Hi there! We are BJ and Lauren, founders of RetreaTours. You can find a more comprehensive “About Us” page over here, but we want to take this space to explain why we want to help you travel to Bhutan.

Our mission is to help people travel authentically and responsibly while having the time of their lives. We typically accomplish this through small group tours and retreats (and a combination of both, hence “RetreaTours”), but we also offer our services in the way of travel consulting. Many people over the years have asked us about Bhutan, and we felt sheepish because we couldn’t offer any firsthand information.

To be totally honest with you, we both thought that the “Last Shangri-La” moniker and all of the gushing things people had to say about Bhutan were probably 100% hype. In fact, the first time that BJ flew to Bhutan in early 2015 was essentially a “debunking” trip, so that we could tell people to save their time. As BJ tells it, he knew the hype was REAL before he even landed (flying past Mount Everest and through such a forested country makes a heck of a first impression!) I returned with BJ just 2 months later as we revisited some of his favorites and discovered new amazing sites together. Since then, Bhutan has become a favorite destination on our Around the World trips. 

We recognize not only how special Bhutan is, but also how shrouded in mystery Bhutan tourism can seem. In fact, many of our previous clients were shocked to hear we were headed to Bhutan. “I thought tourists weren’t allowed there!” we heard more than once. So, we like to do our part in educating our clients that:

Yes, you CAN visit Bhutan.

No, you don’t need to join a group of people (you can even have a guided trip by yourself!)

It’s not as expensive as you think!

When you factor in that all of your meals, all accommodation, your private guide, your own private vehicle and driver, site entrance fees, and taxes are included in that base figure, it starts to seem like quite a deal.

And you don’t need to join a big group of strangers to visit Bhutan! Prices are based on groups of three guests or more, and there is a minor surcharge for groups of two or just one. If you prefer traveling as a couple or a solo adventurer, that extra charge is well worth your peace of mind and privacy.

We fell in love with Bhutan—the culture, the countryside, the cuisine—and we’re confident you will, too. We work with only the best in-country tour agencies to provide quality, custom experiences for you.  Email us today or use the contact form below to start planning your Bhutan adventure!

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