5 Night 6 Days Bhutan Tour

The 6-day, 5-night Trek of Bhutan is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the majestic Himalayan country. This underrated South Asian trek has earned the reputation of being one of the best mountainous treks and has been attracting trekkers worldwide. Before traveling to Bhutan, it is essential to prepare and find out what you can expect in the alien country. So let’s get into it.

Stunning Landscapes

You can easily count on the stunning trek in the mountains or the Himalayas section during your Bhutan Trek. Bhutan has different terrains, including barren grasslands, rocky ridges, peaks, glacial moraines, and snowy mountains. During this trek, you will get stunning views of the mountains, explore the majestic valleys, and stroll through the national parks.

Ancient Buddhist Cultures

Another thing that you can expect during your Bhutan tour is the ancient but important Buddhist cultures and traditions. Buddhism entered Bhutan in the 8th century when the Indian master Guru Padmasambhava came to the country. Since then, Buddhism has significantly influenced Bhutan’s development. In the 16th and 17th centuries, warrior monks built dzongs and created the structure of modern Bhutan. Later, religious leaders established the country’s laws and governance until they handed over power to a king, Ugyen Wangchuck, in the early 20th century.

Explore beautiful nightlife

Bhutan is cautious of its traditions and cultures, which the people have been protecting for a long time; however, they also welcome the Western culture that the tourists are more familiar with. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants, discos, clubs, bars, etc., where people can indulge and taste some tasty foods. So, if you are looking forward to clubbing and dancing in Bhutan, you are set for a fantastic time.

Although the Bhutan Tour is one of the best and most entertaining in the world, preparing for the tour is ideal and crucial if you want to be safe. You have to be wary about several things while planning your Bhutan Tour. So, let’s look at some things you must be wary about.

• Documents like passports, visas, etc, are essential to enter the country and explore various Bhutan trekking destinations.
• Make sure you research the diseases or pandemic outbreaks in the country before booking your trek and get properly vaccinated or take appropriate medicines for it.
• Pack essential clothing, gear, equipment, etc, based on the season or weather conditions you visit.
• Ensure you carry enough local currency, especially if you plan to visit the remote locations of Bhutan.
• Bhutanese people are very wary about their culture and tradition, so pay respect by dressing modestly and asking permission.

All tourists wishing to enter Bhutan for touring or any other purpose must be required to issue a visa or permit, except if they are citizens from India, Maldives, and Bangladesh. As part of your visa application, you must pay a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of US$100 for each day per adult. Reduced rates apply to children.

You must also pay $40 for the nonrefundable one-time visa application. To issue your visa or permit, you have to apply online. Your tour operator can also submit an application on your behalf with your detailed itinerary and by referencing your accommodation mode. You must also submit some of the documents while applying for your visa.

Some of the documents you have to submit are:

• Valid travel insurance for the duration of your travel
• Payment details
• A recent digital passport photo
• Arrival and departure dates
• A digital copy of a valid passport

While submitting your application, make sure you are signing the pledge of friendship, which makes you responsible for the country’s culture, traditions, and natural resources. Failure to comply with these regulations during your trek will result in a hefty fine and even extradition back to your country.

Tourism Policy

Bhutan is a highly underrated South Asian tour, also named “The Last Shangri La.” The Bhutanese people are severe and take no-nonsense in preserving their culture and traditions. To tour Bhutan, you have to be wary of its tourism policy and cultural practices, and they are so serious about it that getting a visa for a Bhutan tour is not easy as they don’t provide visas to any familiar tourists. Bhutan’s strict tourism rules help keep tours safe and protect the environment. Here are some of Bhutan’s unique tourism policies.

• Tourists from countries except Bangladesh, India, and Maldives must pay daily tariffs for food, transport, and accommodation up to $100.
• Bhutanese tourism policy believes in providing value and impact tourism, which means the tourists won’t get high-end tourism, which is a risk to the environment and culture of the people.
• Bhutan’s tourism policies encourage eco-friendly tours that help preserve and promote cultures, traditions, and natural resources, so when you visit the country, ensure you respect their traditions.
• The tourist activities in the country are constantly monitored, so independent tourists are not allowed. Hence, tourists must provide their pre-planned itinerary.

Cultural Etiquette

Along with Tourism Policies, Bhutanese are equally serious about their cultural Etiquette. Paying respect to the cultures of Bhutan is not only another courtesy but also the ideal way to be safe. Bhutanese people do not tolerate disrespect to their cultural practices. Here are some critical aspects of cultural etiquette in Bhutan.

• One of the key aspects to pay attention to in Bhutan is photography. Although photography is allowed in most trekking places, ask for permission in public areas, especially religious sites.
• Bhutanese people are also serious about the dress code in religious or cultural areas, so they dress modestly.
• Please do not make any sly comments or insult the religious places, objects, or people as they consider it highly insensitive. Follow necessary practices like walking clockwise around the memorial chorten.
• To impress the local citizens, greeting them with a bow and the phrase “Kuzuzangpo” is essential.
• The cultural etiquette of Bhutan is also directly related to environmental conservation, so avoiding activities like littering, leaving camping waste, hampering local wildlife, etc., is not ideal.

5 Nights 6 Days Bhutan Tour is one of the moderate levels of the tour package with some challenges, but if you want to make the trek more memorable and less complicated, it is wise to complete it in the ideal time. The perfect time for trekking or going on the Bhutan tour is based on the seasons you will visit. There are four seasons: Spring, Autumn, Winter, and Monsoon. So, let’s take a look at them individually.

Spring

Spring is the best trekking or touring season for visiting Bhutan. This season begins from March to May when the trekking conditions are ideal and suitable for long-distance high-altitude treks like Bhutan. The blooming flowers all over the trails make trekking in Spring so beautiful, and the birds’ chirping sounds will keep you company.

Autumn

Autumn is another unique and ideal time for the Bhutan Tour, which starts in September and ends in November. The specialty of the autumn season is the dry and pleasant weather, which makes the trails more accessible to scale. The temperature of Bhutan during autumn is also a bit chilly and might be cold at high altitudes, but the experience will be worth it.

Winter

Winter is the driest season in Bhutan, with cold nights and clear blue skies during the day. It’s an excellent time for bird watching because many migratory birds arrive. Also, you can enjoy fewer crowds when visiting Bhutan’s historic temples and monasteries. This experience will be unique for trekkers with significant experience, but if you are a beginner, you might want to avoid the winter season. Some of the main problems of trekking in winter are freezing temperatures, avalanches, snowstorms, and blizzards.

Monsoon

Monsoon season is another off-season for trekking Bhutan due to continuous heavy and mild rainfall that affects the trails, as they become wet and slippery. The relentless rain in the mountainous country of Bhutan also invites the danger of floods, landslides, and avalanches, so the trekkers have to be very careful during their expedition.

Foods and Meals are essential for your 6-day, 5-night Bhutan tour. If you are not careful and have not prepared for what you will eat, you might eat unhealthy products that might make you ill. You can find different types of restaurants on your Bhutan Trip; however, based on your budget and preference, you can also choose from hotels to homestays for your food.

During your tour/trek, you will have three daily meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can enjoy the trendy local cuisine in Ema Datshi in almost any hotel, restaurant, etc. There are plenty of places to enjoy Western delicacies such as pizzas, burgers, momos, dumplings, etc. You can also enjoy other local delicacies, like Shakam Paa, Jhasa Maru, and Phaksha Paa.

Apart from food, accommodation is also severe and essential for any trekkers. Lodgings recognized by the Department of Tourism usually have electricity, hot and cold water, and sometimes room phones. For international calls, guests might need to go through reception.

Some hotels are upscale, but they can be expensive. Green Valley Nepal Treks will help you book your stay. Upscale resorts might charge extra fees, so be prepared for that. Hotels can get fully booked during the festival season, so it’s a good idea to be flexible with your plans. Hence you have to choose the accommodation facilities, based on your budget but in the high altitude remote villages, there might not be much choice as you will have to stay in the teahouses with limited services.

The Bhutan tour is quite fun and a bit challenging, but there are some levels of difficulties that can’t be understated. In a high-altitude tour like Bhutan, several factors make the trek a bit more challenging based on their topography, trekking conditions, remoteness, high altitude, and the ideal touring season. Here are some of the factors that affect the level of difficulty.

Difficult Road Conditions

One of the main factors of difficulty that can influence your Bhutan tour is the conditions of the roads. The tour travels through different terrains, hills, ridges, and mountains. So, whenever you are touring, you must prepare yourself for the slow and careful drive with many bumps along the road.

Cultural Barrier

Another difficulty that tourists face during their Bhutan Tour is the cultural differences from the Western ones. The Bhutanese welcome the outside people and respect their culture as guests, but they are also highly protective of their culture. So please do not make a broad remark about their culture, and always ask permission before clicking pictures during their festivals, traditions, and rituals.

High Altitude

Another significant difficulty tourists face on the Bhutan tour is the high altitude. During the tour, you will reach a high altitude of over 5000m, which invites the possibility of altitude sickness, which can halt your tour or, if severe, can even be a danger to your health. The primary way to minimize the altitude trek is by proper acclimatization.

Altitude sickness is one of the significant difficulties that trekkers will face during their high-altitude Bhutan Tour. After climbing an altitude of over 5000m, the trekkers start feeling discomfort due to the lack of oxygen. When the condition becomes severe, the chance of altitude sickness increases.

As the trekkers climb high altitudes, the oxygen level starts decreasing, making them uneasy in their bodies. However, when the body fails to get accustomed to the oxygen level, then the body suffers from altitude sickness. Altitude sickness is one of the most common illnesses trekkers suffer during high altitude, but it is equally severe. Worsening altitude sickness can cause (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema) HAPE or HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema), which can be life-threatening. The trekkers must know the symptoms of altitude sickness to cure it or find a chance to minimize it. Some of the common symptoms of altitude sickness are

• Lightheadedness.
• Vision changes
• Dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Trouble sleeping.
• Fatigue, even when resting.
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• The feeling of being Unwell

Remedies

There is no instant cure for altitude sickness; getting acclimatized to the high altitude and surrounding conditions is the only way to feel better. So, even before getting affected by altitude sickness, minimizing the chances of it affecting the trekkers is best. Here are some of the remedies for the altitude sickness.

Proper Acclimatization: 

One way to minimize altitude sickness is to acclimatize properly. One way to settle adequately at a high altitude is by slowly climbing. According to experienced trekkers, the climbers must not climb over 300 to 400m. Climbing slowly from altitude to altitude creates a sense of familiarity among trekkers. Rushing to a high altitude is very dangerous as it increases the probability of altitude sickness. One of the most common sayings by trekkers is to trek high and sleep low, meaning even if you climb very high, you want to lower your altitude for sleep so that you don’t feel the possibility of altitude sickness.

Descend:

One way to minimize the chance of altitude sickness if you start feeling some symptoms is to lower your altitude or descend to lower levels. When you start descending, the oxygen levels in the surroundings increase, which, as a result, increases in your body, giving you back the composure you need.

Medications:

Another way to remedy altitude sickness, if you start getting the symptoms, is by taking appropriate medications. Medicines like Diamox and Nifedipine will give you a short remedy for altitude sickness. Hence, when you take these medicines, you will feel relief, giving you adequate time to lower the altitude or, if you are near, take you to the appropriate destination.

The Bhutan Tour is one of the most fun but challenging tours in the world, but if you want to experience thrill and adventure, make sure you pack everything you need. The tricky thing about packing items for Bhutan is that you need to pack light but not leave the items that are extremely necessary for the tour. Furthermore, pack the items based on the weather or seasons you are trekking.

Here are some items you might want to pack during your Bhutan Tour.

Personal Care

• Solid shampoo, conditioner bar, and face wash
• Hair ties and Hairbrush
• Toothpaste and Toothbrush – I also prefer to use an environmentally friendly toothbrush.
• Sunscreen, Lip balm and Deodorant
• Hand cream/body lotion and Baby wipes
• Any prescription medication you take
• Travelers medication

Clothing Items

• One buff or Lightweight neck gaiter
• Running shoes
• Hiking boots
• One packable down jacket
• Two pairs of underwear
• Flip flops
• One large hoodie
• One long sleeve shirt or thin sweater
• Three pairs of blister-proof socks
• Sleepwear
• One raincoat
• Warm, windproof outer jacket or fleece jacket
• Two pairs of lightweight, quick-dry trekking pants
• Two t-shirts

Essential Items

• Travel Insurance
• Camera,
• Extra memory cards
• Camera battery charger
• American currency
• iPad/tablet and headphones
• Steripen
• Headlamp
•  Small flashlight
• Day bag, Camel bag, and Water bottle
• A copy of your visa and itinerary
• Trekking Poles
• Power Adapter and Power Bank
• Phone

Bhutan has a unique blend of ancient traditions and modern amenities. In Bhutan, there are several opportunities for transportation, including airplanes, helicopters, tourist or public buses, private jeeps, shared jeeps, hired taxis, shared taxis, etc. Since Bhutan is a landlocked country, there are no modes of transport by water, such as boats or ships; however, some rivers provide rafting activities as well.

The most common way of transportation in Bhutan are

Air

The Bhutanese have one international airport in Paro, where all the global and national airplanes land. You can fly to various trekking places or hire a helicopter tour. Remember that air transport is much more expensive than any other mode of transport.

Buses

Another mode of transport which is quite common in Bhutan is by buses. You can either board the public bus or book the tour using the tourist bus. The trekking agency you contact can provide a tourist bus service, which is a bit more expensive than the public bus.

Jeeps

Another mode of transportation other than flight or bus is private vehicles like jeeps or cars. Although in the mountainous touring region like Bhutan, Jeeps are commonly used for long-distance tours. The 4WD Jeeps are most common for the tour of off-the-beaten trails with many peaks, valleys, and ridges.