Itineraries

Choosing an itinerary
Our aim at Blue Poppy Tours and Treks is to make your dream holiday in Bhutan a reality – and a trip to remember for ever. We offer cultural tours, treks ranging from three days to three weeks, or just day hikes, festival visits or a mixture of all of these. You will have the opportunity to see monasteries and temples, enjoy the stunning beauty of Bhutanese landscapes and scenery, visit a traditional Bhutanese festival and experience a unique and traditional Bhutanese culture little changed by time.

We can help you get off the beaten track and gain access to whatever interests you. Whether you want to meet a lama or learn archery, go mountain biking or bird-watching, or learn to cook traditional Bhutanese food – if it’s possible, we’ll make it happen.

We offer homestays with a local farmer and his family, allowing you to experience traditional village life at its purest, and the opportunity to try the restorative properties of a hot stone bath. If you prefer to experience one of Bhutan’s luxury hotels instead (or as well!) we can arrange this also.

We’ll put it together for you if you want…
For those of you who prefer to book a ‘ready-made’ itinerary, have a look at our sample cultural tours. Remember, these can be used simply as rough guides for you to get an idea of what’s on offer – you can leave out or add in as much as you want. For more ideas for what to do on your trip, contact us, letting us know how long you want to visit for, the time of year and what your interests are, and we’ll put together some suggestions for you.

If you are thinking of a trekking holiday have a look at these trekking itineraries. Find out more information here about trekking in Bhutan, including when to go, what to bring, and what is provided for you.

If you would like to attend a festival have a look at the festival dates for 2023 and tentative dates for 2024. The main festivals visited by tourists are Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Ura and Bumthang Drup. There is no reason why you can’t go to one of the less commonly visited festivals, although you should be prepared to find yourself as much the centre of attention as the masked dancers in that case! If you let us know which festivals you are interested in visiting we can put together a suggested itinerary for you. Have a look at some sample itineraries for Punakha festival,  Paro festivalUra festival, Thimphu festival and Jamba Lhakhang festival (also known as Bumthang Drup).

Or you can do it your way!    
If you want to construct your trip from scratch, we’ve put together the basics to get you started. Click on any centre on the map of Bhutan, and find out exactly what’s on offer in that area, such as sights of interest, day hikes and treks of varying length. Use these as ‘building blocks’ for planning your trip. You’ll need to bear in mind that itineraries generally work best in a west–east direction, and that your length of stay will dictate how far east you’ll be able to go. Having said that, now that it is possible to enter the country overland in the south-eastern corner of Bhutan, the option of travelling east to west (basic accommodation first, luxury later) is also now available.

Arts and crafts of Bhutan  
Bhutan’s way of life is expressed through its arts and crafts heritage, a living and vibrant culture that links its past with its present. If you are interested in learning more, you might like to consider our Arts and Crafts Discovery Tours. You will see local craftsmen at work, from the local village weaver to the students at the national School for Traditional Arts. You can admire some of the best examples of Bhutanese arts and crafts and have the skills and stories behind them explained to you. Plenty of opportunities to buy wonderful souvenirs of your trip! You can have a look at a sample itinerary for 7 days or 15 days or contact us for more information or a tailor made itinerary to suit you.