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Bhutan Journey's Testimonial [SUBMIT TESTIMONIAL] [<<...BACK]


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
salesl@palmtours.org


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.

Michael Huebner
Birmingham, Alabama
wmhuebner@gmail.com


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.

So many times -- in roadside stalls along the way, to and from Sikkim -- did my eye catch a stack of heart-shaped leaves in clear plastic jars. My curiosity about the leaves grew when I found local liqueur bottles with the picture of the leaf, recognizing for the first time the name on the label -- "paan."

It was Sonam who demystified the leaves and actually let me experience what locals do to refresh their mouths and minds. Chewing the betel nut smeared with lime wrapped in a paan leaf.

That was just the beginning. Sonam, with his very strong and intellectual command of English, educated us about Bhutan -- all we wanted and beyond -- in his seriously sincere Buddhist warmth mixed with jokes and irresistible giggles.

Ritsuko Asano
Birmingham, Alabama USA
[ritasano@yahoo.com]


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
New Calidornia

[badam@canl.nc]


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
Cape Town, South Africa
[berniel@xsinet.co.za]
 


A TOUR EXPERIENCE ARTICLE

"INTO THE HEART OF MOUNTAIN LIGHT"

I danced through an arch of fire at the Jampa Lhakhang festival in Bumthang, Bhutan. It changed my life. I made the first journey to Bhutan in October 2004. I came to feel as though I had a connection to the place as well as the people and wanted to experience more of it. I felt a kinship with the land and the people that extended beyond the normal graciousness of Bhutanese hospitality. I felt as though... (Read More...)

Lucy
Eugene, Oregon
[roygbiv33@juno.com]


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
[clmunoz@hotmail.com]


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
[king_aimee@hotmail.com]


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
[barbfenster@hotmail.com]


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
Nahant, MA, USA
[k.lique@comcast.net]


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
[oconnor@cyber-dyne.com]


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
[dcbrann@nettally.com]


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
[marygoldman@verizon.net]


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
[hk@mosquitonet.com]


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
[roydorn4@msn.com]


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
Newtown, PA
[winikur@aol.com]


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
[debraweiner@dca.net]


Thanks for organizing a memorable and comfortable trip for us. We would definitely want to come back next year. Both Sonam & the driver Tshewang were extremely helpful and caring. They are certainly assets for your company. We enjoyed the warmth and the hospitality , not withstanding the many beautiful sights and sounds of Bhutan.

Nawaz ahmed
[nawaz.ahmed@accenture.com]


Back in Switzerland our thoughts are going every day to Bhutan. The trip together with Bhutan-Journeys was one of the most beautiful adventures for us. It will be the most precious compliment for an agency, when the feeling to belonging continues and the desire is present to do as soon as possible an other visit in the wonderful country of dragon.

We get to know the country during three weeks together with Sonam and Tashi traveling from west to east. We learned a lot about culture, religion, Flora and Fauna.

The two guides where very competent, flexible and careful to the wellbeing of the tourists. Tashi is speaking German and Sonam speaks English in an excellent way.

Sonam is an expert of Buddhism and knows a lot about the Bhutanese culture. He has a lot of relations to the people and to the monasteries and the government. This fact makes exciting the traveling.

The visit in a valley where the Bhutanese people cultivates buckwheat was a culmination point for us. Buckwheat is produced in only one valley in our country Switzerland, in Val Poschiavo, where Antonio is coming from. We eat some food specialties with buckwheat in a monastery and could enjoy the intensive culture exchange.

We recommend Sonam and Bhutan Journeys Agency sincere and are ready to speak about our experiences in the unique country.

Madeleine & Antonio Gervasi
[madeleinegervasi@gmx.ch]


A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. . . and we are glad that we took it with Bhutan Journeys. We were fortunate to visit Bhutan in September 2007 for six days, guided and organized by Bhutan Journeys. Never has a country so exceeded my expectations, so entranced me with its unique mix of ancient history, rich culture, physical beauty and compelling, colorful religious festival. Our 6-day itinerary was enjoyable and unforgettable.

Our guide was Sonam, knowledgeable, friendly, and accessible. He knows Bhutan, its present and its past, its culture and its fragile beauty. Also, he knows everybody, which is helpful, convenient and practical. We had a very reliable and comfortable SUV throughout the trip and our driver, Ugyen, is also such a charming and friendly man to be around. He knows the best spot to take pictures and is very knowledgeable about Buddhism. His driving style is convincing, especially in some of the curvy and bumpy mountain road.

Sonam did a wonderful job of planning our trip to Bhutan. Prior to the departure of our trip, we explored & discussed many different options for our trip via emails. He always answered all our emails and questions promptly. He made sure we experienced the best of the best of hotel rooms, restaurants, and entertainment. He’s so thoughtful on many things, like organizing a surprise birthday party for my husband with Sonam’s friends and made us feel like home in Bhutan. A trip with him was like a trip with an old friend. We have never encountered anything but friendliness, honesty, good humor and hospitality. We had a great time and traveling experience in Bhutan. We highly recommend Bhutan Journeys for all your Bhutan travel needs. Be prepared to be amazed by this beautiful country.

Michelle L.
USA


My family and I want to thank you and Bhutan Journeys for the wonderful experience we had on our recent tour with you. Your phone call and extra efforts to ensure us that we did not make a mistake by booking with you online let us know we had made the right choice. The tour was an experience of a lifetime that none of us will ever forget. We still talk about the many stories and legends that you told us during our journeys and we have enjoyed reading the books about Bhutan that we brought back. The trip to Tigers Nest was incredible but we also enjoyed the many other unique experiences, sights, sounds and tastes of your beautiful and gracious country. Some of our favorite memories include drinking yak butter tea at the mountain pass, hiking through the rice paddy with singing school boys, seeing historic buildings, incredible artwork and cloth weaving, the hot stone bath, and the traffic policeman waving his arms, like to music.

Please thank our driver Tshering for the safe way he took us from place to place and for his beautiful singing and flute playing during our trekking and exploring. We are getting better at the Bhutanese song you tried to teach us. We all look forward to visiting Bhutan again with you. We have passed on our highest recommendation to friends who are thinking of visiting and told them they will have a marvelous time by booking with you at Bhutan Journeys.

Dr William Soroka, Marla, Ivan and Ana
Abu Dhabi, UAE
[wlsoroka@aol.com]


We cannot recommend Bhutan Journeys highly enough.The service offered was superb.A first class professional travel company that provided excellent accommodation,a knowledgable guide and driver, and presented a fascinating insight into life in Bhutan.Absolutely brilliant!

Fiona and Ian
Craycrayfish1@ntlworld.com <crayfish1@ntlworld.com>

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©Bhutan Journeys
G.P.O# 1615   Thimphu, Bhutan
Phone: (00)975-2-333890 Fax: (00)975-2-333891
Email: journeys@druknet.bt
info@bhutanjourneys.com
URL: http://www.bhutanjourneys.com