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Bhutan Journey's Testimonial [SUBMIT TESTIMONIAL] [<<...BACK] Date: 03/11/07 This is the word from my heart after trip to Bhutan. "I am please to say thanks to Bhutan Journeys who guided me for my trip to Bhutan with a high hospitality." Seang Volka My friendship with Sonam Choephyel
began in 1997, when he guided the Chomolhari trek I was on. Bhutan's
trekking industry was still young, and our crew was small, yet Sonam
directed the trek with remarkable efficiency. The trek was cut short by
a few days because of bad weather, but Sonam made the most of our time
by giving us an enriching cultural experience. Since then, we have
stayed in contact by e-mail, so when I asked him to arrange a four-day
excursion for eight travelers recently, I naturally contacted him. We
were amply rewarded. Sonam's superior organizational skills, his
infectious laughter and generous imparting of knowledge made our
experience with Bhutan Journeys an experience we won't forget. He gave
us profound insight into the coming centennial celebration, Bhutan's
move toward democracy and the nation's unique position in the world.
Sonam is not only an exceptional guide, he is a lifelong friend. There are things that cling to the edge
of your consciousness for some time. Then most of them will be lost in
oblivion. Our Bhutan trip was planned as a real reward after quite a
strenuous 9-day trek in Sikkim, India. While Bhutan is wonder in itself, let me tell you that visiting it with Bhutan Journeys and Sonam Chhophyel as a guide, can make anyone appreciate it even more. Sonam is among this rare species of people who are not only knowledgeable but also very personable and most efficient in the day to day work. For my second trip to Bhutan, I have experienced the utmost care extended for the group and always prepare to do that extra step to make sure that everything provided is up to standard and showering each and everybody with extra attentions. On a more personal note, I deeply appreciate his obvious concern and all the efforts made to locate Marie-Christine and facilitate her arrival in Paro. He did a lot to make me feel better during those tense moments. Sonam has the necessary abilities and the right attitude to make a real success with Bhutan Journeys. I will not hesitate to recommend Sonam and Bhutan Journeys to anyone wishing to visit Bhutan. Bernand Adam From my earliest memory the magical, mystical and mysterious Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has always called out to me. I knew that one day, some day, I'd manage to visit there, and last year I made contact with Sonam Chophyel of Bhutan Journeys in Thimpu with just that in mind. Sonam turned out to be friendly, resourceful, knowledgeable, well-organized and patient, and after some weeks of back-and-forth communication came up with a 7-day tour of the country that was enormously appealing to me. From the moment he met me in Phuentsholing on the India / Bhutan border, till our return there 1 week later, it was all adventure, excitement, awe and wonder. So much beauty...mind-blowing scenery, historical dzongs, unique buildings throughout the land, their extraordinary, fascinating culture...and the people of Bhutan themselves. All transport, hotels and meals were of a delightfully superior nature. If I could I would return to Bhutan as soon as possible to see more of it. And I know for sure that there'd be no better guide and friend than Sonam to show me around. The memories of my stay in Bhutan will warm the rest of my days, and even into my old age. Sonam, my sincerest thanks...and all the honors to you. Bernie Lurie I visited Bhutan in January/February 2007 for 11 days, and it was an incredible experience. Tsheten took very good care of me and introduced me at easy pace to Bhutan culture, customs, history and people. For those of you who plan a trip to Bhutan I strongly recommend Bhutan Journeys for many reasons. They have excellent approach to customer - we changed our pre planned itinerary without any problem. On the other hand Tsheten was always very open about what was feasible and what was not in terms of time and distances we covered. Tsheten is well traveled himself so it is nice to be able to discuss Bhutan culture in context of other cultures, his English is perfect so you will not miss on any nuances in his explanations. As Bhutan has many winding roads the quality of the vehicle is very important especially if you tend to suffer from mild (sic!) motion sickness. And we traveled in brand new 4WD Tucson. In any Dzong or temple we visited I had an opportunity to learn about the history, symbolism, and customs.Finally wherever we went just about everyone seemed to know Tsheten. All the best for your trip to Bhutan. A TOUR EXPERIENCE ARTICLE Lucy In the spring of 2006, I had the opportunity to do some extended travel through Asia, and selected Bhutan as one of my key destinations. Not only did many of my friends not even know where Bhutan was, but those who did, knew little of the mysteries locked within one of the world's more unusual destinations. It was clear that Bhutan had captured everyone's attention when my fellow passengers started taking photos the minute they stepped off the plane - and we hadn't even entered the airport yet! I was met at the airport by Tsheten himself, and from start to finish, he was organized, charming and attentive. I spent two weeks in Bhutan - one visiting Paro and Thimpu, and the other trekking the Jomolhari trek. During my visits of Paro and Thimpu, Tsheten not only showed me all of the sites and encouraged me up the long, hot, two hour climb to the Tiger's Nest Monestary but also provided great insight and anecdotes into daily Bhutan life and culture. During the trek, I was spoiled by Tsheten and his support crew (cook and horseman) as they carried an extra sleeping bag and hot water bottles to ensure my comfort on the forsty nights. I have never been so toasty in cold weather camping! Tsheten even carried a bottle of champagne to celebrate our arrival at Jomolhari base camp! A huge thank you for a trip that was so different and special, and will last in my memories for a long time to come. Best regards, We just came back from an amazing 7 day trip of Bhutan. It was a trip made even more wonderful and memorable by the company of our guide Sonam of Bhutan Journeys and our driver Ugyen. Sonam is a very knowledgeable guide and his great sense of humor had us laughing most of the time. He was very attentive to our needs and accommodating of all our requests. He took very good care of us during the entire duration of our stay there. On our next trip to Bhutan, it will definitely be with Sonam and Bhutan Journeys. Carolione Munoz & Cristine Munoz My friends and I had a wonderful time in Bhutan-Thanks wholly to our humorous guide Sonam and his associate Ugyen, Mr. STD' Dorji. Aimee King My husband and I have traveled extensively and we have never enjoyed a trip as much as we enjoyed Bhutan. The country is extraordinary. But most of all, we had the most wonderful guide we've ever had, Sonam. He made the trip enormous fun and we laughed the entire two weeks. I cannot recommend Sonam and Bhutan journeys enough! Barbara Fenster Sonam and the staff were attentive to the needs of everyone in our group of 16. They noted special interests of individuals and made efforts to help them fulfill various wishes they had for the trip. They took care to explain aspects of Bhutan’s culture in detail to help us understand it in depth, and to avoid making “mistakes”. We felt we learned more from this trip than from any other we have taken: about Bhutan, its culture, Buddhism, nature, and its people. It was a deeply satisfying trip in many ways and went very smoothly. We recommend Sonam and his associates with enthusiasm and would be glad to give more details individually. Kathy Lique My trip to Bhutan was excellent, primarily due to the great service I received from Bhutan Journeys. Tsheten, my tour guide, was a pleasure to deal with from the start. After getting an idea of what I wanted to accomplish in Bhutan, he was able to craft an itinerary that served all my interests. What really distinguished Bhutan Journeys from other tour operators is the fact that I didn't feel like I was being led around by a generic tour guide but was being shown around by a friend. Unlike other tour operators, our day together did not end at 5PM; Tsheten would gladly take me around towns to show some hidden gems. When I expressed I wanted to experience Bhutanese nightlife, Tsheten took me out to a local bar that no other foreigner would even know about. Also, instead of eating hotel food all the time, Tsheten took me out to local restaurants in Thimphu where I could see more of the true Bhutanese culture. Tsheten is very passionate about his work and went the extra mile during my trip in Bhutan. I would highly recommend Bhutan Journeys if you're looking for a non-cookie cutter approach to Bhutan. The tour guides are extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and most importantly, passionate about their jobs. Vijay Ramanavarapu I had always wanted to find Shangira-la, and in my 60's I did. Thanks to Sonam Chophyel, and Bhutan Journeys I had one of the best trips of my life. I laughed, and cried at the beauty of this country. Sonam is a master at the craft of being a guide. He showed us a bit of all side of this charming country, and always with grace and humor. He is accommodating, with large and small groups, and I can recommend this company to any one wishing the journey of a lifetime. Kathleen O'Connor After two rewarding trips to Bhutan with established tour companies, my granddaughter and I decided we should design an itinerary for a third trip for the two of us and my daughter. We choose BHUTAN JOURNEYS, a new company because the founder, Sonam Chophyel, was an experienced and fun leader with whom we had previously traveled. An itinerary was designed to fill all our priorities and special interests. We squeezed in three festivals, had time for shopping, with visits to museums and temples. Sonam's loyality to his country, his knowledge of Bhutanese history and Buddhist culture are impressive. Also included was a three day cultural trek in the Bumthang Valley of Central Bhutan. This required special arrangements for this eighty-seventy year old traveler. Our accommodations were always comfortable and the cuisine tasty. BHUTAN JOURNEYS made every effort to satisfy our needs and wishes and were entirely successful. Doris Brann Since many of our group were interested in education, Sonam arranged for us to visit a primary school in rural Bumthang, where we had an unforgettable opportunity to interact with teachers and students and perform an impromptu "hokey pokey" dance which had everyone squealing with delight. Mary L. Goldman Bhutan is a magical and mystical land. Traveling in Bhutan is a dream. That has been my experience. Sonam Chophyel was my guide on my first journey to Bhutan and we chose him and Bhutan Journeys for our second trip. Our experience has always been fabulous. Sonam makes it all happen: what you want to see, where you want to go. He takes you to the best places to eat and the best guest houses, hotels and resorts along your journey. He provides drivers you can feel confident about and comfortable vehicles. Experiencing everything on your list, feeling safe and well taken care of is part of the dream Bhutan Journeys puts together for you. Heather Krawiec Our family traveled for 12 wonderful days with Tsheten who wove the culture of Bhutan into our treks in a manner so enriching that each one of us felt we had seen and experienced something that could never be forgotten. Whether it was the unique culture and customs of Bhutan, the fascinating architecture, the beautiful Himalayan flowers and trees, the breathtaking landscape or the all embracing history and practice of the Buddhist religion, all was drawn into our understanding by the wisdom and experience, patience and sensitivity of our guide. We left Bhutan in aweand admiration of everything that the country and its people can offer the world. Griselda Kerr Tsheten, our guide, as well our four amazingly considerate colleagues of his, have made our journey an unforgettable experience. From the initial flight in to Paro, the view from the sky, to the last of nine very special days, we left without any doubt that this is indeed the last Shangri-La. The Druk Path trek took us across an array of nature and the views of eastern and western Himalayas were just incredible. Tsheten's knowledge about both religion and nature was above expectations. Namgay, our chef, who spent many hours slaving over a hot stove in the "kitchen tent", cooked an unbelievable variety of delicious food. Thank you also to Tshering, Drukpa and Dorfu and his eight horses who helped make this journey simply the best. We'll be back. Kathy Cheng and Ivan Cheng Having traveled the world over for professional and tourist purposes I found the need for somewhere I could journey as a pilgrim. I have found that in Bhutan. The beautiful mountains, rivers and forests provide the setting, the rich spiritual culture the means. While planning to return this next year I want Sonam again as my guide. Roy Dorn We had great confidence in Sonam's ability to make everything run smoothly--not an easy task in a country with one road!" Ilene Winikur We enjoyed our trip to Bhutan very much, not only because it is such a beautiful and fascinating country but because of the excellent arrangements made by Bhutan Journeys. Tsheten was an excellent guide, extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Talking to other tourists using other companies, it became clear that we were getting a bit extra for the same standard daily rate. We would highly recommend Bhutan Journeys to anyone wishing to visit Bhutan. Ivon Pritchard
Our guide, Sonam, spoke fluent English, had great knowledge of Bhutan's culture, history, geography, religion, arts and economy, and always found the right balance between keeping our group on schedule and making time to address interests that weren't on the schedule. Bhutan was our 12th Asian trip; Sonam made it an extraordinary experience! Debra Weiner |
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