Kingdom of Bhutan Culture & Nature Tour

You will be received by our guide and driver at the Paro International Airport and then you will be on your way to the first adventure in the Kingdom of Bhutan.

Visit the National Museum housed in the 17th-century watchtower called Ta Dzong. The collection at the National Museum preserves a snapshot of the rich cultural traditions of the country.

From here, transfer to Thimphu (1.5-hours driving time). Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan and is home to approximately 115,000 residents. This bustling little city is the main centre of commerce, religion and government in the country.

On arrival in Thimphu, you will visit the majestic 169ft tall Buddha Dordhenma Statue at Kuensel Phodrang overlooking the Thimphu valley. If time permits, visit Weaving Center to get insights into the art of weaving which is an integral part of Bhutanese culture & tradition. You will see both men and women weaving unique Bhutanese textiles with intricate designs and patterns.

Leisure time in Thimphu town,

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to the northern outskirts of Thimphu and do the hike to one of the important religious center in Bhutan and spend the rest of the day in Thimphu.

Tango is located on the mountainside north of Thimphu. There is also a monastery called Cheri located on a mountain in the neighbourhood. Hiking to Tango is much easier as most part of the footpath is paved and the uphill ascent is not as steep. Following the trail through the forests, the walk uphill takes about 1.5-hours hour in a slow pace.

After the hike drive back to Thimphu for a traditional lunch at Folk Heritage Restaurant or a similar one.

After lunch, visit the National Institute of Traditional Arts & Crafts where you will see youth learning the 13 arts & crafts of Bhutan and then visit the nearby National Library of Bhutan. The National Library is considered as the national treasure and fundamental source of Bhutanese history, religion, medicine, arts and culture. Both the art school and the national library opens during working weekdays & on Saturdays 10am – noon.

From here, we drive to the Authentic Craft Bazaar along the main Thimphu street (only if you are interested). We then visit the Centenary Farmers’ Market to learn about the food preference and culture in Bhutanese society. Farmers from all over the country bring their farm produce to sell. The market opens from Friday – Sunday.

From here pass by the Changlimithang Archery Range to witness the game of archery if the match is in progress. You will see archers dancing and singing each time they hit the target from a whopping distance of 145 meters. Archery is the national sport of Bhutan.

Leisure time in Thimphu town.

After breakfast, drive to Punakha valley. (2.5-hours driving time) with few stops along the way.

At about 45 minutes drive from Thimphu en route, we stop briefly at Dochula, a sacred mountain pass at an elevation of 3150m and enjoy a grand view of some of the highest mountains of Bhutan on a clear day. Good opportunity for photos!

From here continue driving towards Punakha and gradually descend to a subtropical valley within an hour. Just about 11km before reaching Punakha town, visit the famous 15th century Chimi Lhakhang popularly known among tourists as “Temple of Fertility”. A gentle walk through the terraced rice fields and traditional farmhouses painted with phalluses will give you a unique experience. Walk and explore the village.

After lunch at a nearby hotel or a traditional homestay, drive to Punakha town and visit the masterpiece of Bhutanese architecture, the 17th century Punakha Dzong which displays fine Bhutanese arts and craftsmanship which continues to influence the Bhutanese architecture to this day. You will spend some time appreciating the intricate woodworks and sacred wall paintings. From here walk to Bhutan’s longest suspension bridge if interested.

If time permits, drive to Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Buddhist College for Nuns located on a quiet and peacefull hilltop overlooking partial Punakha Valley. You will have an opportunity to meet and mingle with nuns and spend some peaceful moment.

After breakfast, hike to the picturesque Khamsum Yuellay Namgyel Chorten on a peaceful hilltop and enjoy a nice view of fertile Punakha valley. After lunch transfer to Phobjikha valley and then venture out on Gangtey Nature Hike through the pristine valley.

Hike to Khamsum Yuellay Namgyel Chorten located on a serene hilltop overlooking the fertile Punakha valley with glacial fed Mochu river meandering through the valley. The hike leads through the terraced rice fields and and a short climb through pine trees before you reach a serene viewpoint. The round trip takes about 2-2.5 hours for most visitors. After visiting the sacred shorten, retrace your footstep back to the road head and drive back to town for lunch.

After lunch, transfer to Phobjikha valley in Gangtey (3-hours driving time). Phobjikha is a vast U-shaped glacial valley at an elevation of about 3,000m/9,840ft and is a winter home for endangered Black Necked Crane from November until they migrate back to Tibetan Plateau by the beginning of spring season. As part of the conservation effort, Phobjikha valley has been declared as a protected area.

Upon arrival in Phobjikha valley, you will go on an exciting Gangtey Nature Hike. The trail is about 5km and takes approximately 3 hours through the woods surrounded by splendid nature all around, wonderful meadows, beautiful traditional village houses, farm lands and crystalline streams. This short nature trail gives you a great feeling of the valley and understanding of the livelihood of the people living there. Lots of opportunities to take beautiful pictures!

After breakfast, visit one of the largest monasteries in Bhutan – Gangtey Goenpa and then you will be transferred back to Paro. En route, do a short hike to 18th-century monastery through the pristine forests.

The 17th-century Gangtey Monastery popularly known as Gangtey Goenpa is one of the largest monasteries in Bhutan and of course an important landmark in the valley. Gangtey literally means “Hilltop” and Goenpa “remote place” and is usually a place of religious significance. You will meet peace-loving monks studying Buddhist Philosophy.

We then start our journey back to Paro valley (4.5-5-hours driving time) Lunch will be served on the way, possibly at Dochula Pass.

From Dochulal Pass, if you are interested, we do a short easy hike to Tashigang Gonpa. This wonderful hiking takes you downhill through pristine forests of Juniper, Hemlock, blue pine among many others. It offers a great opportunity to photograph nature and landscapes. You'll also come across different species of birds along the trail. The hike downhill takes about an hour to reach the Gonpa and the best season to do this hike from October to June.

Tashigang Gonpa is a monastery located on top of a mountain below Dochula Pass. It was built in 1768 by the 12th Abbot of Bhutan, Je Kunga Jamtsho. The monastery houses priceless relics and several statues of past Abbots of Bhutan. Today, the monastery serves as a monastic school for dozens of monks. You'll have an opportunity to visit the monastery and get blessings.

The driver will be waiting here at the monastery. From here, continue driving to Paro which will take about 2 hours

Upon arrival in Paro and if time permits, visit one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, the 7th-century Kyichu Lhakhang which is believed to have been built overnight by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in the year 659 A.D.

Today after breakfast, you'll hike to the famous and one of the most sacred sites in Bhutan. Paro Taktsang or popularly known as "Tiger’s Nest" is built on the face of a sheer 800-meter rock cliff in Paro. The round-trip hiking normally takes about 4-5 hours for most visitors. You can hike at your own pace but we recommend you start early before the sun gets stronger.

The history of Taktsang is associated with the visit of Guru Padmasambhava (known as Guru Rinpoche), the Indian saint who came to Bhutan and introduced Tantric Buddhism in the 8th century AD. It is believed that Guru Padmasambhava flew into the cave from Kurtoe Khenpajong in eastern Bhutan, riding on a tigress. It is not only considered as one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in Bhutan but also “a must-visit” place for tourists.

Oneway horse riding is available on your way up to the mid-point (Taktsang Viewpoint Cafeteria) for a fee of about USD20 but the hike is best enjoyed on foot.

Lunch will be served at the Taktsang Viewpoint Cafeteria. After lunch, we retrace our footsteps back to the base and drive to Paro town where you will spend some leisure time.

Later, visit one of the beautiful farmhouses for an authentic home-cooked local cuisine. You can participate in preparing some popular local dishes. If interested in a relaxing home span, you can soak in a traditional hot stone bath believed to have therapeutic, revitalizing benefits for an additional fee of about $15 per person, as charged by the owner.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Paro International Airport depending on your flight departure time.