Private 8-Day Best Bhutan Tour with Exclusive Guide & Car

Day 1: Arrival in Paro, Transfer to Thimphu for half-day sightseeing

1. Tachogang Lhakhang Bridge
   Pass by
   Upon landing at Paro Airport, your private guide and driver will welcome you and escort you on a 1.5-hour drive to Thimphu, crossing the Tachogang Lhakhang Bridge.
2. 1h 30m · Admission ticket included
   After checking in at the hotel, you will have a Thimphu city tour including the National Memorial Chorten, built in memory of the third King of Bhutan Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. It is actually a stupa, housing many valuable religious paintings and Buddha statues. Over here you will see many local people circumambulating the Chorten throughout the day.
3. Buddha Dordenma
   30m
   Next, we’ll visit the Buddha Dordenma statue. Besides its impressive size, the highlight is the 360-degree panoramic views of Thimphu.
4. Tashichho Dzong (Thimpu Dzong)
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Our final destination is Tashichho Dzong, which functions as a stunning Tibetan Buddhist monastery and the government’s administrative center. Later, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel for dinner.

Day 2: Thimphu: Tango Monastery, School of Thirteen Arts & Crafts, Folk Heritage Museum, Takin Preserve

1. Tango Buddhist Institute
   2h
   After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and head to Thimphu Valley. We’ll then hike for over 30 minutes along smooth, forested trails to reach Tango Monastery, Bhutan’s top-ranked Buddhist learning center.
2. National Folk Heritage Museum
   3h · Admission ticket included
   After lunch, we’ll visit the School of Thirteen Arts and Crafts, where apprentices are deeply engaged in creating handicrafts such as thangkas, wood carvings, and embroidery. Next, we’ll explore the Folk Heritage Museum, designed to mirror a traditional Bhutanese home.
3. Motithang Takin Preserve
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Conclude your day with a visit to Bhutan’s national animal at the Royal Takin Preserve Motithang. Finally, enjoy a private escort back to your hotel.

Day 3: Thimphu - Simtokha Dzong - Dochula Pass - Punakha Dzong

1. Simtokha Dzong
   1h
   After hotel pickup, join your guide and driver for a trip to Punakha. Shortly after departure, we’ll stop at Simtokha Dzong, a fortress-monastery.
2. Dochula Pass
   30m
   After roughly an hour’s drive, we’ll reach Dochula Pass. The pass is highlighted by 108 stupas arranged in circles, honoring soldiers who fell while suppressing the rebellion.
3. Punakha Dzong
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Continue driving for 1.5 hours until we reach Punakha, where your guide will lead you around the Punakha Dzong. Established in 1637, the dzong showcases traditional Bhutanese architecture.
4. Punakha Suspension Bridge
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Take in the detailed Buddhist murals, then cross the nearby suspension bridge. The gentle sway of the bridge will add an exciting touch! At the end, your guide and driver will escort you to your hotel in Punakha.

Day 4: Punakha - Chimi Lhakhang - Phobjikha Valley

1. Chimi Lhakhang Temple
   1h · Admission ticket included
   After meeting your guide and driver at your hotel, embark on a short trip to Chimi Lhakhang, known as the ‘Fertility Temple’. Since cars cannot reach the site directly, your guide will accompany you on a 30- to 40-minute walk from the parking area. Along the way, large phallus patterns adorn the houses – some wrapped in ribbons, others entwined with dragons, and some with eyes – all depicted in bold, upright forms.
2. Phobjikha Valley
   2h 30m
   Next, we’ll drive 2.5 hours to Phobjikha Valley, passing through Wangdue Phodrang and crossing Pelela Pass at 3400m (11,155 ft). After checking into your hotel, relax in preparation for tomorrow’s sightseeing.

Day 5: Phobjikha Valley: Nature Trail Hike, Black-necked Crane Center, Gangtey School & Monastery

1. 1h
   You will spend a full day exploring Phobjikha Valley with your guide and driver. While hiking the Gangtey Nature Trail in about 45 minutes, you may spot cattle grazing; take photos to your heart’s content to capture the moment!
2. 2h 30m · Admission ticket included
   Later, you will be accompanied to visit the Black-necked Crane Information Centre, and have a good time with the kids in Gangtey Primary School.
3. Gangtey Monastery
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Then, we’ll visit Gangtey Monastery, where you will see the cranes in Buddhist murals. After exploring local villages and farmhouses to experience authentic Bhutanese life for the rest of the day, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Day 6: Phobjikha Valley - Dochula Pass - Paro: Visit Rinpung Dzong & Ta Dzong (National Museum)

1. Paro
   4h 30m
   Today, we will drive 4.5-5 hours back to Paro via Dochula Pass.
2. Rinpung Dzong
   3h · Admission ticket included
   Once there, we’ll visit Rinpung Dzong. After crossing the traditional wooden cantilever bridge, we’ll explore the main hall of the central tower, which houses clay statues, stupa models, and a ceiling decorated with nine mandalas representing the cosmic order of Tibetan Buddhism. Next, we’ll ascend the hill to Ta Dzong, the National Museum of Bhutan. Explore the country’s rich history through more than 3,000 artifacts. As the visit ends, your guide and driver will escort you to your hotel.

Day 7: Paro Tour: Hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Visit Kyichu Lhakhang & Old Town

1. Tiger's nest
   3h · Admission ticket included
   After breakfast, gear up for the hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery with your guide! Perched on a 3,120-meter (10,236 ft.) cliff, the majestic monastery resembles a fierce tiger in its nest, offering multiple photo opportunities on the 7-8 km (4-5 mi) round-trip trail.
2. Kyichu Lhakhang
   1h · Admission ticket included
   In the afternoon, we’ll visit Kyichu Lhakhang Temple to enjoy the peaceful ambiance under its renowned orange trees, believed to bloom and bear fruit year-round.
3. Paro
   1h
   Then, stroll around Paro Old Town to cap off the day. Finally, your guide and driver will whisk you back to your hotel.

Day 8: Paro Airport See-off

1. Paro
   1h
   Your best Bhutan tour will conclude today. After the checking out procedures, our guide will chauffeur you to the airport and see you off there. Please enjoy your homeward flight!

Pickup details

Our experienced guide will meet you at the Bhutan Paro airport hall and then transfer you to the capital city Thimphu.

• Suitable for all physical fitness levels