Blue Poppy Tours & Treks
ABOUT
Blue Poppy Tours and Treks is a specialist tour operator with offices in London and Bhutan. They specialise in tailor-made itineraries for individuals and small groups. They can arrange culture tours, festival tours, treks and specialist tours such as bird watching, botanical tours, textile tours. As well as other activities such as biking, racing, archery and farmhouse visits.
Blue Poppy work closely with the luxury hotels in Bhutan and have experience with arranging high-end tours for those who want to upgrade. They will arrange flights in and out of Bhutan, visa applications and all the other arrangements to make your clients’ trip a success.
Blue poppy itineraries are tailored to match the interests of their clients. Some popular tours focus on arts and crafts, spiritual experiences, textiles, birdwatching, botany, day hikes or treks and so on. They also partner with other companies to design special offerings and started the first Paro marathon, now an annual event. They also partner with Marathon agent 2:09 Events to hold the annual Thunder Dragon Marathon, as well as working with Trail Run Adventures to offer an amazing trail run on the great trek routes of Bhutan!
Blue Poppy’s mission is to show their clients the best that Bhutan has to offer. They aim to be consistently in the list of top 10 tour operators in Bhutan, with a reputation of high customer service and an innovative approach.
All Blue Poppy tours are fully guided with well-trained local Bhutanese guides who speak English well and are knowledgeable about Bhutanese culture, religion and history. Some also have a good knowledge of local birds, flowers and wildlife!
Blue poppy itineraries are tailored to match the interests of their clients. Some popular tours focus on arts and crafts, spiritual experiences, textiles, birdwatching, botany, day hikes or treks and more.
DESTINATION INFORMATION
MAPS
Click Map to download
Bhutan
Click here to request a quote from Blue Poppy Tours & Treks
Request QuoteSAMPLE ITINERARIES
Active Tour Bhutan
Culture Tour of West & Central Bhutan
Yaksa Trek with Cultural Tour
Culture Tour of Western Bhutan
Ura Festival
(Unique Tour)
Naro 6 Passes
(Unique Tour)
Arts & Crafts Discovery
(Unique Tour)
Spiritual Tour
(Unique Tour)
UNIQUE & SPECIAL EXPERIENCES
Playing Archery with Locals
Archery is the national sport of Bhutan, traditionally played with bamboo bows and arrows (but latterly with high-performance fibre-glass bows imported from USA). It is played across the country on weekends and holidays, usually as a full day event, with plenty of feasting and singing and dancing as the competition hots up. We will arrange for you to try your hand on a local archery field with the traditional bamboo bow.
Try a Traditional Hot Stone Bath
The traditional method of bathing in Bhutan before the arrival of modern plumbing - this can be done in a farmhouse or in many hotels. The bath is taken in a stone or wooden box with a separate section at the end where fire-heated rocks are placed to heat the water. Natural herbs are often added.
Meet a Lama
(Head Monk)
Listen to a talk on meditation, Buddhism or the Bhutanese philosophy of Gross National Happiness - elaborate - GNH (Gross National Happiness) is a philosophy enshrined in the constitution of Bhutan, amounting to a guiding set of principles that are used to ensure the collective happiness and well-being of the population. GNH comprises four pillars: Conservation of the Environment, Equitable and Sustainable Development, Good Governance, and Preservation of Culture. We can arrange a talk on this topic, or more generally on Buddhism or the art of meditation
Learn To Make Local Cuisine
Attend a cookery class - this can be done at a local farmhouse, joining the family in cooking the evening meal, or you can take a more formal class at Nyangmey Village Museum in Paro where you have the opportunity to experience using a traditional stove made of mud and cooking rice, one meat or vegetable dish and ara (a traditional alcoholic drink) and then to eat the food you have cooked.
Visit the Cordyceps Tasting House in Thimphu
Unique to Bhutan! Known as ‘yartsa goen-bu’ this high-altitude panacea is actually a caterpillar that has been mummified by a fungus. A highly sought after local curiosity, these sell for up to US$25,000 per kilogram in China. The Cordyceps tasting house doubles as a museum and gallery with the opportunity to learn more about this traditional medicine, as well as the chance to taste Cordyceps-infused tea and drinks and to buy sample products. (Entry free of charge)
Visit Local Craft Workshops
Visit some local craft workshops and see the craftsmen at work (weaving, incense, goldsmiths, handmade paper, wooden bowls). There are 13 traditional arts and crafts (Zorig Chusum) in Bhutan, which have been passed down over the generations since the 15th Century and are actively maintained in Bhutan today. (Zorig Chusum refers to activities which assist, teach or uplift others.). As well as visiting the Institute of the 13 Arts and Crafts where you can see students learning these skills, those with a particular interest can visit a local workshop specialising in one of the crafts mentioned above.
DESTINATION SHOWCASE
Around the same size as Switzerland, Bhutan has a population of about 800,000. Climatically the country falls into three main zones: the subtropical south, with its plains and river valleys; a temperate zone with fertile, cultivated valleys in the central inner Himalaya, rising to 3000 metres and containing the main towns of interest; and the cold higher Himalayan region, with the three highest peaks towering around 7000 metres.
Bhutan’s uniqueness stems from its virtual isolation from the rest of the world until relatively recent times. Its people, culture, and religious festivals are testimony to a rich way of life which has changed little for over 1000 years. Monuments to its rich history and Buddhist tradition are visible throughout the landscape. For those interested in the philosophy of modern Bhutan you may be interested to read an article from the International Herald Tribune of 7 May 2009 on how the pursuit of happiness is incorporated into the country’s economic policy.
Thanks to the intact state of its forests an incredible variety of flora and fauna makes Bhutan a paradise for trekkers and nature lovers. There are three distinct regions from west to east to consider in planning your trip. Each offers its own special treats.
The west is famous for its beautiful mountains and fertile valleys, colourful houses, historic sites and museums in the towns of Thimphu, Paro and Punakha. A number of day hikes are possible in this area as well as a number of treks of varying lengths.
Central Bhutan is known as the Asian Switzerland for its beautiful landscapes and is also the spiritual heartland of Bhutan with its many temples and monasteries. This area also offers several opportunities for day walks in the stunning Bumthang valleys and the chance to visit many important religious sites including the important historic town of Trongsa, ancestral seat of Bhutan’s ruling dynasty.
Although it is the most densely populated area of Bhutan, the eastern region is also the least visited by foreigners. Tourist facilities are far more primitive than in western and central Bhutan and you need to be prepared for a lack of hot water and western toilets. However if you have the time to travel east it is well worth the effort, with its remote valleys, temperate climate, monasteries and tradition of stunning craftsmanship in woodwork and exquisite hand-woven textiles. Don’t forget though, that to access the east you need to be prepared for some lengthy drives on rather rugged mountain roads.
RESTAURANT GUIDE
Paro
Charo restaurant (near Bhutan Telecom) - 08 272 642
Dragmar restaurant (near the Children's Park) - 08 272 417
Thimphu
Cousin restaurant (opposite Bhutan Post and Bhutan National Bank) - 1766 6318
Edelweiss restaurant (behind Druk Punjab Bank) - 1760 7277
Gawa restaurant (near the clock tower) - 1765 6350
Punakha
Puenzhi restaurant (near Ugyen Academy school) - 02 584 145
Village restaurant (just near the start point for the hike to Chimi Lhakhang) - 1763 1689
Wangdi
Nobding Kuenphen - (at Nobding, just above the main road) - 1763 0091
Bumthang
Tamshing restaurant (near Tamshing Lhakhang) - 1769 6210
Gongkhar restaurant (Gongkhar Guest House) - 03 631 288
Noryang restaurant (just before Aman Bumthang) - 1757 7615