Ten unhurried days across the western and central heartland of the Land of the Thunder Dragon — from the capital, Thimphu, over the Dochu La to the old capital of Punakha, through Trongsa into the sacred valleys of Bumthang, on to the crane-haunted Phobjikha valley and back to Paro for the climb to the Tiger’s Nest. Dzongs, monasteries, farmhouse meals and forest walks, all with a private guide from arrival to departure, and a route that works all year round.
Arrive at Paro International Airport from Delhi or Kolkata. Paro sits in a beautiful valley at 2,280 m and is a fitting introduction to this charming kingdom. Your guide meets you and takes you on a short one-hour drive along the Paro and Thimphu river valleys to Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital, at 2,320 m.
Take an afternoon walk around town and soak in the atmosphere of this magical capital, with its busy shops and bazaars and photogenic citizens in national dress. Later you could visit Tashichho Dzong, built in 1641, which housed the original National Assembly and is now home to government offices, the throne room and the offices of the King. Overnight in Thimphu.
Start the day at the huge Buddha Dordenma statue, which commands a tremendous view of Thimphu valley. Its three-storey throne holds several chapels, and the statue itself is filled with 125,000 smaller Buddhas. Then hike from Kuensel Phodrang Nature Park to Changangkha Temple — about an hour through blue pine and rhododendron forest, with fantastic views of the valley.
Visit the School of Traditional Arts to watch students at work and get an introduction to the 13 traditional arts, including painting, embroidery, woodcarving, mask-making and statue-making. You can also see the Takin Reserve, home to Bhutan’s unique national animal, browse the intricate textiles at the National Textile Museum, or visit the weekly market.
In the afternoon, drive about 30 minutes to Pangri Zampa, Bhutan’s most important college for traditional astrology, founded in the 16th century. The college releases the official Bhutanese calendar each year, and astrologers are available for private readings (for a fee). If you wish, watch some archery at the national ground, visit the newly opened postal museum with its rich collection of stamps, or browse the handicraft stalls at the new market opposite the Taj Tashi hotel, where everything is locally made. Tell your guide what interests you. Overnight in Thimphu.
Drive to the old capital, Punakha, via Dochu La pass (3,050 m), where we stop for a hot drink and spectacular panoramic views of the Eastern Himalaya. You will notice the climate and vegetation change as we descend to low-lying Punakha at 1,250 m.
Take a pleasant hour-long walk across the terraced fields of Sopsokha village to Chimi Lhakhang, the Temple of Fertility, built in the 15th century by the “Divine Madman”, Lama Drukpa Kuenley. Enjoy lunch or tea at a farmhouse to taste red rice and local cuisine, watch farmers at work in the paddy and vegetable fields, and even try your hand at farming.
Then visit the imposing Punakha Dzong, the “Palace of Great Happiness”, built in 1637 at the confluence of the Po Chu and Mo Chu rivers. Water rafting is available here (supplement applies). Overnight in Punakha.
Drive about 4.5 hours to Trongsa, the gateway to central Bhutan, at 2,180 m. Just before Trongsa, you may like to visit Tsangkha Tashicholing monastery, where around 45 young monks train in woodcarving, sculpture, painting and embroidery at an arts and crafts institute.
Set amid spectacular scenery, Trongsa Dzong, the ancestral home of Bhutan’s royal family, commands the eye from miles away. You can also visit Ta Dzong, the museum in the watchtower dedicated to the Wangchuk dynasty, which holds personal belongings of Bhutan’s Kings and Queens.
Continue a further 2.5 hours through some of Bhutan’s most beautiful landscapes to Bumthang, an area of high valleys between 2,580 and 3,100 m. Overnight in Bumthang.
Sightsee in Bumthang, the spiritual heartland of Bhutan, with its many legendary monasteries, temples and palaces. Bumthang is the collective name for four valleys — Chokhor, Tang, Ura and Chumey. Your guide leads a walking and/or driving tour of sacred sites including Jamba Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang and Tamshing Lhakhang.
In the afternoon, drive to Tang valley, the most remote of Bumthang’s valleys, at 2,700 m. The road climbs past the trail to Membar Tsho, the “burning lake”, one of Bhutan’s most important pilgrimage sites, and on to Drangchel, birthplace of Pema Lingpa. You will see picturesque villages and temples, and can walk up to Ugyenchholing Palace, now a museum offering an insight into aristocratic life in the last century. Return to Bumthang for the night.
Drive to Gangtey at 2,900 m, with views of the immense, remote Phobjikha valley and the Black Mountain range. Visit Gangtey Gompa, one of Bhutan’s oldest monasteries, recently and extensively renovated, and explore the valley, where villagers still live a traditional rural lifestyle.
This is where black-necked cranes arrive in their hundreds each November after spending the summer in Tibet. In the afternoon, enjoy a nature walk and cultural tour of the valley, visiting the villages of Semchubara and Khewang along the way. Overnight in Gangtey.
Return to Paro via Wangdi (Wangdue Phodrang), once considered Bhutan’s secondary capital and still in an important central position. Wangdi Dzong was gutted by fire in June 2012; after ten years of renovation it is finally complete and open to visit.
After the Dzong, continue to Paro. Late in the afternoon, relax or stroll around Paro town to start taking in the culture and gentle way of life. You can walk along the river towards the Paro bridge, which offers a good view of Paro Dzong for photographs. Overnight in Paro.
Visit the impressive Paro Rinpung Dzong, one of the finest examples of Bhutanese architecture, and the National Museum. The museum was previously housed in the circular, conch-shaped Ta Dzong watchtower built above Rinpung Dzong to defend the valley; after earthquake damage in September 2011, its collection moved to a neighbouring building. You can still see a magnificent collection of Bhutanese artefacts — costumes, religious paintings, arms, textiles and a fascinating collection of stamps.
In the afternoon, drive up to the Chele La pass at 3,800 m, with views of Mount Jomolhari to the north and down into the Haa valley. Haa has only recently opened to tourists and remains remote and rural, with just a couple of basic restaurants and local lodges — a great chance to see a beautiful, unspoilt countryside. Overnight in Paro.
Take a day walk to the “Tiger’s Nest”, the sacred Taktshang Monastery, which clings to the rock face 900 m above the valley floor. Guru Rinpoche is said to have flown to the site on a tigress and meditated here for three months. It is one of Bhutan’s holiest sites and draws pilgrims from across the Buddhist world. Have lunch at the Taktshang cafeteria, with a spectacular view of the monastery.
Afterwards, you may have time to visit Dumtse Lhakhang, a temple built by Thangtong Gyalpo, the iron-bridge builder. In the late afternoon, visit a local farmhouse and try the restorative hot stone bath after the hike, or simply take tea or dinner with the family before returning to your hotel. Overnight in Paro.
Early in the morning, your guide accompanies you to the airport to see you off on your flight and wish you Tashi Delek — goodbye and good luck.