I had a fantastic time! My guide Kinley was most knowledgeable and helpful whilst my driver Namgay was very careful. When I had motion sickness he drove over bumps ever so slowly. The atmosphere in Bhutan is very unlike other developing countries, likely due to limited number of tourists. I had many interesting exchanges with locals especially girls. It was fun to dress up for the Haa Summer Festival. The hotel in Paro was fantastic but the other two a bit lacking. Overall a very good job! Thank you.

We spent 5 beautiful days early this month in Bhutan covering Thimpu, Paro and Punakha, which should be on every traveler's bucket list. There is a beautiful landscape or a temple or a monastery whichever way you look. In Paro, we woke up to snow capped Himalayan peaks at a distance. One of the most exciting times during the trip for me was on the first day when the small plane flying into Paro Airport was dipping and turning its way (very safely of course) through the mountains with its wings that looked like a touching distance away from the mountain surface. Buddha's Point was stunning just in its vastness and size. While very cold, Dochula Pass was beautiful; unfortunately we could not see the Himalayan range due to heavy fog... but still beautiful. Tiger's Nest is all that the hype makes it out to be... but one needs to be prepared for a hard trek for about 4 hours. The hotels that we stayed in were all top notch except for the one in Punakha. All our meals were simple and delicious and felt like home cooked meals. We also experienced the hot stone bath on the last day which was quite relaxing. The Druk Asia team and Sangay Dorji were ever so helpful, starting with the bookings and to keeping us informed at every step of the pre-trip process. On the ground, our tour guide Yeshey Dorji was very knowledgeable, obviously proud of his country and managed our holiday just the way we wanted. It was paced just to our liking, with a good balance of nature, history and spirituality. When the wheels of our vehicle was in the hands of a very capable Dorji Zhangpo, all we had to do is lay back and take in the scenery as we wound our way through the many S-curves up the mountains. Our truly heartfelt appreciation for the team of Druk Asia and the warm people of Bhutan.

My Neykor experience has been very enlightening and overly exceeding my expectation. I didn't expect the trip to be so fruitful and meaningful and not just visiting so many sacred sites and also learning so many wisdom from Rinpoche and the mindfulness meditation is something new. I think if it's just a regular tour package we will just stop by places of interest and don't take a picture and go but here we actually sit at many monasteries and practice meditiation at the sites themselves.

This Neykor trip is very very very meaningful and I feel that everybody should come to Bhutan and experience this Neykor trip once in a lifetime.

Just by going all these spiritual and sacred sites and having the Rinpoche there to actually guide us through all of that has just given such a much more deep and meaning full journey. It's not a holiday, it is really a spiritual journey.

I am back home already . It was really a marvelous 14 days trip to me and I really enjoyed it very much. My tour guide Ugyen Tshewang was knowledgeable and really taking good care of me during my 14 days in Bhutan .

My two drivers Sonam and uncle Ugyen taking good care of me too.Especially hiking up to Chunphu without Ugyen and Sonam Helping and encouraging I don't think I could make it because it's really tough and challenging for me.Even to tiger's nest monastery without my guide Ugyen Tshewang helping I will never make it too.

I really feel blessed that I could make it with all their helps.It's really a wonderful and unforgettable trip.

I would also like to thank you for your always fast responds to my email.

Best regards

Josephine Sim

I just wanted to THANK YOU for such an amazing trip to Bhutan and for answering all my questionsin advance!!

We all had a fabulous time and were not only impressed with the country, but our guide, our driver, the accommodations, the food, and the service.

It was a wonderfully planned tour, and we can't say enough how INCREDIBLE our guide (Ugyen) and driver (PD) were! They were always going above & beyond, being patient and flexible and accommodating, etc. etc.

They are awesome, and the tour went seamlessly!

What a wonderful experience! We could not stop chatting about our trip to Bhutan even after returning to Singapore. Booking with Druk Asia was easy, the pre-trip correspondences and information pack were timely and helpful, and the itinerary was comprehensive and well-balanced.

However, it was the deep hospitality and professionalism of our guide Ugyen Tshewang and driver Nidup Dorji, that made our trip an A-plus experience. Ugyen was everything you’d want in a guide, and more. He was knowledgeable about Bhutan’s history and significance of the monuments we visited, and was also able to share with us snippets of the lives and customs in Bhutan.

More significantly, he bowled us over with his attentiveness to our diverse needs, both spoken and unspoken, throughout our 7-day trip. At toilet stops, he’d check the toilets first and would even proactively bring along toilet paper and water at the more remote stops. As we had travelled during the rainy season, he’d bring along umbrellas for us in case of rain.

There was a day when it rained and some of us were at a restroom with an unsheltered path back to the restaurant, and he was quick to spring to the restroom to shelter each of us back. He’d also advise us on the attire to wear for each day, and checked to make sure we were suitably attired for the day’s program. It rained on our way down from Tiger Nest, and he was kind to help other less-appropriately-attired travellers down after making sure we did not need help.

Nidup was less articulate in English, but by no means less sensitive to our needs, as he drove slower on winding roads when some of us experienced motion sickness. Without a doubt, we felt assured that we were in good hands throughout the trip. The professionalism and graciousness we received from Ugyen and Nidup not only make them great ambassadors of Bhutan’s tourism industry, but also made sure Bhutan left an indelible impression on all of us.

One area of improvement to consider: a packing list of what to bring for Tiger Nest trek would be useful: For example, good hiking boots and socks make a world of difference versus just normal track shoes, especially in rainy weather. That would go a long way to easing the stress and workload that your guides go through to help the uninitiated hiker.

Overall, it has been an exceptional experience with Druk Asia. We have rarely witnessed, let alone experienced, such a high level of professionalism in the travel industry. Keep up the good work!

Went for a 7d6n bhutan tour with guide Ugen and driver Sangay. 

Overall was a enjoyable and fun trip. Have a itinary to follow but can always change when preference to do other activity. In my tour we decide to skip a few things and go for water rafting which was really enjoyable as the water level is high and fast. Both guide and driver are friendly and approachable. 

They always ensure you are taken care of first before themselves. This is as good a private tour can get base on the fee we are paying. Feel free to enquire about 4 or 5 star accommodations and other food alternatives if your budget allows. In expenditure paid about 3k per pax for the whole package including visa, 3* accommodation, 3 meals a day and all entrance fee to local sight seeing locations. Only extra to pay is souvenirs and extra activity. Water rafting about 200 USD. 

If go in Feb or Nov perhaps can catch a clear sky with stars and a better weather. Although we go in the summer off peak season the rain was only short while not those that rain whole day type and there were days when whole day did not rain. Protect against UV is a must.

My friends and I have just returned to Singapore from Bhutan. We had a wonderful time - thank you for arranging the tour for us!

I'm not sure whether there's a more "official" way of giving feedback, but if not, here's what my friends and I want to say of our tour guide Ugyen. (Please feel free to use these feedback for any publicity by Druk Asia.)

Quite simply, Ugyen was a fantastic guide. I'm not exaggerating at all when I say that having travelled to many countries around the world and interacted with so many tour guides, Ugyen is by far the best guide I've ever met. Let me explain why we found him so good.

He was supremely attentive. From day 1, every time we set off, he ran his eyes discreetly across our attires to make sure we were suitably clothed. If our clothes were not warm enough, he'd advise us to wear more layers; if our shoes were not suitable, he'd advise us to change a pair. When he realised some of us were prone to having motion sickness, he took care to ask our driver Tandin (who was also excellent, by the way) to drive slower. One of us fell ill one night and couldn't join in for dinner, and Ugyen took the initiative to ask the waiter to pack food for her.

On one occasion we drove past a group of Bhutanese men having an archery competition, Ugyen sensed that we were interested, and stopped the car so we could observe the competition. We ended up chatting with the archers and taking pictures with them. It was a wonderful moment because that was us experiencing Bhutanese culture in its purest form.

Ugyen also went out of his way to make our trip pleasant. I believe some things he did were way beyond what a tour guide was expected to do. For instance, every day we made numerous requests for toilet stops, and at each stop, Ugyen would walk into the toilet first. At first we didn't know what he was doing, until once we saw him flushing a toilet, before gesturing to us that we could go in now. That was when we realised he was actually looking for a clean cubicle and making sure even our toilet experience was pleasant! I've never in my life met a tour guide who went to such lengths.

After Ugyen realised our interest in archery, he borrowed archery equipment from his relatives (his nephews I think) and let us have a go at the sport. On the way down from Tiger's Nest, when one of us lost the hiking stick, our driver Tandin went into the vegetation to find a thick tree branch as a substitute, and Ugyen took a knife and sharpened one end so that the stick would grip better. When helping us take photographs, it was clear Ugyen wasn't just trying to help us take pictures; instead, he was trying to help us take the BEST pictures - he checked the lighting, the angles, our poses, and took multiple shots to get the best one (actually he was even more concerned about our pictures than me!). He struck us as a tour guide who was doing all he could to help us have the best possible experiences and memories of Bhutan.

Perhaps here's the last thing which showed how attentive Ugyen was: by the 3rd day, he had observed us so carefully that he could answer on our behalf questions about our preferences. Upon reaching each restaurant, we'd always be asked whether we wanted coffee or tea, but we'd say hot water. By the 3rd day, Ugyen didn't even need to ask us, and he could tell the restaurant to serve us hot water. Ugyen also realised we were asking for many toilet stops, and by the 3rd day, he was proactively telling us at every point how long would it be to the next toilet. Finally he knew our fear of motion sickness, so by the 3rd day, he was proactively informing us how long the car ride would be to the next destination so that we could prepare for the journey ahead.

So all in all, my friends and I have nothing but great things to say of Ugyen. He was a fantastic guide and we couldn't have asked for anyone better. Each of the above points I made may not be a big deal because I'm sure some tour guides would do them, but when ALL are done by ONE tour guide alone, I think that's extremely rare and commendable. My friends and I can't over-state how impressed we were. We totally understand now why you say Ugyen is one of your most sought-after guides and we would strongly recommend him to others who are keen to visit Bhutan.

Thank you once again, and may you and everyone at Druk Asia have a great year ahead!

Stanley

After our return to Singapore we are reviewing all the wonderful photos and experiences gathered during our memorable visit to your beautiful Country. Although we already had high expectations prior to departure, our actual visit by far exceeded what we anticipated, thanks to your in-depth knowledge of all aspects of Bhutanese, life, religion, culture and history, and also thanks to Bhurpa's very reassuring driving skills across the precarious mountain passes.

My wife Esther has already written to you to express our appreciation for making our visit so enjoyable throughout, but I want to separately take the opportunity to send a BIG "thank you" to you both for show-casing your unique Country in the best of light. Of course the good weather also deserves mention, because without the necessary visibility, we would not have been able to appreciate the high mountain passes, the spectacular Peaks and nature in general, they way we did.

Your very pleasant disposition and positive attitude to solve all the little problems that usually pop up, were indeed testimony of Bhutanese hospitality at its best. Thank you! You can be assured of our highest recommendation as guide and driver to any of our friends, who intend to visit Bhutan. They will definitely feel in good and safe hands, which make such a visit to far-away place all the more relaxing and enjoyable.

Also Namgay deserves credit for recommending you and putting together an exciting programme with good quality hotels and rooms, making sure that we had excellent views from our rooms, which was much appreciated.

We were particularly interested to study the much-advertised Bhutanese lifestyle of "GNH", as introduced by your previous King in his great wisdom and foresight. We were particularly eager to find out to what extent such an ambitious State Philosophy, unique in the World, can actually be put into practice. Well, I have come away, believing that it is indeed possible in Bhutan, to preserve "GNH" but NOWEHERE else in the World, where materialism reigns supreme with all its terrible consequences and destructive evidence. Bhutan's small, homogeneous population, about 75 to 80 % practicing believers in Buddhism, is the key to continued success of GNH. Another important aspect of freedom-loving Bhutanese life is that Bhutan has never been colonized. But I have no illusions that maintaining 'GNH' is much easier said than done. You appraised us those democratic, practical laws and policies to protect "GNH" are firmly in place. But modern advancements and influences are very powerful and can quickly erode and undermine all the good intentions. Government would have to, strictly and uncompromisingly continue to adjust and up-date such existing laws and policies, to keep up with the times and most importantly enforce them for everybody to adhere to.

One of the most effective policies Government can issue, would be to limit tourism growth from the present 150,000 p.a. to an absolute ceiling number of 200,000 p.a., with slow and very carefully controlled increase to that number over the next ten years. Hotel development should only be allowed to match the demands up to that amount. Most importantly, cheap group travel by the masses should absolutely be discouraged. This can be easily achieved by simply raising package prices and hotel prices, also for independent travelers not on packages. I have unfortunately already noticed that cheap group travel at low prices is being advertised. This is absolutely the wrong policy!!! Bhutan wants and deserves appreciating QUALITY', NOT QUANTITY! Since Government collects half the money of any income from tourism to be spent on noble causes such as education and the like,

Government would more than benefit from a rigidly enforced policy of "Quality over Quantity". Besides, the narrow mountain roads and other somewhat precarious, unsealed paths to major attractions should be kept as at present, and just be maintained to remain in good conditions. But they should not be expanded to encourage big tourist buses to "terrorize" your beautiful countryside, which would result in "appreciating", individual travelers on a unique culture experience (not counting pennies), to stay away, while the cheap masses would soon overwhelm your small Country.

After setting up a mutually convenient time to ' talk tourism' with Namgay early next year, I shall particularly focus on the danger and destructive power of cheap mass tourism to Bhutan, when I visit his office after the holidays and have a stimulating discussion about potential "GNH" failure.

In the meantime, many thanks again.

Best wishes

Siggi

Hi Sonam,

Please refer to the photos as attached.

The trip has been awesome and Bhutan will definitely be one unforgettable destination. With the many breathtaking sights and the warm hospitality from the good Bhutanese people, Bhutan is a place that leaves me with good memories. Not forgetting our guide, Ugyen, who is knowledgeable and always so friendly and helpful, and our driver, Bola, who is all humorous and caring.

Thank you.

Regards,
Karen Foo

5 of us just returned from our 7 Days 6 Night Bhutan trip arranged by Sonam from Druk Asia. Everything went on very well and we would like to thank again our tour guide Ugyen and our driver Kimpo who did a very fantastic job taking real good care of us. Tour guide Ugyen was knowledge, telling us all about this peaceful and friendly country and our driver Kimpo even went up all the way to the top of the Tiger Nest with us, both guide and driver making sure that 2 of our senior members were ok with the long hike. Would definitely book with Druk Asia again and highly recommend them to anyone who wishes to go to Bhutan.

Hi Sonam,

Great to hear from you! The trip is great - Ugyen and Chime are fantastic. Ugyen I think is the best guide I've had in all of my travels. Knowledgeable, great attention to detail, and very attentive! He remembers each feedback and takes them seriously. Bhutanese people in general don't have much attention to detail, but both Ugyen and Chime do, so my guess is your training must be fantastic for them to get to that level, even better than that of Western tour directors and drivers. Bhutan is the 89th country I visited and I find it amazing that I found the best guide and driver in this trip.

I will send some pictures once I've sorted them - I brought a good camera for the festival so can share a couple of in-action photos.

We sent in our feedback form as well.

Overall though, in terms of hotel Valley Resort is not that great, as well as Norbuling.

For Valley, service is great but it's a bit run down - not sure if there's a better choice there. For Thimphu, my guess is there are better choices. Norbuling is noisy and rooms are stuffy.

In Thimphu, you should add the clock tower in your itinerary, I forgot to go there! But the festival is great and Ugyen even managed to coordinate with a police friend to reserve seats for us so that we can tour the Dzong first and save some time.

We even experienced the fire festival in Bumthang, thanks to Ugyen's initiative to tell us about it. Ugyen and Chime patiently waited for 2 hours for the rain to die down so the festival can start.

Overall great trip, and I will strongly recommend your company to friends.

Best regards
Daphne Go

Dear Druk Asia,

Kuzu zangpo la!!!

On behalf of my friends and I, we would like to thank you once again for your great services, promptly responses, high responsible and great service mind tour guide and driver. We had a wonderful trip and would definitely recommend Druk Asia Tours & Treks to our friends.

If you find our comments and itinerary will be helpful for your future guests, we are happy to share our beautiful experiences and attached photos on your website la…

Mr. Ugyen Tshewang is an excellent guide. He is very considerate, always smiling though under hard circumstances. He is taking care of us extremely well and very knowledgeable about history and culture of Bhutan. He coordinates our food, schedule, and accommodations very proficiently. His English is excellent. Mr.Panda (Mr. Nidup Dorji) is a very skillful driver. He droves us from Paro to Gangtey efficiently and safely (The road is under construction and in a very bad condition). He always stay with us until very late. His English is good as well. He is very polite and friendly. We are extremely appreciated both Mr. Ugyen and Mr.Panda.

We would like to compliment on the hotels. Hotel Lobesa’s room is beautiful and the service is excellent. Both Hotel Lobesa and Kisa Hotel have WIFI in the room which is very convenient for us. Kisa’s breakfast is excellent (They have crispy bacons). Dewachen Hotel is beautifully decorated and dinner is superb. Metta Resort & Spa has a must try carrot cake and butter cookies.

All in all, this trip is one of the best trip for us. Mr. Ugyen is the best guide ever.

Kadrin chhe la and Tashi delek :)
Manmanee Charutula

Dear Sangay,

Our trip to Bhutan was way above our expectations. The amenities were modern and clean and the trip went like clockwork. We were mesmerized by the beautiful sights of valleys, meandering river, padi fields, potatoes farms, lush forests and well-maintained Dzongs and Chortens. Our knowledgeable guide, Ugyen, was able to share rich and fascinating stories of the religion, history and culture. He was very attentive to our needs and he ensured that the meals/accommodation are comfortable for us. Our driver, Pasang, was very skilful and conscientious. He kept the vehicle clean and made sure that our journey is comfortable and safe. To sum up, this is a memorable trip that we will not forget and we hope to visit Bhutan again one day.

Thank You.

Regards,

Ng Lay and Lily Tan

Hi Sonam,

We went to days Bhutan trip during Jun holiday. We would like to compliment the guide who is very professional and passion on his job. We are planning for our next trip in near future and would like to check any flight to fly in East Bhutan? Thank you.

Regards,

Joe Chua

Dear Sangay,

Yixuan and I had a very good time in Bhutan, and I had highly recommended your agency to my friends. Attached are some pics I took.

We look forward to going to Bhutan again.

All the best!

Shirley and Shasha

Hi there Sangay,

My trip to Bhutan was absolutely incredible! My guide Ugyen was one of the best and most professional guides i've ever experienced. Ugyen and his driver went above and beyond the expended in every possible way, even arranging a game of Archery especially for me, after helping me purchase a traditional Gho, and showing me.

How to wear and fold the Gho. I couldn't be happier with my experience and i will be highly recommending both Uygen and your company.

Warm regards,

Daniel Walton

Dear Eve,

Kuzuzangpo La!

First of all just want to thank you for organizing our trip to Bhutan. We had a great time. The place is serene and beautiful, our Driver Tshering is good, and our guide Ugyen was great. We felt the itinerary was just right - we get to see the important / significant buildings, and have little hikes to see great views. Unfortunately i feel sick night before the Bumdra trek (food poisoning) so I slept the whole day. Fortunately I recovered enough to climb up to Taktsang - which really was the high light of the tour. Definitely will go back for a proper trek next time.

We were both very pleased with Ugyen as our guide - first of all his knowledge of the history and culture was excellent, and able to explain to us in great details about the places we have visited. He is also very friendly and we have many great chats along the way. Highly recommended.

I have attached some pictures as requested. Feel free to use them.

Best regards,
Stephen

Dear Sangay

I was so very pleased to hear from Ugyen that Bhutan escaped the earthquake that caused such damage and loss of life in Nepal. Here is the testimonial for Ugyen and Panda (Needup Dorji), as promised.

We had a wonderful Cultural Tour of Bhutan in March 2015. This country and its temples, fortresses and monasteries is stunning. We owed a great deal of our enjoyment to our outstanding guide, Ugyen Tshewang, whose passion for Bhutan, its secular and spiritual history and what it is today were an inspiration. Our driver. Needup Dorji (Panda), was another gem. Together they looked after us as though we were their mothers. We could not have felt more cherished. Panda's driving was fantastic, and his care for us very touching. We thoroughly enjoyed both Ugyen and Panda's senses of humor. They are delightful. Panda even helped cook our lunch in Gante! Ugyen is extremely knowledgeable on Bhutan and Buddhism and passes on his knowledge in a way that makes it very accessible. He was also extremely efficient at organizing our journey so that we spent as little time as possible waiting at roadblocks. On arrival at our hotels and tea stops he always saw to it that we were served our hot masala tea while we sat comfortably resting. He tailored our trip to suit our needs, and suggested things he knew we would enjoy, that we had missed for some reason in our planning. I cannot speak highly enough of him.

I am writing this on behalf of Teresa Harrison and Kim Siedle, as well as myself, Helen Freer. We had the experience of a lifetime. Many thanks too, to Druk Asia and our agent, Sangay Dorji, for making sure that all went smoothly. I have attached a picture of the three of us defrosting around a iron stove in the restaurant on a very cold Dochu La, while Ugyen organized our tea, and of the three of us with Panda and Ugyen beside our very comfortable vehicle and one that shows Panda and Ugyen in a lighthearted mood despite almost carrying us down from the Tiger's Nest!

Warmest regards
Helen

Dear Eve,

Very sorry for the long delay in responding. However, it were difficult times, and I am still far behind with everything since my return.

First of all the trip was perfectly organized. I couldn't criticize anything. Ugyen Tshewang was a great guide, very knowledgeable and kind and cared so well for me. When I had any extra wishes he tried to fulfil them. And I enjoyed also his company at lunch that I didn't have to eat alone.

When something went wrong - for example when the car broke down - he and the driver Thinley tried everything to get a replacement as soon as possible for me. They were extremely busy with that and successful. I have never experienced something like that before.

Perhaps their job wasn't too difficult altogether, as Bhutan is such a wonderful and fantastic country, where things seem mostly perfect. Summed up, despite the shortness of time it was one of my most comfortable, relaxing, though deeply impressing trip. I appreciated the two careful drivers Thinley and Kandu particularly Kandu was even like a second complementary guide.

The hotels were mostly also perfect. I was never cold in the evenings because of their well working heaters, quite a pleasant surprise. Particularly I enjoyed the new Drupchu Hotel in Punakha with home grown and made food, so carefully prepared, delicious.

My only minor criticism would be on the Metta Resort, though things are well, at least the room I had, might want some renovation compared to the perfectness of the other hotels.

I am attaching a photo, and in case you like it, you can share it.

With best wishes and many thanks for all the speedy and perfect organization
Isrun

Dear Sonam,

Thanks for your kind note.

Sorry for not getting back to you after the return. We are back to reality/work and busy schedule.

Our trip was amazing, you have a beautiful country and happy people!!!! Will definitely share some experience and pictures with you and Ugyen soon.

Many thanks for arranging the great tour!!! Much appreciated!

"Thank you Sonam for arranging the tour, also a big thanks to our guide and driver Ugyen and Kundu who were passionate, friendly, fun and knowledgeable in all aspects.

We had an amazing time with so much spirituality, beauty and happiness!

Bhutan truly is the happiest place on earth!"

Best regards,
Julia and Sebastian

Dear Sangay,

The trip so far have been a great lifetime experience for my friends and me. It can't just be described with words, have to be there in real person to feel the culture and the beauty of Bhutan. The itinerary is great, it have a wide variety of activities from experiencing the culture of Bhutan, seeing the beautiful landscape and also the wildlife of Bhutan.

The tour leader and driver took care of us and ensure we are educated with the rich history of Bhutan and ensuring the safety and comfort drive from place to place. No words can express my gratitude of them to add on the impression of the beautiful people of Bhutan and their hospitality.

The food that Bhutan have is great, although the variety is not much, but it is cooked with love and the food is fresh. I can even do without the meat dish with just the organic vegetables and rice.

If really I were to pick on, will be the food on the Druk Asia air plane, it can be better. Other than that, my overall experience in Bhutan is over the roof and it will be a recommended life experience that I will introduce to my friends and families and it has to be with Druk Asia.

Attached are some of the photos we took during the trip, not nicely taken, but feel free to use anyone that you think is nice to put in the website to share with others who wish to go to Bhutan to also experience this magical country.

Tashi Delek,
Sze Liat Koh

It was a real privilege to have Dr Karma take us on this Neykor tour. His ability to synthesize the history and complexities of the various schools of Buddhism to a comprehensive level yet interesting for the layman is incredible. This would be a good introduction for anyone with an interest to understand what really is Buddhism even if (actually, especially if) you are not a Buddhist.

The tour was a good mix of both learning and leisure. We were taken off the beaten track to places where we would otherwise not have access to as a normal tourist.

The winter month was ideal as the sunny blue skies were great for pictures and the evenings were spent indoors over good food and company (and reflection/contemplation).

We had an amazing group made up of different nationalities but everyone had an open mind and heart which made this one week so magical!

Thanks to Druk Asia for their flexibility throughout the tour, excellent selection of accommodation, food, fantastic guide and driver and inviting Dr Karma for this trip!

Dear Eve and Cipto,

I want to thank you both for all the help given to me for the RI trip.

The students and the teachers had an enjoyable time in Bhutan and in their own words: "This was the best ever trip!”

I am very thankful to both of you for putting in all your efforts to make this a success.
Of course a special mention for Mindu who was on site to efficiently manage the proposed and planned program!
Excellent team work without which this would not be possible.

It has been an excellent partnership so far and I look forward to many more years of fruitful relationship.

Thanking you /Kadin-Chhey
Misha

Hi Sonam,

Kuzuzangpo! Jennifer and I have yet to sort out our photos. We will be glad to select some to share with you. Do give us some time. Unfortunately we are Singaporeans and immediately got buried in our mountains of work! As for feedback-we have filled up the feedback form from Uygen but can still share some with you when we share the photos.

However we had great fun and think we are lucky to have good guide and driver. Could I check if it is too much of a trouble to send back the Samsung phone charger i left behind in Metta resort? Would your company's guide or someone able to pass it to the company and or you somehow?

Hi Sonam,

Kuzu Zangpola!

Please find below some of our feedback regarding our trip.

1. Overall experience is good. Both guide and driver are patient with us.
2. Spoken level of English of guide is good too and it helps in the travels

3. Generally we like all our hotels but we find that the Terma Linca could be better for the price we paid. Reasons below:
- Breakfast in Terma is worst out of the many considering it is 4*. Poor quality and limited range
- Level of Spoken English and understanding of English by the Staff working there is poor. Service is also average
- If we had known we wouldn’t have paid for a suite price

4. Hotel Lobesa is the BEST for:
- Service is great. The owner makes you feel at home
- Food choices and quality is good. Best out of the many.
- We like the fact that they also include 1 organic vegetable on top of the buffet
- We like that massage can be done in the room

5. We enjoyed our trek very much. Sorry that Ugyen had to carry all our stuff and even hold my hands to stop me from slipping!
6. Dogs barking at Dorji Elements can be a pain. If you have fussy customers, better not recommend them there.
7. Thanks for accommodating to our needs of visiting a local community school. That was another highlight of our trip.

Ugyen- I will send you the photos with you in it separately.

Thank you for giving us a wonderful memory!

Tashi Delek,

Dear Sangay and Ugyen

First of all, let me express my huge appreciation to all of you.

Sangay, thank you for your quick response and all arrangement for my trip. Doorji, a sweet driver, he was really kind and warm. He was a great driver, taking care of guests and make people happy. I was so lucky to share time with him. Especially great guide Ugyen, who is also my best friend, I cannot even find the right words to thank him.

Ugyen, you are the best guide ever, you really know how to treat guests and arrange trip flexibly via your relationship with lots of friends. You knew what I would like, what I would enjoy and what I would need, and just arranged in advance without asking me. At the same time, your guidance of every stops were amazing, I really enjoyed how you explained about Bhutanese culture, history, mythologies and life. Maybe just nice landscape or temples, but because of your guide, everything I have seen was so beautiful and vivid, I loved to hear your stories. Thank you so much for sharing time with me during my trip, I have moved your hospitality.

I have been weak and lonely since 2-3 years ago, and I needed some treatment in peaceful place, so that I visited Bhutan for retreat. You never let me to feel lonely or alone during my trip for 7 days, kept to make me busy, laugh and happy. Walking with you around valley, small village and anywhere was making me so comfortable just like with a friend. I highly appreciate you.

I really hope I come back to Bhutan to see all of you again. And thank Druk Asia, thank Bhutan.

Thank you so much and see you again.

With a lot of love,

Dear Sonam,

Just a short note to let you know that we have safely returned to BKK. We had a wonderful trip and were blessed with a very, very helpful guide and driver.

Ugyen and Jamgill (I hope I spelled that correctly) went out of their way to ensure that our elderly guests had a most comfortable and enjoyable visit to your beautiful country. I can not say enough about this - they were truly fantastic.

Now, however, we have a dilemma. If we tell our families and friends what a great time we had, they will want to go too. And this will eventually spoil the special place we visited. So what to do - to tell or not too tell? A nice problem to have I suppose.....

Regards and stay well,
Eric van der Hoeven

Dear Sonam,

We are very satisfied with your tour arrangement, the feedback only maybe you can give a choice to visit National Institute of Traditional Medicine because now more people are interest in herbal medicine. Also, arrange short training on how to do meditation for Health. Everything was good, the hotel, the car, the food, the tour guide, the driver and the destination. We have enjoyed ourselves during this trip. 





Attached 2 our best picture and of course you allow to share with another travellers if you want.

Kadin-Chhey!

Bhutan in a nutshell



"There is a little kingdom in this world which allows you to step back in time to soak in the magnificence of its surroundings filled with her magnanimous subjects.”

Hi Sonam and Sangay,



We thoroughly enjoyed the itinerary you recommended for our short week in Bhutan. How we wish we stayed on despite the freezing cold, especially in Phobjika Valley. However, that’s the one place I found truly inspiring because of her vastness and serenity. We loved Punakha for her splendid temple and we felt a great sense of achievement hiking up the Taktsang Monastery, even though it took us a little over 6 hours in all.

Our guide, Ugyen Tshewang and driver, Tshering were most accommodating to our needs. Ugyen deserves mention for his attentiveness and concern towards my 11-year old daughter when she felt queasy during our ride to Punakha. My daughter says she adopted an ‘uncle’ in Bhutan because of his caring ways. He would go the extra mile to order fried eggs for our every meal, stir our drinks and carry all our stuff. He even got his family to secure seats for us at the stadium during the National Day celebrations.

I was deeply touched by the surprise birthday celebration at the Metta Resort that was devilishly devised by my dearest sister and daughter together with Ugyen and Tshering. They had a lot of fun planning it and even bought me very meaningful gifts of a painting of four friends and a scarf each. I truly appreciate these efforts!

Hopefully our next visit to Bhutan would include the Haa Valley and Bumthang. Of course, I would book through Druk Asia if they can assign Ugyen and Tshering to us again. We had a fabulous journey!

Kadin Chhey,
Wee Meng, Wee Li & Su Wen

Hi Sonam,

Apologies for the much-delayed email. We can't begin to tell you how much our family enjoyed our visit to Bhutan. It was truly a memorable experience for us, and our week there is something we will always treasure.

Druk Asia met all our expectations, and we were well taken cared of by our knowledgeable guide, Ugyen, who was quick to adapt to our requests and had very good recommendations that suited our interests and needs. Ugyen was very considerate to our two boys, and made sure that the activities matched their stamina. Our driver was careful (which we appreciated) and made sure we were comfortable throughout the drives, and that the van was always clean, and our belongings safe and secure.

On our accommodations:
Taj Tashi Hotel in Thimpu had the best service, great location, great breakfasts and very comfortable room. What impressed us the most is the personal approach to service. Our waitress packed us a small snack box to take with us when she found out we were going to go on a hike later in the day, and remembered us enough the next morning to ask how the hike went, and if we needed another snack box or more water bottles to take with us. The cultural show in the evenings were a bonus.

The inns we stayed in in Punakha were fine too - spacious, clean, with good views. But the best hotel for us was Zhiwa Ling - gorgeous setting, beautiful architecture, and just a joy to be in. The food was excellent, and the grounds were great for exploring. The boys had a good run around the property, I enjoyed the spa, and we had a lovely afternoon tea at their Tea House. We also had an amazing night stargazing. We had such a great stay there that our youngest declared that we have to move to Bhutan and live in Zhiwa Ling!

On Food:
We loved Bhutanese food! Ugyen figured out that Scott and I actually love the chili cheese and so made sure we had a bowl of it with every meal :) There was always a variety of dishes served to us, and our kids always found a dish or two they liked. It was good though to be able to have Western food choices at the beginning and end of the trip, as it made for variety. Zhiwa Ling has the best steak sandwich in the world, we think, and we were always happy with whatever we ordered as they were always delicious! Their bar was also great. But overall, we thought eating in Bhutan was a treat!

Sights:
We had a vote for the best day of the trip, and surprisingly, we all picked the day when we visited Pobjikha, even though it is a long drive going there and even longer coming back. Punakha Dzong was beautiful, and each Dzong and temple we saw were special in their own way. We appreciated the choices made available to us for each part of the visit, but in the end, we were happy not to pack too much in one day, giving us more time to enjoy ourselves with each visit. We appreciate the choices given to us though. We had a very good mix of learning about Bhutan's culture, history & wonderful people, as well as great time in the outdoors (the hikes were great!), and some shopping :). Maybe next time I'll look for a cooking class so I can make chili cheese in Singapore!

Minor (but memorable) incident:
We had the unfortunate incident of renting an ornery horse/mule to take our youngest up to Tiger's Nest, and having the mule spooked by the horses galloping on their way down. It started to run away with Dylan, and Ugyen and another guide tried to stop the mule from running away but in the end, Ugyen had to grab Dylan off the mule, resulting in a mildly sprained ankle. Ugyen did the heroic thing of carrying Dylan on his back to the rest stop (short distance from where it happened) and back down (much longer). I guess the lesson there is not to rent a horse last minute (we only decided when we got there, and there were no choices as all the other horses were booked).

Overall: We had an amazing time as a family, and we hope to visit again. Our best day, hands down, was the day trip to Pobjikha. A visit to the dzong, followed by a fantastic vegetarian lunch, an unforgettable visit to the local school (where our son played his recorder and the kids sang us songs, and Scott and I helped with geography lessons) and an easy hike around the spectacular valley.

We would want to explore the possibility of doing some charity work, in particular to support the school we visited, and later on, to explore helping out poorer villages in Eastern Bhutan. We had brought with us school supplies we bought in Thimpu, and a bag full of barely worn winter clothes for boys (our kids only got to wear them for a couple of weeks a year) and we were assured that it was a welcome gesture. Would you know if Druk Air has rates for air cargo, if we want to send more winter clothes, books & such? We will be looking at sending boxes to Thimphu, and then figuring out how to forward it domestically from there.

We have already shared our recommendations to our friends, and have highly recommended Druk Asia as the travel agency of choice. Thank you for making our first visit to Bhutan memorable.

Best regards and Kadin-chhey-la,

Hi Sonam,

My holiday in Bhutan was amazing. I’ve been talking about it with friends, family and colleagues!

Thanks so much for your help to get everything organize in a short time. We did more trekking than what’s in the original itinerary. Khang Residency was a pleasant surprise on our first 2 nights. The room was very spacious and well equipped and the bathroom floor was heated which was much appreciated when we were there. Apart from occasional dog barking which was bearable, we were very happy in Khang Residency.

The last 2 nights in Uma Paro was short of my expectation of a 5 star hotel though. Power tripped many times on our first night without any efforts on service recovery. Maybe my expectation of a 5 star hotel in a typical big city was too much for Paro.

Our guide and driver, Ugyen and Sonam Dorji were very nice to us throughout the time we were there. They even brought dinner to my room one night when i wasn't feeling very well after trekking to 3600m.

Still, Bhutan was an amazing experience and your service has been impeccable! I will highly recommend any of my friends who wants to visit Bhutan to get in touch Drukasia.

Take care and best regards,

不丹王国是位于中国和印度之间喜马拉雅山脉东段南坡的内陆国.水力发电是其经济重要组成部分,约72%水力所产电力售于印度.旅游业是不丹的另一重要经济支柱,在1974年开放外国人入境旅游,但是每年只允许6000 名外国游客入境旅游.而且他们的行程还必须经不丹政府的仔细审核.主要外贸对象和国防援助国是印度.在06年发布的全球快乐国度排行榜中名列

第八位,位列亚洲第一位.人口大约 70 万人,国土面积 38816 平方公里,佛教是不丹的国教,75% 的不丹人信奉佛教,25%的人信印度教.

2011年12月31日我们开始不丹之旅,共有五人同行,其中两位是考古学家,另一位是记者,属于专业人士.当天下午四点由樟宜机场出发,乘坐新航飞机往曼谷,到达后住在机场附近酒店,准备明早转机去不丹.隔天早晨乘不丹航空飞机往帕罗机场（Paro International Airport）,将到达时,在机上可看到喜马拉雅山山脉连绵不断,高入云霄的壮丽景观.到达后乘车往首都延布（Thimphu）, 下午参观寺院及菜市场,了解不丹市民的食品和日常用品.1月2日第三天,今早九点前往以前的首都普纳卡（Punakha）,参观108 英雄纪念塔,刚好昨晚下了大雪,大家都很高兴,赶快拍了许多雪中照片.随后参观历史悠久建于公元1637 年的普那寺院（Punakha Dzong）,规模甚大,非常壮观.

第四天, 通萨（Trongsa）寺院建于公元17 世纪,已有数百年历史,也是一间佛学院,今天刚好是节日,有带上面具的歌舞表演,全市人民都来参加,祈求佛祖保佑,非常热闹.晚上住宿在郊外山顶上的酒店.酒店半建成,离完工还甚远.

第五天,早上八点半离开通萨（Trongsa）, 前往旺都（Wangdue）, 半途中参观了一间建于十七世纪的寺院,继续前进时,在山上遇到下雪,团友们赶快下车拍照,白茫茫一片,景色优美,又拍到喜马拉雅山的雪景.下午前往候鸟捿息湿地PHOBJIKHA,每年冬季有许多候鸟从西藏高原飞来过冬,其中黑颈鹤有数百只.今天运气不错,看到几只黑颈鹤在寻

找食物,我们赶快拍照及录像,真是难得镜头.

第六天,今早由旺都（Wangdue）到回首都延布（Thimphu）,途中再到108 英雄纪念塔参观,下午观看皇宫及政府办公楼,是一座建于十七世纪的大寺院,气势宏伟,前面是办公楼,后面是供奉佛祖及其他菩萨的寺院.

第七天,1月6号,今早由延布（Thimphu）出发,途中先参观旧式传统的小规模造纸厂,每人买了一些传统的纸张和笔记本.大约十一点去买了唐卡及小包,大包手工艺品.然后继续前往农村,参观不丹典型的农村建筑物,并在此吃午餐,做一次农家乐.过后途中从远处观看不丹境内喜马拉雅山山脉其中一个高峰CHOMALHARI,海拔7300 米. 经过农村时,刚好看到乡村举行庆祝会,每两年一次,前去观看,凑凑热闹.

第八天,早上先去看悬崖绝壁的佛院,虎穴寺, 由于高高在上,导游说行走,攀登来回路程要五小时,大家敬而远之,只在山脚下拍照留念.随后参观一间建于公元七世纪的老寺院,是当时西藏迎娶文成公主的藏王松赞干布所建,用于镇压传说中的恶魔所用.寺内供奉佛祖,千手观音菩萨及莲花生大师等,历史悠久,还保存得很好.下午想去看帕罗（Paro）境内最高处的雪山,海拔3900 米,但由于下雪,高原上公路难于行走,半途返回.改道往市上买些纪念品. 第九天,1月8日乘机离开不丹,经曼谷转机回新加坡

此次不丹之行,得到蔡邦胜先生的顶力支持和资助,一切费用都由他支付,才能促成此佛教圣地之游的壮举, 真是功德无量.我们衷心向他致于万分谢意,并祝福他吉祥如意,幸福安康.
 

Many thanks for all your good works rendered that make my trip to Bhutan very enjoyable and memorable. The sceneries are astoundingly and strikingly beautiful miles after miles. Going from point to point is already an itinerary itself. All the time clicking on my camera even even without getting off the vehicle.

Do bring along some beverages and biscuits if one likes titbits. Food served are more to vegetarian but a little meat just to please you. If one like me who has eaten too much meat, this journey to Bhutan has a secret that change my diet to a healthier one. After much walking and climbing, I came back lean and muscular not easily obtainable from joining expensive gyms in Singapore.

Do enjoy some photos, I have taken about 650 shots, on my way down from Takstang Monastery the King and his entourage stopped and chatted with me for about 7 minutes, no photos were taken, story can be verified from my guide Ugyen Tshewang. so I visited Bhutan, I met the King.