My wife and I want to thank Yadup for helping organize and wonderful and memorable trip!  Bhutan is such a unique country with so much to offer, with its epic valley landscapes, picturesque dzongs and temples, and wonderful and curious people.

After landing in Paro, the Bhutan Old Monk team personally met us at the airport with khadas to cordially welcome us to Bhutan.  Our guide (Pema) and driver (Jeewon) were both informative and accommodating.  Using our itinerary as a guide, Pema would organize things based on what we were looking for and when to get the best “instagram” shot.  In addition, their stories of Buddhism, life in Bhutan, and normal citizen dreams and aspirations were most interesting. We were looking for a relaxing week with not too much pressure to see everything, and Pema / Jeewon perfectly executed on our wishes.

I cannot recommend Bhutan Old Monk Travels enough for any trip to Bhutan.  Yadup was kind, patient, transparent, and flexible.  All things you are looking for when collaborating with a travel agency.  From the start of the booking process, we were impressed by the outstanding customer service provided by Yadup.  He is an ambitious young man and is truly has his customers’ happiness as his priority.  All inquiries were responded to promptly with appropriate check-ins during your trip to ensure it is up to your standards.  The service was personal and itinerary was on-point with what we were looking to see and experience in Bhutan.  After sharing meals with Yadup, Pema, and Jeewon, I see them more like my Bhutanese family rather than a travel agency to me.  .

Highlights included:

• Seeing a live archery contest.  The Bhutanese have competitions with old style archery bows from over 100 meters away!  It was great to see the competition and camaraderie of a match where any successful target hits were met with chants of respect from both teams.
• Tigers Nest.  Words cannot express the beauty of this cliff-side temple.  A 5-6 hour excursion / hike (round trip) will bring you to this temple, with the views simply breathtaking.
• Punakha Dzong.  Most picturesque dzong.  We went when certain flowers and trees were blooming, which added color to the scenery.
• Trying on ghos and kiras as the locals wear!   When in Bhutan, do as the locals do.  Pema took us to a shop to try on the local wear.  I was surprised at how hot it is wearing it!  We took pictures in Paro wearing the gho and kira and of course the natural curiosity of the local Bhutanese led them to join us in some pictures!  What a delightful experience.

Yadup’s recommendations on resorts was on-point and thorough, with clear transparency on costs and what was provided:

• Thimphu: Terma Linca was gorgeous, as it provided views of the Thimphu River.  Falling asleep next to a flowing river was a great way to spend our first night in Bhutan
• Punakha: Our room at Hotel Lobesa had a balcony that oversaw the Punakha Valley and its daily sunrise.  Gorgeous.
• Paro: Naksel means forest and is where we stayed for one night.  Up close to the treeline in the mountains, the hotel was much more modern with equally spectacular views of Paro.  It was also close to Tigers Nest, which made things simple for our morning hike.  Bhutan Old Monk Travels worked some magic to give us a spectacular suite upgrade.  Words cannot express my gratitude to Yadup and his team for such a gift to my wife and I.
• Paro: Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary is a five star resort that focuses on wellness and eastern methods for the body and mind.  It was a great way to wind down our trip, as spa treatments and multi-course meals were all part of the all-inclusive package.  It was truly an escape from our daily hectic city lives.