An Adventure 60 Years in the Making: EF Go Ahead Tours Launches New Tour of Reopened Trans Bhutan Trail Offering Ideal Mix of Adventure, Comfort, and Cultural Immersion

BOSTON, Sept. 22, 2022 -- Bhutan, one of the world's most mysterious and magical countries to visit, is giving travelers a new incentive to make the once in a lifetime trip. For the first time in 60 years, the breathtaking Trans Bhutan Trail will reopen to travelers and EF Go Ahead Tours, a leader in immersive, education-based travel is one of a select group of tour operators to host tours of this idyllic locale.

Developed in collaboration with The Trans Bhutan Trail and Bhutan Canada Foundation, EF Go Ahead's new tour Bhutan Adventure: The Trans Bhutan Trail is designed to promote responsible travel, experiential education, and cultural immersion. It's also purposefully designed to make this magical country more accessible, conveniently handling all the travel challenges required to get to and travel within Bhutan and designing hikes and excursions for the active-minded, not just physically advanced. "Our itinerary uniquely offers comfort alongside approachable adventure," said Lael Kassis, Vice President of Market Innovation & Development at EF Go Ahead Tours. "Working with the Trail itself gives our travelers a true understanding of the Bhutanese people and customs. We tap into that curiosity."

A Journey Made Simple: Access the World's Most Mysterious Country

This once-in-a-lifetime tour includes all-inclusive, concierge level service that starts by guiding travelers through the visa process, daily tourist permit and sustainable development fee required of international visitors to Bhutan. EF Go Ahead is also the only tour operator to fully coordinate door-to-door air travel and entry into Bhutan on one of the only two approved airlines allowed to fly into Bhutan's airport located in Pero. Domestic flights while on-tour are also uniquely coordinated and included in EF Go Ahead Tours' itinerary price.

13-Days of Breathtaking Hikes, Mystical Encounters, Bhutan's Finest Hotels, Cuisine and Culture

Keeping with EF Go Ahead's promise to deliver immersive travel that is also gratifying, the 13-day itinerary kicks off a series of beautiful day-hikes that explore ancient fortresses, dramatic mountain landscapes, fascinating monasteries, and temples rich with history.

Spanning one to six miles in length, these short hikes offer the adventure-minded traveler a more accessible opportunity to embrace the spirit of the Bhutan Trail while reserving time and energy to relax in 4-star boutique hotels, enjoy local cuisine, explore surrounding communities, and engage with the Bhutanese.

Travelers will chat with local monks, students, and villagers, learning firsthand why Bhutan, birthplace of the innovative Gross National Happiness concept, is consistently ranked one of the happiest places on earth and holds the coveted title as one of the only carbon negative countries in the world.

Some highlights of EF Go Ahead Tours' Bhutan Adventure Tour include:

• An informative dinner gathering with a Gross National Happiness expert

• A private reading with a monk astrologer to learn the meaning of your name and birth year in Bhutanese tradition

• A hike up to the famous Tiger's Nest, Bhutan's most famous monastery, located alongside a cliff 900 meters above the valley

• A meeting with local women at the Changjiji READ Center to learn about the international non-profit organization's programs and how the women use its library

2023 and 2024 bookings for tour dates during Bhutan's dry season (March – June, September – October) are now open with an optional 2-day extension to Delhi, India. To learn more or book, visit https://www.goaheadtours.com/guided-tours/bhutan-adventure.

**The Bhutan Government recently introduced a new $200/night Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) for all tourists to Bhutan. The cost of this fee is included within the total price of EF Go Ahead's Bhutan tour.