Buddhism cultural vacation in Bhutan

Planet

Our role in promoting Responsible Tourism is small but meaningful and adds much to the preservation and promotion of our country’s unique cultural heritage, environmental preservation, promotion of sustainable development and establishment of good governance which are the four main pillars of Gross National Happiness, the sole guiding development principle of our country.

It is our aim that visitors will appreciate Bhutan through its living culture and pristine environment and the people of Bhutan will in turn benefit from their interaction with our visitors.

Our walking tour programs are popular and have always been environmentally friendly. Our hiking trails fall within the Jigme Dorji National Park, the second largest protected area in Bhutan. Park fees generated from our walking trails received from each individual person on the hike goes to the Nature Recreation and Eco-tourism Division for the Department of Forestry to help manage and implement several conservation and livelihood development initiatives within and around the park.

The vehicle used for your transfer points will also transport food and equipment. We ask our guests understanding since in this way we can avoid using a separate car to transport food and equipment thereby reducing the gas used and the emissions from the vehicles.

We avoid using plastics that only have a short-term use. If plastic is necessary, like plastic bags to keep clothes dry in for example, we buy bags that can be used again, by the next tourist.

Whenever possible, we don’t buy any drinks in plastic bottles, opting instead for glass bottles or local paper packages. If buying plastic bottles can’t be avoided, we make sure the bottles are handed back to us for recycling and correct disposal.

We do not have a place to recycle batteries, therefore, we request our guests to take back batteries so that it can be recycled if the facility is available to them back home.

We prefer to boil and cool water for drinking rather than buying lots of plastic water bottles that will only increase the amount of waste.

We ensure that all our vehicles have an exhaust-gas analysis (emissions inspection) done. We walk to close by destinations instead of driving. Our itineraries adopt walking culture because walking tours are the best way to really explore and discover an area. By minimizing the use of vehicles, we can contribute in saving fuel and maintaining a sound environment, besides keeping ourselves in sound health.

I walk to office every day and use public transport to travel out of town. My contribution is small but nonetheless worthwhile and enjoyable

People

We have a dedicated team of well trained local staff. Two guides, two drivers, one office manager, one office assistant, one cook and a camp assistant all of whom can perform their job at the office and in the field professionally and safely. We offer good salaries to our staff plus an exceptional new year bonus. All are staff have “personal accident insurance” against possible accidents at the office and in the field. We also have a Group Insurance scheme in place for staff medical/health emergencies. We have a retirement benefit scheme in the form of a Provident Fund account with the Royal Insurance corporation of Bhutan. We ensure that our staff our appropriately equipped for harsh weather conditions. We also make available a yearly clothing allowance because we require that everyone working on our tours is properly outfitted. Our guides and staff are the backbone of the organization and we could never run successful trips without their support.

We support our local organic producers by purchasing as much food for our tours as possible from the Centennial Farmer’s market and local groceries. We also support local advocacy groups by donating time and money to their good causes, especially with programs related to youth development in the country.

Our guided tours follow strict cultural procedures. Our groups are briefed on suitable behavior earlier to the tour departure. We want to preserve the culture of Bhutan that you've read about!

Many of the children who become monks come from economically disadvantaged homes, have a single or no living parent, or live with either their grandparents or other relatives. Therefore, the clergy is almost totally financed by the government. Limited resources spread thinly among all the institutes and monasteries pose a challenge in the provision of nutritious meals, hygienic and adequate living conditions, and quite often, even clothes. Our Buddhism Tours provide contributions in form of Monastery donations and offerings to spiritual leaders. The donations offered help in the provision of nutritious meals, hygienic and adequate living conditions and clothes.