Day 1. Arrival in Paro
Arrive in Bhutan’s green Paro Valley, its air scented with pine and incense. Transfer to your lodge, then stroll across the wooden bridge into Paro Rinpung Dzong, where monks in crimson robes chant in echoing courtyards. Evening welcome dinner of Bhutanese favourites — red rice, ema datshi, and butter tea — accompanied by local folk music.
Day 2. Paro’s Sacred Sites & Spa
Begin with a short walk to Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest temples, where prayer wheels spin with the murmur of pilgrims. Continue to the National Museum, with masks, thangkas, and ancient relics. Afternoon at leisure: choose between a guided meditation with a monk or a traditional hot-stone bath at your lodge, heated with river rocks — a first taste of Bhutan’s purifying rituals.
Day 3. Paro → Thimphu
Drive through terraced fields to Bhutan’s capital, stopping for tea in village cafés along the way. In the afternoon, visit the towering Buddha Dordenma, a golden statue gazing over the valley, then explore the colourful weekend market (seasonal, Fri–Sun) where locals sell chilies, cheese, and incense. Evening free for a spa treatment or a stroll among Thimphu’s boutique cafés and craft shops.
Day 4. Thimphu’s Culture & Archery
This morning, join locals at the National Memorial Chorten, circling clockwise with prayer beads in hand. Visit the School of Arts and Crafts to watch apprentices painting thangkas and carving intricate designs. In the afternoon, take part in Bhutan’s national pastime: archery on a local range. Learn to shoot bamboo bows and join in the laughter and banter that always accompany a match. Return to your hotel for evening wellness — perhaps a herbal steam bath — before dinner.
Day 5. Thimphu → Dochula Pass → Punakha
Climb towards Dochula Pass, crowned with 108 white chortens. On clear days, Himalayan peaks line the horizon; in spring, the pass is ablaze with rhododendrons. Descend into Punakha’s warmer valley and settle into your riverside lodge. In the afternoon, explore the magnificent Punakha Dzong, its jacaranda trees blooming purple in April–May. Evening free beside the river.
Day 6. Punakha Valley & Farmhouse Traditions
Walk through rice terraces to Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple known for its unconventional saint. Enjoy a riverside picnic, then cross Bhutan’s longest suspension bridge, draped in prayer flags. In the afternoon, visit a local farmhouse: sip butter tea, sample chili cheese, and learn about rural life before slipping into a family-run hot-stone bath in the courtyard. Evening farm-to-table dinner at your lodge.
Day 7. Punakha → Phobjikha Valley
Travel east into the glacial valley of Phobjikha, a landscape of meadows, dwarf bamboo, and forested hillsides. On arrival, visit the hilltop Gangtey Monastery for evening prayers. Check into your mountain lodge with wide views of the valley and warm firesides. Seasonal option (Oct–Feb): Watch the arrival of black-necked cranes, sacred birds that winter here from Tibet.
Day 8. Phobjikha: Nature, Yaks & Horse Riding
Wake to mist drifting across the valley. Take a gentle walk along the Gangtey Nature Trail, through pine forests and open meadows. Depending on the season, join a yak-herding family to learn about their way of life, or opt for a horse ride through the valley floor (warmer months). Afternoon hot-stone bath at your lodge, followed by evening meditation with monks at Gangtey Monastery.
Day 9. Phobjikha → Paro
Return west, crossing mountain passes and stopping in small hamlets to meet weavers and basket-makers. Arrive back in Paro and settle into your lodge. Afternoon at leisure — perhaps a short village walk or a spa ritual to prepare for tomorrow’s hike. Evening storytelling over a fireside dinner.
Day 10. Tiger’s Nest Pilgrimage & Cooking Class
Set out early for the climb to Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest), clinging to a cliff face above the valley. The hike (2–3 hours uphill) reveals shrines, waterfalls, and prayer flags, culminating in one of Bhutan’s most sacred sites. Return to your lodge and in the evening, join a cook-along with chefs to learn Bhutanese dishes like momos or buckwheat pancakes before a farewell dinner.
Day 11. Departure
Transfer to Paro Airport for your onward flight, carrying memories of Bhutan’s peaks, prayers, and purifying rituals.
Accommodation
Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary
Paro
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Wellness‑focused retreat built like a fortress
Gangtey Lodge & Spa
Phobjikha
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Farm-house luxury overlooking the sacred valley
Pemako Resort
Thimphu
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Artful spa sanctuary offering hot-stone rejuvenation with cultural elegance
Travel your way...
Our hot-spring holidays are entirely bespoke. We start by listening closely to your wishes, then craft a personalised itinerary just for you, fine-tuning every detail.
Your thermal journey. Your rhythms. Your way.
