Bhutan Happiness Journey: 7 Days — Thimphu, Punakha, Paro & Tiger’s Nest

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrive Paro — Transfer to Thimphu

Flying into Paro is one of aviation’s great arrivals — the plane threads through mountain valleys, close enough to see individual trees, before touching down in a valley of rice paddies and traditional farmhouses. Your guide meets you in traditional gho/kera (men) or kira (women). Drive 1.5 hours to Thimphu, the world’s only capital without traffic lights — the single traffic light was removed because Bhutanese preferred the policeman’s hand signals. Thimphu sits at 2,320m, a blend of tradition (the king still lives here in a modest palace) and modernity (espresso bars alongside prayer flag sellers). Evening: walk the main street, visit the Memorial Chorten. Overnight in Thimphu.

Day 2: Thimphu — The Capital of Gross National Happiness

Morning: Buddha Dordenma — a 51.5m golden Buddha seated atop a hill overlooking the valley, one of the largest Buddha statues in the world. Inside are 125,000 smaller Buddha statues. Visit the National Memorial Chorten (1974), where elderly Bhutanese circumambulate with prayer beads, chanting. The National Textile Museum showcases Bhutan’s extraordinary weaving traditions — the intricate patterns that take a year to complete. Afternoon: Changangkha Lhakhang (12th century), the oldest temple in Thimphu, where parents bring newborns for naming ceremonies. The Takin Preserve houses Bhutan’s bizarre national animal — a creature resembling a goat-cow hybrid that, according to legend, was created by the Divine Madman Drukpa Kunley from a goat’s head and cow’s body. Evening: archery demonstration — Bhutan’s national sport, accompanied by singing, dancing, and friendly (but fierce) trash-talking between teams. Overnight in Thimphu.

Day 3: Thimphu to Punakha via Dochula Pass

Drive 3 hours over the Dochula Pass (3,100m). On clear days — and hope for clear days — the view from the 108 chortens at Dochula reveals the entire eastern Himalayan range: Masagang, Tsendagang, Terigang, Jejegangphugang, Kangphugang, Zongphugang, and Gangkar Puensum (7,570m, the world’s highest unclimbed mountain — Bhutan bans climbing out of respect for mountain spirits). Descend into the subtropical Punakha Valley — at 1,200m, it’s warmer and greener, with rice terraces cascading down hillsides. Afternoon: Punakha Dzong (1638), Bhutan’s most beautiful fortress-monastery, situated at the confluence of the Pho Chhu (Father River) and Mo Chhu (Mother River). Its six-story central tower and cantilever bridge make it the most photographed building in Bhutan. Overnight in Punakha.

Day 4: Punakha Valley — Fertility Temple & River Rafting

Morning hike to Chimi Lhakhang (1499), the Temple of Fertility, dedicated to the Divine Madman Drukpa Kunley — a 15th-century saint who taught enlightenment through sex, wine, and humor. The temple is decorated with phalluses, and couples from across Asia come here to be blessed with children. Walk through the rice fields of Lobesa village, one of Bhutan’s most beautiful rural landscapes. Afternoon: white-water rafting on the Mo Chhu River (Class II-III rapids, gentle enough for beginners) past the Punakha Dzong from water level. Visit Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery with its panoramic valley views. Overnight in Punakha.

Day 5: Punakha to Paro

Drive back over Dochula to Paro (4 hours). Afternoon: Paro Dzong (Rinpung Dzong, 1646), Bhutan’s administrative and monastic center, with its distinctive cantilever bridge. Visit the National Museum housed in the ancient Ta Dzong watchtower — a spiral-shaped building with fascinating collections of thangka paintings, stamps, and natural history. Evening: explore Paro town, try a traditional hot stone bath (dotsho) — river stones heated in a fire are plunged into a wooden tub filled with Artemisia leaves, releasing minerals and herbal essence. Overnight in Paro.

Day 6: Taktsang Monastery — The Tiger’s Nest

The pilgrimage. Taktsang Monastery (3,120m) clings to a sheer cliff face 900m above the Paro Valley — and reaching it requires a 2-3 hour ascent. Legend says Guru Rinpoche flew here on the back of a tigress in the 8th century and meditated in a cave for three months, introducing Buddhism to Bhutan. The trail climbs through pine forests past fluttering prayer flags. At the halfway point, the Taktsang Cafeteria offers tea and the first clear view of the monastery — impossibly, impossibly perched on the cliff. The final section is stone steps clinging to the rock face. Inside: the Guru Rinpoche cave, butter lamps burning in the half-dark, incredible murals. The sense of accomplishment and the spiritual atmosphere make this one of the world’s truly great hikes. Descend and reward yourself with a hot stone bath. Farewell dinner with Bhutanese dishes — ema datshi (chili cheese, the national dish), momos, and red rice. Overnight in Paro.

Day 7: Departure

Morning visit to Kyichu Lhakhang (7th century), one of Bhutan’s oldest temples — built by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo to pin down a demoness whose body covered the Himalayas. Transfer to Paro Airport for your departure flight, with the Himalayas below you.

Included

• 6 nights in 3-star government-approved hotels
• All meals (full board — Bhutan standard)
• Licensed English-speaking Bhutanese guide throughout
• Private vehicle with driver
• Sustainable Development Fee ($200/day included)
• All monastery & museum entrance fees
• White-water rafting on Mo Chhu
• Airport transfers