BHUTAN / Gross National Happiness
At a Glance ...
Best traveltime | April - May, September - October |
Start/Finish | Bagdogra / Guwahati |
Duration | 15/16 travel days, 12 riding days |
Distance covered | around 1.100 mi / 1.700 km |
Day rides | 50 - 130 mi / 80 - 210 km |
Roads | Tarmac with stretches of gravel and dirt (depending on previous winter or monsoon) |
Motorcycles | Royal Enfield Bullet 500cc, left side gear shift, e-start, front disk break |
Rider's requirements | Very winding roads up and down hill. Drive carefully and you'll be ok. |
Group size | Min. 4 and max. 10 riders - space for pillion rider in our follow up car. |
Accomodation | Comfortable middle-class hotels |
What's included | All meals, water / soft drinks , all entry fees, petrol for the bikes, back-up car, mechanic |
Highlights | Darjeeling, Himalaya, Bhutan people and architecture ... |
Important | VISA needed! Visa on-arrival might be possible for you. Check online please! |
Druk Yul - Ride the Dragon
Day 1 | Arrival at Bagdogra/Siliguri and transfer to Cindrella Hotel in Siliguri. |
Day 2 | As we wind our way up towards Darjeeling we will at times follow the trails of the UNESCO Heritage Toy Train. Tea Plantations all around us. |
Day 3 | A bendy downhill ride before crossing into Sikkim is followed by another uphill ride to Pemayangtse monastery and Pelling. |
Day 4 | Roller coaster ride to Rumtek monastery near Gangtok. The monastery is home of the Karmapa Sect of tibetan Buddhism. |
Day 5 | Passing through Sikkim's capital Gangtok we make our way to Kalimpong, once a branch of the old Silk road. |
Day 6 | Down into the plains again we traverse a fair amount of Assams tea plantations to Jaigon right at the border with Bhutan. |
Day 7 | Today we ride from 200 m / 656 ft at Phuentsholing to 2.000 m / 6.560 ft in Paro. On our way we reach the highest point on tour, the Cheli La Pass (3.780 m / 12.400 ft) |
Day 8 | Before we leave the Paro's valley for Bhutan's capital Thimphu we should have time to visit to the spectacular "Tiger Nest" monastery. |
Day 9 | After leaving Thimphu we cruise up to Dochu La (3.100 m / 10.170 ft), drop into Phunaka valley, visit Phunaka Dzong and ride on to Trongsar. |
Day 10 | A visit to Trongsar Dzong and another beautiful day's ride into Bumthang valley to Jakar. |
Day 11 | After all the countless bends and curves we've been riding we enjoy a well deserved day off the bike in Bumthang. |
Day 12 | One of the highlights of our tour the Thrumsig La leads us deeper into the remote east of Bhutan to Mongar. |
Day 13 | Via Drametsi across Kori La and through pine forests along the Yadi loops we ride to Tashigang. |
Day 14 | Last day's ride in Bhutan takes us back into the lowlands. Our night's stop, Samdrup Jongkhar, at an altitude of 200 m / 656 ft. |
Day 15 | We board a bus for the last 130 km / 80 miles ride to Guwahati where we board our plane to Delhi. |
Day 16 | Full of lasting impressions we arrive back home. |