Bhutan Highlands Explorer

Your guide meets you at the airport and we drive to Thimphu. After lunch and a rest we walk round the National Memorial Chorten, built in 1974, and visit the Buddha Dordenma on its hilltop south of the town. The evening is free.

Simply Bhutan is a small living museum where you can try on the national dress, shoot an arrow and taste butter tea, and it makes a friendly introduction to the day. From there we go on to the National Institute for Zorig Chusum and the Textile Museum.

After lunch we drive up to the Takin Preserve and the Sangaygang viewpoint, and stop at the nunnery of Dupthop Lhakhang on the way down. We finish at Tashichho Dzong.

We cross Dochu La in the morning, stopping at the 108 chortens for the view, and come down into Punakha in time for lunch. The path to Chimi Lhakhang leads through a village and across the rice fields.

Punakha Dzong takes up the rest of the afternoon. It was built in 1637 between two rivers, and jacaranda trees along the bank flower purple in late spring.

After an early walk across the long suspension bridge near the dzong, we drive up the valley side and east towards Phobjikha. The road climbs more than 1,700 m in two to three hours.

We reach the valley by early afternoon and visit Gangtey Goenpa, the monastery on the ridge, and the Crane Information Centre below it. Nights are cold here in every season, so keep a warm layer to hand.

We walk the Gangtey nature trail in the morning, two easy hours through forest and along the edge of the marsh. After an early lunch we drive back to Thimphu, with a stop at Dochu La.

You arrive with the evening free. If it is a weekend, the farmers' market by the river is open and busy.

We leave Thimphu after breakfast, pass through Paro and climb the road towards Haa. It takes about an hour and a half from the valley floor to Chele La at 3,988 m. We walk along the ridge above the pass, through thousands of prayer flags, with Jomolhari in view when the weather allows. Lunch is a picnic at the top.

Back in Paro we visit Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum in the watchtower above it.

The walk up to Taktsang is kept for the last full day, when you are well used to the altitude. We go at your pace and stop at the teahouse on the way up and again on the way down.

The afternoon is easy: Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in the country, and tea at a farmhouse.

We take you to the airport after breakfast and see you off.