Cultural
Three Valleys in 5 Days
Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, with the crossing of Dochu La and an afternoon at Punakha Dzong before the Tiger's Nest.
Price on request
Cultural
Thimphu, Punakha and Paro in 6 Days
The three western valleys with a full day in the capital, a night beside Punakha Dzong and the Tiger's Nest to finish.
- Length
- 6 days / 5 nights
- Grade
- Easy
- Best months
- March to May and September to November
- Price
- Price on request
Overview
Six days is one more than our five-day tour, and the extra day goes to Thimphu. You see the capital properly instead of passing through it, and you have two nights at one altitude before the road goes over the pass.
The order is the same as on all our western tours: Thimphu first, then down to the warm valley of Punakha, and Paro at the end, so that the walk to the Tiger's Nest comes when you are used to the height.
It works in every season. Spring and autumn have the clearest skies; winter is cold in the mornings and quiet everywhere.
Highlights
- A full day in Thimphu, with Tashichho Dzong in the evening
- Dochu La and its 108 chortens
- Punakha Dzong at the meeting of two rivers
- Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum in Paro
- The Tiger's Nest, on the last full day
Route
- Thimphu
- Punakha
- Paro
Day by day
Day 1 Arrive in Paro, drive to Thimphu
Your guide meets you outside customs, and the capital is an hour up the river.
The first afternoon is kept light, because you have just landed at 2,300 m: a turn round the Memorial Chorten with the people of the town, and the view over the valley from the Buddha Dordenma.
- Drive
- 54 km, about 1 hour
- Night in
- Thimphu
- Meals
- L, D
Day 2 Thimphu
A whole day in the capital. At the crafts school students paint, carve and embroider in rooms you can walk through, and the Textile Museum and the craft bazaar are a few minutes away. Changangkha Lhakhang, on its ridge above the town, dates from the twelfth century.
In the afternoon there is the takin preserve, and archery at the Changlimithang ground if a match is on. Tashichho Dzong opens to visitors at the end of the working day, so it comes last.
- Night in
- Thimphu
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 3 Over Dochu La to Punakha
Three quarters of an hour above Thimphu the road reaches Dochu La, at about 3,100 m, where 108 chortens stand on a knoll and, in clear weather, the Himalaya fills the northern sky. The descent on the far side is long and winding, and ends in a valley warm enough for rice and oranges.
A path across the fields leads to Chimi Lhakhang. Punakha Dzong, between its two rivers, is kept for the afternoon light.
- Drive
- 76 km, 2 to 3 hours
- Night in
- Punakha
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 4 Punakha to Paro
Before leaving the valley you walk up through the rice terraces to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, about an hour each way.
Then back over Dochu La and down to Paro, where Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum fill what is left of the afternoon.
- Drive
- 128 km, 3 to 3.5 hours
- Night in
- Paro
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 5 The Tiger's Nest
The walk everyone comes for. The trail climbs through pines to a teahouse, goes on to a viewpoint level with the monastery, then drops by steps past a waterfall before the last climb to the gate at 3,120 m. Allow four to five hours there and back.
Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in the country, is a quiet place to end the day.
- Night in
- Paro
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 6 Depart from Paro
Transfer to the airport for your flight.
- Meals
- B
What is included
Included
- The Sustainable Development Fee, US$100 a night for each adult at the current rate
- Visa fee of US$40 and the visa application made for you
- 5 nights in hotels, in a twin or double room
- All meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 6
- A licensed English-speaking Bhutanese guide throughout
- A private vehicle and driver, including airport transfers
Not included
- Flights to and from Paro
- Travel insurance
- Entry fees at monuments and museums
- Drinks, laundry, tips and personal spending
Practical details
- Accommodation
Hotels in Thimphu, Punakha and Paro.
- Meals
Breakfast and dinner at your hotel and lunch at a local restaurant on the way. Tell us about any dietary need when you book; vegetarian food is easy everywhere.
- Transport
A private vehicle with a driver for the whole trip. The road is paved and winding, so drives are slower than their distance suggests.
- Guide
One licensed guide stays with you from arrival to departure. A guide is required by the authorities inside dzongs and monuments.
- Visa and permits
We apply for your visa once the trip is confirmed; it is normally issued within five working days. You need a passport valid for at least six months. See our pages on the [visa](/bhutan-travel-guide/visa/) and the [Sustainable Development Fee](/bhutan-travel-guide/sustainable-development-fee/).
Questions about this trip
Do I need a visa for Bhutan?
Yes, unless you are an Indian national, in which case you need an entry permit instead. The visa costs US$40, is applied for online, and is normally decided within five working days.
When you book with us we make the application for you. You send a scan of your passport, which must be valid for at least six months, and a recent passport photo. See Bhutan visa and entry permits.
What is the Sustainable Development Fee?
A fee every visitor pays to the government of Bhutan for each night in the country. It is US$100 a night for adults and US$50 for children aged 6 to 11; children under 6 pay nothing. Indian nationals pay Nu. 1,200 a night.
It is paid with your visa application. When you travel with us we collect it with the tour payment and pass it on. See the Sustainable Development Fee.
When is the best time to visit Bhutan?
March to May and September to November have the mildest weather and the clearest skies, and the largest festivals fall in those months. They are also the busiest.
Winter is cold but dry and sunny, with the black-necked cranes in Phobjikha and the Punakha festivals. Summer is the monsoon: green, quiet and often cloudy. See the best time to visit Bhutan.
How hard is the walk to the Tiger’s Nest?
It is a steady uphill walk on a wide path, not a climb, and most people in ordinary health manage it. Allow four to five hours there and back. The monastery is at about 3,120 m, so you will feel the altitude; go slowly and drink plenty of water.
That is why our itineraries keep it for the end, after several days in the country. A teahouse halfway makes a good turning point for anyone who would rather not go on. See hiking to the Tiger's Nest.
Places on this trip
More tours
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Tell us how you like to travel
A few lines are enough: when, how long, and what draws you to Bhutan. We answer with a suggested route and what it would cost.
We reply ["within 24 hours"].