Essence of Bhutan Tour

Welcome to the Kingdom of Bhutan. After clearing customs and visa areas in Paro Airport, you will be met by your driver and a guide. A short drive along the valley road takes you to Thimphu. See traditional Bhutanese homes, hillside monasteries and chortens along the way.

Reach Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. With the population of about 100,000 people and not much vehicles plying on its roads, Thimphu is also the only capital in the world without traffic lights. Visit a handicraft emporium in the evening. See different types of Bhutanese handicrafts being sold.

Start your day after the breakfast with a trip to the National Memorial Chorten, built to honor the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. Explore the Folk Heritage Museum, which is dedicated to connecting Bhutan's past with its present through different items and artefacts that are exhibited. Head for the Bhutan Textile Museum next and learn more about traditional Bhutanese fabrics and weaving methods.

Enjoy your lunch at a restaurant in Thimphu and drive to Punakha after that. After leaving Thimphu, the road climbs uphill through forests of pine and cedar trees festooned with lichens all the way to the Dochula Pass (3,050 m). This pass is a good place to see the Himalayas from, if the weather is good.

Descend down a series of hairpin bends to the fertile valley of Punakha and check in at your hotel. Visit Punakha Dzong, the winter seat of Je Khenpo (the chief abbot of Bhutan) and the Central Monk Body of Bhutan. This dzong is located between Mo Chu (Female) and Pho Chu (Male) rivers. Have dinner and stay overnight at your hotel in Punakha.

Head for the central valleys of Bhutan early in the morning. The drive to Bumthang via Trongsa takes approximately seven hours and passes through Pele La (3,300m) and Yotongla (3,400 m) passes.

Drive past Wangdue, one of the major towns that is also the district headquarters of Western Bhutan. Take a short stop to see Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, dramatically located on the spur of a hill at the confluence of Tsang Chu and Dang Chu rivers. Climb steadily through semi-tropical vegetation to reach the Pelela Pass (3,300m). Notice how the climate changes from semi-tropical to alpine. This pass is traditionally considered the boundary between the western and the eastern Bhutan. You might be able to see the Himalayas, including Mount Jhomulhari (7,314 m), from the pass if the weather is clear.

Visit the impressive Trongsa Dzong, the ancestral home of Bhutan's ruling dynasty. Drive to the Bumthang Valley, described as one of the most beautiful places in the Himalayas. Reach the valley after crossing the Yotongla Pass (3,400 m).

Time to explore one of the most spectacular valleys in Bhutan that also is the heartland of the country's Bhuddhist traditions. Start by visiting Jambay Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan that was built in the 7th century. Your next destination is Kurjey Lhakhang, where Guru Rimpoche subdued a local demon and left the imprint of his body on a rock surface. Hike up a hill to visit Tamshing Monastery, one of the oldest monastic schools in the country that was built by Tertons Pema Lingpa.

Have lunch and start your walk to the Thangbi Valley. Cross a suspension bridge and visit Thangbi Lhakhang, built in the 14th century. Visit Jakar Dzong, the seat of the district administration, on your way back to the hotel. Take a stroll in Chamkhar in the evening. Stay overnight in Bumthang.

Catch your flight back to Paro after breakfast. Upon reaching Paro, you can either rest in your hotel or go out and explore the city.

Drive through a winding road to reach Drukgyal Dzong after breakfast. The fortress helped the Bhutanese people repeal Tibetan invasions in the past. Travel to Ramthangkha, all the way to the point where the road ends, and start climbing your way up to the famous Taktsang Monastery ( popularly known as Tiger’s Nest), which is located at an altitude of 2,950m above the sea level.

Enjoy a stunning view of the monastery where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have landed on the back of a tigress in the 8th century from a viewing platform. You can hike all the way to the monastery if you want to.

Go for a lunch after you are done visiting the monastery. Visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, before driving back to the city. Your destinations for the afternoon include the National Museum of Bhutan, which is located inside a Ta Dzong (watchtower); and Paro Rinpung Dzong, built in the 17th century to defend the valley against Tibetan invaders. Paro Rinpung Dzong is now used as an administration center and a school for monks.

Take an evening stroll through downtown Paro. Stay overnight in the city.

Prepare for your departure. We will drive you to Paro International Airport at an appropriate time and bid you farewell there.