Best Bhutan All Inclusive: 5 Days — Paro, Thimphu & Punakha

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrive Paro — Welcome to the Thunder Dragon Kingdom

Touch down at Paro International Airport, nestled in a deep Himalayan valley at 2,200 meters. The flight itself is an experience — weaving between peaks on final approach to one of the world’s most challenging and scenic airports. Your Relax Getaways guide greets you and transfers you to your hotel. After settling in, visit the National Museum of Bhutan (Ta Dzong), a cylindrical 17th-century watchtower that once guarded Paro Dzong. The museum’s six floors showcase Bhutan’s cultural heritage: an exceptional collection of thangka paintings (religious scroll paintings on cotton or silk), bronze statues, ancient weapons, stamps, and the famous “Egg of the Universe” installation. Continue to Paro Dzong (Rinpung Dzong), one of Bhutan’s finest examples of fortress architecture, with its massive buttressed walls and intricate woodwork. The dzong featured in Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1993 film “Little Buddha.” Evening: authentic farmhouse dinner in a traditional Bhutanese home. Your host family prepares classic Bhutanese dishes — ema datshi (the national dish of chilies and cheese), phaksha paa (pork with red chilies), and jasha maru (spicy chicken stew). Experience firsthand the warmth of Bhutanese hospitality as you share a meal around the traditional bukhari (wood-burning stove). Overnight in Paro.

Day 2: Tiger’s Nest Monastery & Prayer Flag Ceremony

Early morning departure for the Tiger’s Nest (Taktsang) hike. This is Bhutan’s defining experience. The monastery complex, built in 1692 around the cave where Guru Rinpoche meditated, clings impossibly to a vertical cliff face at 3,120 meters. Your guide sets a comfortable pace, stopping at viewpoints to share the legends and spiritual significance of each section. The trail is well-maintained, with pack ponies available for the first section (optional, additional cost). At the Taktsang Cafeteria, enjoy tea and panoramic views before tackling the final approach. Inside the monastery, the eight cave temples glow with butter lamps, thangka paintings, and gilded statues. After descending, enjoy a well-earned rest. Late afternoon: participate in an authentic prayer flag ceremony. Your guide leads you to a scenic mountain location where you’ll string and raise colorful lungta (wind horse) prayer flags. Each of the five colors represents an element — blue (sky), white (cloud), red (fire), green (water), yellow (earth) — and as the wind carries the printed mantras, blessings are said to spread across the valley. This is a profoundly spiritual moment, connecting you to centuries of Himalayan Buddhist tradition. Overnight in Paro.

Day 3: Paro to Thimphu — Capital of Gross National Happiness

After breakfast, visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest and most sacred temples, built in the 7th century by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. The temple’s inner courtyard features two magical orange trees that bear fruit year-round. Inside, three ancient statues — of Guru Rinpoche, Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara), and Jowo Sakyamuni — represent Bhutan’s Buddhist heritage. Then drive to Thimphu (1.5 hours). Thimphu is unlike any other capital — it has no traffic lights, buildings must follow traditional architectural codes, and the pace of life remains distinctly Bhutanese. Begin at the Memorial Chorten, where you’ll circumambulate clockwise with local devotees. Continue to Buddha Dordenma at Kuensel Phodrang — the 51.5-meter gilded bronze Buddha seated on a meditation hall. The view from Buddha Point stretches across the entire Thimphu Valley. Afternoon: witness Bhutan’s national sport with an archery demonstration. Archery (Dha) is more than sport in Bhutan — it is passion, culture, and national identity. Watch teams compete at an archery ground, accompanied by the distinctive celebratory dances (khuru) when a target is hit, and the good-natured verbal sparring between teams. If you wish, try your hand at hitting a traditional bamboo target from 140 meters. Evening: explore the Craft Bazaar on Norzin Lam for authentic Bhutanese textiles, hand-woven baskets, carved masks, and thangka paintings. Overnight in Thimphu.

Day 4: Thimphu to Punakha — The Most Beautiful Dzong

Morning: visit the Simply Bhutan Museum, an interactive living museum that showcases traditional Bhutanese architecture, cuisine, and lifestyle. Try your hand at archery, taste ara (traditional distilled rice wine), and dress in a gho (for men) or kira (for women). Then drive over the Dochula Pass (3,100m), stopping at the 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens. On a clear day, the Himalayan range unfolds in a breathtaking 200km panorama. Descend into the subtropical Punakha Valley, where rice paddies line the river and orange trees grow beside banana palms. Afternoon: the highlight — Punakha Dzong (Pungthang Dewachen Phodrang). Widely considered the most beautiful dzong in Bhutan, this majestic fortress sits at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers. Walk the traditional wooden cantilever bridge across the Mo Chhu to reach the dzong. Inside, explore the six-story central tower (utse), the hundred-pillar assembly hall with its murals depicting the life of Buddha, and the Machey Lhakhang with the preserved body of Zhabdrung. The dzong’s jacaranda trees bloom in magnificent purple during spring (April-May). Evening: walk along the riverside trail as the setting sun paints the dzong’s white walls in shades of gold and pink. Overnight in Punakha.

Day 5: Punakha to Paro — Farewell to the Dragon Kingdom

After a final Bhutanese breakfast, begin the journey back westward. En route, stop at Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple of the Divine Madman Drukpa Kunley. The 20-minute walk through rice paddies and traditional villages to reach the temple is as rewarding as the destination itself. Continue ascending towards Paro, with a lunch stop at a local restaurant in Thimphu or along the highway. Arrive at Paro International Airport in time for your departure flight. As you ascend above the valley, take a final look at the patchwork of rice terraces, traditional farmhouses, and the ribbon of prayer flags strung across the landscape. You carry with you not just photographs, but a genuine experience of the world’s last Buddhist kingdom — where happiness is measured not by GDP, but by the well-being of every sentient being.

What’s Included

• 4 nights accommodation (government-approved 3-star hotels)
• Full board: daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Sustainable Development Fee (SDF): covered by the $440 local fee
• Private vehicle with licensed Bhutanese driver
• Licensed English-speaking Bhutanese guide
• Bhutan visa fee ($40) and processing
• Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Taktsang) guided hike
• National Museum of Bhutan (Ta Dzong) entry
• Prayer flag ceremony at scenic mountain location
• Farmhouse dinner with traditional Bhutanese family
• Kyichu Lhakhang (7th-century temple) visit
• Memorial Chorten and Buddha Dordenma in Thimphu
• Archery demonstration and hands-on experience
• Simply Bhutan Living Museum
• Dochula Pass with 108 Chortens and Himalayan views
• Punakha Dzong entry and guided tour
• Chimi Lhakhang fertility temple walk
• All monument, temple, and dzong entry fees
• Government royalties and taxes
• Airport transfers (both ways)

What’s Not Included

• International flights to/from Paro
• Travel insurance (mandatory for Bhutan)
• Personal expenses, beverages, laundry
• Tips for guide and driver
• Alcoholic beverages (except ara tasting at museum)
• Phone calls and internet usage
• Pack pony for Tiger’s Nest hike (optional, ~$15)
• Anything not specified in inclusions

Pricing & Booking

Tour Price: $790 per person + $440 local fee = $1,230 total

The local fee covers Bhutan’s Sustainable Development Fee of $100 per day — a government levy that has transformed Bhutan by funding free healthcare, education, infrastructure, and environmental conservation. The SDF was raised from $65 to $100 in 2022, and with Relax Getaways subsidizing part of the cost, this tour represents excellent value for an all-inclusive Bhutan experience.

Important: Bhutan has a “High Value, Low Volume” tourism policy. Visas are only issued through licensed tour operators, and visitors must book through an authorized agent. Your Relax Getaways booking includes full visa processing. Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines operate limited flights to Paro — booking 3-6 months ahead is strongly recommended.

Key Features

• Hike to the legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Taktsang) at 3,120m
• Participate in authentic prayer flag raising ceremony at a sacred site
• Traditional farmhouse dinner with a Bhutanese family
• Archery demonstration — experience Bhutan’s passionate national sport
• Visit Punakha Dzong, universally celebrated as Bhutan’s most beautiful fortress
• Small group of 8-12 ensures intimate, personal experiences
• All-inclusive: SDF, visa, all meals, accommodation, transport, and guide
• Family-friendly: ages 10+ welcome