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Experience the mysterious mountain kingdom of Bhutan
Bhutan is perhaps the most mysterious and diverse of all the Himalayan kingdoms, where for centuries a traditional Buddhist culture has thrived in isolation from the rest of the world. It is a country that puts its people and environment first – a place where progress is measured in gross national happiness not GDP, and that’s not just carbon neutral, but carbon negative. It’s a place of lush forested valleys, fortified monasteries, sacred mountains, and art and architecture unique to the region. This journey begins in Paro and heads straight to Thimphu, where there are two days to discover the history and heritage of this charming and serene capital. Walk in the countryside and back in time with visits to the beautiful Punakha and Haa Valleys. Here the rural lifestyle and architecture of Bhutan is explored before returning to Paro. Finish with a true highlight – the spectacular Taktsang (the Tiger’s Nest), a small monastery clinging to a rocky cliff 900 metres above the valley floor. A journey through the astonishing beauty of the people, landscape and culture of Bhutan will have your happiness levels off the scale.
- Start
- Thimphu, Bhutan
- Finish
- Paro, Bhutan
- Destination
- Bhutan
- Style
- Peregrine
- Code
- PHDK
- Physical rating
- Trip rating
- 13 reviews
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1, Max 12
Why you'll love this trip
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Bhutan is perhaps the most mysterious and diverse of all the Himalayan kingdoms, where for centuries a traditional Buddhist culture has thrived in isolation from the rest of the world.
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It is a land of contrast – with lush forested valleys, fortified monasteries, sacred mountains, art and architecture unique to the region.
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The captial Thimphu is charming and serene, a delight to explore.
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The opportunity to explore the rural lifestyle and architecture of Bhutan via the beautiful Punakha and Haa Valleys
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Visiting Taktsang (the Tiger's Nest) – a small monastery clinging to a rocky cliff 900 metres above the valley floor in Paro is truly a highlight.
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Your two-night 'feature stay' in Paro was envisioned and created by a local Bhutanese company, combining traditional elaborate hand-carved wooden cornices, masterful stonework, and modern amenities.
Is this trip right for you?
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Due to the high altitude of the places we visit some people can suffer altitude sickness, regardless of age, gender or fitness. It even happened to Sir Edmund Hillary! Please see the ‘Medical and Health Information’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more details.
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The hike to Tiger’s Nest can be strenuous. The trek can take up to 5 hours and reach an altitude of 3120 metres.
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In Bhutan short distances can take much longer due to small, narrow roads and mountain passes.
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Motion sickness can be an issue on longer driving days on windy roads.
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All meals are included due to the nature of travelling in Bhutan. This means there may be limited choices on some days.
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Itinerary
Accommodation
- Ramada Valley or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
Meals Included
- Dinner
Special Information
In order to confirm your Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer, please provide your flight details at the time of booking, or at a minimum 14 days prior to travel, as we may not be able to confirm a request made within 14 days of travel.Travel in Bhutan is strictly controlled and to do any independent travel outside of a group tour is extremely difficult and expensive to arrange. We provide a group visa for travellers on our tours in Bhutan, which stipulates that all travellers must arrive and depart on the same days that our tour program starts and finishes. Travel outside the tour dates on independent visas is not permitted, and additional nights of accommodation cannot be booked.
Accommodation
- Ramada Valley or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Thimpu - Folk & Heritage Museum
- Thimpu - National Library
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Special Information
Please note we are not permitted to visit the Dzong before 5 pm Monday–Friday; during holidays and weekends visits are permitted between 9 am–5 pm.Accommodation
- Punakha Zhingkham Resort or Similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Punakha Valley - Chimi Lhakhang
- Punakha - Punakha Dzong
- Punakha - Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Special Information
Total driving time today is approximately 2 hours 45 minutes.Accommodation
- Punakha Zhingkham Resort or Similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodation
- Risum Resort or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodation
- Risum Resort or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodation
- Tashi Namgay Resort (Feature Stay) or Similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Paro - Tadzong Museum
- Paro - Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) Monastery hike
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodation
- Tashi Namgay Resort (Feature Stay) or Similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Special Information
Todays hike is quite challenging and good quality, comfortable shoes/sneakers are required. Please remember to drink lots of water and wear layers as it gets quite cold. Don't forget a sunhat. Remember you are at 3120 metres above sea level so take your time.In total it will take approximately 5–6 hours to return to the car park, including all stops, if you choose to walk the full way.
Included Activities
- Complimentary Airport Departure Transfer
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Special Information
In order to confirm your Complimentary Airport Departure Transfer, please provide your flight details at the time of booking, or at a minimum 14 days prior to travel, as we may not be able to confirm a request made within 14 days of travel.Meals
8 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 8 dinnersTransport
Private vehicleAccommodation
Comfortable hotel (6 nights), Paro Spa Hotel Feature Stay (2 nights)Included Activities
- Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
- Thimpu - Folk & Heritage Museum
- Thimpu - National Library
- Punakha Valley - Chimi Lhakhang
- Punakha - Punakha Dzong
- Punakha - Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten
- Paro - Tadzong Museum
- Paro - Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) Monastery hike
- Complimentary Airport Departure Transfer
Dates & availability - 2021 season
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our Bhutan: Dragon Kingdom trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
Jump to a departure month
Important notes
1. Complimentary airport arrival and departure transfers are included. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. Entry to Bhutan is very strict and travellers can only enter Bhutan on a group visa as part of a tour. All travellers must arrive on Day 1 and depart on Day 9 to be eligible for a group visa. At time of booking, please provide your booking agent with a clear uncut scanned colour copy of the two pages of the personal details section of your passport. Bhutan Immigration is extremely strict. If one passport scan fails to meet their requirements the whole group’s visa will be rejected, thus delaying the process significantly.
4. Please be aware that Bhutan's airlines are renowned for last minute changes to flight timetables into and out of Bhutan. Please allow a minimum of 24 hours transit time before and after your flights into and out of Bhutan. Timetables are available on the Druk Airlines and Air Bhutan websites.

Essential trip information
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
View Essential Trip Information