Melissa Biggs Bradley
“We hiked by rice paddies, past rushing streams, along forest trails and through fields of wildflowers. With such wild and manmade beauty, Bhutan is truly a nature lover’s paradise.”
Referred to as the last Buddhist Kingdom, Bhutan sits at the foot of the Himalayas between India and China. The landlocked kingdom has remained isolated and protected from the outside world, though outside influences are slowly permeating.
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Perfect forTrailblazers | Adventurers | Soul Searchers | Intellectuals
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When to goSeptember-November | March-May
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Ideal length of stay1 Week
Designing Your Journey
Work with Indagare to design the perfect itinerary for an immersive journey. Our travel experts know the destination inside and out, and they can make recommendations based on your travel needs and preferences.
7 Days in Bhutan
Experience the best of Bhutan with a customized itinerary that includes special access, guided touring and remote activities. Here’s just one example of what our travel specialists can arrange for you.
Day 1-3: Thimpu to Punakha Valley
Begin with a visit to the Kingdom’s capital with a private guide. You may opt to tour of the National Memorial Chorten, the Weekend Market or the Folk Heritage Museum as well. Alternatively, take a guided walk to Tango Monastery to purchase prayer flags to hang later at the Dochula pass. En route to the Punakha Valley, take a guided visit to Chimmi Lhakhang, a hilltop fertility temple. Downstream is the edifice of Punakha Dzong (the Palace of Great Happiness) and you will have the choice to drive down or float to its gates on a rafting adventure.
Day 4 - 5: Gangte
Visit Gangte Valley and stay in a designated conservation area. This valley is well known for carpet weaving as well as for the 16th-century Gangte Goemba monastery. You will also stop at the Wangdue Phodrang to visit sacred incense makers and see the rebuilding of the dzong that overlooks the Punak Chhu River. Don’t miss a hike in the Black Mountains, famous as the seasonal home of the rare black-necked cranes, which fly over the Himalayas from Tibet for the winter months.
Day 6 - 7: Paro
The final leg of this route follows the Pa-Chhu river through apple orchards and rice paddies and past quaint homesteads to Paro town. Begin your visit with a hike to the viewpoint of Tiger’s Nest for magnificent views over Taktsang and the valley below. Time permitting, you will drive further up the valley to Drukgyel Dzong, built in 1648 to control the northern route to Tibet. On the way back to Paro, stroll through the grounds of one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, Kyichu Lhakhang, with its magic orange tree that bears fruit all year round.
Where To Stay
We only feature hotels that we can vouch for first-hand. At many of them, Indagare members receive special amenities, including upgrades, early check-in, breakfast, spa credits and more. Look for the Indagare Plus logo in the reviews.
Read MoreCOMO Uma Punakha
An intimate lodge in the bucolic Punakha Valley with fantastic 360-degree panoramas set on the Mo Chhu river.
Gangtey LodgeRead MoreGangtey Lodge
A beautiful 12-room farmhouse-style lodge with sweeping valley views.
Photo by Ken Hayden, courtesy Aman ResortsRead MoreAmankora Bumthang
In 2004, Aman was the first international hotel brand to open in Bhutan, with five lodges across the country. The properties, which are known in their entirety as Amankora, make up an appealing circuit for visits to Bhutan that can...
Photo by Chris Schalkx, courtesy Aman ResortsRead MoreAmankora Gangtey
In 2004, Aman was the first international hotel brand to open in Bhutan, with five lodges across the country. The properties, which are known in their entirety as Amankora, make up an appealing circuit for visits to Bhutan that can...
Read MoreCOMO Uma Paro
The first and largest luxury property in Bhutan, COMO Uma Paro offers a sumptuous base from which to explore one of Bhutan’s most interesting valleys.
