Bhutan Bike tour

For our Bewitching Motorcycle Safari around India and Bhutan, you will need to arrange your flights to arrive in Bagdogra Airport or Paro Airport.

Tour leader
This Motorcycle Safari is one of several itineraries offered by Druk Expeditions & Adventures, Bhutan's only professional tour leader specializing solely in international motorcycle adventures. Sonam Phuntsho now operate personally leading motorcycle safaris to diverse destinations such as Bhutan, India and Nepal. All of approximately three weeks in duration. Shortly after the opening of Bhutan's second border post in 2005, Sonam Phuntsho became the first with the two Australian people on the planet, local and foreigner, to motorcycle a complete traverse of Bhutan from Phuntsholing in the south west to Samdrup Jongkhar in the south east.

Be aware that this itinerary is a guide only and may need to change due to weather, road conditions or other factors. Please be flexible, but rest assured your Tour Leader will make the final day-to-day decisions only after consultation with our agent in Bhutan, local authorities and group members.

Package Price
Our Bewitching Bhutan tour price, excluding airfares and joining from Bagdogra or Paro international Airport only, is US$4147. Riders must have a valid and unrestricted rider's licence. Please note that our prices are subject to foreign exchange rates and we reserve the right to alter pricing, pursuant to Clause 9 of our Terms and Conditions herewith, up to the date of final payment. Be aware that the Bhutan government, in an attempt to protect the country from certain negative effects of shoe-string tourism (I.e. backpackers on low budget) have imposed a levy of US$200 per head per day for all tourists entering the country and from this money is well utilised and ensures high standards are maintained but also obviously has a significant impact on our costing!

Price includes

• Full motorbike rental for the duration of the Safari (500cc Enfield Bullet) or KTM MOTORCYLE.
• Clean, friendly, mid-range accommodation throughout the MOTORCYLE TRIP, 17 days
• Twin-share basis; (single room supplement, additional US$800)
• All meals (breakfast, lunch and evening), including coffee or tea
• Experienced guide, local agent and Enfield mechanics
• Minibus support vehicle and driver, for luggage transport and assistance
• Spare parts, tools, medicines, first aid equipment and emergency oxygen cylinder
• All fuel costs, maintenance and repairs, third party insurance for the bikes
• Complimentary Ferris Wheels long-sleeved Safari shirt
• Accommodation is provided on a twin-share basis and if you're on your own we'll do our best to bunk you in with an acceptable roommate. But if you're the last person to book, there's obviously a 50-50 chance you'll have to take a room on your own and will therefore be liable for the single room supplement. So the moral of the story is, book early or bring your own roommate with you. Or preferably both!
  
  Price excludes
• International airfares to/from India or Bhutan
• Travel insurance policy covering use of motorbike (approx. us$150 for 17 days)
• Tourist visas for India and Bhutan (currently US$20 respectively)
• Medical examination and vaccinations before departure (recommended)
• Expenses of a personal nature such as postage, laundry, souvenirs or alcoholic drinks
• Tips for support staff at completion; optional but always appreciated, US$100 suggested
• please note that a motorcycle safari overseas must be considered one of life's more adventurous pursuits and therefore personal travel insurance is mandatory. If you already have existing travel insurance, we will insist on sighting a copy of the policy before you will be permitted to participate in this tour.

Our benevolent side
We believe in giving back a little appreciation to the places we visit, and in particular supporting some of the underprivileged communities we encounter. To this end, a small percentage of the Druk Expeditions & Adventures package price is donated annually to a registered charity in each of the countries in which we operate.

Food & Health
Quality of food can obviously be a concern when visiting exotic foreign lands. We take care in selecting clean and reputable establishments for our meals and the local fare is not always as fiery and spicy as some people would have you believe. Our clients are often pleasantly surprised by the delicious meals available. Even so, an occasional upset stomach cannot always be avoided in remote areas, so we advise initial caution and we carry various medicines to ensure as much comfort as possible. Participants in any of our adventure activities are obviously expected to have a reasonably high level of health, fitness and capability, but in all cases a consultation with your doctor is recommended in order to identify necessary vaccinations and precautions, particularly if traveling overseas for the first time.

Climate & Clothing
Our Bewitching Bhutan Motorcycle Safari is scheduled for February, possibly the best month for touring in this part of the Himalaya. It is post-monsoon, therefore the skies are clear and bright and brilliant blue, but it is also winter so it will be quite cold. Single-digit temperatures but almost zero chance of rain will be the order of the day. At times there will be little shade available, so plenty of sunscreen, sunglasses, hats and long sleeves will also be required. Professional quality riding gear such as Rivet's Cordura jackets, over pants and other protective clothing is an excellent investment and will go a long way to ensuring your comfort in what may sometimes be adverse conditions.

Be prepared to rough it a bit, be prepared to accept delays and hastily changed plans, be prepared to be tolerant of some grinding bureaucracy and ineptitude. Be flexible and above all, bring your sense of humour. And let’s not pull any punches here. A tour such as this is potentially a dangerous undertaking; it’s inherent in the very nature of the trip. You’ll be on an unfamiliar bike, on unfamiliar roads in unfamiliar traffic conditions. It is important for you to recognize this and accept ultimate responsibility, firstly for joining and secondly for riding in a circumspect manner for the duration of the tour. Please read and acknowledge Paragraphs of our Terms and Conditions attached hereto! (End of sermon)

The Classic Royal Enfield Bullet

Originally manufactured by The Royal Enfield Motorcycle Co of Redditch, Worcestershire, production ceased in Great Britain due to financial difficulties in the mid-1950s. The Indian subsidiary acquired the production line,transferred operations to Madras and simply continued to build Enfield Bullets without bothering to change any original design specifications. To this day they continue to churn out brand new, 50 year old bikes! The Enfield is a true classic, with the single cylinder 500cc engine producing a deep, throaty rumble and powerful torque that have prompted some to christen it the two-wheeled tractor. At idle speed you can audibly count the engine revolutions per minute. High speed is not what the Enfield is about (any faster than about 60kph in India is suicidal anyway!), it's about aesthetics, comfort and style. Some unconventional aspects take a little getting used to, such as the gear-change on the right foot and the brake on the left, but riding an Enfield gives a pure, unadulterated pleasure - particularly through the stunning scenery where you’re going. It is the perfect bike for touring in this part of the world, taking the rough roads easily in its stride.

Detailed Daily Itinerary for 17days Motorcycle safari tours

Day 1 Arrive at Bagdogra international Air port. Escort to Siliguri and check in to the hotel. Our trusty Enfields are waiting in the car park of our hotel where we’ll have a briefing and a little practice with the gearbox, brakes, starting procedure, etc. and then (depending on time) maybe a short excursion through some of the local tea gardens.

Day 2 sees us off to Darjeeling, following the same route as the narrow-gauge ‘Toy Train’ up into the hills. The only steam locomotive still in active service in India criss-crosses the road dozens of times and is a very impressive sight and sound accompanying us on our climb. Much favoured by the British in preference to the heat and dust of Calcutta in the height of summer, Darjeeling has been dubbed The Queen of Hill Stations.

Day 3 We shall visit the famous Darjeeling Zoo, world centre of the breeding program for the endangered and stunningly beautiful snow leopard, and the. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, established by Darjeeling’s
favourite son, Tenzing Norgay following his first ascent of Everest in 1953. We shall then have lunch in Chowrasta, the lovely town square, before saddling up for a leisurely half-day ride to picturesque Kalimpong.

Day 4 We’re on Highway 31 most of the way across the northern extremity of the Great Gangetic Plateau, crossing a few rivers as they burst forth from the mountains just above us. These rivers of course, all end up crossing into Bangladesh where they annually wreak havoc in this low-lying, impoverished country. Our destination tonight is the border town of Phuentsholing.


Day 5 Border formalities are refreshingly straightforward and efficient, so we’ll soon be on our way into Bhutan. The first thing we’ll notice upon leaving India is there’s virtually no traffic! The few vehicles we do encounter are
well-maintained and well-mannered. The roads are great, the scenery is spectacular, the air is clean and fresh. We have a couple of ‘foreigner registration’ check-posts to pass through today but they don’t slow us much as we wind our way along to third-largest town Paro.

Day 6 we shall spend in and around Paro. As well as boasting the only airport in the country, the National Museum is also located here, housing an impressive collection of artifacts. Just a few k’s out of town for the more physically-inclined, is the start of an arduous 4-hour trek up to the spectacular Tiger’s Nest dzong perched high on a rocky ledge.

Day 7 sees us heading off to the capital, but it’s such a short ride that we’re going to take a detour via Ha. We cross a ridge, negotiate a river, circumvent a mountain, discover a forest, admire the architecture, you know, all the usual sort of stuff. Even when we arrive at Thimpu in the afternoon we’ll have no trouble with the peak-hour traffic, because there isn’t any. Our hotel overlooks the river meandering through the heart of town.

Day 8 is spent doing some local sightseeing and souvenir shopping, as Thimpu is about the only commercial centre in the country. We’ll visit a viewpoint overlooking the town and then the nearby ‘zoo’ containing maybe half a dozen takin. This strange beast, the national animal of Bhutan, is said to be the result of The Divine Madman having a huge feast, getting a little intoxicated, and sticking the head of a goat on the body of an ox.

Day 9 has us lazily rolling out of Thimpu in the direction of Punakha, which has a stupendous dzong on the confluence of two rivers. The dzong is the administrative head both of state and religion for the district and this one is nothing short of sensational. We can spend a couple of hours strolling through its courtyards and temples. Then in the afternoon we proceed further, passing through Wangdi Phodrang on the way to our beautiful resort hotel at Chuzomsa, on the very banks of a raging torrent of a young river.

Day 10 is our first rather long day, with nearly 200k in the saddle. Heading east we first come to Trongsa with yet another magnificent dzong, perhaps the most spectacular in the country, an imposing fortress of a structure built on several levels up a hillside. We can have a look around if you’re not already dzonged out by now, then later in the day we arrive at Jakar in the wilderness of the Bumthang valley.

Day 11 is a day exploring the local area. Bumthng is a beautiful region of lakes and valleys, and bushwalks await those so inclined, but the superb local beer and cheeses also beckon….

Day 12 will probably see a cold start to the day (last year we had ice on the seats of the Enfields….) and we head across a couple of high passes, so have your handwarmers in your pockets. We’re getting into more remote areas now and it’s another long day but we spend most of it riding through a national park on superb roads with no traffic. Overnight is a spotless little town called Mongar, the capital of the same-named district.

Day 13 is a more leisurely-paced day. With only 90k to Trashigang, we can cover this before lunch and then have the afternoon to stroll around and enjoy the second-largest town in Bhutan. A good time to catch up with writing those
promised postcards back home, or watching the locals practising their archery skills. Our hotel is in the tiny town square, a great place to enjoy an evening drink and watch the locals going about their business.

Day 14 is dare we say it, another superlative day in the saddle on the road less travelled. We head directly south for nearly 200k, completing our traverse of Bhutan from one border to the other. Our destination is the frontier town of Samdrup Jongkhar which, whilst still actually in Bhutan, has a distinctly Indian feel to it….

Day 15 has us registering at the Indian side of the border crossing, which for some reason takes about five times as long as on the other side. But soon enough we’ll be released and although we’ve completed our Bhutan traverse, this tour is not over yet. We head to Jaldhapara Wildlife Sanctuary in the hills of West Bengal, where the Tourist Lodge is a welcome reward after a bone-rattling Indian road brings us back to reality with a thump.

Day 16 We have time for a dawn elephant-back safari into the game reserve in search of elusive tigers and rhinos, before a half-day on the road completing the loop back to Siliguri. Fortunately we’re on the highway all the way and can make pretty good time. We return to where it began, and our hotel has a great bar and restaurant where we can have a celebratory farewell dinner. We’ve earned it.

Day 17 is our “out a here” day. Kiss the bikes goodbye as we head for the airport at Bagdogra, and the short hop back to Kolkata gives us plenty of time to make our international connections on to Singapore or Bangkok. You’re heading for home sweet home – thanks for your company, it’s been a lot of fun.

Further trip notes, including a list of essential clothing and equipment to take, health considerations, visa formalities, etc, will be sent upon receipt of a completed Booking Form and deposit. Contact our office any time for further information on (00795)-323938, self phone – 00975-17600371, email sonam@drukadventures.com