Beautiful Bhutan

Your adventure begins upon arrival at Paro airport (PBO) in Bhutan, where you’ll be transferred to your hotel in Thimphu, the capital city. You have some free time before heading out on an evening walk around Thimphu to get your bearings. 

After breakfast in the hotel, your day kicks off with a full cultural exploration of Thimphu – visit top attractions such as Zorig Chusum, a traditional arts and crafts training centre, the National Library, the Institute for Traditional Medicine and a textile weaving centre. After lunch, you’ll head up to Buddha Point, to see the Buddha Dordenma statue. This incredible structure, on top of a hill with panoramic views over the valley, is more than meets the eye – it contains 125,000 smaller Buddha statues, placed inside it. You’ll have free time after dinner to relax, or see more of Thimphu on your own terms. 

Following breakfast, you’ll set off into the Himalayas – your destination is Punakha, a town at the confluence of the Pho and Mo Chhu rivers. Along the way, you’ll stop at the Dochula Pass, where you can admire the dizzying views of the Himalayas. Here, you can also visit a unique temple with 108 stupas. After lunch, spend the afternoon hiking to Chimi Lhakhang, a historic temple associated with fertility. Return to Punakha for dinner together; the rest of the evening is free to spend as you wish.

Fuel up with breakfast this morning – you’ll need it, as most of this day is spent outdoors. Cross the swinging footbridge in Punakha, which may be the longest of its kind in the world. Next, visit Punakha Dzong – an impressive fortress that was once home to the government of Bhutan, back when Punakha was the capital. After lunch, you can hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, a beautiful stupa overlooking the Punakha valley. Alternatively, join in a heart-thumping river rafting trip. You’ll then reconvene with the group for dinner, with free time in the evening.

After breakfast in the hotel, say farewell to Punakha and get ready to travel back over the Dochula Pass to Paro. After a stop at the Royal Gardens, you have the option to cycle the rest of the way to Paro, about 50km (31mi), on the gradual descent. After lunch, the afternoon is yours to explore Paro at leisure. Dinner tonight is a real treat: you’ll eat at the only craft brewery in the Himalayas, where you can see the brewing setup. Stay on for another beer, or three, if you like. 

Start your day with breakfast, then head out into the mountains. Your first stop is Chelela Pass, the highest motorable road in Bhutan – with a soaring elevation of 3,900m (12,795ft). Explore the alpine pass, visit a nunnery and have a picnic lunch by the riverside. Next, visit a local farm house, where you can get a glimpse of how locals live in this mountainous region. For dinner, you’ll tuck into a traditional feast at a local family’s home – a quintessential Bhutanese experience.

Today is one of the most exciting days of the trip. After an early breakfast at the hotel, you’ll set off to hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery – an icon in Bhutan, and a symbol of the country itself. You’ll have time to explore this extraordinary place, before descending down with a stop for lunch en route. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to spend how you like – although after all that hiking, you might just want to go for a snooze back at the hotel. Regroup for your last dinner of the trip – then, perhaps, head back to the craft brewery for a final high-altitude brew.

After an early breakfast at the hotel, you’ll head to Paro airport (PBO), where you can exchange contact details with your new travel buddies before boarding your flight home.