Essence of Nepal and Bhutan

This trip to Nepal and Bhutan included so many ‘experiences of a lifetime’ – it was just mind-blowing! Join me over the next several posts as I share my journey with you.

It has been my dream for a very long time to go trekking in Nepal but health issues meant that I had to put this on hold. But when it came down to it, I actually chose a trip that gave me a little bit of everything rather than just focusing on the trekking. I have discovered that this really is my preferred trip style: combining nature, wildlife and the great outdoors with history, culture, meeting with the locals in their daily lives – it gives a much richer tapestry of understanding of a country.

Once I had worked out what my must-haves were (seeing Mt Everest, seeing tigers and rhino, spending more time in Bhutan) and taken into account travel advice (e.g. fly between Kathmandu and Pokhara because the road is atrocious), it was easy to choose my tour (see ‘Choosing the Right Style of Travel for You’, ‘Comparing Travel Styles‘ and ‘Responsible Travel‘). I booked this trip through Peregrine Adventures as one trip: ‘Essence of Nepal and Bhutan‘ but it is a combined trip comprising ‘Vintage Nepal’ and ‘Bhutan: Dragon Kingdom‘.

This adventure encompasses much of what makes Nepal so beloved by travellers. Whether you’re exploring the exotic capital of Kathmandu, discovering Pokhara, beneath awe-inspiring snow-capped peaks, or exploring the rural beauty around the hilltop village of Tansen, finding spirituality in Lumbini – the birth place of Buddha or exploring Chitwan National Park in search of big game. Undoubtedly the amazing flight to view Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) up-close will take your breath away. Nepal is incredible. You’ll be left with no doubt why so many return to the country time and time again.

Bhutan is perhaps the most mysterious and diverse of all the Himalayan kingdoms, where for centuries a traditional Buddhist culture has thrived in isolation from the rest of the world. It is a country that puts its people and environment first – a place where progress is measured in gross national happiness not GDP, and that’s not just carbon neutral, but carbon negative. It’s a place of lush forested valleys, fortified monasteries, sacred mountains, and art and architecture unique to the region. This journey begins in Paro and heads straight to Thimphu, where there are two days to discover the history and heritage of this charming and serene capital. Walk in the countryside and back in time with visits to the beautiful Punakha and Haa Valleys. Here the rural lifestyle and architecture of Bhutan is explored before returning to Paro. Finish with a true highlight – the spectacular Taktsang (the Tiger’s Nest), a small monastery clinging to a rocky cliff 900 metres above the valley floor. A journey through the astonishing beauty of the people, landscape and culture of Bhutan will have your happiness levels off the scale.

 

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For this and other similar tours see:

Explore Asia with Intrepid Travel (a range of different travel styles – see my post on travel styles)

Peregrine Adventures (Comfort tours)

Geckos Adventures (for 18 to 30s)

Note: After people telling me they had booked an Intrepid Tour on my recommendation, I now have affiliate links with the Intrepid Travel group of companies and may receive a commission if you book a tour online within a couple of months after clicking through to these sites.  So if you are enjoying my tips and stories and finding them useful in choosing your own travel, please click on these links and help me to bring you more .

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