OVERVIEW

May 6-16, 2025

Are you interested in one-of-a-kind adventure and want to come exploring and trekking with a group of creative photographers through some of the most spectacular cultural locations and scenery that the Himalaya have to offer? Join OFFBEAT as we run our "Karma Kingdom" 11-day, 10-night trip into mysterious and always-beautiful Bhutan in May 2025. Come experience mountain beauty, nature, forests, wilderness, spirits, temples, a wide range of flora and fauna, yaks, night skies, and incredible culture.

* As per our Terms and Conditions, OFFBEAT reserves the right to change, at any time, the tour leader of any workshop.

Itinerary (subject to change (and most likely will) prior to or during the workshop:

Day 1 (May 4). Arrive  in Paro, flying as a group from Bangkok, Thailand (which is the meeting point for the beginning of our time together).

Day 2.  Acclimatize hike to Taksang monastery

Day 3. Drive to Shana and trek to Thangthanka

Day 4. Trek to Jangothang (Jhomolhari base camp)

Day 5.   Rest/side-hike day at base camp.

Day 6.  Trek to Yaksa crossing Bontela pass

Day 7.  Trek to Thongbu

Day 8. Trek to Shana and drive to Thimphu

Day 9. Punakha halt

Day 10.Retrace back to Paro

Day 11. Departure

 PRICE AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE 

Cost: CAD $11,500.00

Payment options: Full payment or CAD $1500 non-refundable deposit to secure a space with balance paid in instalments prior to January 15, 2025.

If you choose the deposit option + instalments, your payment schedule will be as follows (after initial deposit):

• $2500 (due by March 30, 2024)
• $2500 (due by August 30, 2024)
• $2500 (due by Nov 30, 2024)
• $2500 (due by Feb 28, 2025)

 THE FINER DETAILS 

Registration fees include:

• your trip is all-inclusive during workshop dates from start point (flight into Bhutan from Thailand until arrival back in Thailand) including meals (excluding alcohol), all in-country transportation in Bhutan, and accommodations (lodges + camping.  Each participant will receive SOLO accommodation.
• round-trip flights from Bangkok, Thailand to Paro, Bhutan
• daily photography instruction

Not included in registration fees: 

• airfare to/from Bangkok, Thailand from your home country.
• accommodation or transportation in Bangkok, Thailand.
• personal expenses including alcohol.
• required travel insurance.

 OTHER NOTES AND CONSIDERATIONS 

Now, this is an adventure like none other that OFFBEAT has offered before - to a country that isn't as easy to travel to or through as other countries (which is also part of its appeal) - so we want to be clear about this incredible adventure to make sure it's the right fit for you before you consider signing up.

- for starters, this is one of the only OFFBEAT adventures that is primarily hiking/trekking. This 11-day, 10-night workshop (May 10-20, 2025 official dates) will see our group spend roughly 2.5 days first drive-touring +hiking to one of Bhutan's most spectacular sites (the famed "Tiger's Nest" monastery - Paro Taktsang - a spectacular Himalayan Buddhist temple on the cliffside of the upper Paro valley). We will spend 8 days completely off-the-grid from the regular world (note:  this means self-sufficient camping and almost entirely out of "cell" range/connection to outside world although we will have communications for emergency purposes only), trekking through some of the most incredible scenery the Himalaya have to offer, and doing a major portion of what's known as the Jumolhari Trek.

- The event starting point will be Bangkok, Thailand from where participants will fly to Paro, Bhutan on the departure day.  Participants will need to be in Bangkok and ready to fly on that morning so it is advisable to arrive in Thailand a little earlier to guard against delays and allow some recovery from jet lag.

- This workshop is primarily trekking/hiking and requires participants to be able to travel primarily under their own power, at elevation, covering distances of up anywhere from 8 to 20KM daily (note: at a slow pace).  Some portions of the hike can be classified as "moderate-to-difficult". You do not need to be a technical mountaineer by any means to sign up for this but you DO need to be adventurous, and realize that this trip is not about creature comforts (although our guides will make sure it's still relatively comfortable).

- As mentioned, this will be a workshop that has altitude! Now, altitude impacts everyone a different way. You can be the fittest person on earth and altitude can impact you in ways you don't expect. You're not in a "high Everest" danger zone but you're up there during portions of this trek for sure...we and our team of guides will do everything to return you safely to a lower level should you're negatively impacted and feel you can't go on. 

- this is a trek unlike Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal, which has pretty established tourist facilities (but also thousands and thousands and thousands of trekkers...it's become the "Iceland of trekking" and can be a bit overwhelming). The beauty of this adventure is we will have most of the areas of the country that we explore to ourselves...but with that comes far less tourist facilities. Our group will be self-sufficient and will camp each night on the trek portion (hotels/lodges for the initial days and touring). We will be with a team of experienced Bhutan local guides who will set up our camp each night (we will stay in a series of single-person tents).  NOTE: our guides will set up nice raised pads and your sleeping bags and will deliver tea right to your door each morning.

- we will have horses! Yes, horses will carry the camping stuff, all our food, etc. And your bigger bags. You'll be just expected to carry your own day bag, including camera equipment and water and snacks.

 INSTRUCTORS

About Paul Zizka

Specializing in photographing in difficult conditions and hard-to-reach places, Paul has a passion for shooting alpine sports and backcountry experiences, capturing the spirit of adventurers and finding unusual angles of common mountain subjects. As a landscape photographer, he particularly enjoys the challenge of capturing nature’s beauty at night and the unique features that come with a dark sky – stars, Northern Lights and dramatic silhouettes.

Paul’s award-winning photos have been featured in a variety of publications, including IMPACT, Alpinist, Canadian Geographic, Islands, PhotoLife, Fodors.com and explore magazine. In addition to his work for a number of clients, over the past few years Paul has created a signature collection of images for Banff Lake Louise Tourism, which are used to promote Banff National Park throughout the world.

In the Canadian Rockies, Paul has hiked extensively in the backcountry and photographed from the summits of countless peaks. His adventures abroad include a 1400-km unsupported double-crossing of Iceland on foot (2004), which is believed to be the first of its kind, and a 1488-km solo crossing of the South Island of New Zealand (2007). Recent travels have taken him backpacking in the Caribbean, exploring tiny insular nations of the Pacific, trekking in remote corners of Scandinavia and Nepal, and ski touring on Baffin Island.

About Kris Andres

Based at the doorstep of the Canadian Rockies in Calgary, Alberta, Kristopher considers the mountains (along with everywhere he travels) to be his second home. Kris is always up for endless adventures with a smile—no matter how "atmospheric" the conditions are. He will be overly excited in almost everything he does in life, capturing each story with the click of a shutter, in any and all genres—from adventure to landscapes to portraiture to food and more! When he’s not out creating, Kris is a full-time yogi working to refine himself every day. 

 CANCELLATION  INSURANCE POLICY 

CANCELLATION: Spots are non-refundable but are transferable, with the exception of a $250 administration fee.  For instance, we will provide a refund, minus the administration fee, if the participant is able to find someone else to take his or her spot and can sell/transfer the spot to a new participant. Please contact us at sales@offbeatphoto.ca to make arrangements.

Although extremely unlikely, OFFBEAT Photography Inc. reserves the right to cancel the tour at any time for a variety of reasons (i.e. if a minimum number of participants is not met or if unforeseen circumstances dramatically impacted cost of the tour or global conditions somehow warranted a cancellation). In the very unlikely event of a cancellation within OFFBEAT’s control, all monies/deposits made to OFFBEAT Photography Inc. would be refunded to participants, however, no compensation would be made for participant flight cancellation fees or any other associated travel costs. See Insurance Policy for more details.In the very unlikely event of a cancellation beyond OFFBEAT’s control (I.e global situation, act of God, war, medical outbreak, extreme weather, pandemic), every attempt would be made to rebook the tour within a period of two years. In this situation, no refunds would be given but every effort made to find participants a spot on the rescheduled tour or another upcoming OFFBEAT tour.

 INSURANCE  

It is not only advised but required that workshop participants have trip cancellation/interruption insurance, as well as emergency medical/illness insurance and rescue coverage (proof required within 4 months of departure).

Weather and other unforeseen factors can cause delays in travel, particularly from some of our more remote locations. It is the participant’s responsibility to cover any costs in the case of a travel delay of any length. Please ensure your trip cancellation/interruption insurance accommodates this possibility.

 OFFBEAT TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

Please take the time to review OFFBEAT’s Terms and Conditions, including our Cancellation Policies. You are required to agree to these in order to confirm your registration. Effective June 16, 2022.

For any additional questions, please contact us at workshops@offbeatphoto.ca