Here are four possible itineraries to give you an idea of the kinds of cultural tours available. Remember, you can alter them to fit your needs — you may want substitute any one or more days' activities to spend time at a festival, go on a particular hike, or simply potter about. The choice is entirely yours. For more sample itineraries, contact us.

An excellent introduction to western Bhutan, this trip combines fabulous scenery with plenty of fascinating religious and historic sites. You arrive by Druk Air at Paro, located in one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan. Paro is a good example of a typical district town in Bhutan.  It also houses the National Museum, an impressive dzong (fortress) and the famous ‘Tiger’s Nest’ monastery which clings to the edge of a sheer cliff. A two-hour drive along the scenic Paro and Thimphu rivers takes you to Bhutan’s capital city, Thimphu. As you might expect, there’s plenty to see and do here, including visiting the National Library, seeing live traditional crafts such as thangkha painting at the National Painting and Art School, learning about Bhutanese textiles at the National Textile Museum and a chance to buy traditional arts and crafts at the Handicrafts Emporium. A morning’s drive takes you to the Punakha and Wangdi valleys via the Dochu La Pass, from which you'll enjoy spectacular Himalayan views on a fine day. Highlights in this area are the 15th-century ‘Temple of Fertility’ (Chimi Lhakhang), and two centuries-old dzongs.

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This 12-day tour offers you the highlights of Bhutan’s rich cultural, religious and historical background in the western and central regions, as well as driving through stunning landscapes and venturing into remote valleys with centuries-old villages. In the west you’ll be able to explore an array of ancient fortresses (dzongs), monasteries and temples, including the dramatic ‘Tiger’s Nest’ or Taktshang monastery near Paro. (Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava, known in Bhutan as the second Buddha, arrived here on the back of a flying tigress and meditated on the spot where the monastery now stands.) Paro, and the capital, Thimphu, are home to an impressive number of fascinating museums and other places of interest, such as the Institute of Traditional Medicine. Travelling eastwards through pine-scented forests towards Punakha you climb the first major pass, the Dochu La. The journey continues through magnificent territory to historic Trongsa, the gateway to central Bhutan, and then onto Bumthang, an ideal base for exploring the beautiful surrounding valleys as well as key historic and spiritual landmarks. The beautiful, high-altitude village of Gangtey, home to the black-necked crane, is our easternmost destination before returning to Paro. 

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Although this special tour focuses on exploring central Bhutan, you won’t miss out on the important sites of the western region, notably the town and surrounds of Paro, your entry point by air, and Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu. In Paro you'll see two impressive dzongs (fortresses), Bhutan’s National Museum and some important sacred sites including the cliff-side ‘Tiger’s Nest’, or Taktshang, monastery. Thimphu is an excellent place to find out more about Bhutan’s cultural heritage at its many museums and institutes, which include the Royal Academy of Performing Arts and The Folk Heritage Museum. The journey east takes you through amazing landscapes, with an overnight stop at historic Trongsa before reaching the heart of central Bhutan at Bumthang. This is the starting point for a two-day trek to Ugyenchholing, following rivers teeming with trout, walking through pristine forest and landscapes dotted with sacred sites, and climbing the Phephe La Pass.

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As the title suggests, the ultimate in tours that takes you from Paro in the west through central Bhutan all the way to eastern Tashi Yangtse, allowing you to get a taste of the varying cultures and landscapes of Bhutan’s three distinct regions. You’ll travel through breathtakingly varied scenery along the west–east highway, with pine forests, impressive waterfalls, fertile valleys, vistas of the Himalayas and high passes. You’ll have the opportunity to visit the best of Bhutan’s ancient temples and monasteries, historic fortresses (dzongs), national museums and a host of other sites of interest. We visit remote villages and farmhouses, and arrange to see the practice of traditional crafts like textile production and wood-carving; not to mention some of Bhutan’s more up-to-date ventures such as its very own Swiss cheese factory. We spend ten days travelling east, with day-long stops at Thimphu, Bumthang and Tashigang, and a slightly shorter return journey to Paro.

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