Top Bhutan Budget History Tours & Packages 2025/2026

What travelers are saying

"Very well-organized tour with clear information, excellent guides, everything taken care of so that the group could focus on birding and enjoying the experience."

What travelers are saying

"I embarked on a solo trek to EBC with Himalayan Glacier for 9/18/24 to 10/6/24. Everything went well until 9/30/24 when I developed acute mountain sickness. No choice, I had to be evacuated via helicopter and subsequently hospitalized. What none of the trekking companies tell clients, including Himalayan Glacier Adventures clients, is that the client, meaning YOU, are expected to pay all hospital costs and helicopter evacuation costs (mine were $4600 for helicopter only) by credit card before being “allowed” to leave Nepal (their words). The emergency insurance policy that every client is made to buy is intended to reimburse YOU. The hospital staff of Swacon Hospital in Kathmandu, including several nurses, physically blocked me from getting on the elevator after being discharged, and the representative of the helicopter evacuation company threatened to call the police if I did not give him my credit card. The Himalayan Glacier representative who was to drive me to the airport refused to do so. I repeatedly texted Rayuna from Himalayan Glacier because I felt very uncomfortable and unsafe as the sole woman in a situation where I didn’t speak the language. Rayuna never came. After repeated phone calls to World Nomads Insurance Company, they emailed an “intention to pay document” to cover the hospital costs. The helicopter evacuation costs were subsequently promised by World Nomads some hours later. I never imagined that I could be blocked from leaving Nepal, and that Himalayan Glacier would allow something like this to happen to one of their clients. A male driver and the man from the helicopter evacuation company subsequently drove me to the airport, but I was very frightened to ride with a man who had been berating me for the past three full hours. Since I was in the hospital for 6 days, I requested a partial refund from Himalayan Glacier for unused tea house accommodations, meals, unused guide and porter, and transportation to the airport, which they have denied. Note: When I mentioned that I had read the insurance policy from World Nomads and it did not mention that the client was responsible for payment up front, the representative from the helicopter company stated, “If they printed that then no one would buy their policy.”"

What travelers are saying

"I embarked on a solo trek to EBC with Himalayan Glacier for 9/18/24 to 10/6/24. Everything went well until 9/30/24 when I developed acute mountain sickness. No choice, I had to be evacuated via helicopter and subsequently hospitalized. What none of the trekking companies tell clients, including Himalayan Glacier Adventures clients, is that the client, meaning YOU, are expected to pay all hospital costs and helicopter evacuation costs (mine were $4600 for helicopter only) by credit card before being “allowed” to leave Nepal (their words). The emergency insurance policy that every client is made to buy is intended to reimburse YOU. The hospital staff of Swacon Hospital in Kathmandu, including several nurses, physically blocked me from getting on the elevator after being discharged, and the representative of the helicopter evacuation company threatened to call the police if I did not give him my credit card. The Himalayan Glacier representative who was to drive me to the airport refused to do so. I repeatedly texted Rayuna from Himalayan Glacier because I felt very uncomfortable and unsafe as the sole woman in a situation where I didn’t speak the language. Rayuna never came. After repeated phone calls to World Nomads Insurance Company, they emailed an “intention to pay document” to cover the hospital costs. The helicopter evacuation costs were subsequently promised by World Nomads some hours later. I never imagined that I could be blocked from leaving Nepal, and that Himalayan Glacier would allow something like this to happen to one of their clients. A male driver and the man from the helicopter evacuation company subsequently drove me to the airport, but I was very frightened to ride with a man who had been berating me for the past three full hours. Since I was in the hospital for 6 days, I requested a partial refund from Himalayan Glacier for unused tea house accommodations, meals, unused guide and porter, and transportation to the airport, which they have denied. Note: When I mentioned that I had read the insurance policy from World Nomads and it did not mention that the client was responsible for payment up front, the representative from the helicopter company stated, “If they printed that then no one would buy their policy.”"

What travelers are saying

"Our 8th OU tour was to Switzerland. We visited many sites in Switzerland, Austria and also a quick stop in Germany. O.U. takes all the stress away by using outstanding Tour Directors who handle everything. Our T. D. Kiara was fantastic! She worked flawlessly throughout the tour, even when we were stuck in Zermatt after a flood. I highly recommend O.U."

What travelers are saying

"We have done the 8 days Lhasa - Shigatze - Mt Everest tour, and added a couple of days of private tour at the end. Our contact person, Beatrice, was wonderful. She helped us at every step, including a last minute hotel change. (I recommend staying at the Shang Bala hotel in Lhasa. We "upgraded" to the 4 -Point Sheraton first. Big mistake. The Shang Bala is nicer, more interesting, and at a much better location. Cheaper too.) Our guide was Dhargye. He took care of us during our trip, explained Tibet and its history, culture, and in general made the trip very enjoyable. Thank you, Dhargye!"

What travelers are saying

"Just got back from an incredible adventure. Bhutan was more than I could have ever expected. There was an abundance of good travel karma throughout the trip. The guide, Bhim, was great, very accommodating, and personalized the trip in many amazing ways, and though him I got to know the people and the culture close up and personal. The whole thing went off without a hitch. Bhutan was the most amazing place I have ever been."

What travelers are saying

"First, let me say our tour guide Tomomi S. is hands down THE best tour guide I’ve ever had - knowledgeable, fun and made great efforts to ensure that we were comfortable and happy (MTSobek tour guides are independent contractors. Tomomi also works for other Adventure/Tour companies) Secondly, Japan is beautiful, clean and the Japanese people are very welcoming. The hiking in the national parks was amazing. It could have been a truly five-star experience if MtSobek had not cut corners so egregiously. The website said (at the time) group tours are 5-22 people. The tour gets canceled if the minimum is not met. When I paid there were TWO other people booked-a mother and daughter duo. Shortly before our departure date I called to see if the tour would be cancelled. I wanted my money back but Mt Sobek was “pleased to say that the trip would not be canceled”. In other words, I could not get a refund. At the last minute a guy named Matt signed up so there were four of us. Five days into the trip Matt left and took a train back to Tokyo. I said to him “You realize Mt Sobek is not going to refund you”. He said, “I don’t care, Mt Sobek scammed us.” With tax, the tour costs $11,645 for 13 nights. For that price there is an expectation that the accommodations Mt Sobek chooses would be decent and clean. We all fully expected a ‘traditional Japanese experience’ which often means no private bath and 8 out of the 13 nights we slept on futon mats on the floor. However, Mt Sobek consistently booked us in the cheapest Ryokans (hotels) in each area in which we travelled. Most of these hotels were unclean and very out-dated. One Ryokan they booked us in was listed on a hotel website for $40 USD/night when there were much nicer accommodations nearby for $100 USD/night. (The Japanese yen is way down, the luxury Park Hotel in Tokyo was $200 USD/night. A comparable hotel would have been about $800/night in Austin.). We were the only people staying in several hotels that accomadated many more people. The most egregious example of MtSobek’s booking the cheapest rooms is when we were booked at a large traditional ski lodge at the base of a spectacular mountain. It was beautiful on the website but had two very different wings. One wing was modern, clean and beautiful with simple beds. The other wing was very old (similar to a cheap Motel 6 that had not been updated since the 1970’s). The carpet and bathrooms were disgusting and like many of the Ryocans where we stayed the futon mats seemed as though they had not been cleaned In 30 years. Only after our tour guide checked us in did we realize we had been booked in the cheap rooms. I asked Tomo why. Immediately someone from MtSobek reached out to me and said, “gosh, I’m sorry you did not realize you were going to have a traditional Japanese experience”. Really? “Traditional” experience depends upon one’s budget. In the US, “traditional” to some people may be the Marriott, a Motel 6 or the Four Seasons Hotels. We were paying for a Marriott experience and received the one-star Motel 6 experience. Upon arrival in Tokyo I expected to be met at the airport by a driver (as many tour companies do). However, several days before our arrival dates in Tokyo, MtSobek sent an email telling us how to locate taking a city bus from the bustling Tokyo airport. That is interesting if you do not speak Japanese. MtSobek cleverly uses great photography and elaborate descriptions of the national parks and the hiking while using terms like “traditional Japanese experience with tatami-mat sleeping” to disguise sub-standard accommodations. At one point we were looking on-line at the very hotel where we were staying and did not even recognize it from the website pictures. The hiking was amazing. The group size was disappointing with just the three of us. I would absolutely recommend a hiking tour through Japan, just not with MtSobek."

What travelers are saying

"Just got back from an incredible adventure. Bhutan was more than I could have ever expected. There was an abundance of good travel karma throughout the trip. The guide, Bhim, was great, very accommodating, and personalized the trip in many amazing ways, and though him I got to know the people and the culture close up and personal. The whole thing went off without a hitch. Bhutan was the most amazing place I have ever been."