Essential Bhutan 7-day Tour

Essential Bhutan 7-day Tour

With this tour, you'll be covering Bhutan's 3 most popular cities within just 1 week: Paro, Thimphu and Punakha. Knowing that the country is a unique once-in-a-lifetime destination for most, our tours are available not just for families, couples, but even solo travellers too. All signups are matched to a one-guide per tour ratio (even if it's just one traveller), not to be combined with other groups at any point of stay. This explains the freedom to be flexible on this trip of a lifetime – time and weather permitting and to the final professional discretion of your guide. Female guides are also available on request.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival In Paro, Bhutan

Stop At: Tashichho Dzong (Thimpu Dzong), Chhagchhen Lam, Thimphu Bhutan
The Thimphu Tashichho Dzong is a fortress and Buddhist monastery with a distinctive Bhutanese architectural design. Sitting aside the Wang Chhu (river), it is the current seat of the Druk Desi, the head of the civil government, and houses the offices of the current king.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Centenary Farmers Market, Main Town, Near the Wangchhu River, Thimphu Bhutan
On the weekends, Centenary Farmers’ Market is where farmers come to sell their vegetables, cheeses, grains, and the occasional yak leg. Across the street is the Kundeyling Baazam where you can bargain for local handicrafts, such as mala beads and prayer wheels.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Buddha Dordenma, Kuensel Phodrang Viewing Point, Thimphu 11001 Bhutan
We will take a scenic drive up to Buddha Point in the Kuenselphodrang Nature Park to see the 169-foot-tall bronze statue of the seated Buddha Dordenma. One of the largest sitting Buddha statues in the world, it sits atop a hill where you will see sweeping views of the valley and surrounding mountains.
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Namgay Heritage/Khang Residency/Osel Hotel, all are 3-star hotels

Day 2: Tour Of Thimphu

Stop At: Simply Bhutan Museum, Genyen Lam, Thimphu Bhutan
Simply Bhutan Project is a living museum and a photo studio. The project is aimed at preservation and promotion of culture being one of the four pillars of Gross National Happiness (GNH) by involving youth as the core group because they are the future leaders of the country.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: National Textile Museum, Norzin Lam, Near the National Library of Bhutan, Thimphu Bhutan
Weaving is considered the national art of Bhutan, so at The National Textile Museum, you will learn all about the brightly colored and beautifully designed fabrics that are worn by the Bhutanese people.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Namgay Heritage/Khang Residency/Osel Hotel, all are 3-star hotels

Day 3: Thimphu To Punakha

Stop At: Punakha Dzong, Punakha 13001 Bhutan
We will tour Punakha Dzong. Sitting at the fork of two rivers, it is a stunning example of Bhutanese architecture. Built in 1637, it is the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan. Jacaranda trees surround the structure that produces stunning lavender blooms in the spring. The massive structure is six stories with a central utse (tower) that stands 3,900 feet tall.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, Punakha Bhutan
We will visit Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, which is a splendid example of Bhutanese art meets architecture and the only one of its kind. At the direction of the third Queen Mother Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck, the site took nine years to build because architects, painters, sculptors, and carpenters only used holy scriptures rather than engineering manuals to construct this four-story temple. Only reachable on foot, the hour trek includes an exhilarating walk across a colourful prayer flag adorned suspended footbridge that crosses the Mo Chhu.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel Lobesa/Zhingkham Resort/The Four Boutique, all are 3-star hotels

Day 4: Punakha To Paro

Stop At: Kyichu Lhakhang, Lamgong Gewog, Paro 12001 Bhutan
Kyichu Lhakhang - Also known as Kyerchu temple or Lho Kyerchu, it is the oldest temple in Bhutan. Go back in time and history and visit the seventh-century Kyichu temple. As the name suggests, the temple is a reservoir of peace, and you will feel at peace here. Next to the temple is a house that was turned into a museum dedicated to the late Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Rinpung Dzong, Paro Bhutan
Rinpung Dzong is a large dzong - Buddhist monastery and fortress - of the Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school in Paro District, Bhutan. It houses the district Monastic Body and government administrative offices of Paro Dzongkhag.
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Tashi Namgay/Metta Resort & Spa/Gangtey Palace/Rema Resort/Tenziling Resort/Olathang all are 3-star hotels

Day 5: Paro To Haa via Chele la Pass

Stop At: Chele La Pass, Paro Bhutan
Start early for the drive to Chele La Pass, which, at 3, 988m is the highest road pass in Bhutan, snaking upwards through blue pine and rhododendron (Etho Metho) forests for 35 km. On a clear day, the view sweeps away to the snow-dome of Bhutan's second highest peak, Mt. Jomolhari (7, 314m), and down to the Haa Valley, which only opened to foreigners in 2002 due to its proximity to the border with Sikkim and Tibet.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Haa Valley, Ha Bhutan
The valley of Haa was only opened to tourists in 2002 and Haa is the least visited valley in Bhutan due to the lack of tourist infrastructure. This has helped keep Haa the way it's always been, with Bhutanese families living their traditional and simple life. There are no tourist standard hotels in the Haa valley, so we return to Paro for the night.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Tashi Namgay/Metta Resort & Spa/Gangtey Palace/Rema Resort/Tenziling Resort/Olathang all are 3-star hotels

Day 6: Paro

Stop At: Paro Taktsang, Taktsang Trail BT, Paro Bhutan
On our final tour day, we take an exhilarating one-hour hike to Taktsang Monastery (or Tiger’s Nest), one of the most recognizable sites in Bhutan. Built precariously on a hillside cliff, it sits more than 10,000 feet above sea level. Accessible only by foot, we follow a trail decorated with colourful prayer flags along the way to protect travellers from evil spirits. Built over the caves that Guru Padmasambhava meditated in for three years, this eighth-century father of Bhutan Buddhism is said to have been brought there on the back of a tigress. One of the most sacred sites in Bhutan it offers breathtaking views to those energetic enough to make it to the top.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Tashi Namgay/Metta Resort & Spa/Gangtey Palace/Rema Resort/Tenziling Resort/Olathang all are 3-star hotels

Day 7: Depart Paro

Stop At: Paro Airport Bird's Eye View Point, Paro Bhutan
Today we will bid a fond farewell to this beautiful Himalayan country and take an early flight back to Singapore. We hope by now you would have made some friends and also kept many photos and beautiful memories of Bhutan! And we look forward to seeing you again in this beautiful land of endless Enchantments! Tashi Delek!
Duration: 20 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.