6 Days Bhutan Tour

Travel: 55 km (about 1.5 hrs) | Altitude: Thimphu 2,320 m | Overnight: Thimphu

Fly into Paro, then drive to Thimphu. In the late afternoon, visit Tashichho Dzong.
Main experience: Tashichho Dzong in the late afternoon, after office hours on weekdays.
Lighter moment: Tachog Lhakhang's iron chain bridge on the drive.
Local meal: Ema datshi and red rice.
Insider tip: Take it slow on your first day at 2,300 m.

About Tashichho Dzong
Tashichho Dzong, on the banks of the Wang Chhu in Thimphu, is Bhutan's seat of government. It houses the throne room and offices of the King and the summer residence of the Je Khenpo (chief abbot). It was rebuilt in its present form in the 1960s in traditional style, without nails or written plans.
What to see:
The grand whitewashed courtyards and golden roofs
The central utse tower
Evening flag-lowering ceremony
Views of the dzong lit up at night

Spend a full day in Thimphu: Buddha Dordenma, the Institute of Zorig Chusum, the National Library and the National Memorial Chorten, with lunch at the Folk Heritage Museum.
Main experience: Buddha Dordenma, more than 50 m tall and overlooking the whole valley.
Lighter moment: The Institute of Zorig Chusum (weekdays), the National Library and the National Memorial Chorten, where local people walk around the stupa turning prayer wheels.
Local meal: A traditional set lunch at the Folk Heritage Museum restaurant.
Insider tip: At dusk, head up to the Sangaygang (BBS Tower) viewpoint for the city lights, or visit the weekend Centenary Farmers' Market (Friday–Sunday).

About Buddha Dordenma (Kuensel Phodrang)
Buddha Dordenma is one of the largest seated Buddha statues in the world: a 51.5 m gilded bronze figure of Shakyamuni on a hilltop at Kuensel Phodrang, overlooking the southern end of Thimphu valley. Inside are 125,000 smaller gilded Buddha statues.
What to see:
The giant gilded Buddha
The meditation hall filled with small Buddhas
A panoramic view over Thimphu valley

About Institute of Zorig Chusum
The Institute of Zorig Chusum in Thimphu teaches Bhutan's 13 traditional arts and crafts, including thangka painting, wood carving, embroidery, statue-making and calligraphy, to young Bhutanese students.
What to see:
Students painting thangkas and carving wood
Embroidery and weaving classes
A shop selling student work

About National Memorial Chorten
The National Memorial Chorten was built in 1974 in memory of the Third King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the "Father of Modern Bhutan." From dawn to dusk, elderly Thimphu residents walk around it, spinning prayer wheels and counting prayer beads.
What to see:
Locals walking the kora
The large prayer wheels
The golden spire and whitewashed stupa

About Folk Heritage Museum
The Folk Heritage Museum is a restored 19th-century three-storey farmhouse that shows traditional rural life in Bhutan, with its kitchens, tools, granary and household objects. Its restaurant serves traditional Bhutanese meals.
What to see:
The traditional farmhouse rooms
Old farming tools and utensils
Traditional lunch at the museum restaurant

Travel: 75 km (about 3 hrs) | Altitude: Dochula 3,100 m, Punakha 1,250 m | Overnight: Punakha
Drive over Dochula Pass to Punakha to visit Punakha Dzong, then walk up through the rice terraces to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten.
Main experience: Punakha Dzong, where the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers meet.
Lighter moment: A 45-minute walk up through rice terraces to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, with views up the valley.
Local meal: Red rice and fresh river-valley vegetables at a Lobesa restaurant.
Insider tip: Walk across the Punakha Suspension Bridge (about 160 m) for great photos of the valley.

About Dochula Pass
Dochula (3,100 m), on the road from Thimphu to Punakha, is famous for its 108 memorial chortens (Druk Wangyal Chortens), built in 2004 to honour Bhutanese soldiers. On clear days, especially from October to February, there is a panorama of the eastern Himalaya, including Gangkar Puensum (7,570 m), the world's highest unclimbed mountain.
What to see:
The 108 Druk Wangyal chortens
Druk Wangyal Lhakhang temple
A panorama of the eastern Himalaya on clear days
Tea at the pass café

About Punakha Dzong
Punakha Dzong, the "Palace of Great Happiness," was built in 1637–38 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal where the Pho Chhu (male) and Mo Chhu (female) rivers meet. It was Bhutan's capital until 1955, is where Bhutan's kings are crowned and married, and is the winter home of the monk body. Many people consider it the most beautiful dzong in the country.
What to see:
The six-storey central tower and three courtyards
The river confluence and the covered cantilever bridge
Jacaranda trees blooming purple in spring
Murals of the life of the Buddha

About Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten
Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten is a beautiful temple on a ridge above the Punakha valley, built by the Queen Mother and completed in 1999 to bring peace to the world. It is reached by a 45-minute walk through rice fields.
What to see:
Intricate paintings and statues
The rooftop view up the Mo Chhu valley
The walk through rice terraces

Travel: 125 km (about 4.5 hrs) | Altitude: Paro 2,200 m | Overnight: Paro
Drive back to Paro to visit the National Museum and walk down to Rinpung Dzong, with the late afternoon free.
Main experience: The National Museum (Ta Dzong), with its thangkas and famous Bhutanese stamps, then the walk down to Rinpung Dzong.
Lighter moment: The late afternoon is free in Paro town.
Local meal: Momos and butter tea (suja) at a local café.
Insider tip: Rest well tonight: tomorrow is the hike.

About Paro Valley & Rinpung Dzong
Paro (2,200 m) is a wide, fertile valley of rice fields and traditional farmhouses, and home to Bhutan's only international airport. Rinpung Dzong, the "Fortress on a Heap of Jewels," was built in 1646 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan. It still serves as the district's administrative and monastic centre. The dzong is reached by the covered wooden Nyamai Zam cantilever bridge, and it hosts the famous Paro Tshechu festival each spring.
What to see:
The courtyards, towers and painted woodwork of Rinpung Dzong
The traditional Nyamai Zam cantilever bridge
Paro town's painted wooden shopfronts and craft shops
Views of the valley and the airport runway from the road above

About National Museum of Bhutan (Ta Dzong)
The National Museum is housed in Ta Dzong, a round 17th-century watchtower built to guard Rinpung Dzong. Since 1968 it has displayed Bhutan's finest thangka paintings, bronze statues, masks, textiles, weapons and the country's famous postage stamps.
What to see:
Ancient thangkas and religious statues
Masks used in tshechu dances
Bhutan's collectable postage stamps
The view over Paro Valley and Rinpung Dzong

Hike: About 5–6 hrs round trip | Altitude: 3,120 m | Overnight: Paro
Hike to Tiger's Nest and visit Kyichu Lhakhang on the way back.
Main experience: Paro Taktsang, built into a sheer cliff face, where according to legend Guru Rinpoche arrived on a tigress. Alternatives: the cafeteria viewpoint hike or Chele La Pass (3,988 m).
Lighter moment: Kyichu Lhakhang (7th century), on the way back.
Local meal: A farewell dinner with jasha maru and ara.
Insider tip: Book a traditional hot stone bath to ease tired legs.

About Tiger's Nest Monastery (Paro Taktsang)
Paro Taktsang is Bhutan's most famous landmark, a monastery built into a sheer granite cliff about 900 m above the Paro Valley, at 3,120 m. According to legend, Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), who brought Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century, flew here on the back of a tigress and meditated in a cave for three years, three months, three days and three hours. The present monastery was built in 1692 and carefully restored after a fire in 1998.
What to see:
The hike through blue pine forest and prayer flags (about 5–6 hrs round trip)
The cafeteria viewpoint halfway up, with a classic view of the monastery
The temples and Guru Rinpoche's meditation cave inside
The waterfall and bridge just below the monastery

About Kyichu Lhakhang
Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the oldest and most sacred temples in Bhutan, believed to have been built in 659 AD by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo as one of 108 temples to pin down a demoness who was blocking the spread of Buddhism. Its orange trees are said to bear fruit all year round.
What to see:
The 7th-century inner temple
The statue of Jowo Sakyamuni
Prayer wheels and elderly pilgrims walking the kora

If you cannot walk up to the monastery, then you can hike up to cafeteria which takes about 50 minutes from the base. Then take photo of Taktsang monastery, have a cup of coffee and return to the base.

Or

If you do not want to hike to Taktsang monastery then we will take you to Chele la pass, the highest motor able point in Bhutan at 3,988 meters above sea level between Paro and Haa valley. It is approximately 40 km one way from the hotel. Have a good view of snow- capped mountain and tourist indulge in bird watching.

After breakfast departs from the hotel to Paro Airport for your onward flight.