Bhutan
Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon
15 days from £14,499pp
Includes: International & domestic flights, full board accommodation, tours & transfers as below.
Overview & Highlights
Embark on the ultimate 14-night trip across Bhutan, beginning and ending in Delhi, during which you’ll be immersed in the spirituality and culture of this beautiful kingdom. Visiting many stunning dzongs along the way, plus meeting and dining with some of the friendly local families in rural areas, you’ll soon understand why Bhutan is such a must-do experience.
Travelling through Thimphu, you’ll witness the Buddha Dordenma as well as the Changangkha Lhakhang temple. Get a feel of the rural community by visiting the local farmers markets, such as Ka Ja Thorm. When you reach Gangtey, you’ll be dining at a traditional Bhutanese farmhouse, nestled amidst picturesque fields and hillsides.
From Gangtey to Bumthang, you’ll drive through Trongsa, a scenic route through majestic landscapes. Stop in the Trongsa town along the way to discover its rich histpory before arriving in Bumthang, where you’ll see the many beautiful temples and the Bumthang Brewery.
You’ll also stop at the enchanting former capital of Bhutan, Punakha, where you’ll visit the ‘Palace of Great Happiness’, Punakha Dzong. After captivating excursions to Chimi Lhankhang and Khamsum Yuelley Namgel, it’s time to travel back to Paro to see more of its dzongs, monasteries and history in the national museums.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Visit fascinating dzongs on your journey through Bhutan
- Stay at luxurious accommodation throughout the journey
- Discover the historic charms and unique, natural beauty of Bhutan, with the Himalayas as your backdrop
- Meet the beautiful Bhutanese people and learn about ‘Happiness’
- Experience many treks including the Tiger’s Nest Monastery.
- Opportunity to explore traditional arts and crafts
- Visit monks and lamas and see how Bhutanese traditions continue in the modern world.
- Organic farming and delicious healthy food and drink
- Great destination for bird life and botany
“Having experienced a week travelling with Six Senses through Bhutan, I cannot recommend a trip to this magical mountain kingdom highly enough – a truly enlightening and life changing country and I can’t wait to return”.
Best time to travel October, November, February, March and April
- Day 1: Fly to Delhi and overnight
- Day 2: Day exploring Delhi
- Day 3: Scenic flight to Paro, with breathtaking views of the entire Himalayas. Journey to Thimphu to spend the afternoon in the National Memorial Chorten, followed by a walk along Thimphu’s main street and through its bustling market area. Six Senses Thimphu 2 nights
- Day 4: Enjoy a drive to Buddha Dordenma, a majestic statue that sits at the top of a hill in Kuenselphodrang Nature Park. Next is a mesmerising hike from Buddha Dordenma to Changangkha Lhakhang, where you’ll discover the ancient temple steeped in history. After lunch, you’ll explore the Centenary Farmers Market and Ka Ja Thorm, the vibrant farmers local market and then on to more sightseeing, encountering top attractions from Takin Preserve to Pangri Zampa and much more.
- Day 5: On your journey to Gangtey from Thimphu, you’ll be driving through the scenic route to Dochu-la pass, stopping briefly at a high vantage point to see the panoramic views of the chorten, mani wall and array of prayer flags. Upon arrival in Gangtey, you’ll be greeted by the breathtaking landscape of the valley, with a backdrop of hillsides behind the charming village of Phobjikha. Come the evening, visit a traditional farmhouse, getting to know the rural lifestyle with a local family over tea. Six Senses Gangtey 2 nights
- Day 6: Following breakfast, you’ll visit a magnificent monastery, Gangtey Goempa. Take a delightful walking excursion along the Gangtey Nature Trail, where you can explore the beauty of the flower-filled meadows and the serene beauty of Phobjikha valley. After exploring and having lunch, you’ll enjoy a visit to Black Neck Crane Information Centre and finally, witnessing a prayer ceremony at a village monastery before settling down for the night.
- Day 7: Bumthang is next on your journey, travelling via Trongsa to see the captivating landscapes. En route, you’ll pass the Pelela pass, the historic Chendbji Chorten and the Trongsa town where you’ll stop to marvel at the Trongsa Dzong before carrying on towards Bumthang. Six Senses Bumthang 2 nights
- Day 8: Spend the day exploring the four valleys that make up Bumthang: Tang, Ura, Chumey and Choekhor. Start the day with a visit to Jambey Lhakhang, and then onto Jakar Dzong, Tamshing Lhakhang and finally an interesting visit to Bumthang Brewery. Finish the day with an evening stroll in the village, exploring the local shops and market.
- Day 9: Enjoy a day drive back to Punakha, travelling through Trongsa once again. You’ll be visiting Ta Dzong along the way before heading into the Punakha town. On this journey, you’ll be stopping at the Wangduephodrang Dzong, before settling into your hotel. Six Senses Punakha 2 nights.
- Day 10: After breakfast, visit Punakha Dzong or ‘Palace of Great Happiness’. Following your exploration, you’ll take a short excursion to Chimi Lhakhang, situated on a hillock in the centre of the valley, also known as the temple of fertility. Then after lunch, you’ll enjoy a beautiful hike takes one to the regal Khamsum Yuelley Namgel Chorten that will take up to two hours, offering incredible views of across the Mo Chhu and up towards the mountainous peaks of Gasa and beyond.
- Day 11: Leaving Punakha you travel to Paro, enjoying the scenic route along the way, and passing by beautiful dzongs. Arriving in Paro, you’ll see its beautiful valley and delve into the many myths and legends of the region. Post lunch, proceed to visit Ta Dzong, originally built as Watchtower, which now houses National Museum. Afterwards, embark on a short walk down the trail to visit Rinpung Dzong (Paro Dzong), where you’ll discover its fascinating history. Six Senses Paro 3 nights
- Day 12: Today, take a hiking excursion to Taktshang Monastery, otherwise known as a Tiger’s Nest. It’s one of the most famous of Bhutan’s monasteries, perched on the side of a cliff 900m above the Paro valley floor. The name ‘Tiger’s Nest’ is derived from legends that say that Guru Rinpoche arrived here on the back of a tigress and meditated at this monastery.
- Day 13: Enjoy an excursion to Chelela Pass, considered to be one of the highest motorable passes in Bhutan. From Chelela, you’ll embark on a fascinating excursion to Kila Gompa, a nunnery perched on a steep cliff face at 3500m. Later in the afternoon, you’ll visit newly restored Drukgyel Dzong before visiting Kyichu Lhakhang, a 7th-century temple that forms part of the 108 temples built in the Himalaya.
- Day 14: Transfer to the airport for a flight back to Delhi. Depending on the time of your flight, you will overnight here and fly to UK the next day.
This is just one example of a holiday to Bhutan. We can create your own bespoke holiday with variation of number of nights, hotels and experiences. From trekking to arts and crafts, homestays to spending time with monks and plenty of locations for superb birdwatching and enjoying the natural world, Bhutan has something for everyone.
Example of an alternative itinerary (staying in mid range hotels) is a two week small group tour, departs September 2024 from £7,095 per person (including flights)
A few impressions…
“For the last 10 years we have been using Jules to arrange our holidays and have enjoyed travelling with someone else doing the organising in the full knowledge that should a problem occur we have a reliable point of contact who ensures that our enjoyment of the holiday isn’t in any way spoiled. We would thoroughly recommend using Travel with Jules to anyone contemplating wishing to travel on a wildlife & sightseeing adventure.
We loved our adventure to Bhutan!”
David and Maureen C
Let us begin the journey that will create memories to last a lifetime.
