7-Day Sustainable Cultural and Hiking Trip to Bhutan

Descend into the emerald green valley surrounded by the mighty Himalayas into Paro International Airport in Bhutan where you will be met by your own personal Bhutanese guide and driver for the duration of your journey.

Drive one hour to Bhutan’s capital city, Thimphu, the world’s fifth highest capital city (reaching 8,688 feet above sea level) where you will instantly delve into the paradox between old versus new. A compact, walkable city, Thimphu offers a unique blend of the modern world side-by-side with Bhutanese culture and tradition.

Crimson-robed monks chatting on cell phones, hip coffee shops and restaurants juxtaposed with farmers herding their cattle across the one and only “highway” to graze, are all common sights you will see in Thimphu.

For a bird’s eye view of your magical surroundings, stop first at Buddha Point where you will see the famous 167-foot tall Buddha Dordenma, a gilded bronze statue graced with 125,0000 miniature statues that overlooks and guards the valley. Next, experience the peace, spirituality and beauty of The Memorial Chorten, a Tibetan-style stupa built in 1974 and the city’s most popular religious site where young and old practice Buddhism.

Walk around town and have a cup of coffee or tea at one of Thimphu’s trendy cafes such as the Ambient. Shop for handicrafts at the stalls and stores along the one and only street in town. One of the best ways to explore a country is through its cuisine. Make sure to make a visit to the large farmer’s market where you will see spices, incense, red chilies, dried pork, yak cheese and more. Dinner at the hotel.

Rise to the morning sun over the valley and head to sacred Dochula Pass, a high mountain pass at 10,171 feet where on a clear day, you are rewarded with a spectacular view of the Himalayas. Have a cup of hot tea and admire the 108 memorial chortens (stupas) that grace the hillside overlooking the valley below.

Begin your first hike on the Trans Bhutan Trail following the historic trail of the Divine Madman to the infamous Arrow House. Here you will learn the local lore behind this beloved saint and visit the Arrow House (Chandana Lhakhang) and its temple. Continue along the trail and enjoy a picnic along the way. After the hike, rejoin your vehicle and head east towards Lobesa in the Punakha Valley where you will check into your hotel and enjoy dinner with your guide.

After breakfast at the hotel, drive through the stunning valley of Punakha to visit Bhutan’s most beautiful dzong in Punakha located at the confluence of two rivers, the Mo Chhu (Mother River) and the Pho Chhu (Father river). Be sure to cross Bhutan’s longest suspension bridge ringed with colorful prayer flags. Rejoin the car to enjoy the beautiful 2-hour drive to Pelela Pass (Bhutan’s highest pass at 11,177 feet). Then continue on to Trongsa, stopping along the way for lunch. If you prefer to hike, skip Punakha and drive straight to Pelela Pass where you rejoin the Trans Bhutan Trail for a hike through meadows and a semi-nomadic yak herder community to the village of Rukubji where you can enjoy a late afternoon meal at a traditional farmhouse. Meet your driver and continue on to Trongsa.

Spend the morning exploring Trongsa’s breathtaking dzong (fortress) which is perched high above a gorge with a drop so sheer to the south, that the dzong almost looks like it is floating in the clouds on a misty day. Trongsa’s dzong shows the magnificence of Bhutanese craftsmanship and traditional architecture and painting at its finest. Narrow stone stairs, alleys, and corridors connect a labyrinth of buildings which include 23 unique lhakhangs (temples) in all. Next head to the Trongsa Ta Dzong (watchtower) which houses the Royal Heritage Museum. Either take a short hike or head to Bumthang, the spiritual and cultural heartland of Central Bhutan and one of the country’s most coveted tourist destinations.

After a light breakfast, rejoin the Trans Bhutan Trail for a half-day hike through breathtaking fertile valleys of buckwheat and potato fields. Stop for a cooking class at a local farmhouse in the remote village of Tang Bedzur and learn how to make ema datshi (chili with cheese), Bhutan’s staple food.
Continue your hike and visit the Pema Choling Nunnery and the sacred Mebartsho (the Burning Lake), an important Buddhist site steeped in legend and local lore. End the day with a traditional hot stone bath, a visit to a Yartha weaving shop and Thukpa, a spicy noodle soup at a local eatery in Bumthang.

Take a morning or early afternoon flight from Bumthang to Paro. Visit a traditional dezo (paper-making) factory called the Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory located in Thimphu. Enjoy a lovely lunch just outside of Paro at the Neyphug Heritage Café. Opt to eat outside with a view of the rice fields and emerald-covered mountains of Paro Valley. Spend your remaining time shopping for handicrafts and traditional goods at local stores that line the streets of Paro. Visit Ta Dzong or the ‘watchtower’ which houses Bhutan’s National Museum. Dinner in town at one of the many restaurants or at your hotel.

Rise bright and early for the grand finale of the trip with a visit to Bhutan’s most sacred site, the iconic Taktshang Goemba, more commonly known as the ‘Tiger’s Nest Monastery’. Precariously perched on a sheer cliff face 2,950 feet above the Paro Valley floor, the Tiger’s Nest is undoubtedly Bhutan’s most famous sacred site and a must-see for anyone visiting Bhutan.

The monastery is only accessible on foot via a relatively strenuous one-and-a-half to two-hour hike up the mountainside. Tour the extensive network of Lhakhangs (chapels) inside the monastery before beginning the long walk down. End the day soaking your sore muscles with a traditional hot stone bath followed by an evening meal at the Tshering Farmhouse. Sleep well before the long flight home the following day.