An aura of quiet contemplation envelopes you as you travel through Bhutan. Monasteries (dzongs) are the country’s biggest allure, along with stupendous scenery, and a friendly populace. Looking down on the capital Thimphu, from the 12th-century Changangkha Lhakhang monastery, you realise it’s incredible to be in a Himalayan Buddhist kingdom that measures its development by Gross National Happiness.
Paro has over a hundred temples and monasteries. Its most famous is the iconic Taktsang or Tiger’s Nest monastery, which clings to the mountainside 10,000 feet above sea level. Thick oak and rhododendron forests lead to it, and you have to hike a vertiginous slope to get to the entrance. This monastery’s significance cannot be overstated, for it is here that Buddhism first began in Bhutan.
From Punakha to Bumthang or Mongar, wherever you go, you are greeted by prayer flags fluttering in the breeze, and women and men in brightly colored traditional garb with ever-ready smiles. At Enchanting Travels we’ve taken after the Bhutanese; our Bhutan consultants are always smiling, happy to answer queries and plan your holiday to every last detail.
The most physically fit can go on fully-assisted treks through ancient pine forests, past yak herders and tiny villages. Stupendous views of Himalayan peaks and high-altitude lakes are just some of the pleasures of traversing this country on foot. In the cold mountain air, warming thukpa, the local hot noodle soup, and meat-filled momos are supremely comforting. As is a soothing Bhutanese dotsho, a hot-stone bath.
The best time to travel to Bhutan depends on what you wish to do. Winter is ideal for rafting and birding, while springtime is ideal for hiking. Our destination experts share an overview on when to travel to Bhutan.
Before you set out for your trip, be prepared with all the facts and important details. From health information to getting around, find all the details in our Bhutan travel guide.
As an emerging destination, Bhutan Tourism is all set to take off with authentic initiatives and encounters directed at benefiting the community. Let’s take you on a journey in the Mountain Kingdom.
This was our third Enchanting Travel trip and was the longest one, 6 weeks. From beginning to end, all communication, arrangements, accommodations, activities were just what we wanted in this trip. Visiting Sri Lanka, southern India, Assam and Bhutan via car and 6 internal flights sounds tiring but, surprisingly, it really wasn’t. Some of the boutique hotels were exceptional, ranging from charming and quaint to luxurious, and all memorable. Our guides in Sri Lanka (Kusum) and Assam (Dipankar) were outstanding and provided us with unique experiences of day-to-day life for the average person that were not on the itinerary. This was exactly what we wanted and they delivered!! In Bhutan, our local trekking guide, who spoke no English, invited us to eat our picnic lunch in his home and to meet his wife. It was a spur-of-the moment offer as we neared the end of the trek (which was above 12,000 ft elevation). That kind gesture was heartwarming and we truly appreciated his hospitality! At several sites we visited in Assam, we were asked to pose for selfies with many people. We now know how celebrities feel!! At one point, we had about 30 people surround us for photo opps. We never felt threatened, just sort of embarrassed by the attention. However, my husband said he loved being asked to pose for selfies with pretty young women! (He’s 80, so everyone is young!)
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Tonya Harper
USA
Enchanting is a travel company that you can trust! Their representatives are knowledgeable about the countries and their customs and they meet individuals interests. We have used Enchanting five times – and have never been disappointed or let down!!! Personable, always professional, with the ability to look after the most minute details so that the trips that you help them plan happen without any hitches!!!
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Catherine Gnish-Roberts
Canada
We were well looked after during the entire tour. The guides were knowledgeable
Rating 4/5
Rating 4 out of 5 stars
Meryl Zimmer
Australia
Enchanting Travels made planning this vacation a breeze. I didn’t stress at all during the trip, especially since there was also someone there to help with international transfers. All of our guides spoke English well and were quite accommodating.
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Anh Le
USA
Enchanting Travels are highly efficient and provide exceptional customer service. They tailored a package to suit our needs and requirements, and the cost was very competitive. Everything was well organised and our Trip Coordinator was in contact during our holiday to ensure that we were happy with everything. I highly recommend Enchanting Travels and will be organising another trip with them in the future.
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Amanda Morgan
Australia
If you are thinking of going to Southeast Asia, please consider Bhutan. It is a sight to behold. The people are very accommodating and our hotels provided us with a good night’s sleep at the end of a busy day. The roads here are not all paved so going between the larger towns does take up part of your day, but it is well worth it! The scenery is fantastic! Sometimes you are driving into clouds and when you come out have beautiful mountain views. The food can be spicy, but we told them in the beginning we wanted a milder menu and they did very well with that. We not only saw the tourist side of Bhutan, but went to a home and also a 300 year old farm and were served tea and puffed rice. A very different culture than ours, but the king is doing a great job of working on services to modernize and still keep the look and feel of a “happy” country. I would love to go back in 5 years to see how it has changed. They are improving the roads everyday. It was a wonderful relaxing trip. Thank you Enchanting Travels.
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Janice Nelson
USA
Enchanting Travels employs people who really know how to listen to their clients and provide an exciting itinerary that is also safe and flexible. Everyone we worked with, from Brenda and Lavina to our guides Mr. Pongthep and Sangay, and our chauffeur Kengua, were professionals who seemed to really enjoy showing us their beautiful and exciting countries.
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Carol Schorg
USA
Go to Bhutan now! We don’t believe it is really going to stay this way for long. And it really is unique right now.
Building laws require that dwellings be built in the traditional fashion and this makes for the most beautiful and original vistas. No one goes to Bhutan for the cuisine.
