Fixed departure 6 nights / 7 days Bhutan tour
Fixed departure 6 nights / 7 days Bhutan tour 2024 / 2025 with hike to the Tiger’s nest monastery. Places visited are Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Wangdue Phodrang, Gangtey / Phobjikha valley.
Hotel category: 3 star hotels.
Price per person: US $ 1590 on twin sharing basis.
Single room supplement (Extra): US $ 240.
Total duration: 6 nights / 7 days tour.
Fixed departure 6 night / 7 days Bhutan tour 2024 / 2025 - Highlights:
- Scenic landscapes.
- Ancient temples, monasteries and magnificent dzongs (Forts).
- Museums and government institutions.
- Meet local people.
- Visit beautiful Bhutanese farm house.
Fixed departure 6 night / 7 days Bhutan tour 2024 / 2025 - Detailed.
Day 1. Arrive Paro – Thimphu sightseeing (54 km, 1 hour. drive):
Meet and greet at the airport and drive to Thimphu. A short stop on the way to view Tamchog monastery.
- This monastery was built in the 15th century by Thang Tong Gyalpo, popularly known as “The iron bridge builder”. He built 108 bridges across Tibet and Bhutan, out of which eight were built in Bhutan.
While in Thimphu, visit to:
- National textile museum.
After lunch, visit to:
- Simply Bhutan museum for wine tasting Ara, Bhutanese cultural show and visit folk museum.
- Painting school (School of 13 arts & crafts).
- National library which holds a huge collection of ancient texts and manuscripts.
- Craft bazaar where you can buy Bhutanese handicrafts and art works.
In the evening, visit to Tashichho dzong, seat of the national government and the central monastic body.
Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Day 2. Thimphu sightseeing:
- National memorial chorten built in honor of the third King of Bhutan, late His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
- Tallest statue of sitting Buddha in the world (51.5 meters) at Kuensel Phodrang.
- Takin preserve center: Takin – A queer looking animal believed to be a mix of goat and a cow and has baffled the zoologists. The Bhutanese believe that this animal was created by Lama Drukpa Kuenley (The divine madman).
- Sangaygang view point – Walk across the field of prayer flags.
- Changangkha monastery, the oldest temple in Thimphu valley built in the 13th century by a Tibetan monk, Phajo Drugom Shigpo.
- Dupthob nunnery, one of the few surviving nunneries in Bhutan.
After lunch, visit to:
- National postal museum where you can print your pictures on the official Bhutanese stamps.
- Simtokha dzong built in 1628 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel.
- Weekend market (Centenary farmers’ market).
- Witness archery match.
Day 3. Thimphu – Wangdue Phodrang – Gangtey (140 Km, 4 ½ hours drive):
After EARLY BREAKFAST, drive to Gangtey / Phobjikha. A short stop on the way to explore the beautiful Dochu la pass (3140 m) with 108 stupas. If the weather is clear, you can also view the panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges.
On the way, we take a visit to the Wangdue Phodrang dzong built in 1638 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.
Note: Upper part of the valley is called Gangtey and lower part is called Phobjikha.
While in Gangtey, visit the Gangtey monastery.
- This monastery was built in 1613 by Gyaltse Pema Thinley, the grandson and mind reincarnation of Pema Lingpa. The present abbot, Kunzang Pema Namgyal is the ninth re-incarnation.
Then visit the black-necked crane information center.
After lunch, hike the Gangtey nature trail (4 Km, 2 hours). You can see the beautiful view of Phobjikha valley below.
In the evening, explore Phobjikha valley (Altitude 3000 m). The most beautiful glacial valley in the Himalayas and the roosting ground of the rare black-necked cranes in winter.
Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Day 4. Gangtey – Punakha sightseeing (73 Km, 2 hours drive):
After breakfast, drive to Punakha & visit Chimi lhakhang monastery:
- Built in 1499 by Lama Drukpa Kuenley, popularly known as “The divine madman”. The temple is also called “The temple of fertility”. He travelled throughout Bhutan and Tibet as a “Neljorpa” (Yogi) using songs, humor and outrageous behavior to dramatize his teachings of salvation through sex.
After lunch, visit magnificent Punakha dzong.
- This dzong was built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. Punakha is the winter residence of Je Khenpo (The chief abbot of Bhutan). Punakha is also an ancient capital of Bhutan until the rule of the second king of Bhutan. The first national assembly of Bhutan was convened here in 1957.
Then hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Choling monastery.
- This monastery was built in 2004 by Her Majesty the Queen Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck and it overlooks Punakha valley. Perched high on a hill on the bank of the river, the chorten houses paintings belonging to Nyingmapa traditions. This monastery was built for the world peace and long life of His Majesty the King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
In the evening, walk the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan (160 meters).
- This bridge is considered the longest of its kind in Bhutan and connects the two sides of the Pho chu river. You will get a great view of the river, valley, temple and a good boost of adrenaline as well.
Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Day 5. Punakha – Paro sightseeing (128 km. 4 hours drive):
In the morning, drive to Paro via Dochu la pass (3140 m). We occasionally stop on the way to take pictures.
Lunch in a typical Bhutanese farm house.
In the afternoon, visit to:
- Dungtse lhakhang built in the 15th century by Thang Tong Gyalpo.
- Ta dzong built in 1649, an ancient watch tower which now houses the national museum of Bhutan.
- Rinpung dzong built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The dzong presently functions as the administrative centre of Paro district.
In the evening, free to stroll in the town for shopping and photography.
Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Day 6. Paro sightseeing - Hike to the Tiger’s nest monastery:
In the morning, drive to Satsam chorten and hike to the Tiger’s nest monastery (4 – 5 hours walk up & down).
- The primary monastery was built around Guru Rinpoche’s meditation cave in the 1684 by the Penlop (Governor) of Paro Gyaltse Tenzin Rabgay. This incredible monastery clings to the edge of a sheer rock cliff that plunges 900 meters into the valley below. Legend has it that Guru Padma Sambhava, the tantric mystic who brought Buddhism to Bhutan flew here on the back of a flying tigress, Dorji Drolo, said to be his favorite consort.
NB: You can hang prayer flags near the Tiger’s nest monastery and offer prayers inside the monastery.
In the afternoon, visit to:
- Drugyel dzong built in 1647 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. This dzong served as the defense post against the Tibetan invasion in ancient days. It was destroyed by an accidental fire and is now under repair.
- Kichu lhakhang built in 659 A.D by the Tibetan King Srongtsen Gampo. He built 108 temples in a single day to pin the ogress to the earth forever and at the same time, convert the Tibetan people to Buddhism. Six of these temples lie in Bhutan; most prominent of them are Jambay lhakhang in Bumthang and Kichu lhakhang in Paro.
In the evening, free to stroll in the town for shopping and photography.
Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Day 7. Paro – Departure:
After breakfast, drive to the airport and farewell.
Trip Cost Includes:
- All meals [breakfast / lunch / dinner and evening tea].
- Accommodation [twin / double sharing basis]. Single room supplement is extra.
- All transportation within the country including airport transfers.
- Sustainable development fee (SDF).
- Bhutan visa fee.
- English speaking local guide.
- Sightseeing.
- Bottled water through out the tour.
Trip Cost Excludes:
- Entrance fees for museums and monuments.
- Drukair / Bhutan Airlines fares.
- Travel insurance premiums.
- Payments for service provided on a personal basis.
- Cost for any services not mentioned in the “Cost Include head”.
- Cost incurred due to mishaps, strikes, political unrest etc.
- Personal expenses such as laundry, soft drinks, camera charges, incidentals, portage, bellboy charges, tips or any other services.
- Hot stone bath.
- Cycling around Paro valley.
- Practice archery.
- Bhutanese cooking class.
- Bhutanese cultural show featuring various mask dances and folk dances.
- Talk on Gross National Happiness / Buddhism.
- Consulting an astrologer.
- Practice dart.
- Performing religious ceremony.
- Marriage ceremonies.
Bhutan tour cancellation policy.
The Bhutan trip cancellation policy approved by the Department of Tourism, Royal Government of Bhutan is below:
(1) No charge if cancelled within 45 days of the start of the tour programme;
(2) Charge 20% of the tour payment if cancelled within 30 days of the start of the tour programme;
(3) Charge 30% of the tour payment if cancelled within 21 days of the start of the tour program;
(4) Charge 50% of the tour payment if cancelled within 14 days of the start of the tour programme and
(5) Charge 100% of the tour payment charge if cancelled within 7 days or after the arrival in Bhutan.
Fixed departure 6 night / 7 days Bhutan tour 2024 / 2025 - Photo gallery
