5 Days Glimpse of Bhutan
5 Days Glimpse of Bhutan
This 5 days 4 nights trip will present a true Glimpse of Bhutan and imbibe in you what it takes for a tiny Buddhist Kingdom to emerge as a unique tourist destination. The journey will take you through the hearts of three western districts of Bhutan – Paro, capital city Thimphu and fertile Punakha valley which all exhibits strength and tenacity of a nation known for preserving its ancient Buddhist culture and living in harmony with its pristine natural environment. You will visit major historical and religious centers including 4-5 hour return hike to the most spectacular tourist attraction, Paro Taktsang which was originally built in 1692 on a sheer 800-meter rock cliff and 2 hour hike through the beautiful valley in Punakha.
En route to Punakha stop at a sacred mountain pass Dochu La at (3,150m/10,335ft) from where you can see, if weather permits, grand panoramic view of some of the highest snow-capped peaks in Bhutan.
Book This ExperienceA glimpse of the journey
Your Itinerary
A curated journey through the experience
National Museum of Bhutan འབྲུག་གི་འགྲེམས་སྟོན་ཁང་།
The National Museum of Bhutan is located in Paro just above the Rinpung Dzong (administrative headquarter of the Paro district). It is housed in an ancient watchtower called Paro Ta Dzong (Ta Dzong means “watchtower fortress”) built in 1649. It displays hundreds of ancient Bhutanese artifacts and artworks including traditional costumes, armour, weaponry and handcrafted implements for daily life. The collection at the National Museum preserves a snapshot of the rich cultural traditions of the country. We then drive to the capital city of Bhutan, Thimphu.
1 hourThimphu
Thimphu is the capital city of Bhutan and is home to approximately 115,000 residents. This bustling little city is the main center of commerce, religion and government in the country. It is the only capital city in the world without traffic lights and even commercial billboards.
1 hour 30 minutesNational Institute for Zorig Chusum
Lunch will be arranged either in Paro or Thimphu depending on flight arrival time.
45 minutesNational Library and Archives of Bhutan
Day 2: Sightseeing in Thimphu / Transfer to Punakha Valley (1200m)
45 minutesBuddha Dordenma
The magnificent 169 feet tall bronze statue of Lord Buddha is located on a hilltop, Kuensel Phodrang, overlooking the Thimphu valley. From here you can see a nice view of Thimphu city. It was built to celebrate the 60th birth anniversary of the Fourth King His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck and also to usher peace in the world. The giant Buddha statue houses more than 100,000 8-inch-tall Buddha statues of the same type. The construction began in 2006 and was completed in 2015 after almost 10 years.
45 minutesGagyel Lhundrup Weaving Centre
A visit to this Weaving Center will give you insights into the weaving culture and tradition of the Kingdom of Bhutan. You will see both men and women weaving some of the most intricate designs and patterns of traditional Bhutanese textiles. Weaving is an integral part of Bhutanese culture.
35 minutesChanglimithang Stadium & Archery Ground
Changlimithang Archery Range – If the archery game is in progress, you can stop by and watch how Bhutanese people spend their leisure time. You can see archers dancing and singing each time they hit the target from a whopping distance of 145m. Archery is the national sport of Bhutan. We then drive to Punakha valley. The driving distance is 74km and takes about 2.5 hours.
45 minutesDochula Pass
About a 45 min drive from Thimphu towards Punakha is a mountain pass at an altitude of 3,150 meters above sea level from where you can see, on a clear day, some of the highest peaks of Bhutan. You’ll have a great opportunity to take beautiful photos of the surrounding snow-capped mountains and grand vistas from this sacred mountain pass. Before the construction of beautiful 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens (stupas) in 2004, this mountain pass remained only as a sacred place blessed by a famous Buddhist saint, Lam Drukpa Kunley in the late 15th century. From Dochu La Pass, we continue to drive passing through some villages, the elevation drops gradually and the road winds through pine forests. You will feel the drastic change in altitude from 3,150m just an hour and a half ago to a warmer subtropical valley at 1,200m. Lunch will be arranged either at Dochula Pass or on arrival in Punakha.
2 hoursChimi Lhakhang Temple
About 11km before reaching proper Punakha town, visit the famous Chimi Lhakhang popularly known as the "Temple of Fertility". Chimi Lhakhang is located on a gentle hilltop near the village of Sopsokha. To reach the temple, you have to walk 20 – 30 minutes through beautiful terraced paddy fields and traditional farmhouses. The history of Chimi Lhakhang is associated with 15th-century Lama Drukpa Kunley who was affectionately known as “Divine Madman” for his unorthodox ways of teaching Buddhism and cleansing people from religious dogmatism and egoistic self-possession by exhibiting his strong desire for sex. One of the relics of Chimi Lhakhang is a phallus. The blessing of the phallus is considered sacred particularly to couples who are unable to have children as it brings fertility giving them the ability to bear offspring. Because of this belief, people like to call Chimi Lhakhang as “Temple of Fertility”.
1 hourPunakha Dzong
Punakha Dzong was originally known as Pungthang Dewa Chenpoi Phodrang, meaning the “Palace of Great Bliss”. It was built in 1637 A.D. by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (Tibetan Buddhist master who came to Bhutan in 1616 and founded the nation-state of Bhutan) on a small stretch of land where the rivers Phochu and Mochu converge. Punakha Dzong is the second oldest and second-largest Dzong in Bhutan. The sacred wall paintings and main artifacts inside the dzong, the intricate woodworks and the architectural structure of the dzong exhibit fine examples of Bhutanese arts and craftsmanship which continue to influence Bhutanese architecture even today. From here, we walk to the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan.
1 hourPunakha Suspension Bridge
Day 3: Hike to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten / Transfer back to Paro Valley (2200m)
1 hourKhamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten
From the nearest road point, cross the suspension bridge over the Punakha Mochu River and the trail takes you through beautiful terraced rice fields and a short climb before reaching the serene site of the marvelous Chorten (which means ‘stupa’). The view below is stunning with the glacial-fed Mochu river snaking through the fertile valley of Punakha. After visiting and absorbing the wonderful views, we retrace our steps back to the road head.
2 hours 30 minutesMochu Rafting Point
(OPTIONAL) White Water Rafting on Mochu River: If interested, you can go white water rafting on Mochu river graded 1-2 making it possible for all ages to try and experience rafting. The rafting distance on Mochu is 10kms and takes around 1.5 hours from start to finish. One raft which carries 6-8 passengers will cost around USD200 which is divided equally among the passengers. The best season for rafting is from March to June and September to November.
45 minutesKyichu Lhakhang
Day 4: Hike to the famed Paro Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) & later visit Farmhouse for a homecooked local cuisine
4 hoursParo Taktsang
After lunch at the Taktsang Viewpoint Cafeteria, we retrace our steps back to the base where the driver will be waiting.
5 hoursAum Choden Homestay
Day 5: Transfer to Paro International Airport for departure
3 hoursParo Airport Bird's Eye View Point
No accommodation included on this day.
Included
- Visa Fee & Processing. You'll receive your e-Visa within 4-5 business days.
- All meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) and light snacks
- Twin-sharing accommodations at 3-star hotels certified by Tourism Council of Bhutan.
- All ground transportation including round trip airport transfers
- Experienced English-speaking licensed tour guide.
- Entry fee to national museum
- Medical treatment at a hospital in Bhutan if you sustain injuries while in Bhutan
- All internal taxes for the services listed above
- Accommodation included: 4 nights
- Entry/Admission - Aum Choden Homestay
- Entry/Admission - Changlimithang Stadium & Archery Ground
- Entry/Admission - Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten
- Entry/Admission - National Museum of Bhutan འབྲུག་གི་འགྲེམས་སྟོན་ཁང་།
- Entry/Admission - Punakha Suspension Bridge
- Entry/Admission - Gagyel Lhundrup Weaving Centre
- Entry/Admission - Dochula Pass
Not Included
- Travel insurance is highly recommended.
- International flights. Let us know if you need help with arranging flights to and from Bhutan.
- Alcoholic beverages, laundry services, telephone call charges
- Tips to guide and driver
- Emergency evacuation
- Guide speaking other major languages can be arranged for an additional fee.
- Any other expenses of personal nature
- All Entry fees except for National Museum
Good to Know
- Not wheelchair accessible
- This tour can be customized and run on a private basis just for you and your group.
- We highly recommend booking at least a few months before the departure date so that we have enough time to ensure the flights are available. If you already have flight tickets to and from Bhutan, we can take bookings up to a week before the departure date. To process visa, it only takes 4-5 business days.
- There are only two airlines that connect Bhutan with the outside world and so securing air tickets can be difficult especially during the months of high season. Currently, Bhutan is connected with these cities - Bagdogra, Bangkok, Delhi, Dhaka, Guwahati, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Singapore. We recommend you book your international flights a few months in advance especially if you plan to visit during the high season months of March to May and September to November. If you need help in arranging flights to/from Bhutan, please let us know much in advance.
- After you book the tour, kindly send us clear passports copies of all the participants. A biodata page including the machine-readable zone must be seen clearly. Passports should have a minimum of 6 MONTHS validity from the day you depart from Bhutan. You may also want to check the passport requirements by your next destination country after Bhutan. A copy of your e-Visa will be emailed to you once it is approved. It only takes 4-5 business days to get visa approval and it is 100 percent guaranteed as long as we receive clear passport copies of all the participants. The actual visa will be stamped on your passport upon arrival. Send the passport copies to the Local Supplier E-mail address.
- Youth between the ages of 13-18 MUST send us a copy of their valid Student Photo ID Card/Document to keep the discounted price. Without a copy of valid Student Photo ID Card/document, the full adult price will apply.
- Most travelers can participate
- Participants below the age of 18 years old MUST be accompanied by at least one full-paying adult.
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
- Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for travelers
- COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
- All tourists are required to provide a full COVID-19 vaccine certificate and a negative RT-PCR test taken not more than 72 hours before the date of entry.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Tickets & Cancellation
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
If you cancel at least 7 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50 percent cancellation fee.If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.