OUR TOURS
PERSONAL AND EXCLUSIVE
Bhutan has many facets and we develop our trips individually according to your needs and interests. In our experience, a trip to Bhutan should not be shorter than 10 days, as getting around the country takes time and it is difficult to really immerse yourself in a shorter period of time. We will welcome you personally and over the course of the trip we will invite you to get to know us better, whether it is during a personal film screening with Irja von Bernstorff, a shared experience with Adrian von Bernstorff in the Terra Himalaya company center, or during a cheerful evening around the campfire.
FUTURE VISIONS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
With our guests, we delve into the value chains of progressive entrepreneurs and cooperatives who are working to implement “Gross National Happiness” in their entrepreneurial activities.
Terra Himalaya,
Thimphu
With the Terra Himalaya team, you can, for example, collect aromatic and medicinal plants, experience a distillation, learn about traditional Sowa Rigpa medicine or, under expert guidance, create your own perfume from the oils of the Bhutanese flora.
Drachukha Flower Group,
Punakha
Visit Bhutan's first EU organic certified farm in the middle of Jigme Dorji National Park, where a women's cooperative grows high-quality flowers and herbs for the social enterprise Bhutan Blossoms. Depending on the season, you can harvest and dry flowers yourself or, for example, collect special mushrooms in the surrounding jungle and cook them with the women to make a traditional dish.
Khemdro Dairy,
Phobjikha
In the Phobjikha Valley of the Black-necked Cranes, you can meet the entrepreneur Sherab, who returned from studying at Brown University to start his company Khemdro, which processes the milk of Phobjikha's farmers into cheese, yoghurt, butter and ice cream. With Sherab, you can learn how to make the traditional cream cheese in a wooden vat, which is essential for the national dish "Ema Datshi" (chili cheese).
TIBETAN BHUDDISM
There is probably no other place in the world where Tibetan Buddhism is practiced and lived in such a pure form as in Bhutan. Missionary ambitions are foreign to the people here, but anyone who would like to learn more is warmly invited to do so. It took us years to gain a deeper understanding of Buddhism in Bhutan, as it was a foreign world to us at first and many rituals and events take place in the local language Dzongkha or in Tibetan. But over time we have built up a network of monasteries, of devoted monks and nuns, and of secular "lay people" who follow a deep spiritual practice in one way or another. Whether you are interested in a philosophical exchange with a Buddhist master, would like a reading about your future at the National Center for Astrology, or would like to spend some time in a monastery participating in the daily routine and rituals of the monks - we open the doors to extraordinary experiences for you.
TSHECHUS –
ATMOSPHERIC FOLK FESTIVALS
The highlights of the year are colorful festivals, known as Tshechus, held in almost every valley. Whether at the huge Thimphu Tshechu in the capital or at a village festival in a remote valley, every Bhutanese wears their most beautiful hand-woven garment, the men a Gho and the women a Kira. These elaborately crafted and very valuable garments are often passed down through generations.
Perhaps you are interested in Bhutan's textile art? With expert explanations, we will take you to places where very special, unique pieces are exhibited, to designers who create modern creations from traditional fabrics, or to villages where colors are extracted from nature.
DZONGS
FORTRESSES AND MONASTERIES
The centuries-old festivals, especially in Bhutan's monastic fortresses, the Dzongs, have a unique atmosphere. Over several days, mystical and historical events about Buddhist saints and the country's founding narratives are celebrated and passed on, with masked dances, songs, shows and rituals. The Dzongs are not only the seat of the regional administration and the monastic order, they are also architectural masterpieces. Many were built 400 years ago by the state's founder, Shabdrung, to ward off the numerous attacks by Tibetan invaders. But to this day, epochal Dzongs are built with the same craftsmanship and illustration skills as centuries ago, without a single nail or screw.
The festivals, their performances and backgrounds vary depending on the region. For particularly deep and authentic insights, a guide handpicked by us from the respective region will accompany you during the festival of your choice and familiarize you with the impressive walls.
A FESTIVAL
ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD
Another highlight is the Laya Highland Festival, which was founded by the king 10 years ago to celebrate the diverse cultures of the approximately 20,000 yak nomads and medicinal plant collectors in the high mountains. The climb from the last roadhead near the regional town of Gasa to Laya at around 4,000 meters takes several hours. The effort is rewarded by a spectacular panorama that can be seen on the high plateau where the festival takes place over two days with around 2,000 people. The nomads who have come from all parts of the country compete in horse riding competitions, juries evaluate the most valuable yak bulls or breeds of the Tibetan Mastiff herding dog breed, and cooperatives offer their products made from yak produce.
NATURE AND ADVENTURE
Nature lovers and adventurers will find everything their hearts desire in Bhutan. From short hikes to treks lasting several days or even weeks, we have years of experience with treks at different altitudes and climate zones. On high mountain treks through one of the majestic national parks, you will be accompanied by experienced mountaineers with their ponies and donkeys, who will carry luggage, comfortable tents and equipment. A cook will know how to pamper you even on the most remote peaks and an expert guide will introduce you to the rich nature and primeval civilization of the high mountains.
At medium altitudes, you can also trek with much less effort and stay overnight in special “homestays” along selected routes. One route that has been given a new lease of life is the ancient Trans-Bhutan Trail, which runs over 400 km from western to eastern Bhutan. Before the first roads were built in the mid-20th century, all Bhutanese used this route to get from A to B, to visit their relatives, to make pilgrimages or to bring taxes in the form of a share of the rice harvest to a regional prince. Today, the central valleys of Bhutan's high culture are again connected by the Trans-Bhutan Trail and can be explored on foot along this route.
For guests with “special interests” we offer, for example, birding and photography tours, rafting on whitewater rivers, mountain bike and electric bike tours.
YOGA, MEDITATION
AND WELLBEING
Every trip needs space for relaxation and regeneration. With us you can get to know Sowa-Rigpa, the traditional holistic healing art of Bhutan, experience a yoga class in front of the golden Buddha statue above Thimphu, or relax in a traditional hot stone bath. We have been practicing yoga ourselves for years and are happy to offer yoga retreats with our selected partners in Bhutan if you are interested.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Bhutan offers a wide range of options for your stay, from traditional farm stays and high mountain camps in yak nomad tents, to exceptional boutique hotels, to some of the most exclusive and luxurious five-star resorts in the world. We select hand-picked accommodations with you, whose quality and hospitality we have always personally convinced ourselves of.