Ready For Bhutan? Write & Roam visits the Buddhist Kingdom in the Himalayas, September 7-17, 2024.
Reserve your space now. Limited to 10 participants. Email susan@susanweisbohlen.com to join. A $850 nonrefundable deposit will hold your space.
Roam the sacred paths and write what arises on the journey. This is Write & Roam Bhutan 2024
Bhutan is a hidden gem high in the Himalayan Mountains. What secrets does it hold for you?
Peace and quiet are pervasive, allowing you to think, listen and create from a place of stillness, rather than chaos and distraction.
Theta brainwaves will activate, creating flow, stress reduction, creativity, and contentment. These benefits will remain accessible and last long after the retreat is over. The writing tools, crafts, and techniques are based on the Gateless Method.
Resistance will melt away. The inner critic who shouts all day long will be quieted and diminished. Let’s leave that critic behind on a valley or river.
Nature will envelop you, filling you with awe, integrating your connectedness to everything.
Leave worry and weariness behind. Immerse yourself in the present moment. Pen to paper. Hearing people’s stories. Listen to wild rivers run, visit Buddhist stupas on the side of the road, and hear the sonorous sounds of thousands of prayer flags flapping in the wind, sending blessings across the world.
Astonishing architecture in bold colors and designs, just like Shangri-la, will stoke your creativity and fill your senses.
Plenty of places to shed what doesn’t serve you, and pick up some new vibes!
Links to all the sites we will visit are in blue and bolded in the daily schedule below.
I’m happy to have a call with you to talk about the trip! Email me at susan@susanweisbohlen.com. I will also schedule Zoom calls in February and March.
Most tours of Bhutan begin in the capital city Thimpu and venture East. But I’m going to take you West to the border of Tibet, to the hidden paradise of Haa. This serene, peaceful valley was once known as the “hidden-land rice valley” and was closed to tourism until a few years ago. Quaint guest houses have been built with local farm-to-table food, traditional architecture, and endless nature. It’s remote, isolated, and the perfect place to begin our journey. You will have no choice but to leave the world behind, and immerse yourself in Bhutanese culture, acclimate to the altitude, and allow the adventure to begin. But don’t worry, East we will go! Take a look below at the detailed itinerary and get ready for the trip of a lifetime.
Why Bhutan? My first trip there was in 2006, on a whim, to join a friend who was traveling in Nepal and India. Suffice it to say that there were so few tourists there, that when I returned with a group in 2016, a hotel manager remembered me - and my name! I fell in love with the uniqueness of this place. Wild white rivers rush around huge boulders, Monks scurry along to prayers and study, Nuns meditate, strangers bow and you feel like you have reached the end of the world — in a good way! On my first trip, my friend Sue and I sat in a shack on the edge of a town, the only place with an internet connection, and tried to send emails home. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not. That may be the last time I was so disconnected from the world.
Now the internet, and wifi are pervasive, but that feeling that you are far far away is still there. And you are!
This journey is designed to get the most out of the trip but at a more relaxed pace. We will spend multiple nights at most hotels and guest houses so you won’t be packing and unpacking all the time. You can settle in and allow me and our guide to take you on walks, hikes, visits to monasteries, and festivals. Soak in hot mineral water. See the monkeys in the trees. Watch the flora and fauna pass by. Fly over the most spectacular mountain ranges. And write. Most days we will have 2 hours of writing salon, which you will be guided into through meditation and prompts. When you allow the mind to rest and reset, the theta waves take over and creativity flows. With no distractions, no goals, and no pressure, you will find your voice. And you will hear the voices of others. In the Himalayas.
Remember this is a high-altitude trip. If you are concerned please check with your health care provider for any issues that might arise when travelling over 13,000 feet. There are medications like acetazolamide, which can help you to acclimate.
Our trip is 11 days and 10 nights in Bhutan, and half a day in Delhi with a tour, dinner, and hotel upon arrival at the airport. An extension to tour India after Bhutan is also available upon request.
COST (as of today I am still waiting on the final cost of the India half-day trip and overnight, and the flights Delhi-Paro-Delhi):
Early bird paid in full by June 1, 2024 ESTIMATED: $5989. Cost if paid after June 1 or with a payment plan: $6289.
Single supplement for India: $50; Bhutan: $55 per night ($555)
The price will include a hotel on arrival in Delhi; a half-day tour of Delhi and dinner; transport to the airport for flight to Bhutan (Paro); in Bhutan: Visa; hotels; all meals; water; entrance fees; and all travel within the country.
Not included: Flight to Dehli (Dehli-Paro-Dehli is being calculated, estimated to be around $600); tips for guide and driver; alcoholic drinks; laundry services; mineral hot baths and spa services.
Trip Details:
Flight details are still being worked out. Most likely we will fly from the US on September 5, arriving in India on September 6, and fly to Bhutan on September 7. An optional day trip in Delhi is being arranged, along with a welcome dinner. The hotel and tour of Delhi are included in the price of the trip.
Saturday, Sept. 7: HAA: Delhi - Paro (by Druk Air departs Delhi at 9:40 am) – The flight into Paro begins our journey to the spectacular beauty of Bhutan. In clear weather, magnificent views of the world’s highest peaks give way to the lush green Paro Valley as you land. Hint: Those seated on the left side of the flight from Delhi to Paro will have a magnificent view of the snow-covered peaks of Mt. Everest. The first gift from Bhutan will be the cool, clean fresh air as you step out of the plane. After clearing customs and visa control we will meet our guide Ugeen Tseewan, who escorted my group in 2016. We will have lunch in Paro.
After lunch we will drive over the Chelela pass, one of the highest points (3,780 m/12401 f) of drivable road in Bhutan. You will see incredible views of the highest mountains of Bhutan and the scenery is magnificent. Then onto the Forbidden Valley of Haa (which only opened to tourism in 2002), which borders Tibet. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel Risum Resort
Sunday, Sept. 8: Haa. We will continue sightseeing with a visit to the the Dzong of Haa and the temples of Haap Chhundu (guardian deity of the valley). In the late afternoon, we will settle in for our first writing session at the hotel, Risum Resort.
Monday, Sept. 9: Haa. In the morning drive a short distance to hike (45 minutes) to the Juneydrak hermitage from Katsho village. This Cliffside retreat also houses the right footprint of Machig Labdron, a female Tibetan tantric practitioner whose practice of Chod, is a spiritual practice, has heavily influenced all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Picnic lunch and refreshments will be served and we will learn more about the mystical meditation practice. After being inspired by the sites and sounds, we will write in the afternoon together. Dinner and overnight at hotel, Rigsum Resort.
Tuesday, Sept.10: We will gather for writing this morning after breakfast and then drive to the capital city Thimphu where we can visit the market, do some shopping and visit a cafe. This offers us an insider view into life in the city. We’ll see the “Buddha Droendma” one of the biggest Buddha statues in South East Asia, which I saw being constructed in 2016! From here the view of Thimphu valley is magnificent. If time permits visit the School of Arts and Crafts, where children are taught the traditional art of wood craft and painting. After lunch at a local place, we will depart to Punakha, an ancient capital of Bhutan, and visit the National Memorial Chorten (a huge Stupa ) built in memory of the third King of Bhutan who reigned the Kingdom from 1952-1972. Leaving Thimphu the road climbs steeply through a forest of pine and cedar, festooned with hanging lichen high up near Dochula Pass (3,050 m), and see panoramic views of the Himalayan mountain ranges. After stopping for tea and the view, we descend along a series of hairpin bends to the fertile valley of Punakha and then drive to visit the iconic Punakha Dzong, located between the rivers of the Mo (Female) Chu and Pho (Male) Chu. Dinner and overnight at hotel, Bhutanic Resort/Rivervalley.
Wednesday, Sept.11: Today is Festival Day! We will drive to the Wangdue Tsechu Festival. Along the way, we will visit the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong dramatically located on the spur of a hill at the confluence of the roaring and roiling Tsang Chu and Dang Chu rivers. At the festival, we will see religious dances and folk songs where the Bhutanese people come in their best attire and rejoice at the festival with picnic lunches, as we stroll around the festivities. The festival is known to bring enlightenment for onlookers while also acting as ritual purification to ward off the evils! After the festival drive back to our hotel for dinner at Bhutanic Resort/Rivervalley
Thursday, Sept. 12: Travel through Gangtey and Trongsa to Bumthang, one of my favorite places in Bhutan. We will see the Gangtey Valley and have a short nature hike (45 minutes) and continue on to Bumthang. This evening you can book an herbal mineral bath and relax in the gorgeous scenery at the Rinchhenling Resort as we settle in for three nights here.
Friday, Sept. 13: After breakfast and a writing session, we will venture out to Bumthang Valley, one of the most spectacular valleys in Bhutan and also the heartland of Buddhism. Many great teachers meditated here and left in their wake sacred grounds. The Guru and his lineage of Tertons (treasure finders) have led to the sprouting of many temples in the valley. We will visit Kurje Lhakhang (where the Guru Rinpoche subdued a local demon and left his body imprinted on a rock) and Tamshing Monastery (one of the oldest monastic schools built by Terton Pema Lingpa). We also visit Jambay Lhakhang built in 7th century, and Jakar Dzong, the seat of the district administration. If time permits visit the Swiss farm where you can buy cheese and local fruit products. Dinner and overnight at the hotel, Rinchenling Lodge
Saturday, Sept. 14: Today we will spend the day at the Lodge, after a morning writing salon. You can use this time for spa services, to relax, take a solo hike, and soak up the beauty. You can also schedule a one-hour session with me to talk about your writing or Ayurveda! Overnight at Rinchenling Resort.
Sunday, Sept. 15: After breakfast, we will fly to Paro and check into our hotel. In the late afternoon, we will have a writing salon. Dinner and overnight at Metta Resort.
Monday, Sept. 16: This morning we will hike to the truly magnificent Tiger Nest Monastery (4 miles round trip, elevation: 3,120 meters/10,232 feet). As we will be thoroughly acclimated to the altitude, the climb will be easy! No worries if it feels challenging as there is a cafe about one and a half hours up and I’m happy to rest there with you. At the top, you will see the stunning view of the monastery, where Guru Padmasambhava landed on the back of a tigress in the 8th century. After the visit, we will head back to the hotel to rest and pack and have one last session together. You can also take an optional walk through Paro’s main shopping district. Dinner and overnight at the hotel, Metta Resort.
Tuesday, Sept. 17: Our last morning in Bhutan we will drive to Paro and fly to Delhi. At this point you can continue onto the US or your final destination, or opt to stay in India for a tour of the Golden Triangle or a more extensive trip that I am happy to plan for you, we our guides.
