Ultimate Bhutan

Travel to Punakha over the Dochula Pass, winding past exceptional views of the snow-capped Himalayas. Prior to arrival in Punakha, we will visit Chimi Lhakhang which is an easy 15 minute walk from the road. This is known as the Temple of Fertility.

Reaching Amankora in time for lunch, spend two nights at Amankora Punakha, an elegant hideaway set amidst farmland, on the river front.

In the afternoon you will visit to Punakha Dzong and chant in the inner sanctum with the chief Abbot.

The following day, Hike along the Butterfly Trail to the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten. For those wishing to ramp up the adrenaline, we can arrange white water rafting along the Pho River. In the evening, sip on riverside cocktails and soaking up the majestic scenery.

For lunch we will lay on a riverside BBQ lunch. In the afternoon, we will take a drive to Talo before visiting Nalanda Dorjidhen, a Buddhist college, where you will be able to sit and talk to monks speaking English.

After breakfast, we will take a drive to Khotokha valley. It is a large glacial valley with few inhabitants and various sacred sites. All the settlements are subsistence farmers and mostly involved in potato cultivation. The plains are too breathtaking to miss as well as the sacred sites of Khotokha. This is a truly magical valley, but very few tourists are able to visit.

Upon arrival, you will have an opportunity to immerse yourself in a lively and vibrant festival celebration, created just for you, with a series of highly stylised masked dance rituals. Those attending will be adorned in astounding colours from surrounding villages and you will have the chance to join the locals, receive blessings and interact with the monks.

Wander the streets of the local village, before enjoying a candlelit dinner in a local farmhouse. You will then camp overnight, under a canopy of stars in the wild.

This trek begins from your camp in the beautiful Khotokha valley, towards the Phobjikha valley (3,000m), one of the few glacial valleys in Bhutan, which lies in the mountains east of Wangduephodrang.

This quiet, remote valley is the chosen winter home of the rare black necked cranes, which migrate here annually from the Tibetan plateau. This moderate trek visits the villages of Gogona from Khotokha, passing through meadows and fields, then forests of juniper, magnolia and rhododendrons.

From Gogona, there will be off road vehicles waiting to transfer you to Gangtey. Gangtey is one of the most secluded spots in the world, where you’ll spend a night at Gangtey Lodge. Set in a protected reserve nestled up high in the mountains, the lodge is home to adventure, comfort and spiritual awakening.

After breakfast, we have arranged for you to partake in a spiritual cleansing. The ritual is also used to self-cleanse all the bad spirits surrounding us and to be blessed with good luck. Spiritual cleansing involves the burning of selected herbs. This normally takes place in the early morning hours and is in the presence of a senior monk from the Shedra.

After an early lunch, you will then make the journey to Bumthang. We will stop on the way for a private prayer flag hoisting. Hoisting a prayer flag is considered to bring good luck and merit to all sentient beings.

Further on your journey you will reach the viewpoint of Trongsa. Then down the valley after Yutong La Pass, at an altitude of 11,000 feet and continue through farmlands toward Zugney Village, home to many skilled weavers.

Take a scenic drive through dramatic landscapes of farmland, gorges and farmhouses to reach Bumthang where you’ll spend two nights at Amankora. Home to 29 monasteries and temples, Bumthang is coined as the spiritual heart of the country.

The following day after breakfast, visit Jakar Festival. This festival is held in the courtyard of Jakar Dzong. The festival showcases several sacred masks dance. This festival also hosts different types of folk songs and dances.

Afternoon, we will visit a local farm house with colourfully decorated outer walls and lintels, and are traditionally built without the use of single nail. Enjoy a delicious buttermilk tea and snacks and home brewed liquor. A visit to a farmhouse gives an interesting glimpse into the lifestyle of a farming family.

If time permits, we will take you to see Jambay Lhakhang. It is believed to be one of the 108 monasteries constructed in a single day by a Tibetan King to subdue a demon.