I have just returned from an amazing trip to Bhutan with 3 friends and enjoyed every moment of our journey.

Though we only traveled through some parts of Bhutan, we enjoyed viewing the scenery (mountains, valleys, rivers, nature at its finest!) the people and especially how the trip was organized (thanks Namgay!).

Our guide (Passa) and driver (Panda) were amazing! They made our trip so much more enjoyable!

I highly recommend Druk Asia should anyone wish to explore this lovely country.

Firstly, thank you so much for assisting me with my reservation. To be frank, I was uncertain about engaging DrukAsia initially as I do have a travel agency which I usually engage for my travel needs. It's your speedy response (and actions) to my queries along the way that gave me the assurance I need. So, thank you for all the assistance.

On my guide Passang Dorji:

Please extend my heartfelt gratitude to Passang. Passang was very attentive to my needs from my first day of arrival in Bhutan. All requests (local SIM card, dietary needs etc.) I made were fulfilled, which I deemed as the most important indication to me that I would be in good hands in Bhutan. Throughout the trip, he made sure that I was prepared for the cold by reminding me to wear warm. He also asked me a few times if I was enjoying myself (as I was quiet in the car) which I think was very considerate of him.

He also brought me to the bank to get the USD changed into Nu as it is more convenient to make transactions in Nu and exchange rates are better in banks than at shops. I made requests for minor adjustments to the itinerary and they were all looked into. For examples, the weekend market in my itinerary could not be fulfilled because it was not opened on the day I was in the area. So, I requested to be brought to the post office so that I could mail one of the postcards given to me back to a friend in Singapore. That was looked into. As I was interested in observing archery matches, I requested to skip the visit to the temple in Paro in the itinerary after hike to Tiger's nest so that I could be brought to the village of my driver where they were celebrating the New Year. That was also fulfilled. And that was a very good experience for me because I could see how the people in Bhutan go about with celebrating important occasions. I think this going the extra mile service that I received from Passang made my stay in Bhutan enjoyable.

As I am a Buddhist, I appreciate a lot that Passang could share a lot about the culture and the spiritual aspects of Bhutan with me. I learnt a lot as a result. I also appreciate that he got me to do the prostration in the temples.

On my driver 'Uncle Rock' (I can't recall his full name):

Please also relate my gratitude to Uncle Rock. His driving skills made me feel safe on the road. His sense of humor made the long road trips bearable. I appreciate a lot that he allowed me to visit his village in Paro and his quick introduction of his wife and son. The warm smiles on the faces of his family and also the people in his village, and the experience of observing the New Year celebration in the form of archery match helped me to appreciate the culture and the people in Bhutan better.

So overall, I enjoyed my stay in Bhutan thanks to the well executed itinerary and the hospitality rendered by Passang and Uncle Rock (and the staff in the 3 hotels I stayed in). I will certainly recommend DrukAsia, Passang and Uncle Rock to my acquaintances who want to visit Bhutan.

Suggestions:
1. Include in guide notes to travelers to bring along hiking stick (walking stick), trainer shoes (or whichever is recommended) and perhaps chocolate bars (or food bars to replenish energy and sugar intake) for hike to Tiger's Nest.

2. Publish the testimonies of clients about their guides so that potential clients can perhaps select their own guides (of course based on availability). I think we know to certain extent why we go on the trip and therefore it may be helpful if we can select the guides which are of better fit.


That's all from me.

Thank you so much and Happy New Year!

Best regards
Siow Wei

Kuzuzangpo la!

Bhutan is officially my 2nd favorite country after Singapore, where I am residing.

I couldn't find much to dislike about Bhutan. Right from booking the trip through DrukAsia (I love that Sonam is very responsive and advises you accordingly) to the 6 hour flight delay from Paro to Singapore ... everything was well taken care of.

I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to my poor tour guide, Passang Dorji (spelling might be incorrect), for worrying over me when I was down with altitude sickness on the first day. But he made sure that we get to cover all the places which I missed on the 1st day by the 3rd day.

My only complaint is that we didn't get to see the Takins because the zoo was closed on Monday! I guess nobody checked the opening hours for that day :(.

I love how the country is safe and peaceful, the air is clean, the scenery is beautiful wherever you turn, how the locals are welcoming, kind and lovely to tourists and I can tell the government really cares deeply about its citizens, wildlife and the earth. Returning back home to hear that slash-and-burn has started in a neighboring country is very saddening. I hope Bhutan and DrukAsia can do more to promote and boost tourism in the country because some people I know don't even know where Bhutan is on the world map!

It was a 4 day trip to Bhutan for me but this will remain a memorable trip of a lifetime. I will definitely travel to Bhutan again in another season.

Kadinchhey, Bhutan, for being amazing!

Side note: We spent Singapore's National Day on Chelela Pass, with our Bhutanese tour guides :)! It was very memorable.

XOXO
- Zati

My trip to Bhutan has been amazing so far. Your home is truly an incredible place. Thank you for everything Sonam! Your help and support have been incredible.I had a phenomenal trip. Passang Dorji and Jamyang were wonderful at every step of the way. I hope to come back to Bhutan again and will definitely use Druk Asia when I do.

Thanks!

Katie

Dear Sangay,

Thanks for your note.

I had a lovely stay in Bhutan.

The weather, scenery, people & tranquillity were all enchanting. Enjoyed the hikes a lot.

My guide (Passang) & driver (Sangay too) were exemplary in their service. They rendered a high standard of professionalism to ensure that I was comfortable & well-informed.

Have indicated in the feedback form that Hotel Dewachen (with its archaic oven-heater) really lacked conduciveness for a comfortable stay. Was not alone in struggling to light a fire & worse still, trying to maintain it through the night. For once, I thought I understood a little bit of what the homeless went through ... sleeping in cold temperature & a very dim room.

Thank you for all the logistical arrangements. It was indeed a fuss-free & worry-free booking process.

Attached are a few shots that other future travellers may like to look at.

Thanks once again & with regards,
Lee Keng

Hi Sangay,

Thanks for your email.

The trip was fantastic, really beautiful country, interesting history and culture.

Positives: Well organised; very friendly and helpful guide and driver - Passang was incredibly knowledgable and friendly. Our drivers (Tahndo and Sangay) were both very friendly and drove well. On the last night our guide even organised a special dinner based on our requests. The restaurant even opened especially for us! We felt very special and it was delicious. Every hotel was terrific, the car was maintained in IMMACULATE condition. We were very well tended to. THe hikes were also a highlight

Negatives: Maybe a little repetitive at times - we learnt a lot about Bhudist history, which was great, but at times we had the same story a few times. Buffets - so many buffets! We would've liked to have eaten at a few more 'authentic bhutanese' restaurants, rather than buffets catering for Westerners. I think that's why the last night was so special - it felt a bit more 'real'. One other aspect was it was a bit 'restrictive'. I appreciate that in Bhutan you need a guide, but at times we just wanted a bit more time to ourselves, to walk around freely, check out things at our own pace. The itinerary could be a little 'rigid', and maybe a little more flexibility would be good.

I hope I haven't been too negative - the positives far outweighed the negatives and our guide/drivers were very friendly and helpful. I'm just giving some construction feedback to work on for next time.

And I've got a couple of pictures for you - you've probably got enough of the Tiger's Nest so I went for a few other things! Let me know if you want any more, and please send a link when they're up so we can check them out!

Thanks

Hi Sangay,

We have put our feedback on the form given to us before our departure. Overall we had a good trip. Thanks!