The Spirit of Bhutan: A Himalayan Journey

• Arrive into Paro Valley, where you will be welcomed and receive a private transfer to Thimphu, Bhutan's vibrant capital. The hour-long drive passes through beautiful landscapes and offers your first glimpses of Bhutanese culture and daily life.
• After lunch, visit the Buddha Dordenma, one of the world’s largest seated Buddha statues, towering 51.5 m above the valley. Enjoy panoramic views over Thimphu before taking a peaceful forest walk back toward town.
• Discover the Institute for Zorig Chusum (School of 13 Arts & Crafts), where students train in Bhutan’s traditional artistic disciplines, from painting and wood carving to embroidery and sculpture.
• Conclude at the majestic Tashichhodzong, the “Fortress of the Glorious Religion,” a grand riverside complex that serves as both the administrative and religious heart of Bhutan, especially striking in the golden afternoon light.

Accommodation: Hotel of choice

Included Meals: Lunch & Dinner

• Begin the morning at Changangkha Lhakhang, a revered 12th-century temple perched on a ridge above Thimphu Valley, where locals come to seek blessings for their children and sweeping views set a peaceful tone for the day.
• Continue to the Memorial Chorten, joining residents in their daily spiritual ritual as they circle the stupa, spin prayer wheels, and chant mantras.
• Visit Drubthob Lhakhang, a tranquil nunnery overlooking the city, offering both a serene atmosphere and captivating panoramic views.
• Stop at the Indigenous Medicine Centre for an introduction to Bhutan’s traditional healing practices, a time-honored system of medicine still practiced today.
• Pause for a relaxed lunch at a local restaurant in town during the day’s sightseeing.
• Explore Thimphu’s lively vegetable market along the banks of the Wang Chhu River, where farmers gather to sell fresh, often organic produce and local specialties such as red rice, chilies, wild mushrooms, fiddlehead ferns, herbs, and dried yak cheese.
• Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure — relax at your hotel, wander the town, visit a café, or take a gentle stroll through the city centre.

Accommodation: Hotel of choice

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Depart Thimphu and drive through forested mountains to the scenic Dochula Pass (3,100 m), where 108 whitewashed chortens and Himalayan views await on clear days.
• Descend into the warmer Punakha Valley (1,250 m), where rice terraces and the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers frame the elegant Punakha Dzong.
• Enjoy a home-cooked Bhutanese lunch at a local farmhouse, offering an authentic taste of Bhutanese hospitality.
• In the afternoon, walk through farmland and villages to Chimi Lhakhang, the revered Temple of the Divine Madman, set on a gentle hill overlooking the valley.

Accommodation: Hotel of choice

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Drive a short distance to Yambesa before beginning a scenic hike through rice paddies, traditional farmhouses, and lush countryside toward Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten.
• After around 40 minutes, reach the beautifully ornate hilltop chorten, built by the Queen Mother to bring peace and protection to Bhutan, offering sweeping views over the Punakha Valley and Mo Chhu River.
• Descend either along the same trail back to the vehicle or continue on a longer scenic route through woodland and riverside paths returning to Punakha (approx. 3 hours total hiking).
• Visit the magnificent Punakha Dzong, Bhutan’s most beautiful fortress, dramatically set at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers.
• Enjoy a scenic picnic lunch by the riverside during the day’s explorations.
• End the day at Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Temple and Nunnery, arriving in time for the peaceful evening prayers overlooking the valley.

Accommodation: Hotel of choice

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Depart Punakha for a scenic drive to Wangdue Phodrang, a small but historically significant town known for its strategic location and impressive hilltop dzong.
• Continue onward into the Gangtey region (2,900 m), also known as Phobjikha — a serene glacial valley of pine forests, yak pastures, and sweeping landscapes nestled within the Black Mountains. The valley is also the winter home of the endangered Black-Necked Cranes.
• After arriving and enjoying lunch at your hotel, set out on a gentle 2-hour Nature Trail walk through forests and meadows, offering beautiful views across the valley.
• Visit the historic Gangtey Monastery (Gangtey Gompa), a 450-year-old spiritual center and home to around 100 monks, perched on a ridge overlooking the valley.

Accommodation: Hotel of choice

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Depart Gangtey and climb through forested slopes to Pele La Pass (3,420 m), traditionally marking the boundary between western and central Bhutan, before descending through hills covered in dwarf bamboo—an area where yaks are often seen grazing.
• Stop at Chendebji Village to visit the distinctive 18th-century Chendebji Chorten, a Nepalese-style stupa built to subdue a local spirit and marked by painted eyes facing the four directions.
• Continue to the historic town of Trongsa (2,180 m), once the power base for the unification of Bhutan. Visit the dramatic Trongsa Dzong, the country’s largest fortress, and nearby Ta Dzong, a former watchtower now housing a museum of royal artifacts.
• After lunch in Trongsa, journey east across Yutong La Pass (3,400 m) and descend through dense conifer forests into the Chumey Valley, known for its traditional weaving and wool production.
• Cross Kiki La Pass (2,860 m) before descending into the beautiful Chokhor Valley and the peaceful town of Bumthang (2,580 m).
• In the afternoon, visit Jakar Dzong, an important fortress overlooking the valley, and the sacred Kurje Monastery, believed to mark the meditation site of Guru Padmasambhava.

Accommodation: Hotel of choice

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Begin the morning at Jambey Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest temples, built in the 7th century by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo as part of a network of sacred temples across the Himalayas.
• Cross the river to visit Tamshing Lhakhang, an important monastery known for its ancient religious paintings and deep spiritual heritage.
• Spend the day exploring Bumthang and its surrounding villages, gaining insight into the region’s traditional lifestyle, culture, and rural rhythms.
• Visit local farms and a nearby brewery to sample regional specialties such as cheese, wheat-based beer, and fruit wines made from locally grown produce.
• Optional: Take a scenic excursion to the remote Ura Valley (3,000 m), a beautiful highland village surrounded by forests and fields, known for its rich folklore and deep spiritual history.
• End the day with a traditional Bhutanese hot stone bath, a centuries-old wellness ritual using fire-heated river stones to warm mineral-rich water for a deeply relaxing and restorative experience.

Accommodation: Hotel of choice

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Take a short domestic flight across Bhutan, enjoying spectacular aerial views of rugged mountains, forested hills, deep valleys, and snow-capped Himalayan peaks on clear days.
• After arriving and settling into your hotel, enjoy a relaxed lunch in town before spending the afternoon at leisure.
• Optional: Visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest and most sacred temples, built in the 7th century by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo as part of a network of temples established to spread Buddhism.
• Later, stop by one of Paro’s archery fields to watch locals practicing Bhutan’s national sport—a lively display of skill, tradition, and community spirit.

Accommodation: Hotel of choice

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Set out in the morning for the iconic Taktsang Monastery, famously known as Tiger’s Nest, one of Bhutan’s most sacred pilgrimage sites.
• Hike uphill for around two hours through pine forests, rewarded with spectacular views as the monastery appears dramatically perched on a cliff 900 m above the Paro Valley.
• According to legend, Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) flew here on the back of a tigress in the 8th century and meditated in a cave, leading to the monastery’s construction in 1684.
• After exploring the monastery and taking in the serene surroundings, descend along the same trail back to the valley.
• Head into Paro town for lunch, followed by free time to wander its charming streets, browse traditional handicrafts and textiles, or relax in a café while soaking up the town’s peaceful atmosphere.

Accommodation: Hotel of choice

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• A private transfer will take you to the airport for your return international flight (approx. 3hrs before departure)

Included Meals: Breakfast