Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Bhutan: Paro, Thimphu and Punakha
8 days from Paro: the Tiger's Nest walk, two nights each in Thimphu and Punakha over the Dochula Pass, and a last night back in Paro.
8 days · Round trip from Paro · up to 12 guests
A whitewashed temple building in Paro, where the trip begins and ends Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paro_-_55327954174.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Paro
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 4.5 h on day 7
- Activity level
Moderate
One demanding morning: the Tiger's Nest walk climbs from about 2,600 m to the cafeteria viewpoint at about 2,900 m in roughly 1.5 hours, and those who go on to the monastery (about 3,100 m) add another hour of steps each way. You can stop at the cafeteria, or ride a pony up. The other days are easy walking of 30 to 60 minutes at a time, at altitudes between about 1,200 m in Punakha and 2,300 m in Thimphu.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 805 (estimated price)
- Season
- Best in spring and autumn
Highlights
Why this trip
- Walk up to the Tiger's Nest early, with lunch at the cafeteria facing the monastery across the gorge
- A hot stone bath and dinner at a Paro farmhouse after the walk
- Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu after office hours, as the monks and officials finish their day
- Dochula Pass and its 108 chortens before the morning cloud builds
- A walk through the rice fields of Sopsokha to Chimi Lhakhang, the Divine Madman's temple
- Punakha Dzong soon after it opens, at the meeting of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers
- Two nights in each of Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, with a free afternoon in every base
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 4.5 h, on day 7.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 805 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 4.5 h, on day 7.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Paro
Paro International Airport to your hotel in Paro, then Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum
- Lunch and welcome dinner
- Stay in Paro
- Drive about 15 min
Land at Paro International Airport (PBH), Bhutan's only international airport, where your See Sight Tours guide and our licensed Bhutanese guide meet you outside arrivals.
Morning
Flights here operate in daylight only and most land in the morning, and the hotel is about ten minutes away, so the day starts gently.
Afternoon
Paro sits at about 2,200 m, and we keep the first afternoon slow on purpose. After lunch together in town we walk down to the Paro Chhu and over the covered wooden bridge below Rinpung Dzong, the fortress-monastery completed in 1646 that still houses the district's monks and offices. Your guide explains how a dzong works, what to wear inside and why hats come off at the gate. Above it, the round Ta Dzong watchtower holds the National Museum, a good first lesson in masks, thangka paintings and Bhutanese history.
Evening
In the evening the group meets for a short briefing on the week, then a welcome dinner.
Included
- Pick-up at Paro International Airport (PBH)
- Lunch in Paro
- Rinpung Dzong and the covered bridge over the Paro Chhu
- Ta Dzong National Museum
- Welcome briefing and dinner
Free time: Time to rest at the hotel before the evening briefing
Activity: Plan to land by about midday to join lunch and the afternoon walk; later arrivals are met and join at dinner.
The Tiger's Nest walk
Paro to the Taktsang trailhead, the cafeteria viewpoint and the monastery, then Kyichu Lhakhang and a farmhouse
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Paro
- Drive about 1 h
We leave the hotel at about 7:30 am for the 20-minute drive to the trailhead at about 2,600 m, so we are on the path before the heat and the main flow of walkers. Paro Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest, clings to a cliff about 900 m above the valley floor, around the cave where, by tradition, Guru Rinpoche meditated in the 8th century. The trail climbs through blue pine and oak hung with prayer flags to the cafeteria viewpoint, about an hour and a half up, facing the monastery across the gorge. Everyone can stop here, and the view is the classic one. Those who want to go on walk about another hour, down and up several hundred steps past a waterfall, to the monastery itself, where bags and cameras are left at the gate.
Afternoon
We all meet for a sit-down lunch at the cafeteria, walk down together, and stop at Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan's oldest temples.
Evening
In the evening a Paro farmhouse heats river stones for a traditional hot stone bath, followed by dinner with the family.
Included
- Guided walk to the Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang) cafeteria viewpoint, with the option to continue to the monastery
- Sit-down lunch at the Tiger's Nest cafeteria
- Kyichu Lhakhang
- Hot stone bath and dinner at a Paro farmhouse
Optional experiences
- A pony from the trailhead to the cafeteria (uphill only, paid locally)
Easier option: Stop at the cafeteria viewpoint: tea and the full view of the monastery across the gorge while the others go on, then lunch together.
More active option: Continue from the cafeteria to the monastery, about an hour each way on steps, and go inside the temples with our Bhutanese guide.
Free time: Late afternoon free at the hotel before the farmhouse evening
Activity: The hardest morning of the trip: about 4 to 6 hours on the trail for the full walk, or about 3 hours to the cafeteria and back. Walking poles and layers help; the descent is steep and dusty.
Along the river to Thimphu
Paro to Tachog Lhakhang and Chuzom, then Thimphu
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Thimphu
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
After a slower breakfast we drive about an hour and a half east along the Paro Chhu to Thimphu, the capital. On the way we stop at Tachog Lhakhang, where an iron chain bridge in the style of the 15th-century bridge-builder Thangtong Gyalpo crosses the river to a small temple, and at Chuzom, where the Paro and Thimphu rivers meet below three chortens in Bhutanese, Tibetan and Nepali style.
Afternoon
We reach Thimphu, at about 2,300 m, in time for lunch, then visit the National Memorial Chorten, built in 1974 in memory of the third king, where older residents walk clockwise around it and spin the prayer wheels through the afternoon. Late in the day we drive up to Buddha Dordenma, the giant gilded Buddha on the ridge south of the city, to see the valley in low light, then go down to Tashichho Dzong, which opens to visitors after office hours, as the monks and civil servants who share it finish their day.
Included
- Tachog Lhakhang and its iron chain bridge
- Chuzom, the confluence of the Paro and Thimphu rivers
- National Memorial Chorten
- Buddha Dordenma (Buddha Point)
- Tashichho Dzong after office hours
Free time: An hour or two free at the hotel after lunch
Activity: Crossing the chain bridge at Tachog is optional; the walk down to it is short but uneven. Tashichho Dzong's visiting slot after office hours is short and changes by season; if it is closed that evening, we visit it the next morning, on day 4.
Thimphu at your own pace
Sangaygang viewpoint, the Takin Preserve, the Folk Heritage Museum and Zorig Chusum
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Thimphu
- Drive about 30 min
Afternoon
A morning of Thimphu's quieter sights, and an afternoon that is yours. We start at Sangaygang, the hillside viewpoint by the broadcasting tower, where prayer flags frame the whole valley and the city spread along the Wang Chhu. Just below is the Motithang Takin Preserve, a fenced forest where Bhutan's national animal, the takin, grazes. Back in town we visit the Folk Heritage Museum, a restored three-storey farmhouse of rammed earth and timber that shows how rural families lived, and, on weekdays when classes run, the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, where students train in the thirteen traditional arts, from thangka painting to wood carving. From Friday to Sunday the Centenary Farmers Market by the river is at its busiest, and we walk through it, past heaps of red chillies and rounds of dried yak cheese.
Evening
After lunch together the afternoon and evening are free: browse the craft shops, sit in a café, or join the walk to Wangditse Lhakhang. Dinner is your choice tonight.
Included
- Sangaygang viewpoint
- Motithang Takin Preserve
- Folk Heritage Museum
- National Institute for Zorig Chusum (weekdays)
- Centenary Farmers Market (busiest Friday to Sunday)
Easier option: Spend the afternoon at the hotel or in the cafés and craft shops of the town centre.
More active option: Walk with your guide from Sangaygang through pine forest to Wangditse Lhakhang, about 1.5 to 2 hours with gentle climbs.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free; dinner on your own
Over the Dochula Pass to Punakha
Thimphu to the Dochula Pass, Sopsokha and Chimi Lhakhang, then Punakha
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Punakha
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
Cloud usually builds over the pass by late morning, so we leave Thimphu at 8 am to reach Dochula, at about 3,100 m, while the northern horizon is clearest. On a good day, most often in autumn, the snow peaks of the high Himalaya line up beyond the 108 Druk Wangyal chortens, built in 2004 on the saddle. There is time for tea and a walk among the chortens before the road drops through forest, about 1,900 m in all, into the warm Punakha valley, where rice terraces line the rivers at about 1,200 m.
Afternoon
Lunch is at a farm restaurant near Sopsokha. Then we walk about 20 to 30 minutes through the village, its house walls painted with protective phallus symbols, and between terraced rice paddies to the low hill of Chimi Lhakhang, the temple built in 1499 for Drukpa Kunley, the Divine Madman, where couples still come for fertility blessings. We reach our hotel by mid-afternoon, and the rest of the day is free.
Included
- Dochula Pass and the 108 Druk Wangyal chortens
- Lunch near Sopsokha
- Walk through the rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang
Free time: Late afternoon free at the hotel
Activity: The road is narrow and winding on both sides of the pass; if you are prone to motion sickness, take a front seat and medication before we leave.
Punakha Dzong and the valley
Punakha Dzong, the Punakha Suspension Bridge and Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Punakha
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
The light on Punakha Dzong's whitewashed walls and red-roofed towers is best in the morning, so we cross the wooden cantilever bridge over the Mo Chhu soon after it opens to visitors. Built in 1637 to 1638 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal where the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers meet, it was the seat of government until the capital moved to Thimphu in the 1950s, and the central monk body still spends the winter here. Inside, the courtyards open one after another, the first with a great bodhi tree beside a white chorten, and your guide explains the murals in the assembly hall. Then a short drive upriver to the Punakha Suspension Bridge, strung with prayer flags high over the Pho Chhu. The active option climbs about 45 minutes through rice fields to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten for the view up the valley; the easy option visits the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery on its ridge, reached by road.
Afternoon
A picnic lunch by the river, then a free afternoon.
Included
- Punakha Dzong with your guides
- Punakha Suspension Bridge
- Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten or Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery
- Picnic lunch by the river
Easier option: Drive up to the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery for the valley view instead of the chorten hike.
More active option: Hike about 45 minutes up through rice fields to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten and climb to its roof for the view.
Free time: Afternoon free
Activity: Punakha is warmer than Paro and Thimphu; bring sun protection.
Back over the pass to Paro
Punakha to the Dochula Pass and Thimphu, then Paro
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Paro
- Drive about 4.5 h
This is the trip's one long drive, about 125 km and four to four and a half hours on a winding road, and there is no shorter way: Punakha and Paro lie on either side of the Dochula Pass and the Thimphu valley. We break it into three parts.
Morning
After breakfast we climb back up to Dochula for tea and a stretch among the chortens, with another look at the mountains if the sky is clear.
Afternoon
Then we carry on down to Thimphu, about halfway, for a sit-down lunch, and finish the last hour and a half along the Paro Chhu, reaching Paro by mid-afternoon. The rest of the afternoon is free on Paro's main street, two short rows of painted wooden shopfronts, for handicrafts, a coffee and a last walk. If there is a match on, the archery ground near town is worth a look: Bhutan's national sport is played at targets about 145 m away, with songs and dances for every hit.
Evening
In the evening we sit down together for a farewell dinner.
Included
- Tea stop at the Dochula Pass
- Sit-down lunch in Thimphu
- Farewell dinner in Paro
Free time: Late afternoon free in Paro
Activity: The longest day in the vehicle, a little over the 4-hour cap, broken by tea at Dochula and lunch in Thimphu.
Leave from Paro
Your hotel in Paro to Paro International Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
Breakfast at the hotel, then a transfer of about ten minutes to Paro International Airport. Flights out of Paro operate in daylight only and most leave in the morning, so plan to be at the airport about two hours before departure; your guides see you to the terminal and help with check-in before saying goodbye. If you fly to Kathmandu or Delhi, ask for a window on the right-hand side (the north side): on a clear morning the high Himalaya can run along the horizon, though the view depends on the weather and the route flown. If your flight leaves later in the day, the morning is free in Paro, and your guide can suggest a short walk in the valley or a last visit to the shops on the main street, with a later transfer.
Evening
If you would like to stay longer in Bhutan, ask us when you book and we can quote extra nights in Paro, though each extra night also carries the government's Sustainable Development Fee.
Included
- Drop-off at Paro International Airport (PBH)
Free time: Morning free if your flight leaves later
Activity: Book any flight out of Paro; all departures are in daylight and the airport is about ten minutes from the hotel.
- Paro2 nights
- Thimphu2 nights
- Punakha2 nights
- Paro1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Late September to November brings the clearest skies and the best chance of seeing the Himalaya from Dochula, with cold nights in Paro and Thimphu. March to May is warmer, with rhododendrons in flower on the pass and more haze over the peaks. June to August is the monsoon, with cloud, rain and landslides on the roads, so we do not run departures then.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- First-time visitors who want western Bhutan's main sights in a week without long road days
- Walkers who want the Tiger's Nest with a choice of how far to go
- Travellers who like two-night stays and a free afternoon in each town
- Solo travellers who want a small group and a single price shown up front
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who need step-free access: dzongs, temples and the Tiger's Nest trail all have steep steps
- Anyone after the black-necked cranes of Phobjikha or central Bhutan's Bumthang valley, which this route does not reach
- Travellers who want nightlife or a wide choice of restaurants every evening
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Paro2 nights
- Thimphu2 nights
- Punakha2 nights
- Paro1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights: 2 in Paro, 2 in Thimphu, 2 in Punakha and 1 more in Paro
- Hotels of a 3-star-plus standard, central where the town has a centre (Punakha's hotels are spread along the valley), certified for international visitors; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up and drop-off at Paro International Airport (PBH)
- Our own vehicle and driver for the group for the whole trip, with drives of about 1 to 3 hours, and one day of about 4.5 hours (a little over our 4-hour cap) from Punakha back to Paro
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 8
- A licensed Bhutanese guide throughout (Bhutan requires a licensed guide for most tours)
Activities
- Paro: Rinpung Dzong, the Ta Dzong National Museum, the Tiger's Nest walk (Paro Taktsang) and Kyichu Lhakhang
- A hot stone bath and dinner at a Paro farmhouse
- On the road to Thimphu: Tachog Lhakhang and Chuzom
- Thimphu: National Memorial Chorten, Buddha Dordenma, Tashichho Dzong, Sangaygang, the Takin Preserve, the Folk Heritage Museum, the Zorig Chusum institute and the Centenary Farmers Market
- The Dochula Pass and its 108 chortens
- Punakha: Chimi Lhakhang, Punakha Dzong, the Punakha Suspension Bridge and Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten or the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery
- All entrance fees for included sights
Meals
- 7 breakfasts
- 7 lunches, including lunch at the Tiger's Nest cafeteria and a picnic in Punakha
- 6 dinners, including a welcome dinner, the farmhouse dinner and a farewell dinner
Not included
- International flights to and from Paro
- Bhutan's Sustainable Development Fee, a government fee per person per night, currently USD 100 a night (USD 700 for 7 nights); the figure is confirmed when you book
- Bhutan visa fee (currently USD 40)
- Travel insurance
- Dinner on day 4 in Thimphu
- Drinks
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Optional activities, such as a pony to the Tiger's Nest cafeteria
- Personal expenses
Local fees
- Bhutan's Sustainable Development Fee, a government fee per person per night, paid with the visa before travel: currently USD 100 a night (USD 700 for this trip's 7 nights). The figure is confirmed when you book.
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 805 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Seven nights in 3-star-plus hotels, 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 6 dinners, airport transfers, our own vehicle and driver, a See Sight Tours guide and a licensed Bhutanese guide throughout, every site entry in the day plan, and the farmhouse hot stone bath. Bhutan's Sustainable Development Fee, the visa fee, flights, drinks and tips are extra.
Is Bhutan's Sustainable Development Fee included in the price?
No. The Sustainable Development Fee is a government fee charged per person per night and paid with your visa before you travel. At the time of writing it is USD 100 a night, so USD 700 for this trip's 7 nights. We confirm the current figure when you book and show it as a separate line.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, so everyone fits around one table at lunch and in one vehicle, and the group moves through dzong courtyards and temple doors without queueing behind itself. If you want fewer people, the private style is your party only.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from arrival in Paro to the last morning. A licensed Bhutanese guide joins for the whole trip too, since Bhutan requires a licensed guide for most tours, and leads inside the dzongs and temples. We name your guide when we confirm your departure.
How hard is the Tiger's Nest hike?
It is the one demanding morning. The trail climbs about 300 m in roughly an hour and a half to the cafeteria viewpoint, which faces the monastery across the gorge. Going on to the monastery adds about an hour each way on steps, to about 3,100 m. You can stop at the cafeteria or ride a pony up.
I'm travelling solo. What does a single room cost?
A room of your own is from CAD 805 more than the shared price, shown before you book and not added at checkout. Solo travellers join the same group, tables and activities as everyone else. If you would rather share, tell us and we will try to match you with another solo guest of the same gender, though we cannot guarantee a match.
When is the best time to visit Bhutan?
Late September to November has the clearest skies and the best chance of a Himalayan view from Dochula. March to May is warmer, with rhododendrons on the pass and more haze. June to August is the monsoon, so we do not run departures then. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and change every year.
How does booking work?
Choose a departure and send a request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken until then. Once confirmed, we ask for your passport details to file your Bhutan visa and tell you how to pay the Sustainable Development Fee.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The trip also runs as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guides and vehicle. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote it, though Bhutan requires a licensed guide for most tours, so we include one.
Do I need a visa for Bhutan, and how do I get there?
Most visitors need a Bhutan visa, applied for online before travel, and we file it for you with your passport details. The visa fee is currently USD 40. Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly into Paro from cities including Delhi, Kathmandu, Bangkok and Singapore, in daylight only. We can advise on connections.
How long are the drives?
Paro to Thimphu is about an hour and a half and Thimphu to Punakha two and a half to three hours over the Dochula Pass. The longest, Punakha back to Paro, is about four and a half hours, broken by tea at Dochula and a sit-down lunch in Thimphu. Roads are narrow and winding.
What should I wear to visit dzongs and temples?
Long sleeves and long trousers or a long skirt, with no hats, shorts or bare shoulders. Shoes come off in some shrine rooms, so slip-ons help, and photography is not allowed inside temples. For the Tiger's Nest, bring walking shoes and layers, as the morning is cool and the climb warm.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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