Eleven days,
as far as Bumthang.
Continues east over the Yotong La pass, through Trongsa — whose dzong, the largest in the country, runs along a ridge above a gorge — to the four valleys of Bumthang, the spiritual heart of Bhutan and the part most visitors never reach.
| Duration | 10 Nights / 11 Days |
|---|---|
| Start & end | Bagdogra / NJP / Hasimara — your choice |
| Places covered | Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha, Bumthang, Paro |
| Best for | Travellers who have seen western Bhutan, or who enjoy the road itself. |
| 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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Days 1–4
Border, Thimphu and Punakha
As the Grand
Through the Dooars, a night at the border, permits, three nights in Thimphu and the crossing to Punakha.
Overnight Phuentsholing, Thimphu, Punakha
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Day 5
Punakha → Phobjikha
80 km · 3 hours
Over the Pele La to Gangtey and the crane valley.
Overnight Phobjikha · Breakfast, dinner
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Day 6
Phobjikha → Bumthang
Approx. 7 hours
Over the Yotong La pass through Trongsa, stopping at the great dzong above the gorge.
Overnight Bumthang · Breakfast, dinner
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Day 7
Bumthang
Local
Jakar Dzong. Jambay Lhakhang, said to date from the seventh century. Kurjey Lhakhang. Tamshing Monastery. The Swiss farm, with its cheese and its beer.
Overnight Bumthang · Breakfast, dinner
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Days 8–9
Bumthang → Paro
Long drive, or a domestic flight
West again, with a night on the way or a flight if one is scheduled.
Overnight Paro · Breakfast, dinner
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Day 10
Taktsang — Tiger's Nest
Full day
The hike.
Overnight Paro · Breakfast, dinner
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Day 11
Departure
297 km
The drive to the border and home.
Breakfast
Being honest about this one: This involves several seven-hour driving days. It is for people who enjoy the journey, not people who want to arrive.
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 |
| Bumthang | Yangkhil Resort / Kaila Guest House / Village Lodge | Jakar Village Lodge / Mountain Resort / Yangkhil Resort |
| 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 10 Nights / 11 Days.
A full itinerary and one fixed price come back, usually within the hour. Twenty per cent confirms it.