Kingdom in Full

Your guide and driver meet you at the airport. We drive to Thimphu, check in and have lunch. The afternoon takes in the National Memorial Chorten and the Buddha Dordenma, with an early night to follow.

We spend the morning at the National Institute for Zorig Chusum and the Textile Museum, and the afternoon on the hill above the town: Changangkha Lhakhang, the Takin Preserve and the view from Sangaygang. Tashichho Dzong is the last visit of the day. At weekends we add the farmers' market by the river, where the whole valley shops for vegetables, dried cheese and chillies.

An early start gives the best odds of a clear view at Dochu La. From the pass we descend to Punakha, walk to Chimi Lhakhang, and spend the afternoon at Punakha Dzong and on the suspension bridge upstream.

We walk up to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten after breakfast, about 45 minutes each way, and then drive to Phobjikha. The afternoon is for Gangtey Goenpa and the nature trail that leads from the monastery down to the marsh.

We cross Pele La into central Bhutan and follow the road past Chendebji Chorten to Trongsa. The dzong here is the largest in the country, a chain of courtyards and temples running down a ridge, and by tradition every crown prince serves as its governor before he becomes king. The watchtower above it is now a museum.

After lunch the road climbs over Yotong La and drops into the Chumey valley, the first of Bumthang's four.

We visit Jakar Dzong first, for the view up and down the Chokhor valley, and then walk between the temples on the valley floor: Jambay Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang and, over a footbridge, Tamshing Lhakhang. The afternoon is unhurried, with time for the town and its small shops.

We drive into Tang, stopping at Mebar Tsho, the Burning Lake, where Pema Lingpa is said to have recovered sacred treasures from the water. The road continues up a narrowing valley of farms and sheep pasture to the foot of Ogyen Choling. A half-hour walk brings us to the manor house and its museum.

A short flight returns us to Paro. In the afternoon we visit the National Museum and Rinpung Dzong, and cross the old covered bridge below it.

The road to Haa climbs out of the Paro valley through forest to Chele La at 3,988 m. We stop at the top to walk along the ridge among the prayer flags, with Jomolhari to the north when the sky is clear, and then drop down the far side.

In Haa we visit Lhakhang Karpo and Lhakhang Nagpo, the White Temple and the Black Temple, and have lunch in the valley. We return to Paro by the same road in the afternoon.

We keep Taktsang for the end. After ten days at altitude the climb is as easy as it will ever be. The walk up takes two to three hours, the visit about an hour, and the descent an hour and a half. We stop at Kyichu Lhakhang on the way back to the hotel.

Your guide and driver take you to the airport after breakfast.