Bhutan Heritage by Bicycle

We ride a total of 189 km over 4 cycling days. This bike tour is a true classic, featuring Himalayan mountain passes, sweeping descents, magnificent views, clean air, agrarian hinterlands, and abundant culture in one of the most pristine countries in the world. With a strong focus on immersing ourselves in Bhutan’s rich heritage, this tour separates sightseeing from cycling, allowing us to explore key cultural sites in depth while riding at a comfortable pace, free from lengthy interruptions. Highlights include must-see sites such as Rinpung and Punakha Dzongs (medieval fortified monasteries), Buddha Point, and national heritage institutions like the Paro Museum, the Takin Preservation Center, and the Institute for Zorig Chusum. We also hike about 8 km (round trip) to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan’s most iconic landmark. Cycling takes place in the Thimphu and Punakha valleys (Days 2, 4 & 5), with the longest and hardest day (Day 3) conquering the Dochula Pass. Our valley rides are either loops or out-and-back rides from the hotels, while Day 3 is a point-to-point ride from Thimphu to Punakha. Accommodations are 3-star hotels chosen for their traditional character and convenient locations. You’ll also enjoy plenty of delicious Bhutanese meals throughout the tour.

The trip is fully supported, and your guide’s expert knowledge of the area and terrain means that you always know what is coming up in terms of distance and difficulty. This makes a tremendous difference, as does the constant supply of water and refreshments along the way.

Suitability: This is an active level tour and riders can expect to be challenged by the route and terrain in a variety of ways. While Bhutan is a mountainous country and there are climbs each day, the gradients generally don’t get too steep (there are exceptions!). Days 2 & 4, in Thimpu and Phunaka respectively, are more leisurely afternoon rides in the valleys. Days 3 & and 5, require endurance and strength, in particular the long, 18 km climb up the Dochula Pass. But the downhills are just as prominent and there are some unforgettable descents! The roads are mostly paved so there is no technical riding involved, but good handling skills to maneuver through traffic, some rough sections, and winding descents are helpful. While riders with less experience are welcome to join, a good level of physical fitness, comfort on a mountain bike, and adept handling skills enhance the enjoyment of the tour. A support vehicle is available at all times to provide refuge for weary riders.

Biking Conditions: This trip is on paved surfaces which are mostly in good condition, though broken asphalt, road debris, and potholes do present themselves regularly. While much of the route is quiet with little-traffic, Bhutan only has a few roads to speak of so be prepared to share them with other vehicles, including cars, motorbikes, and buses. Rain is not uncommon in Bhutan and this can impact road conditions. We generally ride rain or shine, but based on the guide’s discretion or your level of comfort, modifications to the planned route can be made. It’s all part of the adventure!

Bhutan’s Unique Tourism Policy: Bhutan prides itself on its "High Value, Low Impact" tourism policy, which aims to preserve the country's cultural and natural heritage while promoting sustainable development. This policy directly influences how holidays in Bhutan are planned. Here are the key points:

• Minimum Daily Tariff: All tourists must pay a daily fee, which covers accommodation, meals, transport, and a guide.
• Sustainable Development Fee (SDF): Tourists are required to pay an additional daily fee that funds Bhutan's environmental conservation, cultural preservation, and infrastructure development.
• Mandatory Bookings: All travel arrangements, including hotel stays, must be made through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator.
• Visa Requirement: All foreign visitors (except nationals of India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives) need a visa to enter Bhutan, arranged by the tour operator.

While this may seem complex, it simply means that to visit Bhutan, you must join an organized tour. Our Bhutan cycling adventures are all-inclusive, covering the tariff and fees mentioned above. We handle all bookings and take care of your visa arrangements, ensuring a seamless experience. Please let us know if you plan to arrive in Bhutan before the tour starts or stay beyond the final day, as these arrangements will also need to be booked through us

Bikes

Bikes are included for this tour and are well-known makes of mountain bikes. E-bikes are available at additional charge though are limited in supply so please inquire early if you'd like to secure one.

Bike Repairs

Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.

Safety

Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.

Guides

You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.

If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place:

FLEXIBLE BOOKING CONDITIONS

CONFIRMING YOUR BOOKING

Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.

You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.

TRIP STATUS

There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.

BOOKING ONLINE

From the tour page, click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).

If you are having any problems please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.

BOOKING OFFLINE

Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.

DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS

We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.

The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.

In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.

In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.

The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.

FULL FLEXIBILITY FOR TOUR CANCELATIONS

If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).

If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).

Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.

If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.

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The information in this document is given in good faith, and covers the average range of conditions likely to be found on this trip. Please note that the itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, however, we will always do our best to adhere to this original itinerary