SIGNATURE JOURNEY
Explore Bhutan when wild rhododendrons bloom
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.
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.
Discover Bhutan when the kingdom’s legendary wild rhododendrons bloom like the exuberant borders of a flamenco dancer’s dress. Hike forested trails overhung with springtime rhododendrons and learn about Bhutan Foundation's support for progress and development in the country. In the central heart of the country, discover Bhutan's close connections to Switzerland with a visit to the Swiss Cheese Farm started by the Swiss-Bhutanese Dasho Fritz Maurer. Enter serene valleys and visit ancient Buddhist temples and monasteries; learn about Bhutanese culinary traditions with a curator of Bhutanese heritage foods. Experience the Himalayan landscape of Bhutan during one of the loveliest seasons of the Bhutanese year.
SHARE:
Travel during Bhutan’s stunning rhododendron flowering season & visit Bhutan Foundation Projects making positive impacts in the country
HEALTH & SAFETY
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
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
Bhutan's wild and magnificent rhododendron blooms elevate the stunning landscape, transforming the merely beautiful into an unforgettable journey. Old rhododendron forests, such as those found in Bhutan and some other parts of the Himalayas, have long fascinated explorers, botanists, collectors, and enthusiasts. This journey coincides with the long season of flowering rhododendrons in Bhutan and takes us to a centuries-old village in the center of Bhutan, where we get a taste of traditional life. Along the way we visit the magnificently restored Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and learn about the positive impacts of the Bhutan Foundation's many varied projects supporting balanced development in the country. We also sample the famous Bumthang Swiss Cheese with cracker and Juniper Schnapps. Later, stop at the annual Rhododendron Festival and explore hiking trails fresh with the breath of Himalayan pines. Enter a series of awe-inspiring Buddhist monasteries strung across the country like pearls on a necklace before the final return to Paro where we close out this excellent springtime adventure!
VIEW DAY BY DAY
APRIL 10: BANGKOK/BHUTAN, PARO/THIMPHU
Take the breathtaking flight from Bangkok to Bhutan this morning with some of the highest peaks in the world rearing their heads above the clouds, including Mt. Everest. At the airport, meet your Bhutanese guide, who will travel with you for the duration of your stay. Then it's on to your accommodations at Bhutan's newest glamping spot, the upscale Tiger's Nest Camp. You can either choose to rest and relax to recover from your flight amid the peaceful surroundings of the lodge, or join us for a visit to the Paro National Museum, and a tour of the valley's oldest temples, including the 7th century Kyichu Lhakhang, and the uniquely shaped (circular) Dumtseg Lhakhang.
Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Tiger's Nest Tented Safari Camp or comparable
APRIL 11: BUMTHANG, JAKAR/ENVIRONMENTAL AND FORESTRY CENTER
Today, a dramatic mountain flight over Bhutan’s Himalayan peaks and valleys brings us to Bumthang. We have time to check in at our lovely family lodge and stretch our legs with a stroll to the small, two-lane market center of Jakar with its picturesque fortress overlooking the shops and houses from the high a knoll like an elegant white bird. We visit the Bhutan Foundation supported herbal tea farm in a lovely corner of Bumthang for afternoon teatime. As another option we can also take a short drive up the valley past imposing Jakar Dzong to hike a section of the new Trans Bhutan Trail from Lamai Goempa, built in the 1800s as a palace for the first king, now home to the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment Research (UWICER), a Bhutan Foundation project site that supports environmental education, ecological studies and forestry conservation services in Bhutan.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Mountain Resort or comparable
APRIL 12: WANGDUECHHOELING PALACE MUSEUM/PILGRIM’S WALK
This morning, after a fascinating guided walk through the old Wangduechhoeling Palace and Museum, we embark on the traditional Buddhist pilgrim’s walk around Jakar Valley. We stop at a series of exquisite monasteries and temples where we learn about Bhutanese cosmology, life, impermanence, the Kalachakra “Wheel of Time” and other foundational pillars of Himalayan Buddhism. Enjoy a delicious picnic lunch mid-day and complete the circuit with a special blessing at the Lhodrak Khharchu monastery above the famous Swiss Dairy Farm and watch the evening Buddhist debate. Afterwards, stop to enjoy a very Swiss dinner at the Swiss Farm Lodge featuring the valley's famous Emmenthaler, Juniper Schnapps or Pear Brandy, and delve into the enduring Swiss-Bhutan connection over a fascinating dinner conversation!
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodations: Mountain Resort or comparable
APRIL 13: SECRET RHODODENDRON TREK TO OGYENCHHOELING
Today we drive to the ancient Ngang Lhakhang or “Swan Temple,” for a tour of the old ancestral temple and shrine room, and to meet the current owners of the property, before continuing the rhododendron-graced trail to the Phephela pass at 3,900 m. This is an ancient cultural trek on the old route connecting the two significant valleys of Jakar and Tang.
Depending on ability, expect to hike 6 hours or a bit more, arriving in late afternoon to early evening at the historic Ogyen
Choling Manor and Museum where you are warmly welcomed and shown to your rooms. You will stay at one of the old atmospheric rooms on the grounds of this ancient historic property.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Ogyen Choling Manor & Museum
APRIL 14: EXPLORE TANG VALLEY
Spend the day on an excursion to bucolic Tang valley where we eat at a traditional farmhouse featuring ingredients grown on the farm. Cross a suspension bridge and enter a village where time seems to have stopped still before continuing on a hike to Tang Orgyencholing Palace with its surrounding homes and ancient palace complex, now a wonderful repository of Bhutanese history.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Mountain Resort or comparable
APRIL 15: HIKING TO TEMPLES & COMMUNITIES AROUND OGYEN CHOLING
Today after a leisurely and relaxed morning, we lace up our hiking boots again and make an on-foot guided exploration of the rich communities and ancient temples surrounding ancient Ogyen Choling (here’s a Supplementary Guide to Hikes to Temples in the Upper Tang Region)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Ogyen Choling Manor & Museum
APRIL 16: DRIVE TO GANGTEY AND HIKE THE NATURE TRAIL
This morning we drive 3.5 to 4 hours to Gangtey with a stop at a spectacular waterfall for lunch! On arrival, hike the flanks of beautiful Gangtey valley and to the nature center before checking in at the exciting Gangtey Tented Resort (a safari-style glamping property appropriate to the valley and its landscape.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Gangtey Tented Resort
APRIL 17: DRIVE TO PUNAKHA/TRANSFER TO THE CAPITAL
This morning, drive to Punakha, Bhutan's ancient capital, and enter majestic Punakha Dzong across a traditional wooden bridge. Visit the magnificent Hall of 100 Pillars before continuing our drive to the capital, Thimphu. En route, we stop to hike up a beautiful forested trail above 10,000-foot-high (3,048 meters) at Dochula Pass. This evening we transfer over the Dochu-la pass to the capital, Thimphu, and check into the tranquil Zhiwa Ling Ascent lodge above the capital.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Zhiwa Ling Ascent
APRIL 18: BHUTAN'S CAPITAL/EXPLORE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS/BHUTAN FOUNDATION
This morning, we explore the bustling and exciting capital of Bhutan. Thimphu has some of the most impressive markets in the country as well as many colorful temples and monasteries scattered around the valley. Later, dive into Bhutanese culture with a trip to the magnificent Royal Textile Academy and learn about Bhutan's 13 sacred arts and crafts. If you're still energetic, you may also choose to visit the Bhutan Foundation-supported Chuniding Organics facility, the Super Fab Lab, Changgangkha School or other Bhutan Foundation-supported project sites in the capital.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: The Zhiwa Ling Ascent
APRIL 19: COOKING LESSON; THIMPHU MONUMENTS
Today, meet a Bhutanese food curator and learn to cook a traditional Bhutanese meal with her and her team. Visit a beautiful nunnery overlooking the valley, and take an optional hike with sweeping views of the capital. Transfer this evening with an hour-long return drive to Paro valley where we check into the pine-forested sanctuary Paro Uma Resort.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Paro Uma Como (Luxury) Resort
APRIL 20: RELAXED TOURING/FAREWELL DINNER
Rising early this morning, take our special guided hike up to the valley's most famous and magnificent temple, the Tiger’s Nest. In the afternoon, borwse the local markets and go window shopping or enjoy a relaxed day appreciating the facilities at the Paro Uma Resort, a final spa treatement before your long return flight home, or try your hand at traditional Bhutanese archery. We can also take you to the fabulous 7th century Kyichu Temple where we can light butter lamps for World Peace.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Paro Uma Como (Luxury) Resort
APRIL 21: BANGKOK, THAILAND/ DELHI, INDIA | DEPARTURE
This morning/afternoon we bring you back to the airport in time for you to catch your flight to Bangkok or another gateway city, from where you can connect with your international flight home, or travel to other destinations.
