Our lowest night is at 1400m and our highest is 3000m Although we are staying in hotels, it can get a little chilly at night. Day time temps average 20 degrees and night time 5 degrees.
(Back to top)
What will be the transport within Bhutan
For the duration of our tour we use a Toyota Mini Bus to carry all our equipment.
We need to walk up to our takeoffs each day with and average 1.5 hour walk, but we have porters to carry our gliders for us.
(Back to top)
What about Insurance?
We need to see a copy of your license and insurance document before your departure.
We require all pilots to have insurance that covers helicopter evacuation and repatriation. The cancellation rules for Bhutan are severe and inflexible. Trip cancellation insurance is almost essential. Most policies will cover costs if you are forced to cancel your trip because of flight cancellation, illness, injury or the death of a close relative. If you have such a problem, travel insurance can help protect you from major losses due to Bhutan’s prepayment conditions and hefty cancellation charges. Read your policy carefully to be sure it covers ambulance rides or an emergency helicopter airlift out of a remote region, or an emergency flight home.
All medical aid in Bhutan is of high quality and free to all visitors.
The British Mountaineering Council has excellent policies – please visit their website - www.thebmc.co.uk
(Back to top)
What is the food like?
In the major towns there are many excellent restaurants, cafes and bars that serve an array of world cuisine. The food is safe to eat at the restaurants that we recommend you to go to in the major cities. On our tour where we stay in local guest houses the food incorporates a mixture of Bhutanese and Western cuisine. Each day will provide a different menu but below is a typical day:
Breakfast: cereals or porridge, eggs, usually scrambled/fried, toast/chapatis, honey, peanut butter, tea and coffee.
Lunch: noodles/potatoes, curry, salad, rice, dhal and vegetables, chapatis or bread, tea or coffee.
Evening meal: Start with soup followed by a rice based dish, sometimes a mild curry or stew with several separate fresh vegetable dishes to accompany including the famous emadatshi (chilli cheese) and fresh local meat, usually chicken, fresh or tinned fruit, tea, coffee or hot chocolate. The meal will not be made overly spicey and you can add more spice from a separate bowl if desired. Condiments include salt and pepper, tomato ketchup, chutney, brown sauce or hot chilli sauce.
(Back to top)
Will I get sick?
With sensible precautions you should be fine. The main problem comes in eating and drinking in cities, where there is untreated water. In cities always drink bottled mineral water or water you know to be safe or treated. Do not brush your teeth in the tap water and keep your mouth closed in the shower. Wipe your knife, fork and plate with a paper napkin or handkerchief, particularly if they look wet. Do not eat anything from street vendors unless it is fried up in front of you, do not eat cold, sweetmeats or ice-cream and do not eat fruit unless you can peel it. Always try and wash your hands before eating. Wash your hands after going to the toilet.
(Back to top)
What language do people speak & will I be able to communicate?
Dzongkha is the national language which is a Tibeto-Burman language. English is now very widely spoken and you will have no problem communicating in the cities and on the major trekking routes. However, once off the beaten path it is best if you learn a few simple words and phrases. A simple “Kuzu zangpola” (Hello, good morning) and “Tashi Delek” (Good bye) can work wonders in opening opportunities and interactions with locals.
(Back to top)
What vaccinations do I need?
You will need to consult your doctor at least 6 weeks prior to departure to enable you to have a full course of the immunisations. The following is a guideline only – you should ask your doctor if there are any changes to this list:
Polio
Tetanus
Typhoid
Hepatitis A
Meningitis
Malaria has been all but eradicated in Bhutan, and is not considered a high risk.
The following may be considered optional, but some are difficult or expensive to obtain. Your doctor will let you know if they are appropriate:-
Rabies: If you take sensible precautions to avoid animals there is a very low risk
HepatitisB: There is only a very low risk as transmission is only through sexual contact or exposure to contaminated blood, needles and syringes
T.B: Children should be immunised at any age - less important for adults
Japanese Encephalitis: This is a very low risk in Bhutan.
