8 Days / 7 Nights. From ₹95,000 per person (twin sharing), plus 5% GST and 2% TCS.
An 8-day journey into central Bhutan for travellers who want to see more than Paro and Thimphu. After Thimphu's arts school and markets and Punakha's great dzong, you cross the mountains via Trongsa to Bumthang, the spiritual heartland, with some of the country's oldest temples. On the way back you stay in the glacial Phobjikha valley, winter home of the black-necked cranes, before a last night in Paro. If your dates match a tshechu festival, we plan your days around it.
Highlights
Jambay Lhakhang and Kurjey Lhakhang in Bumthang, among Bhutan's oldest and most sacred temples
Trongsa Dzong, the ancestral seat of Bhutan's royal family, and its watchtower museum
The Phobjikha valley and Gangtey Monastery, with black-necked cranes in winter
The Institute for Zorig Chusum in Thimphu, where students learn Bhutan's 13 traditional arts
Punakha Dzong and the 108 chortens of Dochula Pass
Mebar Tsho, the 'Burning Lake' in Bumthang's Tang valley
Buddha Dordenma and the National Memorial Chorten in Thimphu
Day-by-day itinerary
Arrive Paro · Drive to Thimphu — Fly into Paro and collect your Entry Permit at the airport. Your guide and driver meet you outside and drive you to Thimphu (about 55 km, 1.5 hours), stopping at Tachog Lhakhang and its iron-chain bridge. After check-in, visit the National Memorial Chorten in the evening, where older Bhutanese walk around the stupa and spin prayer wheels.
Thimphu · Arts school, markets and Tashichho Dzong — While your guide collects the Route Permit for central Bhutan (issued on working days only), visit the Institute for Zorig Chusum, where students train in painting, wood carving, embroidery and other traditional arts (open on weekdays during term). Continue to Buddha Dordenma above the city, the Folk Heritage Museum, and on Thursday to Sunday the Centenary Farmers' Market and the handicraft…
Thimphu to Punakha via Dochula · Chimi Lhakhang · Punakha Dzong — Drive to Punakha (about 75 km, 2.5–3 hours) over the Dochula Pass (3,100 m) with its 108 chortens and, on clear days, views of the high Himalaya. In the Punakha valley, walk about 20 minutes through rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple of the 'Divine Madman'. In the afternoon, visit Punakha Dzong, Bhutan's most beautiful fortress, at the meeting of two rivers, where the country's…
Punakha to Bumthang via Pele La and Trongsa — A long but scenic drive of about 210 km (7–8 hours with stops). The road climbs to the Pele La pass (3,420 m), which marks the border between western and central Bhutan, and passes the Nepali-style Chendebji Chorten. At Trongsa, about halfway, visit Trongsa Dzong, the ancestral seat of the royal family, and the Ta Dzong watchtower museum above it, then cross the Yotong La pass (about 3,400 m)…
Bumthang temples · Jambay Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang · Burning Lake — A full day in Bumthang, the spiritual heart of Bhutan. Visit Jambay Lhakhang, built in the 7th century, and Kurjey Lhakhang, where Guru Rinpoche is said to have left the imprint of his body on a rock. Walk across the river to Tamshing Lhakhang, known for its old wall paintings, and visit Jakar Dzong above the town. In the afternoon, drive into the Tang valley (about 30 minutes) to Mebar Tsho,…
Bumthang to the Phobjikha valley · Gangtey Monastery — Drive back west over the Yotong La to Trongsa and on over the Pele La, then turn off into the Phobjikha valley (about 190 km, 6–7 hours). Phobjikha is a wide glacial valley of bogs and potato fields, protected as the winter home of the rare black-necked cranes, which arrive from Tibet around late October and leave in February. In the late afternoon, visit Gangtey Monastery on its ridge and the…
Phobjikha nature trail · Drive to Paro — In the morning, walk the gentle Gangtey Nature Trail across the valley floor (about 1.5 hours), a good chance to see the cranes in winter. Then drive to Paro via Wangdue and Thimphu (about 6 hours). If you arrive in time, visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan's oldest temples, or walk up to Rinpung Dzong; otherwise, the evening is free to shop on Paro's main street.
Departure from Paro — Breakfast and check-out. Transfer to Paro International Airport, about 15 minutes away, at least 2 hours before your flight. Paro flights operate only in daylight and can be delayed by weather, so avoid tight onward connections in India.
Private vehicle with driver for Paro airport transfers and all sightseeing and intercity drives as per itinerary
Licensed English-speaking Bhutanese guide throughout (mandatory in Bhutan)
Help with the Entry Permit and the Route Permit for central Bhutan
Complimentary travel insurance
Exclusions
GST at 5% on the total package price (government tax, added to the quote)
TCS at 2% on the total amount for overseas tour packages (government tax collected at booking; PAN required; can be claimed against your income tax)
Airfare to and from Paro, and any optional domestic flight to or from Bumthang
Sustainable Development Fee (SDF): ₹1,200 per person per night for Indian citizens (₹8,400 per adult for this 7-night trip)
Monument, dzong and museum entry tickets, paid locally
Festival seating, farmhouse hot-stone bath and other optional activities
Lunches and drinks
Camera fees
Personal expenses and tips for guide and driver
Visa & entry
No visa needed, but Indian citizens need a free Entry Permit and must pay Bhutan's Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of ₹1,200 per person per night; children aged 6–12 pay half (₹600) and younger children are exempt. Carry an Indian passport valid for at least 6 months, or a Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission. Aadhaar, PAN and driving licences are not accepted. Children without a passport need their birth certificate (and a school ID if they have one). The Entry Permit is issued on arrival at Paro airport or the Phuentsholing border, or can be applied for online in advance. It covers Thimphu and Paro only; the Route Permit for Punakha, Bumthang and Phobjikha is issued in Thimphu on working days, and our guide arranges it. Since April 2026, Bhutan requires every tourist, Indians included, to be accompanied by a licensed guide.
Good to know
Days 4 and 6 are long mountain drives (6–8 hours) on winding roads over passes above 3,000 m. Carry motion-sickness tablets, and expect road works and occasional delays in the monsoon.
Festivals (tshechus) follow the Bhutanese lunar calendar. Thimphu Tshechu is usually in September–October, Jambay Lhakhang Drup in Bumthang in October–November, and Paro Tshechu in March–April. Hotels fill early and rates rise during festivals, so book well ahead.
Dress code for dzongs and temples: full-sleeved shirts with collars, long trousers or skirts below the knee, no caps. Photography is not allowed inside temples.
Bumthang and Phobjikha are cold, especially from November to February, when nights can drop to −5°C. Pack warm layers, a down jacket, a cap and gloves.
Indian rupees are accepted at par with the ngultrum. Carry enough cash in small notes for central Bhutan, where cards and ATMs are limited.
Bhutan restricts tobacco: smoking in public is banned, and cigarettes must be declared with duty paid. Drones need special permission.
Questions travellers ask
Will we see a festival?
Only if your dates match one. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and are announced each year. Tell us if you want a festival trip and we will build your dates around Thimphu Tshechu, the Jambay Lhakhang Drup or Paro Tshechu.
Does this trip include Tiger's Nest?
No. This trip goes deeper into central Bhutan instead. We can add a night in Paro for the Tiger's Nest hike, which makes it a 9-day trip.
How much is the SDF, and is it included?
The SDF is ₹1,200 per person per night for Indian adults (₹600 for children aged 6–12). It is not included in the price; for this 7-night trip it is ₹8,400 per adult, and we collect it with your booking.
Are the long drives comfortable for senior citizens?
The drives to and from Bumthang are long and winding, with regular stops. Seniors who are fine with hill roads usually manage well. If needed, the Bumthang–Paro leg can be flown (when flights operate) at extra cost.
Is vegetarian food available in central Bhutan?
Yes. Hotels in Bumthang and Phobjikha serve vegetarian dishes such as rice, dal, vegetable curries and potato and cheese dishes. Bhutanese food is spicy, so ask for mild dishes if you prefer.
భూటాన్ కల్చరల్ ఇమ్మర్షన్
పారో, థింపూకు మించి భూటాన్ను చూడాలనుకునే వారి కోసం మధ్య భూటాన్లోకి 8 రోజుల ప్రయాణం. థింపూలో కళల పాఠశాల, మార్కెట్లు, పునాఖా మహా జోంగ్ చూశాక, ట్రోంగ్సా మీదుగా పర్వతాలు దాటి దేశ ఆధ్యాత్మిక కేంద్రమైన బుమ్థాంగ్ చేరుకుంటారు; అక్కడ దేశంలోనే అత్యంత పురాతన ఆలయాలు ఉన్నాయి. తిరుగు ప్రయాణంలో నల్ల మెడ కొంగల శీతాకాల నివాసమైన ఫోబ్జిఖా లోయలో బస చేసి, చివరి రాత్రి పారోలో ఉంటారు. మీ తేదీలకు త్సెచు పండుగ వస్తే, దాని చుట్టూ మీ రోజులను ప్లాన్ చేస్తాం.
To book or customise this trip, call / WhatsApp +91 97162 22279.