Bhutan Encounters tour

Check out our Q&As

• Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

  Fully trained English-speaking Bhutanese guides are provided to escort you throughout this tour and many of our travellers consider them a highlight of their tour. Some tours (such as bird watching or trekking tours) will have specialist guides chosen based on the itinerary and activities included on the tour.
  
  At Encounters Travel we only use local Bhutanese guides and drivers. We feel this gives you the best experience of the country and the sites you are seeing.

• Are all entrance fees included in the price?

  From September 2022, new Bhutanese government rules apply to both the pricing charged for tourisit visitors to Bhutan, and also to entrance fees. Formerly, entrance fees to Dzongs an dother sites were included in the government royalty charged to all tourists. This is no longer the case and the new USD 200 per night Sustainable Development Fee no longer covers entrance to sites visited. Instead, tourists will now need to pay new entrance fees for various sites visited during their tours. An approximate budget to allow for entrance fees visited on your tour is given in the 'Not Included' section of the tour page.
  
  For your convenience, your tour guide will be happy to collect the entrance fees amount in US Dollars or local currency at the start of the tour and purchase the tickets on your behalf as you go along. However, as many of our tours are designed to be somewhat flexible, the budget given may change slightly depending on the sites visited during your trip. A more detailed list is given below.
  USD 1 = approx. NU 80 (so NU 1,000 = approx. USD 12.50)
  
  Commonly visited sites:
  
  Taktshang (Tigers Nest monastery, Paro Valley) - NU 2,000
  Kyichu Lhakhang (Paro Valley) - NU 1,000
  Rinpung Dzong (Paro) - NU 1,000
  Tashichho Dzong (Thimphu) - NU 1,000
  Buddha Dordenma (Thimphu) - NU 1,000
  Thimphu Memorial Chorten (Thimphu) - NU 1,000
  Punakha Dzong (Punakha) - NU 1,000
  Chimmi Lhakhang (Punakha Valley) - NU 1,000
  Less visited sites:
  
  Dobji Dzong (Paro) - NU 1,000
  Jangtsa Dungtseg Lhakhang (Paro Valley) - NU 1,000
  Simtokha Dzong (Thimphu) - NU 1,000
  Trongsa Dzong (Trongsa) - NU 1,000
  Jampa Lhakhang (Bumthang) - NU 1,000
  Rinchending Goenpa (Phuntsholing) - NU 1,000
  Palden Tashi Choling Shedra (Phuntsholing) - NU 1,000
  Note: Children aged 0-5 are exempt from these entrance fees. Children aged 6-17 will pay 50%.
  Note: Entrance fees may be imposed at additional sites over time.

• What should I know before I travel?

  It is important when considering and preparing to travel anywhere in the world that you have a good understanding of the country you are visiting, its laws and customs, and the possible risks and situations that may occur. This includes specific risks related to your itinerary (eg. does it involve water & can you swim, are you fit enough for the activities included), as well as more general risks such as terrorism and natural disasters.
  
  
  
  General details and links to more information about health risks, visa requirements, money, and travel insurance are given in these tour notes. We recommend that you re-read all these before your departure as well as the small print of your travel insurance policy so you know exactly what is covered and what is not.
  
  
  
  You should take copies of your important travel documents with you and ideally also store them online securely as a backup. Make sure that you have given us your emergency contact details and told that person where and when you are travelling. Ensure you take enough money with you and that you have access to emergency funds.
  
  
  
  Finally, you should read through and stay updated with the current official government travel advice for your destination. We are registered partners with the UK Foreign Office's 'Travel Aware' campaign which provides further useful and invaluable information.

• Are airport transfers included in this tour?

  Your airport transfers are only included on the first and last day of the set tour itinerary, plus on any additional days if you book your hotel room with us. If you make your own arrangements for additional accommodation at either the beginning or the end of the tour then you will need to arrange your own airport transfers on these days.

• Are vaccinations required for this tour?

  You should ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including emergency evacuation and repatriation.
  
  Recommended vaccinations and other health protection measures vary according to the country you are visiting and where you are travelling from. We recommend you contact your GP/medical practitioner or a travel clinic for current information on vaccinations needed for your destination. You should ensure that you are up to date with vaccines and boosters recommended for your normal life at home, including for example, vaccines required for occupational risk of exposure, lifestyle risks and underlying medical conditions. In addition, additional courses or boosters normally recommended for the countries in this region are:
  
  Nepal: Additional vaccinations: Diptheria, Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area.
  Bhutan: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area.
  
  Tibet: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area.
  
  Malaria: Vaccinations are not available against Malaria, which is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that can be very serious and sometimes fatal. You should avoid mosquito bites by covering up bare skin with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers and applying insect repellents to exposed skin. When necessary, sleep under a mosquito net. Mosquitoes are most active during and after sunset. You should consult with your GP/medical practitioner/travel clinic about the most appropriate malaria prophylactic medication to take for the regions you are visiting. In general the lowland regions Bhutan are considered malarial zones, while higher altitudes including central Bhutan including Paro, Thimphu, Punakha and Bumthang are not. Nepal is considered mainly low risk with prophylactics not normally required.
  
  Yellow Fever: This disease is spread by infected mosquitoes that bite during the day. A Yellow Fever Certificate of vacinnation may be required as a condition of entry depending on which country you are arriving from, or that you have travelled or transitted through recently (including connecting flights with stopovers of over 12 hours). You can view this US CDC information about where the virus is present and follow the links to further information detailing which countries need you to have a Yellow Fever vaccination as part of their entry requirements. Please ensure you have this certificate with you and to hand if necessary. Please inform us of any pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or asthma and any prescription medicine you may be taking. We also need to know about any food allergies or physical disabilities that you may have.