The Punakha suspension bridge over the Po Chhu
4 Nights / 5 Days · Classic

Five days,
three valleys.

Adds the crossing of Dochula pass and the dzong at Punakha — the building most people picture when they picture Bhutan.

Thimphu, Punakha, ParoFrom ₹24,999 per person
Trip overview
Duration4 Nights / 5 Days
Start & endBagdogra / NJP / Hasimara — your choice
Places coveredThimphu, Punakha, Paro
Best forTravellers who want Punakha without extending to six days.
DocumentsValid passport or Voter ID for Indian nationals; birth certificate or school ID for children
Trip typeCultural and scenic — dzongs, monasteries, Himalayan passes, and the Tiger's Nest hike
From₹24,999 per person · falls with group size
Day by day

The itinerary, with every stop named.

  1. Day 1

    Bagdogra / NJP → Phuentsholing

    150–160 km · 4–5 hours

    Arrive at Bagdogra. The road runs through the Dooars — tea gardens, forest and small Bengal towns. Reach Jaigaon by evening and walk across into Phuentsholing through the Pedestrian Terminal.

    Overnight Phuentsholing · Dinner

  2. Day 2

    Phuentsholing → Thimphu

    170–175 km · 5–6 hours

    Your guide and driver meet you at the hotel. Permit formalities at the Department of Immigration, then the climb into the hills through Gedu and Chukha. Eight Dharma Kaya Stupas en route, and Kharbandi Monastery if time allows.

    Overnight Thimphu · Breakfast, dinner

  3. Day 3

    Punakha excursion

    75 km · 2.5–3 hours each way

    Dochula pass at 3,100 metres, with its 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens and, on a clear morning, the eastern Himalaya behind them. Chimi Lhakhang, reached on a walk through paddy fields. Punakha Dzong at the meeting of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu, where the royal wedding was held in 2011. The suspension bridge, strung with prayer flags.

    Overnight Thimphu · Breakfast, dinner

  4. Day 4

    Thimphu sightseeing → Paro

    55 km · 1.5 hours

    Buddha Dordenma, Memorial Chorten, the Takin Preserve, Simply Bhutan and the Handicraft Bazaar. Drive to Paro in the afternoon for Rinpung Dzong and Paro town.

    Overnight Paro · Breakfast, dinner

  5. Day 5

    Tiger's Nest and departure

    Hike, then 297 km

    The hike to Taktsang, then the long drive back to the border and your departure point.

    Breakfast

Being honest about this one: Tiger's Nest and the drive out still share the last day.

Where you sleep

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.

Destination3 Star3 Star Premium
PhuentsholingAlem Resort / Gaki / Amo ChhuKhamsum / Alem Resort / Palm
ThimphuDepsi Resort / Gochukha / ParkView By Tara Pendayling / Migmar / Samye
ParoTshenden Peace Villa / Galing Resort / Pema YangselUdumwara Resort / Gawaling / Shomo Chuki Resort

Accommodation will be in these or similar properties.

One price

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
And what it does not

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.

How it works

Four steps, and you know each one before it happens.

  1. Tell us your dates

    Dates and group size, by phone or WhatsApp. We reply within the hour.

  2. 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.

  3. Confirm with 20%

    Twenty per cent of the package price confirms the booking. A voucher follows.

  4. Pickup, three days ahead

    Your exact pickup point and time, three days before you travel. Then we meet you.

Before you book

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.

Before you ask

Questions we are asked most

Do Indians need a visa for Bhutan?
No. Indian nationals need an entry permit, not a visa, and the permit is free. A valid Indian passport or Voter ID is accepted for adults; a birth certificate or school ID for children. Aadhaar is not accepted, and it is the most common reason travellers are turned back at Phuentsholing.
What is the SDF and who pays it?
The Sustainable Development Fee is charged by the Royal Government of Bhutan. For Indian nationals it is ₹1,200 per adult per night, ₹600 for children aged 6–12, and free under 6. The rate is fixed until 31 August 2027. It is included in our package prices.
What is included in the price?
Hotels, a private vehicle with driver for the whole route, a local guide, all permits, the SDF, and breakfast and dinner each day. Lunch is not included — on a touring day you eat where you happen to be at one o'clock.
Where do you pick us up from?
Bagdogra airport, New Jalpaiguri, Hasimara, Siliguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar or Jaigaon. Hasimara is the closest station, about an hour from the border. We can also arrange flight and train tickets if you cannot source them.
How do I book, and how much do I pay up front?
Send your dates and group size. You receive a full day-by-day itinerary with hotels and one fixed price, usually within the hour. To confirm, 20% of the package price. A voucher follows, and your exact pickup point and time is shared three days before travel.
When is the best time to visit Bhutan?
March to May for the valleys in flower, and October to December for clear air and mountain views. Late November to February is when the black-necked cranes are in Phobjikha. The monsoon months are quieter and cost less.
Plan your trip

Send your dates for the 4 Nights / 5 Days.

A full itinerary and one fixed price come back, usually within the hour. Twenty per cent confirms it.