PRIVATE TAILORMADE JOURNEY
2025 Punakha Festival and Overland to Bumthang
The activities on this trip are rated as moderate and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. The hikes on this trip can range from moderate to challenging, depending on your abilities. Trip members should be in good health and comfortable standing or walking for extended periods of time and confident navigating mixed and steep terrain that may include rocky trails, slippery conditions and, or, steps and stairs. Daily activities include city walking tours, hiking to and entering monasteries, temples and fortresses, driving over winding mountain roads and easy to moderate hiking with some strenuous options where possible. The general elevations in the valleys will mostly range from 6,800 ft to 9,000 ft, with drives that will take us over higher passes before descending to the average elevations mentioned above. The final hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery is 10,000 ft.
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Accommodations
The high-end accommodations on this journey feature traditional Bhutanese style with modern elements. The lodges are handpicked for regional character, comfort, and hospitality, including our beautiful family lodge in the central highlands of Bhutan, the Mountain Resort (see more on the Mountain Resort below). In peak season, depending on availability, we may use lodges comparable to the ones we have listed or advertised.
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Expedition Staff
Every expedition is curated by expert native-born guides and trip leaders who also facilitate meetings and learning experiences with other locally knowledgeable people along the way. Our experienced team shares valuable insights and local expertise to ensure a culturally rich adventure of discovery through the Himalayan landscape and traditions of Bhutan.
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The activities on this trip are rated as moderate and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. The hikes on this trip can range from moderate to challenging, depending on your abilities. Trip members should be in good health and comfortable standing or walking for extended periods of time and confident navigating mixed and steep terrain that may include rocky trails, slippery conditions and, or, steps and stairs. Daily activities include city walking tours, hiking to and entering monasteries, temples and fortresses, driving over winding mountain roads and easy to moderate hiking with some strenuous options where possible. The general elevations in the valleys will mostly range from 6,800 ft to 9,000 ft, with drives that will take us over higher passes before descending to the average elevations mentioned above. The final hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery is 10,000 ft.
​
Accommodations
The high-end accommodations on this journey feature traditional Bhutanese style with modern elements. The lodges are handpicked for regional character, comfort, and hospitality, including our beautiful family lodge in the central highlands of Bhutan, the Mountain Resort (see more on the Mountain Resort below). In peak season, depending on availability, we may use lodges comparable to the ones we have listed or advertised.
​
Expedition Staff
Every expedition is curated by expert native-born guides and trip leaders who also facilitate meetings and learning experiences with other locally knowledgeable people along the way. Our experienced team shares valuable insights and local expertise to ensure a culturally rich adventure of discovery through the Himalayan landscape and traditions of Bhutan.
​
The activities on this trip are rated as moderate and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. The hikes on this trip can range from moderate to challenging, depending on your abilities. Trip members should be in good health and comfortable standing or walking for extended periods of time and confident navigating mixed and steep terrain that may include rocky trails, slippery conditions and, or, steps and stairs. Daily activities include city walking tours, hiking to and entering monasteries, temples and fortresses, driving over winding mountain roads and easy to moderate hiking with some strenuous options where possible. The general elevations in the valleys will mostly range from 6,800 ft to 9,000 ft, with drives that will take us over higher passes before descending to the average elevations mentioned above. The final hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery is 10,000 ft.
​
Accommodations
The high-end accommodations on this journey feature traditional Bhutanese style with modern elements. The lodges are handpicked for regional character, comfort, and hospitality, including our beautiful family lodge in the central highlands of Bhutan, the Mountain Resort (see more on the Mountain Resort below). In peak season, depending on availability, we may use lodges comparable to the ones we have listed or advertised.
​
Expedition Staff
Every expedition is curated by expert native-born guides and trip leaders who also facilitate meetings and learning experiences with other locally knowledgeable people along the way. Our experienced team shares valuable insights and local expertise to ensure a culturally rich adventure of discovery through the Himalayan landscape and traditions of Bhutan.
​
The activities on this trip are rated as moderate and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. The hikes on this trip can range from moderate to challenging, depending on your abilities. Trip members should be in good health and comfortable standing or walking for extended periods of time and confident navigating mixed and steep terrain that may include rocky trails, slippery conditions and, or, steps and stairs. Daily activities include city walking tours, hiking to and entering monasteries, temples and fortresses, driving over winding mountain roads and easy to moderate hiking with some strenuous options where possible. The general elevations in the valleys will mostly range from 6,800 ft to 9,000 ft, with drives that will take us over higher passes before descending to the average elevations mentioned above. The final hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery is 10,000 ft.
​
Accommodations
The high-end accommodations on this journey feature traditional Bhutanese style with modern elements. The lodges are handpicked for regional character, comfort, and hospitality, including our beautiful family lodge in the central highlands of Bhutan, the Mountain Resort (see more on the Mountain Resort below). In peak season, depending on availability, we may use lodges comparable to the ones we have listed or advertised.
​
Expedition Staff
Every expedition is curated by expert native-born guides and trip leaders who also facilitate meetings and learning experiences with other locally knowledgeable people along the way. Our experienced team shares valuable insights and local expertise to ensure a culturally rich adventure of discovery through the Himalayan landscape and traditions of Bhutan.
​
A private journey from the ancient capital of Bhutan to the royal heart of the kingdom
We take you on an in-depth guided journey across the country at the start of Bhutan's spring travel season, starting with an ancient festival in the old capital of Bhutan. Along the way we stay at some of the most remarkable luxury lodges in the country, a wonderfully-situated glamping property in the Gangtey Valley, and the Bumthang Amankora Lodge. Discover a string of atmospheric Buddhist temples and monasteries in the kingdom, and some of the loveliest trails in Bhutan before returning west to explore the exciting museums, markets and social life of the modern capital. Finally, a climb to famous Tiger's Nest monastery, before continuing your travels home with an armload of special memories.
HEALTH & SAFETY
We are following strict national and international safety guidelines and protocols (Royal Government of Bhutan, WHO, and CDC (US) recommendations) to keep you, our staff, and the Bhutanese people safe. This includes new measures for maintaining personal health and hygiene, social distancing best practices, face covering requirements, cleaning, handwashing and more.
UPDATED BOOKING & CANCELLATION POLICY
With global travel resuming, we have changed our booking and cancellation policies back to normal. Normal cancellation policies are now in effect and final trip payment is due (4 months/120 days before trip start date, whichever is earlier). Trip cancellation policies are outlined in our trip confirmation emails and available by request.
ITINERARY
Arriving on an early morning flight from Bangkok, we continue to Punakha, where we attend one of the biggest religious mask dance festivals of the year. We visit the fascinating historic temples and monasteries of Punakha, and meet with a nationally-renowned artist at his open-air studio, as well as the young monks of Chorten Nyingbo. Next we continue to the lovely Gangtey Valley where we hike a serene nature trail, and maybe catch the last of the departing winter cranes as they begin their annual migration to Tibet. Then, drive through the spectacular woods and valleys of the Black Mountain Range to Jakar, the spiritual heart of Bumthang. There, explore a royal palace that’s being lovingly restored as a museum for the future, preserving the royal culture and spiritual treasures of the kingdom. Visit the inspiring nuns of Pemacholing at their remote monastery in Tang, hidden among the quiet folds of the mountains, before stopping by a series of atmospheric temples and monasteries from the seventh to the 17th centuries. Learn about local traditions, such as the colorful yak-and-wool weavings for which the region is famous. Stay at an authentic old manor house with an on-site museum that's reccomended as a notable experience in well-known architectural and travel magazines, and meet our host, a famous local children's book author and descendent of an ancient noble family. A short but scenic flight brings us back to the modern capital, Thimphu, where we explore museums, markets, the sights and sounds, and meet interesting and notable capital society members. Close your journey back in Paro with a visit to the Tiger's Nest monastery and a farewell evening before your return to the airport in time for your return flight to Bangkok.
VIEW DAY BY DAY
MARCH 09: BANGKOK / PARO / PUNAKHA
Your early morning flight from Bangkok on Drukair KB 153 departs at 6 AM and arrives in Paro at 8:15 AM; after quick refreshments and Bhutanese grown and brewed organic coffee at the Mountain Café, we drive 1.5 hours to Dochula pass with spectacular views of the Himalayas in fair weather. Continue two more hours along looping scenic mountain roads to descend to the farming community of Lobeysa, where we visit Chimmi Lhakhang, the fascinating fertility temple of the ‘Divine Madman,’ celebrating the legend of the colorful prankster saint Drukpa Kunley. Continue driving upriver along the banks of the serenely flowing Mochu River until we cross a suspension bridge strewn with prayer flags and arrive at the spectacular Pemako, a lodge that was inspired by the ancient Himalayan legend of a perfect hidden land.
MARCH 10: PUNAKHA FESTIVAL
Get festive with the local people of Punakha and join them at their biggest religious mask dance festival of the year, the Punakha Tshechu, and take in the spectacular performances and the colorful sights and sounds and scenes that are a photographer’s delight. In the afternoon, we walk a section of the Trans Bhutan Trail to cross the longest suspension bridge In Bhutan, and take a short walk on the opposite side of the valley before returning to the lodge for some rest and relaxation.
MARCH 11: FESTIVAL / POTOLO ART CAMP / YOUNG MONKS
Today we rise early and return to the Punakha Dzong to witness the annual showing of the giant Thongdroel, a religious embroidered appliqué brocade scroll that takes scores of monks to unfurl down a tower that’s at least four stories high. In the afternoon, we take the drive upriver to meet the young monks of Chorten Nyingbo, an ancient monastery, and stop by the nearby hilltop outdoor art camp of our dear friend Asha Kama, a nationally celebrated artist whose gentle, sparkling demeanor belies the fact that many consider him a national treasure. In the evening, we return to the lodge in time to rest for our drive to Gangtey in the morning.
MARCH 12: DRIVE TO GANGTEY / CRANES / HIKE
This morning, after breakfast, we drive three hours to Gangtey Valley and check in at one of the valley’s newest tented (safari style) camps for a different experience. Visit the crane center, learn about local conservation efforts to protect the endangered cranes and, later, hike the scenic nature trail where we may see the last remaining Black-necked Cranes taking flight or roosting in the valley before their seasonal return back to the high plateau of Tibet.
MARCH 13: DRIVE TO BUMTHANG / WANGDUECHHOELING PALACE GOLDEN HOUR TOUR
This morning after breakfast we take the five-hour drive to Bumthang. We stop at the Chumey weaving co-op to admire the local handicrafts and vibrant wool and yak-hair weavings which originated in the region. This evening we arrive in Bumthang in time for the golden hour tour and photoshoot of the Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum
MARCH 14: MUSEUM TOUR & INTERIOR PHOTOSHOOT / LOCAL SIGHTSEEING
We return to Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum in the morning for a comprehensive tour and photoshoot of the interiors—the old cobblestone courtyards, the delicately painted walls and interiors (using natural mineral pigments), the time-worn wooden stairways and ladders, and the various display rooms, chambers and floors of the museum. Afterwards we take the “pilgrim‘s walk,“ visiting temples and monasteries from the seventh to the 17th centuries. We take a lovely picnic lunch beside the river, before crossing the modern steel-span bridge to the other side of the valley to continue our walk and visit the Tamshing Monastery where the faded mud walls with ancient paintings leaves one with a deep sense of taking a step back in time. The end of the walk brings us to a beloved local brewery, the Red Panda, where we stop to try local handmade tasties, fermented Red Panda beer (if dietary restrictions allow), fresh local apple cider and apple juice, Himalayan (wheat) dumplings, or locally grown potato, and local Emmemthaler Swiss cheese made on site at the next door dairy collective.
MARCH 15: CHAMKHAR RIVER COUNTRY WALK
Today we have all day to take a leisurely country ramble through the scenic villages upriver on both sides of the aquamarine Chamkhar River. We stop at local heritage sites like Thangbi and Ngang Lhakhang, or the ‘Swan Temple,’ with a picnic lunch or meal at the ancient monastery. Return to the lodge in Jakar after a tour of the sacred images inside the temple, and after learning about the monastery’s interesting origins.
MARCH 16: TANG VALLEY / VILLAGE TREK / OGYEN CHOLING MUSEUM
Today, take the leisurely two-hour drive from Jakar to Ogyen Choling bridge, and hike uphill through frozen-in-time villages to the Ogyen Choling Manor and Museum, featured in Dwell magazine, and the New York Times. We take a tour the museum and enjoy delicious meals prepared on site using organic ingredients grown on the property’s gardens lovingly tended by the hosts, the noble lady Ashi Kunzang, and her Swiss husband, the (retired) forestry advisor Walter Roder. Both are a wealth of local information and lore. The lodge also provides the incredible opportunity to discover and meditate in the manor’s exquisite Tara Temple, dedicated to the Goddess of Compassion.
MARCH 17: VILLAGE TREK TO JAKAR / BUDDHIST BLESSINGS
After a lovely, sumptuous breakfast with our gracious hosts, we continue the drive to the Tang Pemacholing Nunnery to meet with the inspiring resident nuns before walking along a pine forested trail to the high pass over Jakar, followed by a descent into the valley with spectacular views of the valley on both sides as we descend into Jakar.
MARCH 18: FLIGHT TO PARO / THIMPHU / CAPITAL SIGHTS
Your day begins with a short but dramatic early morning flight past snowy Himalayan peaks, the deeply forested valleys and gorges of Bhutan cut through with glacial rivers running down from the high mountains. Drukair KB013 departs Bumthang 6:30 AM and arrives in Paro at 7:05 AM, following which we drive 1.5 hours to Thimphu to check in at your secluded lodge hidden among pine trees above the capital. A morning visit to the Bhutan Foundation offices, to meet country director Norbu Dema to learn about the foundation’s wide ranging activities to support Gross National Happiness and socially progressive programs in Bhutan kicks off another full day of exploration. Stop by the city’s markets, art galleries, shops, the textile museum, and the school of traditional arts and crafts. In the late afternoon, walk to the Takin Zoo, and see Bhutan‘s curiously formed national animal. Take the ancient Takin trail to the hilltop Wind Horse art installations left there by our old friend, the artist Kama Wangdi, as lessons in ecological awareness.
MARCH 19: LAMP LIGHTING CEREMONY / HIKE / CENTENARY MARKET
This morning after breakfast we visit the 17th century Changangkha Temple to light butter lamps for world peace, followed by the two hour uphill hike to the giant 169-feet brass statue of the sitting Buddha Dordenma. Lunch is at the Chuniding Organic Café or the Ambient, one of the city’s most popular and busiest lunch spots, followed by a late afternoon stroll through the capital’s vibrant centenary farmers market.
MARCH 20: DRIVE TO PARO /TIGER’S NEST HIKE / FAREWELL
This morning we drive 1.5 hours to the trailhead in Paro, and hike up to famous Tiger’s nest monastery. In the afternoon, we have a final opportunity to browse the market and buy local gifts and souvenirs, or stay at the lodge for a round of archery with your Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions staff.
MARCH 21: DEPARTURE FOR BANGKOK
Your return flight to Bangkok Drukair KB 152 leaves at 11 AM and lands at 3:10 PM in Bangkok
