Bhutan Tours

11-day Explorer

This trip is the same as our 10-day Bhutan Explorer but also visits the city of Trongsa. Located in the middle of the country, between high mountain passes, Trongsa is the ancestral home of the royal family. The crown prince of the royal family becomes the Penlop, governor, of Trongsa before being crowned king.

1st Day: Arrive in Paro then transfer to Thimphu, the capital.

2nd Day: Tour Thimphu, the nation’s capital, and visit its temples, Dzong, monasteries, craft schools, and the national library.

3rd Day: Drive through the mountains and villages to central Bhutan and the city of Trongsa. The Trongsa Dzong is one of the most picturesque examples of Bhutanese architecture. From the original temple, which was built in 1543, the dzong has been enlarged over and over during the centuries.

4th Day: Drive over the mountain passes to Bumthang, the heartland of Bhutan. Here are located some of the kingdom’s most precious and ancient Buddhist sites. We spend the next three nights in the town of Jakar.

5th & 6th Days: For the next two days explore the sights of Bumthang—the Jamgay Lhakhang (temple), where in 746 A.D. Guru Rimpoche meditated in a cave and left a print of his body; the Kurjey Lhakhang, built in 700 A.D., considered to be one of the most sacred temples in Bhutan; the 17th century Jakar Dzong (the Dzong of the White Bird); and some of the local cottage industries.

7th Day: In the morning return to Trongsa, with time for some local sightseeing in the afternoon.

8th Day: Travel to Wangdue, where we visit the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong. Founded in 1638, this massive fort, monastery and government administrative center sits on a high ridge which commands the valleys and river below.

9th Day: Travel to Punakha, at one time Bhutan’s capital city. Built in 1637, The Punakha Dzong, suffered many fires and earthquakes over the years. Walking across the cable suspension bridge over the Mo Chhu River, you enter the massive wooden gates of the dzong to visit its courtyards, monastery, and chapels.

10th Day: After breakfast we return along the mountain roads, past fast-running rivers, rice-terraced valleys and small villages to the town of Paro, located in a broad rice terraced valley beside a willow-lined river. In the afternoon we visit the many sights of Paro—The National Museum, The Rinpung Dzong, and the ruins of the Drugyel Dzong, built in 1649 to control the road to Tibet, it was destroyed by a butter lamp fire fire in 1951. As an alternative, you may choose to spend the day hiking up to the Paro Taksang Monastery (also known as the "Tiger's Nest") where according to legend, Guru Rimpoche flew from Tibet on the back of a tiger.

11th Day: Depart from Paro airport.

What's included: These trips are fully guided by an experienced, professional English-speaking Bhutanese guide. They include all meals, lodging, admissions, and transportation within Bhutan.

Price per person: