NEPAL & BHUTAN
Sep 21 – Oct 7, 2025
PRICE
$4,725
DURATION
17 DAYS | 16 NIGHTS
GROUP MAX
18 PEOPLE
PHYSICAL
Moderate
WEATHER
Summertime, 70F-85F
TOUR OVERVIEW
BHUTAN: Absorb the tranquility of the chortens, fortresses and temples below the Himalayan Mountains. Walk through rice paddy fields and stroll around cultural towns of Paro, Thimphu and Punakha.
NEPAL: Experience the grandeur of the Durbar Squares in Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. See the elephants and one-horned rhinoceros in Chitwan. Stay at a deaf-owned hotel and eat at a restaurant where a majority of employees are deaf.
TOUR LEADER
Dan Brubaker
TOUR PRICE
$4,725
7 SPACES LEFT
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
DAY 1 • • •
Arrival into Delhi. Transfer to hotel for one night.
DAY 2 • • •
Arrival into Paro in the afternoon from Delhi. Meet your guides at the airport before traveling to Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. After lunch, we go up to see Kuensel Phodrang (Palace), commonly known as Buddha Point. The 169 feet (51.5 metres) tall statue of Lord Buddha is believed to be the tallest in Asia in sitting position. We also visit the weekend vegetable market and Motithang Takin Preserve. Free time in the evening to explore Thimphu including the Memorial Chorten. Stay in Thimphu for 2 nights.
DAY 3 • • •
Participate in colorful Thimphu Drupchen Festival. After lunch, we observe painting and sculpting students at the National Institute of Zorig Chusum. Then we visit the Folk Heritage Museum, Big Bakery (with two deaf employees) and Bhutanese Craft Bazaar. In the evening, we attend a cultural program of traditional dance and music.
DAY 4 • • •
A 3 hour drive takes us from Thimphu to Punakha with a stop at Dochula Pass. If the day is clear, we will have a stunning view of the Himalayas. See the Druk Wangyel Chorten with 108 chortens. Before reaching Punakha, we visit Chimi Lhakhang, also known as Divine Madman’s Temple. After lunch, we visit the historical Punakha Dzong (Fortress) that sits majestically at the confluence of Mo Chu (Male River) and Pho Chu (Female River). Free time in the evening to stroll around Khuruthang. Stay in Punakha for 2 nights.
DAY 5 • • •
All day excursion at Phobjikha Valley, known for its flora and fauna. Visit Gangtey Dzong (Fortress), standing on a ridge overlooking the entire valley. See woolen carpet weaving.
DAY 6 • • •
After breakfast, we walk over a suspension bridge and through rice paddy fields up the hill to visit Khamsung Yuelley Chorten, which is also known as Nyzergang Lhakhang (Temple). Afterwards, we return back to Paro via Dochula Pass. Stop to see Three Chortens of different styles at Chuzom, the confluence where the Paro Chu (River) and Thimpu Chu (River) meet, then Tamchog Lhakhang (Temple) located other side of the river. Free time in the evening free to stroll around Paro, with an option to visit Choeten Lhakhang (Temple). Stay in Paro for 3 nights.
DAY 7 • • •
We hike up to the cliff hanging Taktsang Palphug Monastery, also known as Tiger’s Nest, which would take aproximately 4.5 to 5 hours round trip. Optional: riding on horses or mules. After the hike, we visit Drukgyel Deaf School as well as Kyichu Lhakhang (Temple).
DAY 8 • • •
Morning excursion to Chelela Pass for an amazing view of Mt. Jhumolhari (23,950 feet / 7,300 metres). In the afternoon, we visit Paro Rinpung Dzong (Fortress), National Museum and Dumsey Lhakhang (Temple).
DAY 9 • • •
In the morning, we fly to Kathmandu. Transfer to a deaf owned hotel. Visit the Kathmandu Durbar Square, which is filled with palaces and temples of the Malla and Shah kings. Then, we see Pashupatinath, one of the most sacred Hindu temples on the bank of Bagmati River. Dinner at the Bakery Café with 15 deaf employees. Overnight in Kathmandu.
DAY 10 • • •
See the monkeys and temple complex at Swayambhunath before reaching Bhaktapur for lunch. Visit the Bhaktapur Durbar Square, including the dominating 55 Window Palace, before continuing upwards to Nagarkot. Overnight in Nagarkot.
DAY 11 • • •
Sunrise viewing of the Himalaya Mountains at Nagarkot. Drive for 4 hours to Chitwan National Park with a stop at Manakama Temple, which is reached via a cable car. See elephants, one-horned rhinoceros, deer, monkeys, boars and sloths. Tharu Stick Dance and barbecue dinner in the evening. Stay in Baghmara or Sauraha for 2 nights. DAY 12 • • • We do some jungle safari activities throughout the day, including bird watching, jungle walk, village visits, boat rides, etc.
DAY 13 • • •
3 hour drive from Baghmara or Sauraha to Pokhara, which is a scenic lake town amplified by the majestic peaks of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. Free time in Pokhara after lunch including optional ultralight or paragliding flights. Stay in Pokhara for 2 nights.
DAY 14 • • •
Sunrise viewing of the Himalaya Mountains at Sarangkot. Boating at Phewa Lake including visiting Barahi Temple on an island and hiking to World Peace Pagoda. Free leisure time in the evening.
DAY 15 • • •
In the morning, we fly from Pokhara back to Kathmandu. Drive to Patan for a lunch on a rooftop restaurant. Visit the amazing Patan Durbar Square with its Newari temples and palace. Return to Kathmandu for a pizza dinner. Stay in Kathmandu for 2 nights.
DAY 16 • • •
Very early in the morning, take an optional scenic flight to see the Himalaya Mountains, including Mt. Everest before breakfast. We visit Naxal School for the Deaf (which will be closed due to Dashain) and Kathmandu Association of the Deaf. Free time for some shopping after lunch. Late afternoon, we head over to Bouddhanath, one of the most holiest Buddhist sites. Special Nepalese + Sherpani dinner in the evening (at a restaurant that will be closed for our private event).
DAY 17 • • •
During the day, we transfer individuals/groups to the airport for your flights.
- 15 nights in 2 to 4-star accommodations.
- 29 meals: breakfast (15), Lunch (11), Dinner (13)
- Services of a deaf Tour Leader on call 24 hours a day.
- Services of local deaf and/or hearing guides.
- All transportation expenses.
- All admission fees for attractions and museums mentioned in the itinerary.
- Most tips, except for your Tour Leader.
- Informative travel preparation packet.
- $100 discount per person on your next regular tour.
- Domestic and/or international airfares.
- Nepal visa (currently at $30)
- Bhutan visa (currently at $40)
- All other meals not mentioned in the itinerary and personal expenses.
- Travel Insurance
- Any COVID-19 related tests.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MoreTOUR LEADER
Dan Brubaker
TOUR PRICE
$4,725
7 SPACES LEFT
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MorePRICE
$4,725
DURATION
17 DAYS | 16 NIGHTS
GROUP MAX
18 PEOPLE
PHYSICAL
Moderate
WEATHER
Summertime, 70F-85F
GALLERY
Got a Question?
First, please scroll through our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have further questions or need help with a specific topic, feel free to contact us! Thank you.
RESERVATION
Spots are based on a first come, first serve basis. A $500 deposit per person is required to reserve your space and can be paid with a debit or credit card. Alternative payment options include personal check or wire transfer. After registration, you will receive an automatic email response with further instructions. Full payment is due 90 days before the start of your tour.
Absolutely yes! You can contact us by clicking this link and fill out the form and we will get back to you. Above all, we want to make your tour a memorable one for your group.
HOT is proud of the three distinct reasons that allow it to be different from other tour companies: they use sign language exclusively, travel in small groups which provide an intimate experience while also having more flexibility on their schedule, and spend time visiting places they love versus wasting time at places where there wasn’t much interest..
Generally, all tours will provide accommodations in double rooms with private bathrooms and breakfast, transportation expenses including lunch and dinner (depending on the itinerary), museum entrance fees along with a $100 credit towards your next full tour. In addition we provide you with information about each specific tour so that you can be fully aware of what is included.
We will be happy to assist you with a custom-designed tour, tailored towards your preferences. If not, stay up to date by joining our mailing list in order for us to provide you with any future tours that we may have availability for.
Did you know that we have travel consultants who can assist you? You can go to our Travel Consulting page for more information. The best way to accomplish this would be to seek out friends and/or family members (usually in order of 6 people) so they will lower the costs significantly, or advertise open spots on your tour publicly. We also have discounts, and some other advantages! What’s more- we are able to lower the level of accommodations as well as remove extras all together which make it feasible for a low cost.
It is often easier for us to permit single travelers when it comes time to sign up for our tours. If you are unable to find a partner and need assistance, please contact us as we may have singles available on the list- pending your approval first. There are some tours that allow exceptions for those seeking not only with partners but also without them too!
If somebody backs out, please register on our wait list or contact us directly so that we can put you on the wait list for a similar tour. We will also keep your name up to date with our latest tours and alerts about similar upcoming trips in order to give you a chance at joining them.
TRAVEL PROTECTION
Hands On Travel recommends that you purchase a travel protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. Travel protection plans include coverage for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation, Trip Delay, Baggage Delay and more. To learn more about how to help protect you and your trip investment, visit the following link: TRAVEL PROTECTION
Don’t hesitate. We will stay in touch with you from the date of deposit until your arrival at the starting point of your tour, to make sure that all is well before departure. You can contact us via phone or e-mail any time for questions and we will remain in communication throughout your trip!
BILLING
No, we do not charge any extra fees or fuel surcharges. The listed price is the price you pay. Including tax.
You can find this under our Terms & Conditions. If you find it necessary to cancel your confirmed tour reservation, you must notify HOT about it by e-mail. You may transfer your space to another suitable person or request us to seek replacements. If your replacement is found, HOT will, at its discretion depending on the time frame, refund your deposits/payments or apply it towards a future Hands on Travel tour that is to be taken no more than 3 years after the dates of the original tour. If your replacement is not found, the cancellation of your reservation will become effective and the following charges will apply: (a) if cancelled more than 90 days before the first day of the tour, all installment or additional payments will be refunded to you minus the non-refundable deposit of US $500 per person and any non-refundable payments that HOT has made to suppliers. (b) if cancelled less than 90 days before the first day of the tour, no refunds will be made.
Since tour prices are quoted as a package, no partial refunds can be made for the unused portion of any tour including lodging, meals, or any other items that are included in the tour price. This does not apply to those who wish to participate in only a portion of a tour. In this case, we can pro-rate costs for the unused days.
After registration, you will receive an automatic email reply with further instructions. A $500 per person booking deposit is required to reserve your spot on the trip and can be paid by personal check, credit card and/or wire transfer. Full payment is due no less than 90 days before the start of the trip.
If you need to cancel or postpone your trip 3 or more months before the start, all monies paid will be refunded minus the $500 non-refundable deposit. You can also transfer the entire amount of your deposit to be used for a later trip if we are able to find replacements.
DURING THE TOUR
Big coach buses separate us from local people. We fail to experience or understand the “hands on” lives of locals.
We started out as a walking tour company. Walking offers close-up experiences with local people and hidden gems to discover.
It’s much easier to communicate full to everyone in semi-circle and make sign language 100% accessible. No more missing what is being said.
We’d be able to dine in smaller, cozier and unique restaurants that would offer a local culinary experience unlike large, tourist-oriented restaurants. And, we’d be able to stay at smaller accommodations in prime locations unlike large chain hotels outside the city limits.
We strive to include local guides for certain days to promote maximum cultural experience as well as exchange deaf-related insights.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
