CONTACT USTour Bhutan Beyond the Ordinary
This 7-day Bhutan tour is the best choice for travelers who would like to visit the most popular destinations of Bhutan – Thimphu, Punakha, and Paro – and go beyond the ordinary sightseeing. It includes all the must-sees and also wildlife, outdoor activities, unique cultural experiences, such as a welcome and blessing ceremony and prayer in a nunnery, and wonderful stays in Bhutanese-style boutique hotels.
- Days:7±
- Best For: First-timers
- Price:from US$6,050 p/p
Tour Highlights
Unlock the splendid history and culture of Bhutan in the beautiful fortresses and temples hidden in a valley.
Tick “Tiger Temple” off on your bucket list.
Be welcomed and blessed by the warm and honest Bhutanese in a local home stay.
Experience evening prayer in a nunnery. Enter into the Bhutanese spirit world.
Enjoy whitewater rafting on a scenic river. Feel the vitality of its Himalayan valley.
Visit the Takin Preserve. Encounter these stocky goats living in Himalayas.
Appreciate exquisite Bhutanese craftsmanship in traditional workshops.
Relax in boutique or heritage hotels with local features hidden in quiet valleys.
Suggested Route
Suggested Itinerary for Inspiration
Your preferences design the real journey. We’re ready to create a wonderful Bhutan tour for you.
Day1
Bhutan Arrival and Paro Exploration
Meet your private Bhutanese guide at the airport in Paro. Then get your first immersion into Bhutanese culture in the National Museum (Ta Dzong Fortress). Enjoy a fascinating collection of arts, relics, religious thangka paintings, household items, arms, handicrafts, stuffed animals, and Bhutan’s famous stamps.
Visit beautiful Paro Dzong (Rinpung Dzong) located on the slopes of a mountain.
Enjoy a welcome and blessing ceremony at a local home stay before driving to Thimphu.
Paro Dzong, the ‘fortress on a heap of jewels’.
Day2
The Heart of Bhutan, Thimpu
Visit the most important dzong (administrative/monastic fort), Tashichho Dzong, in the morning. It has traditionally been the seat of the Dharmaraja (Bhutan rulers) and the summer capital of the country. It is the headquarters of the central government, just like the White House in America, Downing Street in Britain, and Zhongnanhai in China.
Then you can learn about Bhutan’s traditional handicrafts in Jungshi Paper Factory or in the Traditional Arts School.
Enjoy a lunch at a folk heritage restaurant. Visit the Takin Preserve to meet the lovely national animal of Bhutan in the afternoon.
The ‘White House’ of Bhutan, Tashichho Dzong
Day3
Thimphu to Punakha, Gaze at the Himalayas
Drive from Thimphu to Punakha in the morning. Enjoy a stunning 360-degree panoramic view of the Himalayans at Dochula Pass. The 108 chortens gracing the mountain pass are very impressive.
Visit Sangchen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery and experience a prayer with its nuns.
The white pagodas at Dochula Pass
Day4
Beautiful Punakha Valley
Enjoy a short hike to Khamsum Yuelley Monastery in the morning. Ascend its hill for about 45 minutes to a beautiful pagoda, passing hilside rice fields. Enjoy a beautiful view of the valley from the top.
Descend to the riverside and enjoy a 2-hour rafting journey. Then have a picnic lunch on the riverbank.
In the afternoon, explore the most beautiful dzong in Bhutan – Punakha Dzong. It is also the most important dzong in Bhutanese history and is known as ‘palace of great happiness’ or ‘palace of bliss’.
Stop at a suspension bridge viewpoint, and walk across the bridge to enjoy the scenery before driving back to your hotel.
Rafting in Punakha
Day5
Punakha to Paro, Chimi Lhakhang
Visit Chimi Lhakhang Monastery in the morning. It is widely believed that if couples who do not have children and want them pray at this temple, they are usually blessed with a child very soon. A walk through the village near the temple will give you rare glimpses into the daily life and lifestyle of Bhutanese villagers.
Drive to Paro in the afternoon.
Chimi Lhakhang Monastery
Day6
Incredible Tiger Temple
After breakfast, you will take an excursion to the unbelievable Taktshang Goemba – ‘Tiger’s Lair Monastery’ (this takes approximately 5 hours with a round-trip walk). Located on the side of a cliff above the Paro Valley, Taktshang is one of the most famous monasteries in Bhutan. It is famous for its 13 taktshang or ‘tiger lairs’ – caves in which Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche, a tantric Buddhist master) meditated. It is worth hiking all the way there to explore one of the top 10 monasteries in the world.
Enjoy some free time to explore Paro town in the afternoon.
Explore the incredible Taktsang Temple
Day7
Paro Departure
Transfer to Paro airport for your flight back home or to your next destination.
Hand-Picked Hotels
We select hotels with style and local features. Let us know your preferences and we’ll find your ideal hotel.
 Hotel with Bhutanese style |  Hotel surrounded by the forest |  Hotel with a great view of the valley |
