Overview
Designed specifically for international education professionals, the Bhutan Educators’ Exchange by Gu-Mar Travels & Tours explores Bhutan’s unique “Educating for Gross National Happiness” pedagogical framework.
Educators meet with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, sit down with local school principals, and observe how values-based GNH concepts are integrated into daily public school curricula, school management, and student assessments.
Trip Highlights
- A seminar at the Ministry of Education and Skills Development on the national curriculum framework and policy indicators.
- A panel discussion with private and public school principals on values-based holistic education.
- Site visits to a Thimphu primary and secondary school — classroom dynamics, peer mediation and morning mindfulness.
- A rural community school visit in Punakha and a round-table seminar with regional teachers.
- A study visit to a technical and vocational training institute on skills matching for youth employment.
- A Tiger’s Nest cultural field study, a farewell dinner and a traditional hot stone bath.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Meet your guide at Paro Airport and transfer 1.5 hours to Thimphu. Hold an evening briefing session to trace the historical timeline of modern education in Bhutan from monastic roots to public systems.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Thimphu
Morning seminar at the Ministry of Education and Skills Development to review the national curriculum framework and policy indicators. In the afternoon, host a panel discussion with local private and public school principals regarding values-based holistic education.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Thimphu
Spend the day visiting a public primary school and a prominent secondary school in Thimphu. Observe active classroom dynamics, peer mediation programs, and daily morning mindfulness sessions, collecting field insights for comparative pedagogy.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Thimphu
Drive 3 hours over Dochula Pass to Punakha. Visit a rural community school to observe how regional educators adapt centralized learning materials to agrarian realities and seasonal harvesting cycles. Visit Chimi Lhakhang in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Punakha
Tour the magnificent Punakha Dzong in the morning. In the afternoon, host a collaborative round-table seminar with regional teachers to exchange ideas on professional development, classroom management, and student well-being models.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Punakha
Return drive to Paro Valley (4.5 hours). Visit a technical and vocational training institute to analyze how Bhutan manages vocational education and skills matching for youth employment. Enjoy a relaxed evening walk through Paro town.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Paro
Hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery to experience the spiritual core of the country’s heritage and analyze how history is communicated to global visitors. Celebrate the conclusion of the professional exchange with a farewell dinner and traditional hot stone bath.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Paro
After breakfast, your guide and driver will transfer the entire educator delegation to Paro International Airport for your outbound flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Inclusions & Exclusions
What’s Included
- Institutional Clearances: Full coordination and processing of academic permits, institutional clearance letters, and school-to-school bilateral memorandum fees.
- Academic Facilitation: Honorariums for guest lecturers, university professors, GNH researchers, and community elders hosting seminars.
- Accommodation: Twin/triple-sharing rooms in government-certified 3-star tourist hotels or vetted school dormitories/heritage homestays for deep immersion.
- Dedicated Transportation: Private ground transfers in a spacious coaster bus or mini-bus driven by an experienced highway captain.
- Academic Liaison Guide: Accompanied full-time by a senior licensed English-speaking guide specializing in socio-cultural education and student group dynamics.
- All-Inclusive Field Dining: Three nutritious daily meals featuring a balance of local Bhutanese dishes and continental options suitable for student groups.
- Mandatory Government Dues: Full integration of the daily Sustainable Development Fee (SDF), national royalties, and monument entry permits.
- Hydration: Daily bottled water supplied during all educational transfers and field excursions.
What’s Not Included
- Airfare: International or regional air tickets to and from Paro International Airport.
- Visa Processing: The mandatory official Bhutan Tourist Visa processing fee ($40 USD per applicant).
- Personal Expenditures: Laundry, personal phone data, souvenirs, and snacks outside the curated group menu.
- Insurance: Mandatory international group travel, medical, and emergency evacuation insurance.
- Gratuities: Discretionary tips for the guiding team, drivers, and campus kitchen staff.
Good to Know
- Academic Customization: Itinerary durations are highly modular (ranging from 7 to 21 days). Gu-Mar can scale elements up or down based on your institution’s specific curriculum requirements or research field mapping.
- Bilateral Protocols: Vetted school interactions require a formal dress code (modest attire covering shoulders and knees; collars preferred). Visiting students are encouraged to bring a small cultural presentation or institutional token to exchange with their hosts.
- Regulatory Clearance: Academic permissions take a minimum of 8–10 weeks to process through ministerial channels. All student rosters and research abstract proposals must be submitted to Gu-Mar well in advance.