Kimkim Trip Reviews for Bhutan

Our trip to Bhutan was fabulous! So glad we finally made it happen, thanks to help from Kim Kim.

The country itself is magical, with history and culture spread throughout. Highlights included the trek to Bumdra and the Sky Burial at 13,300 feet followed by a hike down to Tigres Nest, the town of Punakha and it's incredible dzong, and the national dish of chili cheese!

There was a lot of driving back and forth to accommodate a festival which I'm not sure was worth it. The festival was nice, but as a foreigner and non-Buddhist, it was difficult to follow along. It was also overrun with pushy tourists trying to grab photos so it wasn't peaceful at all. In hindsight, I wish we would have arranged the trip more efficiently, not bothering to go to the festival which came with about an extra 6 hours of driving the same roads. But so be it, we still had a fabulous trip!

Hotels were mixed - some were fantastic while others were just average. Same with the food. All meals were included which was great. Overall Bhutanese food is delicious and we wanted to try more but we were often taken to the tourists spots on the routes which catered for a more western, simple palette. When we did go to a few real local restaurants, the food was fabulous!

The weather in November was perfect - I highly recommend this time. It was warm during the days and cool at night (except of course at 13,300 feet where it was cold all day and even colder at night!) I understand there are fewer tourists at this time, too.

What really made our trip special was our guide and our driver. Tashi and Tsering were absolutely darling. We learned so much from that, not just about the sights but also about life in Bhutan, Bhuddism, and just another way of living. They opened our eyes to so many things and we are so grateful. We were sad to say goodbye.

Overall, I'm so glad we went. It was worth every dollar and every hour of flying to get there!

Our 6-day trip with Wind Horse Tours was great! From the moment we were met at the airport by Pema and our driver (don't know how to spell his name), our trip was carefully organized to introduce us to western Bhutan’s highlights. The days were active but not exhausting, mixing enjoyable hikes with visits to important cultural sites. Pema explained a lot about Bhutan’s religion and culture as we visited temples, dzongs, etc., and he was interesting to chat with as we drove through the beautiful country. He was always willing to take the time to answer our questions. No request was too much trouble, such as spending more time here or there. The restaurants where we had lunches were well chosen by Pema. The hotels were very comfortable and provided good dinners and breakfasts. Our driver was also excellent – this was something we especially realized when we saw a serious car accident caused by a driver falling asleep. The only thing we would have preferred would be to have our hotels in Thimphu and Paro closer to town so we could walk around the area a bit.

Booking the trip with Mieke was so easy and effective through the group chat function. Loved the flexibility to build itinerary as per our preferences.

Everything worked smoothly on the trip, no time was wasted. Our guide Tashi and driver Funso were so helpful, thoughtful and experienced.. They generously shared their knowledge..

Incredible experience, thank you.

Hotel Reviews

Druk Hotel

Thimphu

Love love love. Authentic and beautiful rooms, great dining room food and service. Small gym.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zhingkham Resort

Punakha

Great views and rooms. Climb to the rooms get tiring. Dining experience poor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Paro - Hike to Tigernest Monastery aka Taktshang Goemba

Paro

We left early and beat the crowds. Incredible day that I will remember for ever.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tashi and Funso were amazing

Transport

We just got back home from the most magical trip in Bhutan. Vishal planned our itinerary to perfection. It was the perfect mixture of adventure, cultural experience, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Our guide, Tashi, was excellent and always willing to adjust the day to suit our needs. The hotels we stayed at were unique, and the rooms were spacious and luxurious. Vishal upgraded us to a villa at Uma Paro! The restaurants at Pemako Thimphu were fabulous. Though the choice at Uma Hotels was somewhat limited, the food was delicious, and the service was impeccable. We learned much about Bhutan and Buddhism during our fascinating journey through the country, and we cannot wait to return. I highly recommend Vishal's company and KimKim and look forward to exploring other parts of the world with the company.

Thrilled with our journey to Bhutan 🇧🇹 which was expertly organized by Mieke. We had a very helpful dialogue before finalizing the booking regarding lodging and trade offs at various price points which I appreciated. The guide Sonam and driver Dawa were outstanding. And traveling to Bhutan in the low season (July) turned out great as the hotels and attractions were pretty empty. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Mieke to others.

Amanda helped us plan an incredible vacation to Kathmandu and Bhutan. We had knowledgeable guides on every date of our stay, and were taken care of from airport pick-up to drop off. The itineraries were easily customizable based on our interests (even including a trip to a middle school I attended), and there was both plenty of sightseeing as well as down time. Would highly recommend booking with KimKim!

We had a fabulous trip to Bhutan - their traditional life practices are being carefully preserved as they work to modernize the country. Our guide, Tashi, was so knowledgeable about the culture, as well as the geography - taking us on some great off-road adventures (on bike and by foot)! Our drivers were adept at maneuvering the mountain switchbacks, and providing support as we pedaled our way across the passes. When the clouds lifted and we took in the spectacular mountain vistas, it was clear why the Bhutanese are so happy.

Had a fabulous time at the Paro Festival, Tiger's Nest, Punakha, and Thimpu.

Thank you Mieke for planning my trip to Bhutan. There was a good mix of culture, nature. hiking and lots of wonderful photo opportunities. The highlight was the hike to the tiger’s nest and the hike and overnight stay at the Dodeydrak monastery. The guides and driver from WindHorse tours were excellent especially Namgyel & Taschi - punctual, professional & helpful. I fell in love with Bhutan and its people. I would definitely go back!

Overall, the trip exceeded our high expectations. Mieke was great and responsive and flexible.

Our guide Yonten and our driver Dawa were superb, five stars! They could not have been better in any way.

We could have used more explanation beforehand from Kim Kim about the home stay, to have a better appreciation of the simplicity of the lodgings and the economic benefit it brings to rural Bhutan.

Our guide Tashi was just spectacular! He quickly figured out what our interests are when we travel and made modifications to the itinerary accordingly. We experienced Bhutan by talking to locals (who wanted to practice their Hindi) at the festival in Tsonga, being quizzed by a 7 year old on Buddhist dieties, chatting with a 15-year old who loves TikTok and basketball. None of these authentic interactions would have possible without Tashi's curation of urban and rural hikes. Our driver Ponshu (quite sure I misspelled his name) was phenomenal. Since my husband was recovering from a leg injury and had to slow down on the hikes, he decided to accompany us.
The Dochula Pass, and the Paro Takstang hike were fabulous experiences. The food and accommodation at Dhumra in Punakha was definitely our #1.

Pema, our guide, was as knowledgeable, flexible, helpful and keen to cycle&hike as any guide we've ever had. He also gets five stars.
The routes were all scenic and reasonably challenging.
All of our drivers were really good.

Hotel Reviews

Bhutan Suites

Thimphu

really friendly and helpful staff

Dewachen Hotel

Phobjikha

nice place

Yangkhil Resort

Trongsa

really nice place. We would have enjoyed an extra night here

Chumey Nature Resort

Chumey

nice place but worst breakfast of the trip (everything was cold including the instant coffee)

Ura Homestay

Ura

interesting experience, great breakfast. It would have been better if they could have conversed with us

Trogon Villa

Yonkola

Took a few tries to get a room with hot water, but otherwise was a reasonable place

Wangchuck Hotel

Mongar

Beautiful hotel and location, Great, helpful staff.

Red Fox Hotel

New Delhi

Decent place, really good breakfast

Mountain resort

Jakar

Beautiful hotel

Lingkhar Lodge

Trashigang

Beautiful place, large unit. helpful staff, nice to have a bath in the unit

Soednam Zingkha Heritage Lodge

Ha

Room was not well sealed and was therefore cold, but staff was very accommodating and even put in an electric mattress heater which helped a lot! I believe that we actually stayed in a place nearby with a similar name

Tashi Namgay Resort

Paro

beautiful place

Wangdue Eco Lodge

Wangdue Phodang

nice place but I don't agree that no wifi in our room is eco-friendly as they suggest

Activity Reviews

Thimphu City Walk

Thimphu

It was good to have a look around. Best done on foot

From Thimphu to Wangdue Phodrang by bicycle

Thimphu

Dochu La pass was a good one to start with

From Wangdue Phodrang to Phobjikha by car and bicycle

Wangdue Phodrang

Lawa La pass is a tough climb. It gets steeper near the top. Need to be careful going into the blind corners as sometimes oncoming vehicles are trying to pass... The road down into the valley is mostly paved.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cycling in Phobjikha Valley

Phobjikha

We walked instead of cycling. Nice to see the cranes

From Jakar to Ura Valley (cycling)

Jakar

Another nice ride

From Ura to Yonkola (cycling)

Ura

Another nice ride with an amazing descent into warm weather

Visit Trashigang Dzong

Trashigang

Another well built and scenic dzong

From Mongar to Trashigang (cycling)

Mongar

The descent in the middle portion of the ride was surprisingly chilly, but otherwse it was yet another great cycle route. Nice to see monkeys along the route.

Paro - Hike to Tigernest Monastery aka Taktshang Goemba

Paro

Amazing place. We were well acclimatized for the hike after our 3 weeks in Bhutan. We hiked up to the next temple as well which was worth it for the views and additional photos

Trying out bicycles

Thimphu

It was good to ride a bit to see that the bikes were working fine

Punakha - Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten & Punakha Dzong

Bhutan

Punakha Dzong was one of the nicest ones to see

From Phobjikha to Trongsa (partly cycling)

Phobjikha

A nice ride with a lovely descent into a warm valley

Paro valley hike to Dzong

Paro

Nice short hike to the museum and dzong which are both worth seeing.

Trongsa Dzong & Museum

Bhutan

The museum is interesting. We didn't have time to see the dzong. Would have enjoyed an extra day here.

From Yonkola to Mongar (cycling)

Yonkola

A good ride, with warm weather the whole distance. It felt good to walk into the great hotel and enjoy the views

Ha Valley hike

Ha

We did the hike up the ridge from Chele La, the panorama hike and the hike over the pass towards Paro during our few days in Ha Valley, The latter two were in mostly pine forests. We did see a sambar deer. The views from the ridge above Chele La were great - could see Jomohari quite clearly

From Chumey to Jakar (partly cycling)

Chumey

Another nice ride

From Trongsa to Chumey (partly cycling)

Trongsa

Another nice ride

Mieke was fantastic in organising our trip. She was always punctual in her replies, kind and very helpful.
Our guide, although novice, was very friendly and willing.
The thing that left us most speechless was the Taktshang Goemba. Absolutely fantastic.

Thank you for a fantastic holiday!

Hotel Reviews

Bhutan Suites

Thimphu

Very friendly staff, very spacious room and excellent food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zhingkham Resort

Punakha

Very good hotel but the food was always cold.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tashi Namgay Resort

Paro

Very nice room, but the food was always cold and the quality of the food was low.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paro - Hike to Tigernest Monastery aka Taktshang Goemba

Paro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thimphu - Buddha Dordenma

Thimphu

Thimphu City Walk

Thimphu

Thimphu - Memorial Chorten

Thimphu

Simthoka Dzong (Thimphu)

Thimphu

Punakha - Punakha Dzong

Bhutan

Punakha - Prayer ceremony at local nunnery

Bhutan

Dochu La Pass - Lungchutse Lhakhang hike

Bhutan

Paro - Kyichu Lhakhang

Paro

Punakha - Chimi Lhakhang

Bhutan

Paro - Rinpung Dzong & Ta Dzong

Paro

I'm a very spontaneous solo traveler. I'm not used to booking a guided trip with a planned itinerary but rather buying a plane ticket and figuring out the logistics when I land.

I reached out to several agencies with a two weeks prior to my trip and Mieke was the most prompt and accommodating to my travel needs. She planned out an itinerary and booked everything accordingly despite the short notice I gave her.

I arrived in Bhutan and had THE MOST TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE! My driver, Jigme, and my guide, Tshering, provided to with a very adaptable and professional experience. Jigme always kept the car clean and shiny that I felt like a diplomat or celebrity everywhere I went. However it was Tshering's breadth of knowledge in his culture from history, traditions, and Buddhist teachings brought me into Bhutan's culture. By the end of my time, I started to feel like I could fit in like any other local. This has made me rethink how I solo travel and considering hiring a guide in my future travels for a more in-depth cultural experience.

In summary, if you are looking for a good cultural tour through Bhutan you can put your trust in Mieke and Windhorse Tours.

Hotel Review

Homestay in Tang Valley

Tang Valley

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Activity Reviews

Paro - Hike to Tigernest Monastery aka Taktshang Goemba

Paro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience a homestay in Bhutan

Bhutan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport


My review of Bhutan
1. All hotels chosen were very good. I loved that almost all had a view- made the accommodation exceptional
2. The food was generally simple and healthy. The Olathang hotel in Paro the food was the plainest.
3. We did 13 days-in retrospect 9 to 10 days would have been sufficient. We could have eliminated the Haa Valley as it didn’t add anything more than what we’ve already seen. Many people do a day trip to the Chelela pass and hike and that would have been sufficient.
4 Lhab the driver was exceptional. Very caring and attentive to our needs.
5. Sangay was an exceptional guide for in-depth Buddhist knowledge. His explanations of temples and paintings was also exceptional. For those like us with limited Buddhist knowledge, we were not prepared for the amount of information and would have liked if there had been some suggested readings to do in advance.
6. We flew from Jakar back to Paro- such a good plan ( rather than driving back to Paro) and great to see the high Himalayan peaks
7. Mieke was absolutely exceptional. When it came to helping me plan the trip she spent over a year, fine-tuning the details, answering my questions and adjusting the itinerary.

My experience with Bhutanese culture and people wouldn't be possible without the help of Mieke! Kimkim and Windhorse. In Bhutan, Namgyal, Phuntshol and I were a good team. I was very happy with how the trip went. As a solo traveller, Namgyal accompanied me everywhere, I think that was a privilege! They also helped me out with this and that when I was a little slow. So, yeah, that is how we got everything done! I have to kudos to them!

Hotel Reviews

The Village Lodge

Paro

We saw 2-3 Ibisbills here =) Beautiful scenery also

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dhumra Farm Resort

Punakha

I believed I got the best-view room here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very caring stuffs.. they also introduced me to Ezay chilli paste! And that was when I became a happy tourist in Bhutan

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yangkhil Resort

Trongsa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dewachen Hotel

Phobjikha

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Home Babesa

Thimphu

Authenticity & Character

Loved it!

Location

Staff

2 of their stuffs stayed overnight and taught me how to make Ezay in the morning! They were very friendly also.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The area was under construction so sometime there were no hot water. Or water at all. But they have traditional style stone bath which helped a lot.

Activity Reviews

Paro - Chele La pass (3988 m) & hike to Kila nunnery

Paro

I went there after I just landed. It was beautiful and a fun hike

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bongde village

Bhutan

I supposed to visit this place but I fell asleep in the car and they didn't wake me up.

Paro Birding afternoon excursion

Paro

Not bad but not good either Luckily in the day we left, we saw 3 Ibisbills!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paro - Kyichu Lhakhang

Paro

First experience with Bhutanese Buddhism.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birding on the way from Paro to Punakha

Punakha

We were lucky that the weather was so perfectly clear throughout the trip. I was happy we got to stop and walk a bit in between

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birding in Punakha Valley

Punakha

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phobjikha - Black-Necked Crane Information Centre

Phobjikha

They've got a good presentation overall

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birding day excursion in Phobjikha Valley

Phobjikha

Another highlights of the trip. It was amazing views especially in the morning

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trongsa Dzong & Museum

Bhutan

One of the highlights of the trip, it was a beautiful scenic drive and Trongsa Dzong itself was very beautiful on both the inside and out. Trongsa museum was closed at the time we visited

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paro - Hike to Tigernest Monastery aka Taktshang Goemba

Paro

A casual hike with beautiful view of Takshang Goemba as a reward. On the way down, we did some birding along the way. As I didn't went all the way through, we have some time to visit Paro museum. It was a good experience, very educational. I enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birding in Trongsa

Trongsa

No birds in Trongsa. But that was not the problem because everything else had made up for it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

National Institute for Zorig Chusum - aka Painting School (Thimphu)

Thimphu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunch @ Gangtey Lodge

Phobjikha

Very welcoming atmosphere, good food, beautiful view and stuffs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birding from Dochula Pass with Lungchutse hike

Thimphu

A lovely hike near Dochula pass. We did some birding along the way

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thimphu - Trashichu Dzong

Thimphu

In Thimphu, we visited Takin sanctuary park, Choten stupa, Trashichu Dzong and the Buddha Point.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mieke was fantastic! She was amazingly responsive and worked with me over a long period of time (trip was delayed due to Covid) to design the trip to Bhutan I'd always hoped for.

What an epic, dream trip to Bhutan! Everything was off the charts! Tashi was an epic guide! 100000% was so impressed. It was stress free, professional, thoughtful, and definitely gave me the BEST cultural experience in Bhutan.

Vishal's incredible efforts made our trip to Bhutan a memorable experience. From the meticulous planning to the flawless organization, everything was executed with perfection. Once we arrived in Bhutan, every aspect of our journey exceeded our expectations.

The breathtaking landscapes, the rich cultural experiences, and the warm hospitality of the locals made our trip truly unforgettable.

We highly recommend Vishal and Himalayan Kingdom to anyone planning a trip to Bhutan. With Vishal's guidance, we were able to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Bhutan has been at the top of my Bucket List for a while now, and I can easily say the trip FAR exceeded my expectations! The planning was superb - Mieke, you were so communicative and allayed all my 'fears' regarding visas, flights, paperwork, etc. It couldn't have gone any smoother. From the moment we set foot in Bhutan, things were perfect. The hotels Uma Punakha, Uma Paro, and Druk Hotel were outstanding - comfortable, welcoming, everything I could ask for. The country is stunningly beautiful, the people are so nice and friendly, and the food was fantastic. Our guide and driver Yonten and Dorji were SUPER! - so accommodating and flexible. Even though I wasn't always able to do some of the visits (due to my age and some health issues with walking up hills), I saw more than enough - and enjoyed every moment! And the fact that we ended up staying an extra day says how much we enjoyed the country - and we appreciated all the extra legwork you had to do to make that happen at the last minute! I can't thank you enough!

Hotel Reviews

Uma Punakha

Punakha

Absolutely stunning! Loved every moment there - from the courtyard doors opening the moment we arrived, to the stunning reception terrace with the beautiful view of the valley and the Buddha on the hill, to the terrace on my valley view room looking down over the river and valley - and being able to go to sleep listening to the sounds of the river, to all of the warm and friendly hotel personnel who always greeted us with smiles, to the beautifully appointed and very clean and comfortable room with everything you could need or want, and the wonderful food and wine served expertly. Absolutely First Class and more!

Authenticity & Character

The exceptional Bhutanese furnishings

Location

the beautiful views of the valley

Staff

So many smiles, and their sincere wish to make our stay as lovely as they could!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Modern, clean, beautiful. Couldn't ask for anything more!

Uma Paro

Paro

Absolutely Stunning! From the beautifully maintained grounds with the colorful prayer flags in the front, to the organic garden on site used for hotel meals, to the staff who cheerfully accommodated every need or wish (including arranging for us to stay an extra day - visa extension. flights, room, transportation, etc.), to the beautiful Como villa we stayed in with the beautiful garden views, to the wonderful views out the dining room windows as we enjoyed the superb food and wine. To the friendly manager who happened to be the friend of a friend of my traveling partner, but who chatted with and welcomed every guest. I couldn't have asked for anything more! It was so good we stayed in Bhutan an extra day just to relax at the hotel!

Authenticity & Character

The beautiful grounds with colorful prayer flags and benches we could sit at and just enjoy the surroundings

Location

High atop a hill overlooking the beautiful valley and town below!

Staff

So accommodating and always smiling and genuinely wanting us to enjoy our stay

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Como Villa was stunning - clean, comfortable, modern, and inviting!

Druk Hotel KK

Thimphu

Great location - right in the center of everything in Thimphu! Easy to walk to city sights - Textile museum, clock tower, artisan markets, etc. Clean and comfortable - great food, wine, and service.

Authenticity & Character

Great Bhutanese style

Location

Best location in Thimphu

Staff

Everyone was so nice!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable and quiet rooms

Activity Review

Thimphu - Changangkha Lhakhang

Thimphu

Beautiful place once you get across the cable bridge and up the hill. We happened to be visit this along with a group of Bhutanese students and it enhanced the experience.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful place right by (and over) the river.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport