Eight days,
and the crane valley.
Adds the Phobjikha valley over the Pele La pass — a glacial bowl at 3,000 metres, wide and treeless and unlike anywhere else in the country. Gangtey Monastery sits above it.
| Duration | 7 Nights / 8 Days |
|---|---|
| Start & end | Bagdogra / NJP / Hasimara — your choice |
| Places covered | Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha, Paro |
| Best for | A second visit, photographers, and anyone travelling between November and February. |
| Documents | Valid passport or Voter ID for Indian nationals; birth certificate or school ID for children |
| Trip type | Cultural and scenic — dzongs, monasteries, Himalayan passes, and the Tiger's Nest hike |
| From | ₹24,999 per person · falls with group size |
The itinerary, with every stop named.
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Day 1
Bagdogra / NJP → Phuentsholing
150–160 km · 4–5 hours
Through the Dooars to the border.
Overnight Phuentsholing · Dinner
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Day 2
Phuentsholing → Thimphu
170–175 km · 5–6 hours
Permit formalities and the climb into the hills.
Overnight Thimphu · Breakfast, dinner
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Day 3
Thimphu sightseeing
Local
Buddha Dordenma, Memorial Chorten, Tashichho Dzong, the Takin Preserve and the market.
Overnight Thimphu · Breakfast, dinner
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Day 4
Thimphu → Punakha
75 km · 3 hours
Dochula pass, Chimi Lhakhang, Punakha Dzong and the suspension bridge.
Overnight Punakha · Breakfast, dinner
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Day 5
Punakha → Phobjikha
80 km · 3 hours
Over the Pele La pass into the valley. Gangtey Monastery and the nature trail. Between late November and February, the cranes.
Overnight Phobjikha · Breakfast, dinner
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Day 6
Phobjikha → Paro
Approx. 7 hours
A long drive west, arriving in Paro in the evening.
Overnight Paro · Breakfast, dinner
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Day 7
Taktsang — Tiger's Nest
Full day
The hike, then the afternoon free.
Overnight Paro · Breakfast, dinner
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Day 8
Paro → the border → departure
297 km
The drive out and exit formalities.
Breakfast
Being honest about this one: Phobjikha is cold from November to February and needs proper warm clothing. It is also where the black-necked cranes winter, which is the reason to go then.
Hotels, named before you pay.
Rooms are 3-star, or 3-star premium on request. These are the properties we book. Look every one of them up before you pay — their own websites and their Google reviews are not ours to edit, which is rather the point.
| Destination | 3 Star | 3 Star Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Phuentsholing | Alem Resort / Gaki / Amo Chhu | Khamsum / Alem Resort / Palm |
| Thimphu | Depsi Resort / Gochukha / Park | View By Tara Pendayling / Migmar / Samye |
| Punakha | Roja / Punakha Stream Resort | Punatangshhu Cottage / Dragon Nest Resort |
| Phobjikha | Hotel Dewachen / ABC Resort / Dhangsa | Gangtey Pinewood Resort / Kichu Resort / Tara Haven |
| Paro | Tshenden Peace Villa / Galing Resort / Pema Yangsel | Udumwara Resort / Gawaling / Shomo Chuki Resort |
Accommodation will be in these or similar properties.
What the price covers
- Hotels — 3-star, or 3-star premium on request
- Private vehicle with driver for the entire route
- Local guide throughout
- All permits, including the Punakha route permit
- Sustainable Development Fee
- Breakfast and dinner every day
Stated plainly, not buried
- Lunch — you eat where you happen to be
- Monument entry fees
- Personal expenses and tips
Lunch is left out on purpose. On a touring day you eat where you happen to be at one o'clock, and building it in means either a fixed restaurant or a padded price.
Four steps, and you know each one before it happens.
Tell us your dates
Dates and group size, by phone or WhatsApp. We reply within the hour.
Read the itinerary
A full day-by-day plan with hotels, photographs, their own websites and their Google reviews. Vehicle details too. One fixed price.
Confirm with 20%
Twenty per cent of the package price confirms the booking. A voucher follows.
Pickup, three days ahead
Your exact pickup point and time, three days before you travel. Then we meet you.
Three things worth reading first.
The permit rules catch people out, the cost of a trip is rarely stated honestly, and the shape of a six-day itinerary explains why we recommend the length we do.
- The Bhutan permit for Indians — which documents work, and why Aadhaar does not
- What a Bhutan trip actually costs — line by line, including the SDF
- The 5 nights 6 days itinerary — day by day, with real drive times
Questions we are asked most
Do Indians need a visa for Bhutan?
What is the SDF and who pays it?
What is included in the price?
Where do you pick us up from?
How do I book, and how much do I pay up front?
When is the best time to visit Bhutan?
Send your dates for the 7 Nights / 8 Days.
A full itinerary and one fixed price come back, usually within the hour. Twenty per cent confirms it.