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We take a break from the bikes on Day 8 and make a day trip to Phobjika, the Valley of the Black Neck Cranes and home of the Tibetan Gangtey Monastery. Our final day of cycling is the most rewarding, as we will ascend Dochu la from the low side, with a lunch stop near the top. You will have a full day to rest and shop in Thimphu before your return to Paro for you flight home. If you have rented a bike, there is an optional ride for those not wishing to load up on hand-made gifts.
BUMTHANG TOUR 13 Days
Thirteen days in Bhutan affords us the opportunity and the time needed to get to the eastern town of Jakar . Our first two days are dedicated to rest and cultural tours in both Paro and Thimphu . Your mechanic will spend the third morning setting up the bikes while a guide takes you to visit the Textile and Folk Heritage Museums , along with the Thimphu market. After lunch, we will cycle north along the Thimphu Chhu up to the base of the Cheri and Tangu Monasteries and back. The following morning we depart early for Punakha, so we may ride the dirt loop that ends with a tour of the Punakha Dzong.  It is a full-days drive to the Bumthang region and Jakar, which affords you some time to rest, take pictures, and visit with your group and guides. The valleys in Bumthang have been compared to those in Austria or Switzerland . We will cycle this valley, making stops at a couple monasteries and the dzong, where an imprint of Guru Rimpoche can be seen in the rock.
Our ride west begins on the seventh day. We climb over the small mountain pass of Kiki la and enter one last valley before the long climb to Yotong la. Our destination is the town of Trongsa , a dramatically steep and lush valley. On day eight we climb out of the valley and stop at Chendebji for lunch. Our mountain pass on this day is Pele la. Once over Pele la, we descend a couple miles to the turn-off for Phobjikha, and surmount a final pass before descending the dirt road into the valley of the Black Neck Cranes. We will spend a day cycling and sight-seeing in this unique valley before cycling on to Wangdue Phodrang and the Punakha valley. Your final day of riding is from the hotel in Wangdue ,up and over Dochu la and down in to the valley of Thimphu . After spending one day in Thimphu , we will return you to Paro for your flight home.
FURY DRAGON TOUR 14 Days
Similar in scope to the Bumthang Tour, the Fury Dragon Tour combines culture and cycling over two weeks in Bhutan . We begin in the valley of Paro , with some easy day rides or hikes and visits to the dzong, museum, and local monasteries. We will leave the hotel early on the third day to cycle the flat yet busy road from Paro to Thimphu , which takes about four hours. This leaves the entire afternoon for site-seeing, shopping, and rest. The Thimphu market opens at 9:00a.m. Saturday and will be our first stop on the fourth day.  We will also visit the Folk Heritage Center and the Textile Museum before lunch. We spend the afternoon cycling north to Cheri Monastery. On the sixth day we climb to Dochu la and hope for a peak at the distant Himalayan peaks. We spend the night and the following day in Punakha, exploring the area on easy trails and taking some time to visit Punakha Dzong. On day eight, you have the option to spend the day climbing all the way up to Pele la, climb part way and turn off into Phobjikha, or take a day off and ride the bus. We spend an entire day in the beautiful valley of Phobjikha , cycling or hiking. On ten day we begin the trip out of Phobjikha on foot, walking the Gangtey Trail, then saddle up and ride out. It’s a short, steep climb to Lawa la and a long, rewarding descent back to Wangdi Phodrang. Put your feet up and relax on day eleven in the warm, sweet valley of Wangdi , the perfect place to rejuvenate the body before the annual Fury Dragon Day. The second annual ascent on Dochu la happens October 16 at 8:00a.m. from the village of Metshina . It takes the average cyclist three and one half hours to climb the 5,700 vertical feet in 21 miles. A celebration consisting of the family and friends of the local Bhutanese participants will cheer you at the top. Now all that remains is the final post-lunch descent back to Thimphu . You will arrive just in time to turn in your dirty laundry!
CUSTOM TOUR
For a group of five or more, it is possible to create a custom tour. The only legitimate restrictions when designing a trip are borders, distance and time. We will, however, work with you to ensure your travel goals are met. Please keep in mind that it is important to Yu Druk and to Bicycle Sambhava that the cultural aspects are included; otherwise, why choose Bhutan?
We can change the starting date, alter the route, or change the departure date. Not all the towns visible on the International Travel Map of Bhutan have lodging. It is possible to camp some evenings and stay at hotels on others. In most cases, we can work together to develop a suitable route and packing list for your ideal tour.
If your group would like to travel the country from west to east and back again on bicycles, we will work with you to make that trip happen. It could just be the most adventurous thing you ever do!
TOUR COSTS
The base rate for travel in Bhutan is $200USD per day. Specialty trips, like trekking or cycling typically cost more as these kinds of trips require additional staff, equipment, and support vehicles. Because your trip is being organized and guided by someone who, like you, must travel to and from Bhutan and is required, by Bhutanese law, to pay a daily tourist fee as well, the base rate also increases when you participate in a Bicycle Sambhava tour.
The cost per day for individuals who team up with a Bicycle Sambhava tour is $279USD, or $2790 for a 10-day trip. Groups of five or more will receive a discounted price. To insure the quality of the experience of cycling through Bhutan, the maximum number of participants is limited to ten cyclists.The logistical challenges posed by any bicycle tour make it necessary to require a minimum number of participants. Although any individual may take a bike to Bhutan , a Bicycle Sambhava trip must consist of at least four cyclists. At Bicycle Sambhava, we believe the experience of traveling through a magical place like Bhutan is enhanced by the company of others. In our opinion, there is nothing better than preparing for a day on the bike over a hearty breakfast in a comfortable setting with cyclists who, like you, will face the same challenges and who, at the end of the day can share the joy of tackling a mountain pass, pedaling past a Yak through a rain storm, or simply discuss the beauty of an ancient chorten passed along the road side.
TOUR PACKAGES
Your satisfaction is a high priority to both Yu Druk and Bicycle Sambhava. While traveling with us through Bhutan, you should feel well-taken care of. All of your meals, coffee & tea, and your hotel stay are included in the package price. You will have a support bus following the group at all times. This bus is also your transportation to and from all cultural sights visit, and your admission is prepaid. When we arrive at a hotel, your bags will be brought to your room and picked up the following morning. You will have a Bhutanese guide with you on your cultural tours to provide essential information and insight. If you choose to use Bicycle Sambhava as your trip consultant and guide, you will also have an experienced cyclist and mechanic traveling and riding with your group every day.
TOUR SCHEDULE
The Druk Air flight schedule always determines our arrival and departure dates, as the flights are not daily and sometimes delayed by weather. Bicycle Sambhava plans two trips each year, one to enjoy the magnificant flowers in April/May and again in October/November when the air is dry and the leaves begin to turn. Please contact jenny@bicyclesambhava for the specific trip dates.
We try to keep our tour schedule flexible for several reasons. It can be difficult for a group of friends to coordinate their busy lives with rigid travel dates. You may have read about a particular cultural event happening in April or October and would like to design your group’s bicycle tour around attending this event. Some group members may be traveling in a different country and you would like to plan a rendezvous on bicycles in Bhutan. Whatever the reason, we will make every attempt to meet your scheduling needs.
Please contact Jennifer at Bicycle Sambhava to receive a copy of the 2005 pre-planned tour dates.
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valley cycling combined with important cultural stops at the Paro Dzong and museum, as well as the ancient Kyichu Monastery. From Paro, we cycle southeast over the high mountain pass of Cheli la and down into Ha. On a clear day, Jhomolhari ( Mt. Everest ) and all its magnificent neighboring peaks will be visible from the pass. The Ha has only been open to tourism since 2003 and is an exciting new addition to our tours. After an evening in Ha,
we pedal southeast along a quiet, seldom used secondary road and picnic near Chundi Monastery, and continue on to Paro Chhu. We follow the river to its intersection with the Thimphu Chhu, a powerful spot marked by three chortens – a perfect picnic site. Once in the capital city of Thimphu , there are several wonderful places to visit, including the Textile and Folk Heritage Museums , the market, as well as Trashichhoe Dzong, the hub of government and commerce. On the fifth day, we ascend Dochu la from the easy side, earning a 5,700 foot descent down into the lush and tropical valley of Punakha . The dzong in Punakha is absolutely exquisite and we will end our trail ride there on the seventh day.
