- +91-7895979211, 7895979208
- LOGIN
BHUTAN CYCLING TOUR (PRICE ON REQUEST)
- Region - Uttarakhand
- Base Camp - Paro
- Duration 13 Days
- Altitute 3500m
- Stay Rooms
- Difficulty Moderate
Detail itinenary
A local sightseeing after checking in the hotel, your first day in Bhutan will be spent relaxed. Visit one of the Dzongs or Fortress Temples along with the Paro Museum. Overnight in hotel.
Wake up to a beautiful morning in the Dragon Land. Today you go for a leisurely ride, get use to the bike and acclimatize for the venture that follows. Enjoy the day of great views of the countries tallest peak, Jomohari (7314m), in the backdrop of the famous Drukyel Dzong. Later enjoy a delightful visit to a local house and break the ice with the friendliest locals.
Have a great day exploring the pristine dragon land, getting use to the bikes and acclimatize for the days to follow.
Today we start the ride, leaving Paro. Riding on the gradual slopes we ride through the narrow valleys leading to the open lands of Thimpu, the capital city of Bhutan. At an elevation of 2350 m this is the biggest habitat in the country. Observe how the city has been developed in a style without compromising any traditional pre-requisites. The city has no traffic lights and no flashy sign boards, keeping Thimpu in a typical small town genre. If time allows one can ride 5 kms further up to; what is claimed to be the tallest Buddha Statue in the world.
Today’s ride is a bit challenging as you cross a 3110 m pass at Dochu La. The climb starts with a gradual 5 km section, followed by around 16 km of uphill; to the top of the pass. Here you enjoy the beautiful views of; underlying valleys and peaks of the eastern Himalayas rising from the Horizon, with 108 memorial Chortens in the fore ground.
The second section of the day is a smooth downhill of 42 kms. From 3110 m you will come down to 1300 m riding on a smooth and narrow mountain road, making it necessary to keep a good check on the speed as well as braking. Going up is more strenuous but going down is more technical, making it the major part of the ride.
Today we go for a leisurely ride to a neighboring town called, Punakha, one of the significant towns in the country’s history. It’s a small fun ride covering various interesting spots of the area. On the way back we will visit the new town that the government is developing for the habitants of Wangduephodrang due to its disorganized state. The day will be spent exploring the local attractions on the bikes, accompanied by a nice picnic lunch in the outdoors.
Today is the most challenging ride of the venture, with a 55 km of uphill crossing over the Black Mountains, which also divide east and the west Bhutan. First 15 km section of the ride is a mix of up and down followed by a good 55 kms of uphill ride all the way till the Lawa La Pass 3300m.
The last section of the ride is 11 km of decent to the beautiful vicinity of Gangtey. Majorly remote Gangtey lies in a glacial valley which is also the winter home to the Black necked cranes that come from Tibet to bypass the extreme winters. Spend the night under a starry night and enjoy the sporadic itches in the calf and thighs that we earned today. Overnight in a basic hotel.
Today we will take some rest after the demanding ride of the previous day. One has an option of either going for a day hike or cycling, which can be worked out in the morning. Overnight in Gangtey.
Today is the day for the longest ride of the venture. We will be riding back to the Lawa La Pass from where the road moves down and then up again to reach the highest point of the ride at Pele La Pass at 3390m. From here it’s a odd 20 kms of beaming descent, followed by gradual gradients on both ends.
At about 66 km mark of the day we will reach the Mangde river valley, the last section of the ride from here is a unique one. With a gushing river in the deep valley and the high rising mountain walls on the sides the ride surely is an interesting one. Check in the hotel in the Trongsa and spend the evening gazing at the setting sun.
This is the day we will cross the highest pass of the journey. Climbing up the switch backs just out of Trongsa we climb Yotong La Pass at 3400 m, the highest point of the whole expedition. Though the climb is arduous yet the magnificent views of the pristine landscapes make it easy to get to the other side. Once at the pass we will descend down to the destination for today, Bumthang. Sitting at a fine altitude of around 2600 m, the ride goes through a negotiable descend.
We start with a relaxed morning. One can go for long walks in the surroundings. One can visit the Jakar, the trading hub of Bumthang valley. Post lunch we can go for a leisurely ride to visit the Dzongs and Gompas, setup around the valley.
Today we head back to Wangdue, tracing back all the passes that we covered earlier. The drive will take most of the day light, so sit back and enjoy the view, remembering the events that took place throughout the venture during the last few days, at the spots that you drive through now.
This day we will reach Paro before noon, which gives us an opportunity to visit the most salient feature of the country, The Tiger’s Nest Monastery. Standing on the side of a cliff, 900 m above the valley floor, this mystical place is known for its powerful history, architecture and natural beauty. It will take 3 to 4 hrs to complete this hike.
Later towards the evening we celebrate the last night of the trip in the hotel.
Transfer to Airport
Trip Detail
Bhutan, known as the last great Himalayan Kingdom is not only a cultural hub but an enticing jaunt for lovers of Adventure. Dotted with fascinating mountain terrains, it is an ultimate place for cycling enthusiasts. Both on road and off-road, Bhutan offers a perfect setting for this sport which is also a lot popular amongst its natives. Captivate yourself with the enchanting beauty as you paddle across this picture-book landscape.
Cycle the winding roads and watch the snowy peaks rise above the faint gorges covered with lush green forests. Bhutan lends to the crazy cyclists, a contrasting terrain that adds on to the cycling thrill. The smooth roads soon change to rocky dirt trails. Cycling past Bhutan is extremely exhilarating as once you reach a new high; you are suddenly hit by nerve-wracking drops of thousand meters. The sudden shift in the typography is something worth experiencing.
A cycling trip across Bhutan, offers avid cyclists to ride past wide valleys like Gangtey, forests and also get to surmount high passes like Dochu La, Lawa La Pass & Bumthang. Cycling trails mostly meander through old-world village settlements, historical sites, ancient temples & Buddhist monasteries like The Tigers Nest. Not forgetting the whimsical trails leading to the medieval fortresses like Dzongs, museums like Paro & markets. Bhutan Cycling trip brings the eager explorers not only close to this spectacular Himalayan landscape but also offers them with a chance to take a plunge into its culture. Thimpu , the capital city of Bhutan, is another destinations the cycling trail leads to.
Are you ready for a jittery ride across a dynamic landscape? If yes, GIO Adventures brings a spell binding cycling trip to ardent cycling enthusiasts. It offers riders to experience adrenaline filled adventure in Bhutan, the last pristine pocket in the Himalayas. Ride down the mountains, experience the culture up-close, ride over high mountain passes & eye-witness the sensational Himalayan views. For an unforgettable & breathtaking cycling experience, paddle across a different reality in Bhutan with GIO Adventures.
Departure Dates
Departure Dates
Reviews
PAYMENT TERMS & CONDITIONS
- All payments for the trips, transfers, porterage, etc. should be made in full before the trip starts.
- Cancellation Policy: In the event that you need to cancel your booking due to any avoidable or unavoidable circumstances:
- We must be notified of the same in writing. Cancellation charges will be effective from the date we receive the request in writing. Any cancellation sent on a Sunday or any National Holiday(s), will be considered on the next official working day.
- Payment for this trip will not be adjusted towards any future trip(s)
- In the event of any cancellation(s) after trip commencement, there will be no refunds and any costs incurred due to this cancellation will be borne by you.
- Irrespective of when a trip is booked, the above condition will hold true
- Cancellation charges will be as follows
- >45 Days: Full refund (after deducting any expenses that have been incurred for hotel bookings, transport, etc.)
- 30-45 Days: 75% of trip cost will be refunded (after deducting any expenses that have been incurred for hotel bookings, transport, etc.)
- 15-30 Days: 50% of trip cost will be refunded (after deducting any expenses that have been incurred for hotel bookings, transport, etc.)
- <15 Days: No refund
VITAL INFORMATION
WEATHER DETAILS
This snow trek is organized between Dec & mid-March when the region has had good snowfall. Contrary to the popular belief winters is a good time to be in the mountains if one is equipped properly. Most locals inhabiting higher reaches of the mountains don’t mind the problems associated with snowfall and seem to have a good time during these months. Also there are lots of local festivals in these months. In these months weather is generally clear most of the days. Day time is normally pleasantly warm with one getting to enjoy sitting out in the sun. Temperature would be around 12-17 °C. Evenings are quite cold and one would need to be inside a tent/room or sitting outside next to fire with proper winter clothes. The evening temperatures will be around – 3 to 5 °C. Nights can be very cold with temperatures in the range of – 8 to 0 °C.
Please keep in mind that the above information is not exact and does not account for sudden changes. Whatever the temperatures and conditions rest assured we will be prepared to handle it with ease as we use equipment of very high specifications.
LIST OF ESSENTIALS
It is very important for this adventure trip that you need to be equipped properly and with a bit of back up. Mountain/adventure travel requires one to be adequately equipped with the right kind of personal gear. Since one is travelling in the wilderness there will be hardly any opportunity to buy anything once you hit the trail so we urge you to carefully pack everything into your bags.
- T-shirts (Full) – 2/3
- Warm shirt/light micro fleece pullover/full sleeve T shirt
- Trekking Pants (water resistant/repellent & having inside lining for extra warmth) - 2
- Windproof/water resistant outer shell (jacket) of good quality (no flimsy wind cheaters please!) with a proper hood
- Down jacket with min 600 fill power rating
- Thick Fleece / Full-sleeve Woollen sweater
- Thermal inner wear (upper & lower)
- Woollen cap (Balaclava)
- Inner fleece gloves
- Outer water proof gloves
- Thick woollen socks & regular socks (4 – 5 pairs)
- Scarf/muffler (optional)
- Comfortable waterproof (Goretex) Trekking/Hiking shoes (shoes with a thick sole and high ankles are recommended)
- Camp shoes (these can be easy to slip in sneakers/sport shoes)
- Gaiters
- Raincoat / Poncho
- Small light weight towel
- Insulated water bottle & hydration pack (optional)
- Cap / floppy hat to keep the strong sun away from your face
- Sun glasses with UV protection and ability to cut the glare (imp when traversing through snow)
- Sturdy walking stick / Trekking pole
- Sunscreen Lotion
- Lip Balm
- Torch / Flashlight (with extra batteries)
- Medicines, if requiring any specific medication
- Personal toiletries
- Book, if you like reading
- Day pack/small bag which you will carry on your back every day and keep your essentials in it
- Carry rain cover for your bags
- Keep a few poly bags or waterproof bags in your bag in which if required you can put your belongings in case of heavy rain
- Camera if you like (with fully charged batteries)
- …LOADS OF ENTHUSIASM!! AND A PLEDGE TO LEAVE NO TRACE
Carry your stuff in a duffel bag, soft shoulder bag or a rucksack. Avoid suitcases, trolleys or any other hard luggage. As you will be walking long distances carrying a rucksack, avoid bringing unnecessary items on the trek. Please avoid carrying expensive watches, jewellery and electronic items on the trek.
NOTE: In case you are planning to put your bag on a mule or taking a porter please get a duffel bag or rucksack and keep it in mind that there is a possibility that the bag at times might brush against a rock or a tree and get slightly damaged so don't get very expensive bags. Also in case of damage we shall not be held accountable.
TRANSPORT OPTIONS (DELHI – DEHRADUN – DELHI)
For travel to Dehradun/Haridwar/Haridwar, one can choose between air, rail & road. For air travel, the closest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport (Dehradun) and is well connected to Delhi and other parts of the country by Air India, Jet Airways, GoAir & Spice Jet. Train travel is highly recommended with enough options being there. For train details, you could log on to www.indianrail.gov.in and for online railway ticket bookings you could log on to www.irctc.co.in.
There are frequent Public Transport buses including Volvos available from Delhi to Dehradun that cost about Rs. 300 - 800 per person. These buses depart from Delhi ISBT every 30 mins to 1 hr or so and take about 4/5 hrs to cover the distance. The same is also applicable on the return journey. A private vehicle could also be arranged for if you require the same.
OUR TREKKING CODE
We are mountain lovers and have pledged to bring no harm to them in our pursuit of running organised wilderness travel in the Himalayas and seek your assistance too in this regard. We are more than convinced that one can have more fun on a trip if we go about it in a way that no harm is caused to the ecology. In this regard we have a set of guidelines that we adhere to based on the tenets of 'Leave No Trace' & 'Tread Light' policies. These guidelines are very simple and emphasise on travelling in small groups, better planning, understanding impact of camping, proper waste disposal, respecting local cultures, sensitivity towards wildlife and so on. We have a complete section on our trekking code in the 'GIO trekking Manual'. This manual will be couriered to you once you confirm a trip with us.
ACCLIMATISATION & HIGH ALTITUDE SICKNESS
This is one of the most important aspects of traveling in the high Himalayas and cannot be ignored or set aside. Acclimatization basically means our body adjusting to lower levels of oxygen (rarefied air) & reduced air pressure as me move up. In case one does not acclimatize properly there are chances of the person facing extreme discomfort and this can be fatal in extreme cases. While there is no set route to getting properly acclimatized there are general precautions and steps that one can take to initiate good acclimatization. Our trekking guides will assist you with these steps and also once you book a trip with us the 'GIO Trekking Manual' which will cover this aspect extensively will be couriered to you. This is sure to help you enjoy the trek in very good shape.
SELECTING THE RIGHT TREK & TRAINING FOR IT
Most important thing is to select the right trek keeping in mind your experience or inexperience, health, objectives & ability. Our senior team people can assist you with this, so when contacting us do mention if you need guidance on this front also refer to our trek grading system mentioned below. Once the right trek is selected comes your preparation. Once you have booked a trip with us we will courier the 'GIO Trekking Manual' to you which will have a complete practice drill explained in detail.
TREK GRADING SYSTEM
We have broadly classified our treks as below:
Easy: These treks are 3 to 5 days long and involve walking for about 3/4 hrs daily. The trail on such treks is well defined but not always flat. These are great for families and first-timers
Moderate: On these treks, one is not required to trek for more than 5/6 hrs a day. Also the terrain is not too difficult. These treks are normally a week or so long. For these treks, prior trekking experience is not necessary. Very rarely on these treks would one camp at altitudes higher than 3800m. These treks are great for first-timers or for veterans wanting to go on a trail which is relatively less demanding
Moderate+: These are moderate treks with mostly one difficult day. These trails are fine for fit beginners also.
Vigorous: On these treks one can be required to trek continuously for more than a week through remote areas and at times trekking for more than 7 hrs a day. On most of these treks one has to cross passes or areas which are snow-covered and involve camping at an altitude of more than 4000m. Fit people with some kind of hiking experience & a spirit of adventure can contemplate going on these trails.
Strenuous: These treks apart from having continuous trekking stretches are at places technical and might require assistance from trip leader/guide and other staff people. All these treks have rest days in between. Also, all of them involve crossing passes or areas having an altitude of more than 4500m. First-timers are discouraged from walking such routes.
Expedition Style: These involve long walks at high altitudes at times around 6000m. Camping can also be well over the snow line and on glaciers at times. Safety ropes, ice axes, and crampons might be required on these treks. These treks are not technically very difficult but are considerably challenging. Previous vigorous/strenuous trekking experience is required.
DISCLAIMER
Great Indian Outdoors (P) Ltd. takes utmost care to ensure the safety of its clients. However, in the case of any unforeseen mishaps, Great Indian Outdoors (P) Ltd. will not be liable for any injuries caused or for loss of life. All disputes rising due to the above are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in New Delhi/Delhi only. All participants would be required to sign an Indemnity Form before the start of the program, without which they would not be allowed to take part in the trip/program/activities.
Recognised by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India as an Approved Adventure Tour Operator
Contact Us
GIO Adventures Pvt. LtdDehradun - Uttarakhand
- +91-7895979211
- info@gio.in