Bhutan
Bhutan
The last Himalayan kingdom, on its own terms
Why go
Bhutan does tourism deliberately — a Sustainable Development Fee per day keeps numbers low and standards high, and independent travel isn't really a thing, so a trip here is always guided and planned. That structure is the point: you move through the Paro and Thimphu valleys and, with more days, on to Punakha and its riverside dzong and the glacial Phobjikha valley, always with a knowledgeable guide. The set-piece is the two- to three-hour climb to Paro Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest monastery bolted to a cliff 900 m above the valley floor.
Trip highlights
- The hike to Paro Taktsang (Tiger's Nest)
- Punakha Dzong at the river confluence
- Thimphu — the weekend market and the Buddha Dordenma
- Dochula Pass and the Phobjikha (Gangtey) valley
Ways to travel Bhutan
Paro, Thimphu and Punakha
The classic first Bhutan trip over the western valleys, ending with the Tiger's Nest climb.
Deeper into the valleys
Add Phobjikha for the black-necked cranes (winter) and Bumthang, the spiritual heartland, by road or a short flight.
Festival timing
Plan around a tsechu — the masked-dance festivals at Paro (spring) or Thimphu (autumn).
Bhutan itineraries to start from
Ready-made routes you can tweak — change hotels, add nights, combine with another destination.
Let's build your Bhutan trip
Send us a rough idea — a destination, a month, a budget — and we'll come back with a plan you can actually picture yourself on.