The high road to Laya with tranquil Haa Valley
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.
An active adventure to Haa, Laya, Gangtey and back
Thirteen days takes you from the far western end of Bhutan to the central highlands of Gangtey-Phobjikha with challenging mountain hiking in between. From the city charms of an evening in Thimphu to the wind-scoured ampitheater above Laya, where yak caravans still arrive on their own schedule, and where the main event is a highland festival designed by Bhutan's young king to secure the kingdom's wild frontiers, and to celebrate the strong mountain people who live in the kingdom's rugged margins.
Within days, experience an authentic homestay with shared bathrooms in remote Gasa, transitioning to trekking tents at altitude, and — just as the body has adjusted to trail food and thin air — to the soft hush and subtle luxuries of Bhutan’s most superlative lodges, with a final early morning switchback pilgrimage up to Taktsang, the famed ‘Tiger’s Nest’. This is a route built on the country's rhythm of dzong and highland panorama, steep ridgelines and hard walking, ceremony, festivity, and alpine adventure with final days of elevated R&R.
What holds it all together is Bhutan's governing ethos, encountered in a traditional medicine institute stocked with alpine herbs, in a valley left undeveloped for the sake of a wintering crane, in a monastery reached only by the effort of getting there. This is Bhutan measured the way Bhutan measures itself.
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
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 in Paro, head over for a couple of days to hidden Haa Valley, trek back over Kaley La pass to Paro, then explore Thimphu on an evening in the heart of the city. Next, drive to Punakha Dzong and climb up to Gasa, ending with the trek to Laya. Following the highland festival, return to Punakha and trek into Phobjikha to stay at the magnificent Taj Gangtey Resort and Spa.
Finally, return to Paro Six Senses for R&R, a final dawn trek to Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest, followed by a farewell lunch in town before your afternoon departure for Bangkok.
VIEW DAY BY DAY
OCTOBER 18: ARRIVE PARO; DRIVE TO HAA VALLEY CAMP
Your afternoon flight from Singapore, Drukair KB540 departs Singapore at 12:30pm and arrives in Paro at 04:45 pm. Mount Jomolhari and her neighbors rise white-shouldered over the green mountains as the flight descends in long banking turns, followed by customs and the ceremonial first breath of pine-scented air. Drive two-and-half hours west to Haa, crossing the highest motorable road in Bhutan, arriving in time for dinner at the serene Haa Valley Camp.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
OCTOBER 19: HAA PANORAMIC HIKE / EXPLORATION DAY
This morning, after a traditional breakfast at the lodge, we walk the narrow, rock-laid dirt paths of ancient Haatey Village and, crossing a metal suspension bridge, catch the trail that loops around the valley, offering panoramic views of Bhutan’s westernmost district center. The Haa Panoramic Hike weaves through pine forests and exposed ridges with colorful clusters of Buddhist prayer flags left by devout local families.
The Panoramic Trail also passes the serene Jungney Dra temple, perched dramatically on a cliffside, and we take a short detour to visit the sacred site accessed via a steep set of stairs and two large boulders that visitors squeeze through to rid themselves of their bad karma.
Arrive back at the lodge in time for evening aperitifs and, if so inclined, K5, Bhutan's Premium Brand Whiskey, so named for Bhutan's 5th (and current) King.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
OCTOBER 20: TRANS BHUTAN TREK TO PARO; DRIVE TO THIMPHU
Set out on the Trans Bhutan Trail, following centuries-old footpaths once used by farmers and local nobility. The full-day trek climbs steeply from Haa through evergreen forests to the high ridge of Kaley La, from where deep forests open onto vast views, before descending into Paro Valley, from where our car picks you up for the hour-long drive to Thimphu. You will stay today in the heart of bustling downtown Thimphu, within sight of the famous traffic circle where traffic policemen in ceremonial uniform direct taffic with the grace of ballet dancers. You may like to take a stroll in town before dinner or enjoy window-shopping in the city after dinner.
Field Notes:
Altitude Profile:
Start: Haa 2,743 m / 9,000 ft
High Point: Kaley La ~3,700 m / 12,139 ft
End: Paro 2,133 m / 7,000 ftTrekking Distance: ~6–8 miles / 10–13 km
Elevation Gain/Loss: +1,500 m / -1,000 m (approx.)
Time on Trail: 6–8 hours
Terrain: Forest trails, steep ascents, ridge traverse, descent
Support: Day packs carried; vehicle transfer from Paro to Thimphu
Packing Guide: Moisture-wicking base layer, mid-weight fleece, light down or insulated jacket for pass, trekking pants, trekking poles, hiking boots.
The trek from Haa to Paro over the Kaleyla Pass is the westernmost end of the Trans Bhutan Trail, the recently (re)introduced cross-country through-hike along the old ancestral routes of Bhutan. Today's trek requires a good level of physical fitness and ability to negotiate steep trails and quickly winding descents over mixed terrain, including rocky paths and sections that may become muddy during wet weather. The trail covers approximately 17 kilometers (11 miles) and takes around 6-8 hours to complete. The highest point is at the Kaleyla Pass, 3,790 meters (about 12,434 feet), with significant ascents and descents throughout the day. Hiking poles are reccomended today, and on some of the other hiking days. We take regular rest breaks during the steeper sections of the climb for a more enjoyable experience. The trail becomes a wonderland for mushroom enthusiasts in the months from July to September, when the lush vegetation and weather combine to make a variety of edible and inedible mushrooms sprout everywhere in the undergrowth.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
OCTOBER 21: PUNAKHA DZONG, DOCHULA PASS, ON TO GASA
The road out of Thimphu climbs up to Dochula Pass, where 108 chortens stand in formation against a horizon of eastern Himalayan peaks on a clear day. The descent drops travelers into Punakha, beside the dzong — built at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers in 1637, and by most accounts the most beautiful fortress-monastery in the country, its whitewashed walls and gilded roofs mirrored in the water below. Lunch is riverside before the drive continues north into wilder country, climbing another three to four hours toward Gasa, a district defined by hot springs, it's striking dzong framed by snowy peaks, and a thinning of both road and population. The day ends at Aum Chimi Homestay, a farmhouse run by the local parliamentary representative and his gracious wife, the eponymous Chimi for whom the place is named. The place is low on amenities standard at hotels and lodges, (bathrooms are shared for instance), but it offers the kind of genuine human warmth and cultural insights that can only be won by staying at a place like this. For those interested, there may still be time to take a short drive and a soak in Gasa's natural hot springs, the mineral water rising from beneath the mountain.
Accommodations: Aum Chimi Homestay, a.k.a. Chimi Farmhouse
OCTOBER 22: DRIVE TO TASHIMAKA AND HIKE TO LAYA
Today, the trip becomes, unmistakably, a trek. Ninety minutes by vehicle to the roadhead at Tashimaka, then three to four hours on foot, climbing roughly 3,000 feet from Gasa's river-bottom elevation toward Laya, one of the highest permanent settlements in the kingdom and home to the Layap, whose conical bamboo hats and yak-wool dress are found nowhere else in Bhutan. The trail threads through blue pine and rhododendron before opening onto alpine pasture, yak bells carrying on thin air. Lodging tonight is a local homestay or expedition camp — tents, sleeping bags, and inflatable mats — and either way, a night colder and clearer than anything Thimphu offers.
Accommodations: Local homestay or Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions camp
OCTOBER 23: LAYA FESTIVAL BEGINS; YAK CARAVAN ARRIVES
The Laya Highland Festival exists to celebrate the lives and livelihoods of Bhutan's high altitude nomads — horse racing, yak-rides, and dances performed in the black-and-red woven dress particular to Layap women, whose pointed bamboo hats mark them as being from nowhere else on earth. Today's centerpiece is the arrival of the yak caravan itself: animals coming down from higher pasture laden with goods, bells announcing them long before they crest the ridge. It's a festival built around herding, not staged for cameras, and the distinction is felt rather than explained.
Accommodations: Local homestay or Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions camp
OCTOBER 24: SECOND DAY OF FESTIVAL; YAK CARAVAN DEPARTS
A second full day in Laya, and a chance to watch the same festival close as it opened — with the yak caravan departing back toward high pasture, a rhythm of arrival and departure that has structured this valley's year for centuries. More dancing, cultural performances and unhurried time to sit with families who host relatively few outsiders and treat the ones who arrive with an open-hearted hospitality that no five-star property can manufacture.
Accommodations: Local homestay or Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions camp
OCTOBER 25: HIKE TO TASHIMAKA, DRIVE TO PUNAKHA
The return leg: ninety minutes on foot back down to Tashimaka, retracing our previous ascent in far less time than it took to earn it, followed by a five-hour drive south to Punakha. Bodies that spent two nights at altitude and under trekking tents will feel the return to a proper bed at the Punakha Khuru Resort as something close to luxury, whatever the star rating says.
Accommodations: Khuru Punakha Lodge
OCTOBER 26: TREK PELE LA RIDGELINE INTO PHOBJIKHA
Two hours by road to Pele La Pass, then boots on again — a packed lunch and trail snacks fueling an old ridgeline trail that drops travelers into Phobjikha, better known by its other name, Gangtey. The glacial valley opens gradually, a wide U-shaped bowl of dwarf bamboo where black-necked cranes will soon arrive from the Tibetan plateau to winter, and where the trail itself feels less traveled and ancient, far more than elsewhere in the country. The day ends at Taj Gangtey, perched on a ridge above the valley floor with views a drive alone could never earn.
Accommodations: Taj Gangtey Resort & Spa Privately arranged
OCTOBER 27: NATURE LOOP TRAIL AND CRANE CENTER VISIT
An exploration day around the valley, providing a perfect excuse to take a long trek up to Gogona to see and meet the Bhutan Foundation-supported entrepreneurs who run the valley's famous Dairy and Milk Cooperative, source of European-style cheeses that are scooped up in the capital as soon as they are restocked. Alternately, take the more relaxed Nature Loop Trail that circles the valley floor at an easier grade, past chortens and farmhouses and the low murmur of prayer flags in wind that never quite stops in Phobjikha. The Black-Necked Crane Information Centre offers both the conservation story and, with luck and season, a spotting scope trained on the birds themselves — a species considered sacred across the Tibetan Buddhist world, and the reason this valley has been left largely undeveloped. The lodge's aperitif hour, taken back at Taj Gangtey with the valley going violet below, closes the day exactly as it should.
Accommodations: Taj Gangtey Resort & Spa Privately arranged
OCTOBER 28: DRIVE TO PARO; OPTIONAL LUNGCHUTSE TEMPLE HIKE
After breakfast, drive five and a half hours west to Paro, back over Dochula Pass a second time, to arrive and ease into the ample comforts of your Six Senses private Three Bedroom Villa, the only one in the entire valley, which comes with its own dedicated Guest Experiences Manager or GEM, who can arrange small private celebrations, barbecues, cocktails and traditional fireside entertainments, some of which are included in the cost and others that are add-on preferences, a perfect way to end the journey with close friends, and the valley's most polished experience saved for the end.
Accommodations: Privately arranged
OCTOBER 29: DAWN TREK TO TAKTSANG; SPA DAY
No itinerary in Bhutan is complete without Taktsang — the Tiger's Nest Monastery, clinging to a cliff face 3,000 feet above the Paro valley floor, reached only on foot or by mule to the halfway teahouse. An early start beats both heat and crowds; the climb itself is steep, switchbacked, and entirely worth every labored breath, ending at a monastery complex built around the cave where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated in the eighth century, having flown there on the back of a tigress. The afternoon belongs to recovery — a full spa day at Six Senses, hot stone and juniper steam undoing eleven days of trail and altitude in one long exhale (**Please note that If you would rather spend the entire day relaxing and enjoying the considerable comforts at Six Senses, the Tiger's Nest hike can be taken on the morning before your flight, which would be more efficient use of time**).
Accommodations: Privately arranged
OCTOBER 30: TIGER'S NEST, PARO DOWNTOWN
A early hike to Tiger's Nest (see note above), followed by lunch in town or a last breakfast with the mountains still visible from the dining room, and then lunch in town, followed by a visit to the 7th century Kyichu Temple and the National Museum .
Accommodations: Privately arranged
OCTOBER 31: EARLY MORNING DEPARTURE
This morning we bring you to the airport for an early morning departure. Your flight Drukair KB 540 departs at 07:50 am and arrives in Singapore at 03:55 pm.
ACCOMMODATIONS
PEACE OF MIND
PRACTICAL DETAILS
DATES & PRICES
October 18 ~ 31
TRIP PRICE:
$13,560 per person for a 14-day itinerary. This total includes $10,920 for all inclusive BHE Land Costs (**except luxury lodges**), a $1,300 staffing surcharge, and $1,340 for SDF and Visa fees.
THE FOLLOWING ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE INDEPENDENTLY BY GUESTS (NOT INCLUDED IN BHUTAN HIMALAYA EXPEDITIONS COSTS AND OBLIGATIONS) :
~ Business class flights on Drukair or Bhutan Airlines
~ Two nights at the Taj Gangtey Hotel
~ Three nights at a Paro luxury lodge (checking in October 28th and checking out October 31st)
~ One night at Le Meridien Thimphu
**NOTE: Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions will transfer and support guests for drop-offs and pickups at these lodges with trip leading services included for explorations out of the lodges.
DATE
*When signing up together as part of the same group
Prices are per person based on double occupancy and DO NOT include international airfare to/from your destination or regional flights to Bhutan from Gateway Cities such as Bangkok or Delhi, and internal flights in the country during the expedition. We will arrange such regional flights for our guests and fares will be quoted at airline cost as a courtesy to our guests with no extra booking or reservation fees. Regional flights from Bangkok start from $980 per person & from $175 per person for internal domestic flights where a short-duration flight is included on your itinerary. Surcharges may apply to certain travel dates based upon international or local holidays, as well as local events and festivals.
Single Traveler supplements will be assessed in addition to our published trip price, and are available on request. All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars and subject to change.
If you'd like to travel with your own special group of friends or family on dates different from the ones shown above, this expedition can be arranged March through May & October through February.
TRAVEL SEASONS
TRIP PRICE:
$13,560 per person for a 14-day itinerary. This total includes $10,920 for all inclusive BHE Land Costs (**except luxury lodges**), a $1,300 staffing surcharge, and $1,340 for SDF and Visa fees.
THE FOLLOWING ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE INDEPENDENTLY BY GUESTS (NOT INCLUDED IN BHUTAN HIMALAYA EXPEDITIONS COSTS AND OBLIGATIONS) :
~ Business class flights on Drukair or Bhutan Airlines
~ Two nights at the Taj Gangtey Hotel
~ Three nights at a Paro luxury lodge (checking in October 28th and checking out October 31st)
~ One night at Le Meridien Thimphu
**NOTE: Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions will transfer and support guests for drop-offs and pickups at these lodges with trip leading services included for explorations out of the lodges.
DATE
*When signing up together as part of the same group
Prices are per person based on double occupancy and DO NOT include international airfare to/from your destination or regional flights to Bhutan from Gateway Cities such as Bangkok or Delhi, and internal flights in the country during the expedition. We will arrange such regional flights for our guests and fares will be quoted at airline cost as a courtesy to our guests with no extra booking or reservation fees. Regional flights from Bangkok start from $980 per person & from $175 per person for internal domestic flights where a short-duration flight is included on your itinerary. Surcharges may apply to certain travel dates based upon international or local holidays, as well as local events and festivals.
Single Traveler supplements will be assessed in addition to our published trip price, and are available on request. All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars and subject to change.
If you'd like to travel with your own special group of friends or family on dates different from the ones shown above, this expedition can be arranged March through May & October through February.
TRAVEL SEASONS
2026 Dates & Prices
2026 Dates & Prices
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Luxury Lodges are NOT included and arranged independently by respective guests
Government Daily SDF Taxes & Fees
Flight and airfare costs to and from Bhutan (UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED ON YOUR TRIP INFORMATION), such as your international flights to a regional Gateway City (e.g., Bangkok or Delhi); roundtrip flights to Bhutan from the regional gateway cities (which will be arranged by us at cost) and internal airfare where applicable for domestic flights in the country (which will also be arranged by us at cost)
Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance
Alcoholic beverages
Gratuities
Single Traveler Supplements
All ground transportation, visas for Bhutan and airport transfers
All Local Lodges and Accommodations, that are not in the Luxury Category, shown on itinerary, unless otherwise stated
All meals, including excursions to try well-known local restaurants
The expertise and services of your Bhutanese Trip Leaders, Guides & dedicated trip field staff
Courtesy booking services & arrangements for round-trip regional flights from gateway cities (such as Bangkok) to Bhutan & any internal domestic flights (airfare is additional).
Sightseeing, special events & receptions, visits, and entry fees
All environmental national parks & conservation fees and permits
All Trek Arrangements (if you signed up for a trek), including expedition-grade high altitude, sub-zero sleeping bags, community camping and commissary equipment (comfortable and roomy two-person tents, kitchen and dining tents, and other community equipment), camp, cook and support staff (we reccomend you bring your own fitted hiking poles and personal sleeping bag liners)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
TRIP PHOTOGALLERY
| RECOMMENDED POSTS
CUSTOM TRIPS
If this trip or schedule doesn't meet your needs, we also arrange private journeys throughout the year with flexible dates.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The 3-4-hour trek from Tashimaka Army Outpost to Laya is a steep uphill hike that requires about 1,900 feet of elevation gain. While the day trek is short, it is all uphill, starting from approximately 10,600 feet and going up to 12,533 feet, an elevation gain of about 1,900 feet. The next three nights of overnight stay in Laya are at 12,533 feet. Please contact us if you have concerns about this portion of the journey.
The remaining cultural portions of this trip are rated moderate to easy and suits a wide range of interests and physical fitness levels. The hikes on this trip can range from moderate on the cultural portion of the trip to challenging for the day hike to Laya.
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.
ABOUT CULTURAL EXPEDITIONS
Our cultural expeditions are bespoke itineraries designed for active travelers that combine guided excursions, cultural insights, art and customs, with distinguished accommodations featuring a traditional ambience. Our journeys are small group adventures of usually 8 to 12 travelers, with a maximum of 16 guests per group. Unlike most tour providers who think nothing of a single guide leading an entire busload of travelers, we maintain a maximum of 4 guests per Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions guide, not counting support staff. This ensures that our journeys feel more like a shared adventure with local friends than a tourist's jaunt through the countryside.
GETTING THERE
Fly from your home city to Bangkok, Singapore, New Delhi Kolkata, or Kathmandu (Main Gateway Cities)*
Overnight
Fly from Gateway City to Paro, Bhutan.
IMPORTANT: Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions makes round-trip flight arrangements from the Gateway City of your choice to Bhutan as a courtesy to our travelers. Airfare is not included in trip price.
For further details please email us contact us using the Reserve Online button on this page.
*Bangkok is the primary Gateway City and offers the most frequent and most reliable flights to Bhutan.
WHAT TRAVELERS ARE SAYING
“Through the eyes of a select few informed leaders, we saw the dilemmas of a culture: A hitherto sheltered nation discovering the arguments for and against remaining a cloistered society in this 21st Century. I loved the adventure, and I loved the discovery. Unlike anything else I have ever experienced!”
~ Lola W., California (U.S.)
ACCOMMODATIONS
High-end traditional lodges
PRIVATE
DURATION
14 days
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Challenging to Moderate
Or call 1-855-4-BHUTAN (248826)
TRIP TYPE
ACTIVE ● CULTURE
ASK A QUESTION
_________
Travel Logistics Organizer for CBS 60 Minutes 2024 special report on Bhutan
“First, thank you for making my trip to Bhutan run smoothly. Second, for explaining your culture and customs to me and our team in a way that helped our 60 MINS story come alive. Third, for making the visit seriously fun!”
~ Lesley Stahl, Correspondent, CBS 60 Minutes, September 2024
EXPLORE OUR STUNNING LANDSCAPE WITH BHUTAN HIMALAYA EXPEDITIONS
Sign up to receive travel updates and offers, tips & insights from Bhutan Himalaya Expeditions
