Handpicked Bhutan 8N/9D Package

Arrive at the Paro airport and transfer to Thimphu. Once a scattering of hillside hamlets, Thimphu became Bhutan's capital in 1961 and it remains the only capital city in the world with no traffic lights!

Spend a whole day exploring the city, taking time to admire the magnificent fortress of Tashichho Dzong and the beautifully ornate Changangkha Lhakhang Temple. Enjoy an overview of the traditional Bhutanese rural lifestyle at the Folk and Heritage Museum.

Enjoy a scenic drive past forests of fir, rhododendron and hemlock to Punakha. On a clear day, you'll also be able to take in incredible views of the snow-capped Himalayas. Visit the Punakha Dzong with its grand, pagoda roofed towers and idyllic location surrounded by purple blossomed Jacaranda trees and mountains. 

Embark on a short, scenic hike through rice fields and tiny villages to the Chimi Lhakhang. Perched on a grassy hillock and surrounded by ornate prayer wheels and slate carvings, this unique monastery is a place of pilgrimage for childless women. Continue to the beautiful Phubjikha Valley by car, stopping overnight in the village of Gangtey.

Today we cross three Himalayan passes before reaching the sacred Bumthang Valley. The route traverses highland pastures, full of yaks, rolling hills and forests of pine and oak trees. The valley is supposed to be shaped like a bumpa, the vessel of holy water that is usually found on the altar of a lhakhang. Thang means 'field' or 'flat place'. The less respectful translation relates to the particularly beautiful women who live here – bum means 'girl'.

The Bumthang region encompasses four major valleys: Chokhor, Tang, Ura and Chhume. Because the dzongs and the most important temples are in the large Chokhor valley, it is commonly referred to as the Bumthang valley. Today you’ll visit the Jambay Temple one of the oldest temples in Bhutan and Kurje, a 17th century temple.

Fly from the Bumthang Valley to Paro. The charming town of Paro lies on the banks of the Paro (or Pa) Chhu, just a short distance northwest of the imposing Paro Dzong. The main street, only built in 1985, is lined with colourfully painted wooden shop fronts and restaurants.

One of the most amazing and important pieces of architecture in Bhutan is Taktsang Goemba, or Tiger’s Nest Monastery. It is the most famous of Bhutan's monasteries, perched on the side of a cliff 900m above the floor of Paro valley, where the only sounds are the murmurs of wind and water and the chanting of monks. Later in the day, wind your way through pine forests high above Uma Paro to the fortress-like monastery of Zurig Dzong.

Transfer to the Paro airport where your journey ends.