Our intention is for students from each school to stay together with their chaperone, however, if numbers warrant it, and there is a desire to be mixed with other school’s we are totally open to that, as long as there is a chaperone with each student group. Bus groups are limited to 18 participants (students and teachers). If one school has 18 students interested, and they wish to have their own bus and their own itinerary that is doable as well. Typically, trips end up having smaller groups from a few schools that are together in one bus.

The trip is typically 8-9 days in length in Bhutan, but when you add in travel time and a potential first or last day in Bangkok, Thailand you are looking at about 11-12 days of time away from home. Most trips are taken during March Break, but we are open to other times of the year.

• Undertake shared purposeful activity which provides opportunities for broadening your interests and experience.
• Reside away from your usual place of residence for a total period of no less than five days and four nights. 
• Be in the company of others who are, in the majority, not your usual companions.

There are two airlines that operate flights in and out of Bhutan. Drukair is Bhutan’s national carrier and Tashi Air (also known as Bhutan Airlines). There is one international airport at Paro, about an hour’s drive from the capital, Thimphu. There are a few different routes to Bhutan, but typically groups fly in to Bangkok, Thailand, and then carry on to Paro, Bhutan. 

While in Bhutan participants travel on a bus that is dedicated to their group, with a dedicated driver who holds their Tourist Vehicle Drivers License. They will be with us for the duration of our trip.

Rooms are based on double occupancy. If numbers warrant it based on group numbers, a 3rd person may be added to a room. Hotels are booked once groups are established and the itinerary is finalized. One night will be spent on a student exchange where participants will sleep at one of the boarding schools in order to share an experience with Bhutanese students.

Wi-Fi in Bhutan can be spotty and slower than at home, but it’s still quite accessible. Most hotels have it in their lobby. Some will have it available in the rooms, and some will not. Of course staying connected is important. We will be posting photos and student blogs throughout the trip for friends and family to follow along. It’s very easy to purchase a SIM card in Bhutan and have service there, or to add on a phone plan from your provider before leaving Canada. The biggest hurdle to staying in touch is the fact that the time zones are so different. 

Bhutan is 10 hours ahead of our Eastern Standard Time. Flipping our body’s time clock is not easy. We will work together as group prior to our departure to learn some prevention tips for jet lag and how to set ourselves up for success. Typically trips will return approximately five days before the end of March Break to allow participants to rest and reground prior to heading back to school.  

Bhutan is the world’s last surviving Himalayan Buddhist kingdom and is one of the only countries to place humility and compassion at the centre of its constitution. The three main themes of Buddhism are detachment, ephemerality (the concept of things being transitory, existing only briefly) and change. Throughout this journey, there will be ample opportunity to learn from many local people of all ages about their spirituality and culture, and how it plays a significant role in how they live their lives. This in turn will of course allow for many reflective moments both personally and as a group.

Bhutan is among the world’s leading countries in clean energy. At the moment, Bhutan is the only carbon negative country in the world. As mandated in its constitution, Bhutan preserves (at all times) 60 percent of its land under forest cover. According to the decree of the King, cut one tree for whatever purpose, you must plant 3 new trees. Plastic bags are banned. These positive policies help Bhutan have a pristine environment and one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Part of the pre-departure work that we will do as a group is to work to find ways that we can work to off-set our inevitable carbon emissions.

To learn more about Bhutan’s commitment to our planet watch this inspiring TED talk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lc_dlVrg5M

March is a good time to visit Bhutan. The valleys are beginning to warm up, flowers are starting to bloom and there are clear views of the Himalaya. Temperatures tend to vary based on altitude, but on average it’s about 10-22 degrees Celsius.  

When groups land in Paro the altitude will be 2200m, groups then travel through Thimphu, altitude of 2334m, and eventually down into the Punakha region, altitude of 1242m. The highest we will go is towards the end of our journey when we trek up to Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest) which sits at approximately 3120m (just over 10,000ft).

Yes. We are happy to work with individuals, couples, and small groups who would like us to plan a trip to Bhutan for them. We will create the itinerary, line everything up with our partners in Bhutan and have them meet you when you arrive in Paro. Let us know if we can help you explore the beautiful Kingdom of Bhutan.