Bhutan Day Hikes with Cultural Tour - 5 days

Magnificent views of the Bhutanese Himalayas accompany the flight to Paro. After landing in the Land of the Thunder Dragon, clear your customs and visa control protocols. Our representatives will welcome you and guide you along the city of Paro.

Soon after, take an hour's drive to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, and check into your hotel after arrival. Try out the different cuisines of Bhutan, then visit the Memorial Chorten built in honor of the late King Jigme. From here, head to witness the 50m high Buddha Dordenma and then the statues and paintings of various deities in Simtokha Dzong Monastery. In the evening, you can take a stroll around Thimphu City, observing the lifestyle of the people.

Overnight stay in Thimphu.

After an early breakfast in Thimphu, enjoy a scenic drive to Punakha. On the way, you can stop for a cup of tea at the Dochula Pass (3100m / 10,170 ft), famous for the 108 memorial chortens, also known as Druk Wangyal Chortens.

From the pass, start your two-hour hike toward Lungchutse Monastery. This trail passes along the high ridges with colorful Buddhist prayer flags through thick rhododendron forests with stunning views of the Himalayas. Explore the temple dedicated to Guru Rinpoche and learn about its rich history from the locals. 

Then, hike back to Dochula Pass and have lunch. Shortly after, take a downhill drive through rhododendron, fir, and hemlock forests stopping at Metshina village. Take a 20-minute walk through the rich rice fields of Chimi Lhakhang, a fertility temple dedicated to the Divine Madman known for his unorthodox ways of teaching Buddhism. After traveling along the bank of the Punakha river, you will reach your destination. Your next stop is the Punakha Dzong, one of the oldest dzongs in Bhutan, situated between two rivers like an anchored ship that was the administrative center of Bhutan until 1955.

Overnight stay in Punakha. 

After a quick breakfast, take a drive to Yabesa village, then take a 30-minute hike through rice fields, a staple crop in Punakha, up to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal, a Chorten built in 2004 by the Queen Mother Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck, perched on a hill near a river bank. This four-story pagoda-style chorten with a gold-topped beacon consists of images of Buddhist deities and mandalas of Vajrakilaya, a god of enlightenment.

After clicking pictures and appreciating the harmonious environment, head back to road point and drive to Paro.

Overnight stay in Paro. 

Today you will take a long hike to Taktsang Monastery, famous as the Tiger's Nest (3,180m/ 10,450ft). It is called so, as legends state, that Guru Rinpoche, a spiritual master at the time, was said to have been carried from Tibet to a cave in this location by a tigress to meditate; hence, it is known as the Tiger's Nest. This monastery is located at the edge of a steep hillside and is said to be the most famous monastery in Bhutan. It is about 900 m above Paro Valley and has cool and windy weather, a perfect place to visit on hot summer days. Lunch will be served at a restaurant about halfway up the cliff. After exploring the structure of the Tiger's Nest, you will take a hike down to Paro.

As this is your final day in Bhutan, you may as well go souvenir shopping in the streets of Paro and take a stroll around the city interacting with the locals.

Overnight stay in Paro.

After the preparation and packing are completed, you will be accompanied to the international airport in Bhutan and bid farewell by our representatives and guides.