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Essence of Bhutan

10 days
Start and end in Paro
5.0
9 traveler reviews
Essence of Bhutan - Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel
From
US $2,130
+ $900 Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights
Save and compare this adventure

Price based on per person in Twin Sharing for departure 23 February 2025

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Plan your adventure:
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Guided in English
Group Size 1 - 10
Age range 10 to 75
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Explore the National Museum of Bhutan
  • Hike to the iconic Tiger's Nest Monastery
  • Visit the traditional Yathra weaving center
  • Experience the Gangtey Nature Hike
  • Discover the ancient Kyichu Lhakhang

Itinerary

Expand All
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Arrive Paro International Airport - Transfer to Thimphu (2334m)
  2. Day 2 Explore Thimphu
  3. Day 3 Thimphu / Transfer to Punakha (1200m)
  4. Day 4 Punakha / Transfer to Trongsa in Central Bhutan (2200m)
  5. Day 5 Trongsa / Transfer to Bumthang (2700m)
  6. Day 6 Explore Bumthang Valley
  7. Day 7 Bumthang / Transfer to Phobjikha Valley (3000m)
  8. Day 8 Phobjikha Vally / Transfer back to Paro (2200m)
  9. Day 9 Hike to the Famed Taktsang Monastery (3120m)
  10. Day 10 Transfer to Paro International Airport for Departure
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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Optional Extras

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Customer Photos

5.0
(108 reviews)

Number of tours

22

Age Range

1 to 85 years old

Response time

9 hours

Response rate

100%

Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel, licensed and based in Thimphu, Bhutan,...

Read more

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

  • Most Recent
  • Most Popular
  • Highest First
  • Lowest First
  • GL
    · December 29th, 2024
    This has been one of the two best journeys in my life, the other being Mongolia. Some of the hikes were memorable, like the one where we could see a valley from the top and walk down into it. The spiritual aspect was also interesting since it's hard to doing an English guide who can explain it in other countries. Bhutanese food is too spicy for my liking but Sonam and Nedup took good care of my after I fainted from eating ema datshi. They also made sure I could come back safely when I chose to explore the town at night. This has been the best guided trip ever and it was in large part due to the fun and energy of Sonam and Nedup!
    Show more
    Essence of Bhutan customer review photo 1
    Trip date: December 2024
  • Essence of Bhutan reviewer 2
    · December 1st, 2024
    Excellent, well organised, knowledgeable, service-minded
    Trip date: November 2024
  • Essence of Bhutan reviewer 3
    · November 19th, 2024
    The whole organisation, including customer service, itinerary, guide, accommodation, from start to finish was superb on the ten day tour.
    Essence of Bhutan customer review photo 1Essence of Bhutan customer review photo 2Essence of Bhutan customer review photo 3Essence of Bhutan customer review photo 4Essence of Bhutan customer review photo 5Essence of Bhutan customer review photo 6
    Trip date: November 2024
  • CA
    · May 2nd, 2024
    The tour was very well organised, our guide Sangay und driver Dawa both female were very good, very helpful and experienced. We were all female, 2 travellers, guide and driver and it was fun being in such a group.
    Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel commented on this review
    Dear Carmen, I am glad our team at Bhutan Acorn Tours was able to make your stay comfortable and memorable; your feedback means a lot to us! Thank you for booking with us and writing a review. I wish you all the best. - Karma and Bhutan Acorn Tours
    Trip date: April 2024
  • IM
    · March 26th, 2024
    Our trip in Bhutan was awesome. We had a fantastic mix between hiking and cultural activities. Karma was warm, responsive, helpful and organized from the start. I felt we were in very good hands. He was flexible with the itinerary and he provided a fun, enthusiastic, guide, Tashi, and, an excellent, safe, driver, Thilay.
    Show more
    Trip date: March 2024
  • J
    · July 8th, 2023
    Karma P., the owner of Bhutan Acorn &Travel was highly responsive to all our inquiries and after comparing different companies, their company was the best choice for our 10 day tour of Bhutan. Our guide, Thingley S, and our driver, Sonam D, were attentive, knowledgable,and always demonstrated kindness to us. We were 4 older women, very intent on hiking and experiencing the local cultures. Thingley and Sonam made sure of that. I would highly recommend them for your Bhutan trip !
    Show more
    Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel commented on this review
    Dear Joanne, It's wonderful to hear about your recent visit to Bhutan through us, with Thinley and Sonam as your travel guides in Bhutan. They were thrilled to learn that they were able to meet your expectations ensuring that you had a memorable and... Show more
    Trip date: April 2023
  • Essence of Bhutan reviewer 7
    · June 2nd, 2023
    I traveled with my adult son through Bhutan for 8 days, with all arrangements made by Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel in consultation with us to meet our personal requests. We are grateful to Karma for creating a wonderful experience through Bhutan for us, both before and during our trip. Karma answered all of my (many) email questions before the trip always promptly and clearly. He also honored my request, which I didn't really expect him to be able to do, to give us bright, quiet rooms with a view in every lodging. Every one of our rooms had spectacular views, which really enhanced our experience. He tailored our itinerary to meet every one of our requests, right down to wanting to attend the Paro festival twice, and adding certain local restaurants we wanted to try, all included in the price we had already paid. When our guide wasn't a good match for us, Karma provided a new guide the same day we made the request -- and this guide, Pema, was incredible, telling us all about the culture, festivals, history, and meaning of everything we saw, and taking us to as many extra places as we wanted to go along the way. Our driver, Namgay, was also incredible -- he was an excellent, skilled driver and became like family by the end of the trip. Overall, Karma made sure that everything was exactly as we wanted -- addressing our personal requests in a way that we are sure a larger company would not have done. Thank you Karma, Pema, and Namgay! We highly recommend Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel, and will definitely use them again if we return to that part of the world.
    Show more
    Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel commented on this review
    Dear Elizabeth & Eric, We are deeply touched by your heartfelt and glowing review of your Bhutan adventure with us at Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel. Your kind words bring smiles to our faces and reinforce our commitment to providing personalized and... Show more
    Trip date: April 2023
  • Essence of Bhutan reviewer 8
    · May 31st, 2023
    I am one of four women who shared a vision of going to Bhutan. My friends and I would be considered “active seniors”. We wrote to a few companies and Bhutan Acorn was the first to respond. Bhutan Acorn continued to be responsive to every question and request we made. We were impressed by Karma P’s (the owner’s) efficiency, attention to detail as well as his patience. We traveled in April 2023 to many sites and hiked many trails, ending in the Taktsang hike (Tiger’s Nest). Our guide, Thinley S, and our driver, Sonam D, deserve special recognition. As cultural ambassadors, they represented the best of Bhutan - knowledgeable, thoughtful, kind and good-humored. Throughout the hikes and treks, our guide made sure that we were safe, that we got food that was compatible with our taste and that we were comfortable in our hotels. Our driver safely got us to our various destinations despite some tricky road conditions and made thoughtful gestures like getting cough drops when one of us developed a cough. I should mention that, by my own fault, I sustained a wrist injury that required some medical visits. Thinley, Sonam and Karma did a lot of problem-solving so that my friends could continue enjoying their day while I saw the doctors. In this spontaneous situation (that is, out of the planned itinerary), I was touched by their personal and professional attention and care. In terms of advice, I would say be sure to bring trekking poles, stay hydrated on the trails, be respectful to the land, the temples and those who guide and serve you. And don’t miss taking a stone bath! All in all, I believe you will be very pleased if you travel with Bhutan Acorn. I highly recommend them.
    Show more
    Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel commented on this review
    Dear Frances, Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kind and glowing review of your recent journey with Bhutan Acorn. Your words mean the world to us, and we're thrilled that you and your friends had such a memorable adventure in Bhutan.... Show more
    Trip date: April 2023
  • EC
    · May 24th, 2023
    Essence of Bhutan was a great tour. Karma at Acorn Tours took great care of us in arranging the trip, securing visas and having the best guide, Lobzang,and driver, Kencho show us there beautiful country. I would strongly recommend this tour. The home stay was a great experience, the country was wonderful, the people are friendly. We learned so much about Bhutan. Our guides were so informative and fun to be with and (although we are in our mid seventies) with the help of our guide we made it all the way to Tigers Nest
    Show more
    Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel commented on this review
    Dear Elizabeth, Kadrinchey for taking out the time to give us a great review. As a small and responsible tour operator, customer service is a priority for us. I am glad that guide Lobzang and driver Kencho took care of you well. Thank you for giving us... Show more
    Trip date: May 2023

Dates & Availability

10 days
Essence of Bhutan
From Paro to Paro

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Upcoming departures
  • Sunday
    23 Feb, 2025
    Tuesday
    4 Mar, 2025
    English
    Multiple Room Types
    $2,130
    + $900
    Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights
  • Saturday
    8 Mar, 2025
    Monday
    17 Mar, 2025
    English
    Multiple Room Types
    $2,130
    + $900
    Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights
  • Wednesday
    12 Mar, 2025
    Friday
    21 Mar, 2025
    English
    Multiple Room Types
    $2,130
    + $900
    Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights
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    Sunday
    23 Mar, 2025
    Tuesday
    1 Apr, 2025
    English
    Multiple Room Types
    $2,130
    + $900
    Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights
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    Wednesday
    2 Apr, 2025
    Friday
    11 Apr, 2025
    English
    Multiple Room Types
    $2,130
    + $900
    Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights
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    Thursday
    10 Apr, 2025
    Saturday
    19 Apr, 2025
    English
    Multiple Room Types
    $2,130
    + $900
    Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights
  • Get Instant Confirmation
    Sunday
    20 Apr, 2025
    Tuesday
    29 Apr, 2025
    English
    Multiple Room Types
    $2,130
    + $900
    Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights
  • Get Instant Confirmation
    Saturday
    3 May, 2025
    Monday
    12 May, 2025
    English
    Multiple Room Types
    $2,130
    + $900
    Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights
  • Get Instant Confirmation
    Monday
    12 May, 2025
    Wednesday
    21 May, 2025
    English
    Multiple Room Types
    $2,130
    + $900
    Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights
  • Get Instant Confirmation
    Friday
    23 May, 2025
    Sunday
    1 Jun, 2025
    English
    Multiple Room Types
    $2,130
    + $900
    Sustainable Development Fee for 9 Nights

What our customers ask about this tour

    The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
    • What happens if we are the only ones signed up for the tour?

      If you are the only ones signed up, the tour can still proceed as a private journey without extra charges.

    • Can you provide information about the cancellation policy?

      The cancellation policy is flexible: cancel at least 7 days in advance for no fee, 3-6 days in advance for a 50% fee, and less than 2 days for a full fee.

    • What should we know about flights to Bhutan?

      Direct flights to Bhutan are limited. It's advisable to book as soon as possible, especially in peak seasons.

    • Is it possible to experience local cuisines during the tour?

      Yes, you will have the opportunity to savor authentic home-cooked meals, especially if you choose to stay at a local homestay.

    • What payment methods are accepted for the tour?

      Payments can be made in cash upon arrival, via wire transfer, or using a credit card. Please note there may be processing fees.

    • What types of meals are included in the tour?

      The tour includes three meals a day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with light snacks.

    • What is the group size limit for the tour?

      The group size will not exceed 10 people, and private trips are also available.

    • Are there any promo codes available for booking?

      Currently, there are no promo codes available, but you may check with the booking platform for any offers.

    • What is the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) and when is it due?

      The SDF is a fee charged to all tourists visiting Bhutan, currently set at $100 per night. It is paid in advance at the time of the visa application.

    • Are admissions included to different points of interest?

      Entry fees to monuments and sacred sites are not included in the tour price, and it can cost around $70 per person to visit all sites.

    Can’t find the answer to your question?
    Reach out to the experts at Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel with your enquiry, they usually respond within 9 hours.

    Good to Know

    Tour ID: 204747

    • Currency
      Nu.
      Ngultrum
      Bhutan
    • Plugs & Adapters

      As a traveler from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F, D, M, G. As a traveler from England you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F, D, M. As a traveler from South Africa you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F, G.

      Type C
      Bhutan
      Type E
      Bhutan
      Type F
      Bhutan
      Type D
      Bhutan
      Type M
      Bhutan
      Type G
      Bhutan
    • Vaccines
      • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
      • Typhoid - Recommended for Bhutan. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
      • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Bhutan. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
      • Cholera - Recommended for Bhutan. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
      • Tuberculosis - Recommended for Bhutan. Ideally 3 months before travel.
      • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Bhutan. Ideally 2 months before travel.
      • Rabies - Recommended for Bhutan. Ideally 1 month before travel.
      • Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an infected area for Bhutan. Ideally 10 days before travel.
      • Japanese B encephalitis - Recommended for Bhutan. Ideally 1 month before travel.
    • Visa
      • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
      • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
    • Payment information
      • For any tour departing before April 20th, 2025 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after April 20th, 2025, a minimum payment of 20% is required to confirm your booking with Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 60 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
      • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
      • The following cards are accepted for "Bhutan Acorn Tours & Travel" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
    • Cancellation Policy
    • Accessibility
      Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.