1. Do I need a visa
for Bhutan and how to obtain it?
Except travellers from
India, Bangladesh, Maldives and all visitors to Bhutan require visa. Visas are
issued only when a confirmed booking through a Bhutanese operator like (Bhutan Landlocked Adventures) is made. Air tickets to Bhutan can only be issued once the
visa is confirmed. Your visa will be processed by the travel agent that you
choose to travel with. A Bhutanese visa is issued only by the Department of
Immigration after receiving the full tour payment in the account of Tourism
Council of Bhutan, Thimphu. Passport: You are required to have a valid passport
with at least six months validity from the date of your departure.
2. Where do I enter
Bhutan?
Druk Air, the national
carrier is the only airline that operates flights into Paro international
airport. Druk Air operates a fleet of two Airbus 119 planes and flies to
Kathmandu (Nepal); Delhi, Calcutta, Bagdora (West Bengal), Guwahati (Assam)
India; Dhaka, Bengal Dash Bangkok (Thailand)and Singapore. Visitors can also
enter or exit Bhutan by road through the neighboring Indian states of Assam and
West Bengal in south. You can enter or exit through road from Phuntsholing, a
border town to India in the south- western part of the country which is about
seven hour drive from Paro or Thimphu. The nearest airport from Phuntsholing is
Bagdogra in India at the base of the foothills of Darjeeling and Sikkim between
which you can drive overland taking about 05 hours approximately. The Eastern
Bhutan which is not that explored till now could be entered by road through
south- eastern town of Samdrupjongkhar which is about an hour drive from
Guwahati Airport in Assam. There are so many places of historical importance in
east and not to forget its rich flora and fauna.
3. How can I purchase
Druk Air tickets?
We will purchase the
E- tickets and forward them to your email address. You can also buy your drukair
ticket online from Druk-air : website www.drukair.com.bt but there won't be
discount on the ticket.
4.I want to travel,
but none of the dates/trips you run coincide with my holiday dates.
Don’t despair! We
offer a tailor-make service for all of the destinations featured on our website
- and a few more besides. Alternatively, if you can get your own group together
(3+ persons) then it will be less expensive for you. Otherwise we have Single
supplementary charges applicable for sin. We are happy to lay on a private trip
for you, either on one of our existing itineraries or if you prefer, we can
help you devise your own.
5. What kind of season
do you have in Bhutan?
Spring is a botanist
delight as rhododendrons, wild azaleas, and masses of wildflowers including the
edelweiss cover the meadows like carpet. Pear and apple blossoms add a dainty
touch to the valleys as their pink and white blooms add a sense of new wonder
to the land that is about to burst with abundant growth again. Summer is an
abundant time of the year as flowers are in bloom and the valleys are covered
in green, weeping willows sweep the banks of many of the rivers and the pine
cones glisten in sun, so full with resin they are ready to plummet to the
ground. Autumn casts a bright golden glow on the vast landscape and is one of
the more crowded times of the year for tourism to Bhutan. In fall, rice fields
ripen to a golden brown under crisp blue skies. The merry pink and white of
cosmos flowers dot the countryside. Winter has its moments. The days are full
of sunshine while evenings can turn chilly. The winter landscape lays bare the
majesty of the mountains and the sweeping valleys. Soft tufts of cloud drape
lazily over mountain tops as if waiting for new life to blow it across the
landscape.
6. Who is Bhutan Landlocked Adventures?
Bhutan Landlocked Adventures is a Government
Licensed Tour Operator who organizes a wide range of tours, Cultural, Textile,
Festival, Flora & Fauna, Bird watching, Religious, Photography, Hiking,
Trekking, Honeymoon vacations and other adventures.
7. Is Bhutan Landlocked Adventures, a secure site?
Yes, it is licensed by
the Royal Government of Bhutan with the consultation of the Tourism Council of
Bhutan (TCB) and is a member of the Association of Bhutan Tour Operators
(ABTO).(Click on the home page logo of Government)
8. Why should I travel
with Bhutan Landlocked Adventures?
The billion dollar
question… Whilst there is plenty of general competition, we feel that Bhutan Locked Adventures is truly unique in the Bhutanese travel market and the
high percentage of clients who travel with us again and again isn’t down to
chance. Bhutan Landlocked Adventures is a company that has been set up by
travellers for travellers and the company ethos is to help travellers souls get
to incredible places that would otherwise remain inaccessible. Our office is
manned by experienced tour leaders and it is their knowledge and passion (along
with that of our experienced guides) that is evident in all aspects of the trips,
from planning through to implementation. In short, we run the kind of trips
that we like to do! By keeping the group sizes small we can allow for a greater
degree of flexibility and cater to individual needs and this unobtrusive ‘low
impact’ tourism gives travellers a chance to get off the beaten track without
damaging the places they visit. In addition, a percentage of the trip profits
are used to fund various charities for monks & Nuns in the country –
travellers and locals alike – benefit from the experience.
9. How much will my
package cost?
The policy of value
tourism is best supported by a system of a daily minimum price of US $ 250 per
person per night for visits to Bhutan. The price also in a way limits the
volume of visitors allowing exclusivity and care.
Do you have extra
charges for 1 or 2 people?
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
Single Room Supplementary : US$ 25 per night.
10. Do you offer
discounts for children & students?
We offer 50% discount
for children from ages 6 to 12 accompanied by parents/guardians and 25% discount
for students below 25 years of age with proper ID.
11. What is included
in my trip package?
The fee in fact covers
a package that include all internal taxes and charges including royalty,
accommodation, all meals, services of licensed guides, internal transport and
camping equipment and haulage for trekking tours.
12. How do I contact Bhutan Landlocked Adventures?
Email or fax us to
discuss your travel plans with one of our specialists, be it to create your
Tailor Made tour or to find out further information on one of our Inspirational
Journeys. Email: bhutancrownadventures@gmail.com or call us at +975 17606090
13. Tell me more about
the tour & trek itinerary?
The entire itinerary
is not fixed. It depends on one’s interest, whether cultural, festivals,
trekking or a combination.
14. How do I pay for
bookings with Bhutan Landlocked Adventures?
All the tour payments
must be made in advance. Payment should be deposited through the Bhutan
National Bank account abroad, payable in favour of the travel Agent in Bhutan
whose names and addresses will be provided by us after the confirmation of your
trip.
15. When will I get my
trip confirmation?
Within 8 hours of your
booking unless it is Saturday or Sunday or a government holiday in Bhutan, as
they are closed on those days.
17. What if I need to
cancel my trip at the last moment?
The tour programmes
booked and subsequently cancelled are subjected to cancellation charges as
follows: * Season - Full refund will be made for the tour cancelled 30 days or
more prior to arrival date (December, January, February, June, July and till
Mid-August) * Peak Season - Full refund will be made for the tour cancelled 60
days or more prior to arrival date (March, April, May, Mid-August, September,
October and November) * 30% penalty on the total tour cost for the tour
cancelled less than 30 days prior to arrival date. This is because by this time
hotels would be already booked and company is subject to cancellation charges
for rooms cancelled in less than 30 days. * Duration lost or trip shortened due
to unforeseen reasons after arrival in Bhutan, no refund will be made – because
we will already have had paid for the hotels and other logistics.
Is it Secure to send
payment before the trip?
It is very safe, the
Tourism council of Bhutan will continue to hold the money you have sent for
your tour until your trip has taken place. It will not be released to Bhutan Landlocked Adventures until you have left the country on your return flight.
This provides you with the security of knowing that your money is safe until
your holiday takes place. If for any reason the trip doesn't go ahead then the
government will not give your money to Bhutan Landlocked Adventures but will return it to you (subject to any
cancellation charges which apply if you have cancelled the trip). So in the
unlikely event that we do not run your trip for you, you would not be out of
pocket.
