• > How Strenuous are these Trips?
• > Group Participants and Tour Leader
• > Private Tours and Custom Dates
• > Local Transportation
• > Accommodations
• > Meals
• > Climate
• > Travel Documents
• > Flights
• > Airline Tickets
• > Money
• > Health
• > Luggage & Clothing
• > Resources
• > Communication

How Strenuous are these Trips?

Group adventures (with our Dutch groups) tend to be longer programs and are often more challenging than our private journeys in several ways. Participants, of all ages, take hearty hikes and will rent bikes to explore. The Dutch have spent their entire lives on bikes so even older travelers are good endurance. Be sure to ask the guide the nature of any hike and opt out if you feel it will be too much.  (This is also a great argument to lobby for bike paths in the States!). The infrastructures in many of the countries we visit can be very undeveloped compared to the States. Long road trips on bumpy roads can be uncomfortable for some travelers. On several of these trips, we spend a day or two in remote areas that may require a willingness to “rough it”. Roosters will crow, lights may dim, and a cold shower may be expected on these days. On some of our group adventures, we stay for a night or two in indigenous lodgings which can be basic or very primitive. Some have no formal bath facilities. Be sure to check the weather conditions for the dates you are considering at worldweather.org, and pack appropriate shoes and clothing for these trips. At most hotels there is no porter service and you must be able to carry your own luggage.

Our semi-private and private trips are less challenging. While these trips are also quite active, there are fewer physical challenges. Also some hotels and modes of transport are upgraded for the private/semi-private trips, and there is a little more one-on-one assistance from the guide.

Group Participants and Tour Leader

 Please consider the descriptions below before booking a trip with an international group.
On these trips, you will travel with groups of 8 to 20 travelers, of all ages, mostly from Holland and Belgium. These trips are great for our more active, independent minded travelers who welcome the added element, and occasional challenges of cultural immersion. This adds another element to your international experience. There are usually only one to four North Americans on any trip. We found that an even split of Dutch and North Americans sometimes created a cultural divide, and our intention is to blend travelers and to maintain the European feeling of these trips. True to the European style of travel is a diversity of ages represented in our groups. These active  travelers blend well and participants of all ages take hearty hikes, bike rides and welcome independent explorations.
The Dutch are typically very social and have a great command of English. It is inevitable that the participants will lapse into Dutch from time to time at meals and on the bus, until they get to know you. The guide will help to integrate you, but you will enjoy this trip more if you are the type of person who is also comfortable initiating conversations, from time to time. If you have a travel partner, it will be easier to find your way into the conversations or at least to have a buffer during times when the group is chatting in Dutch. After a day or two, you will normally get your rhythm.  You can probably expect lively conversations about world politics, especially in today’s climate.  Depending on your personal politics, this can be lots of fun, or not. The Dutch tend to be fairly liberal minded.
If this description sounds daunting or unappealing, then these trips are probably not for you and you may wish to consider our private and semi-private journeys, instead. They  offer plenty of excitement without some of the challenges. Please call us with questions.  Over half of our travelers prefer to travel the “Dutch way” booking these programs again and again.

Guide
The Dutch guide (a logistics coordinator, not a lecturer) will address the group in both Dutch and English. You will hear more Dutch than English, but you will get the important information. Guides will organize and accompany some activities and meals, but not all. They will offer suggestions for you so that you can also explore and dine safely on your own. These groups welcome these opportunities.
Our guides go through a period of training at our headquarters office in the Netherlands. In each country, they are in close contact with our land agents. Most of our land agents have worked with Djoser for 10 or more years. Their staff is there to help and are on call in the event of an emergency.

Private Tours and Custom Dates

Custom dates can be arranged for your private group of 10 or more. Please inquire about discounts for larger groups.

Local Transportation

In India as well as in Bhutan we will rent private buses locally. That way we may stop when and where we wish, for example to visit a village, a local market or another sight. The condition of the roads that wind through the mountainous Himalaya region is very dependent on the weather. Take into consideration that trips may take longer than expected and that the given travel times are only a rough estimate. In the cities and villages you will often be able to use taxis or bicycle rickshaws.  At the beginning of the tour we will use a tourist class night train from Calcutta to Siliguri.  We will fly back to Calcutta from Bagdogra.

Use the following link to view slides of the transportation we use:
http://www.djoserusa.com/transportation/

Accommodations

In Darjeeling, Gantok and Kalimpong we will stay in small hotels. The accommodations in Bhutan are loaded with atmosphere and are very comfortable. Most have a local style and often the rooms have a beautiful view. The simple but clean rooms have private bathrooms in Bhutan as well as in India. Sometimes you will have a heater in your room and often there will be a fireplace in the dining room. Bear in mind that tourism is still new to this mountainous region so some of the facilities may seem primitive to you. Traveling in the Himalayas requires extra adaptability by the visitor, but this will be readily rewarded by the exclusive and exceptional character of the region. 

Single Room:  Single travelers will be assigned to other single travelers of the same sex. It is not possible to book a single room in Bhutan but you can request single accomondations for India (Calcutta, Darjeeling, Gangtok and Jaigaon).

Use the following link to view some of our lodgings:
http://www.djoserusa.com/hotels

Meals

Meals are not included. In India you may decide for yourself where and with whom you wish to dine. Often the tour guide will be able to offer suggestions, but you may also want to try and find a restaurant or eatery by yourself or with others. The Indian cuisine with numerous curry dishes is world famous and more than delicious. You may also find Chinese food and simple pasta dishes in several Indian places. For the meals in Bhutan we will invoice you. For this amount plentiful buffets will be prepared for you at lunch and dinner with a selection of several meat and vegetarian dishes. The national dish, “hemadatsi,” made of chilies with cheese sauce will usually be part of the buffet. Potatoes, mushrooms and other vegetables are also frequently covered with this sauce, “datsi.” Breakfast usually consists of tea, coffee, toast with jam and eggs of your choice.

Climate

We conduct these tours in the period of March through November, because the passes may be impassable during the extremely cold winter months. You will run into rather large differences in climate. In Calcutta temperatures don’t go below 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher situated regions of Darjeeling, Sikkim and Bhutan are much colder. Spring and fall are the best times to travel, even though temperatures go down a lot in higher places. The monsoon rains are usually in July and August. During that time of year you need to consider slippery roads in the mountains and travel time delays. The rain usually occurs at the end of the day or at night. The showers are usually short and heavy. The sky in this period is often covered with a dense sheet of clouds. When the sun does peak through it will be nice and warm, but in the evening and at night it will get quite a bit colder.

Travel Documents

•    Passport with expiration date more than 6 months after your departure from India.  
•    Visa for Bhutan costs $20 USD plus $10 USD tourist tax, to be paid upon entry.
•    The cost for your India visa - a double-entry visa for this trip - is about $80. We will send you paperwork to submit to the nearest consulate office.

Other than Indian nationals, all visitors to Bhutan require a visa; all visas are issued from Thimphu; visas are only issued to tourists booked with a local licensed tour operator, directly or through a foreign travel agent. Applications for tourist visas are submitted by the tour operator. Djoser Netherlands will arrange the paperwork for your invitation letter. Visa clearance from Thimphu must be obtained before coming to Bhutan. Visa clearance takes at least 10 days to process. Air tickets to Bhutan cannot be purchased without visa clearance. At your point of entry the visa will be stamped in your passport on payment of US$20 plus a $10 tourist tax. Two passport photos will also be required. Visas are issued for a 15 day period; extensions can be obtained in Thimphu at a cost of Nu.510.

There will be a $14 handling fee for Djoser to arrange for the invitation for Bhutan included in the cost of your trip.

Flights

We book our flights with top airlines. Most airlines will honor earned mileage. You will need to submit your mileage credit yourself upon receipt of your flight information. For airlines that allow advance seating reservations, we typically request aisle and adjoining seats unless otherwise instructed on your registration form. It is vital that you arrive at the airport early, according to the airline (often 3 hours prior to flight time). We do provide airport transfers (airport pick-up and drop off) in our destination country for those who book the Land/Air package. Flight times are subject to change. It is recommended that you book your domestic Add-on (connecting) flights through Djoser in association with the international flight. To avoid penalties for flight changes do not book your own domestic add-on (connecting flight) without first receiving a printed copy of your flight record from Djoser confirming your actual departure and return flight times. Below you will find the usual flight times for the airline indicated.

Example flight: Singapore Airlines

Usual flight times – subject to change

Time difference: in India in the summer it is 9.5 hours later than on the East Coast of the U.S. In Bhutan it is  10 hours later than on the East Coast. During our wintertime the time difference in both countries will be one additional hour.

Airline Tickets

You will receive your tickets or E-tickets 10-12 days prior to your departure date.
In case the airline uses E-tickets you will receive two documents:

•    A document that shows the E-ticket number & flight itinerary (sent by email & mail).
•    A receipt of the E-ticket (sent by mail).

The first document listed is needed to check in at the Automated kiosks. If you check in at the
E-ticket desk you don’t need any of the provided documents, you can simply show your passport and you’re good to go. Both the automated kiosk and the e-ticket desk insure a much faster check in than at the regular check in desks. It is important to hold on to your e-ticket receipt, as you might need it to claim your mileage credits (if the airline awards mileage for this particular flight).

Money

The currencies and their values are:
The Indian rupee and the Bhutanese ngultrum are worth about 2 cents each. For one dollar you will get 45 rupees or ngultrum.
For current exchange rates look at www.oanda.com/convert/classic.

ATM: is possible in Darjeeling and Gangtok.
Cash: euros or dollars in small amounts.
Traveler’s Checks: in euros or dollars.
Credit Cards: accepted in the large cities in India.

As a guideline for expenses that are not included such as meals, entrance fees, optional excursions and personal expenses we suggest at least $150 per person per week. Bear in mind that you will have to pay $10 in cash for the visa and tourist taxes in Bhutan as well as additional local airport taxes of $10 in cash when exiting Bhutan.

Tipping
At the beginning of your trip, your tour leader will collect a “tip pot” of approximately $2 per land day, per person. So that you will not be burdened with tipping those who assist you along the way, this sum will dispersed by the tour leader as tips for the driver, local guides and hotel staff. The tip pot does not include the tip for the tour leader. A typical guideline for an American tip would be $2-$3 per day but the amount is at your discretion and should be based on his/her efforts and your satisfaction level. Dutch tipping habits are different than North American guidelines. You may feel more comfortable tipping your guide privately to avoid the great cultural tipping debate. However, it’s up to you! We take pride in our Djoser guides who do their utmost to make your experience great. We do ask that you bear in mind their extra challenge of a dual language group.

Health

Please refer to www.cdc.gov for the most current recommendations for inoculations. For these tours it is recommended to get:
•    Vaccinations for DTP, typhus and hepatitis A;
•    Malaria tablets.

Check with your doctor or health department for the latest requirements. This information may also be obtained online through the American health department website: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/ . It is wise to watch what you eat. We also recommend that you bring along a travel health kit. You should pack your prescribed medications and some painkillers including an antibiotic to self-treat moderate to severe diarrhea, over-the-counter medication to prevent diarrhea, sunscreen, insect repellent, and alcohol-based hand rubs to wash hands when soap and clean water are not readily available.  In case of emergency your tour guides will also have a kit with some sterilized medical supplies.

Bear in mind that traveling in the Himalaya region may be exhausting. Please, be careful to eat well during the tour, to drink much and to take enough rest. In Bhutan we won’t travel much above 10,500 feet and we will only stay at that altitude for a short period of time. Therefore the altitude will have less impact there than for example in Tibet. We recommend that you will discuss this subject of traveling at high altitudes with your family physician or your local health department. They will be able to better inform you, to offer suggestions and to possibly indicate certain medications. Travelers with heart- and/or lung disorders and people over sixty should definitely discuss their travel plans with their family physician. In certain cases when immediate medical assistance is required, the tour guides and the local guides will be knowledgeable enough to be of proper assistance.  

Luggage & Clothing

Bring a travel bag or a frameless backpack and limit weight to 30 pounds, as luggage storage space in the bus is not very generous. In many hotels on the way you can have your clothes washed. On our trip we will not only traverse the tropical hot lowlands, but also the highlands where the temperatures are cooler during the day and where it even gets rather cold at night. Therefore do not just bring light summer clothing, but also bring at least a fleece sweater for the highlands. Definitely bring a rain jacket, just like you should bring sturdy walking boots with a well-profiled sole. A small flashlight and an alarm clock can come in handy too.
Voltage: 110 V
Electrical plugs: with two prongs, of the American type.

Resources

It is extremely useful to pick up a good travel guidebook. We highly recommend Lonely Planet. You will find a wealth of practical information regarding money issues, maps, local customs, history, activities, and much more. There are always great travel journals, historical and political books at your local bookstore as well. The internet is also invaluable for researching and finding great photos. Be sure to check out this trip’s Slide Show (see link above) to get a good feeling for the trip, lodgings and modes of travel.

Communication

Phones: available everywhere.
Internet Cafes: available in most places.
Mobile phones: limited coverage. Ask your provider.