A Bhutan Itinerary – A Magical Week in a Mountain Kingdom

How To Get To Bhutan

Most people fly into the country’s only international airport located in Paro. There are two airlines  Drukair and Bhutan Airlines. You can fly from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Singapore.

There is no public transport at the airport so you will need to use a tour operator or ask your hotel to arrange transport, or you can take a taxi.

It is possible to drive from India at four crossings: Samtse, Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar.

Most visitors will need a visa to visit Bhutan. The government website has the details.

Day 4 Punakha to Gangtey (71km, 3 hours, 2900m)

After a hearty breakfast at the farm stay, we hit the road for a trip to Gangtey. The key attraction for this valley is that famous for the elegant black-necked cranes that visit each winter. The country is home to around 600 cranes – they migrate from the Tibetan Plateau and can be seen from November to March.

On the way, we visited Gangtey Gompa, a 16^th century monastery.

Then we took a walk through the lovely Phobjikha valley on its nature trail.

We walked downhill through the meadows and into Semchubara village and then through the forests.

We then visited the black-necked crane sanctuary to see where injured and rescue cranes are rehabilitated. There is also an information centre which has infographics about the cranes as well as a great view over the valley. Binoculars are available to watch the cranes.

We stayed overnight at hotel Dewachen in a large, comfortable room, with its own heating stove.

Day 5 Gangtey to Paro (196km, ~6 hours, 2250m)

This was our long drive back but we stopped off at a number of places along the way. We spent time in the valley, in the morning, spotting wild cranes.

An archery tournament was taking place in the area. Archery is Bhutan’s national sport and competitions last all day. Archers take it in turns to hit brightly painted wooden targets from 145m away. We were astonished at the distances and the accuracy of the archers. When the target is hit, the archers perform a short celebratory dance and pick up a silken cloth as a prize. As the day progresses, the wind picks up in the valley, making the target even more difficult to hit.

For reference, the standard Olympic distance is 70m! The tournament is as much about social interaction as it is about the competition. The image below gives an indication of range – the target is on the left side of the picture, just next to the tree in the distance, where the group of people are standing.

After passing the Dochula Pass, we arrived back at Thimphu and stopped off to visit the Simtokha Dzong, a 17^th century fortress and former monastery, strategically located on a ridge above a deep gully. It was built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan and is the first of its kind built in this country.

Then the itinerary continues to Paro. We enjoyed an archery lesson at the local range. These are very easy to arrange and there are centres all over the country. Naturally we were hopeless!

Day 6 Paro – Tiger’s Nest Trek (up to 3180m)

The highlight of any trip to Bhutan is a hike to the stunningly beautiful Taktsang monastery, known as the Tiger’s Nest. This amazing construction, clinging to a hillside, is sited at the location where Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), the founder of Buddhism in the country, reputedly flew on the back of a tigress in the 8^th century.

Even though it looks quite dramatic, the hike should be possible for anyone who has reasonable fitness levels, although you are trekking at altitude, over 3000m, which makes the walk literally breathtaking. The reason for the hike taking place at the end of this Bhutan itinerary is to ensure that you have enough time to acclimatise to the altitude during the preceding days. We have a detailed post about what to expect on the Tiger’s Nest hike.

In the afternoon, visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan. It is one of 108 temples which were constructed in a day by the extremely productive Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo, in an attempt to protect against a wicked demoness. Apparently the orange trees are always in fruit.

Later in the evening we visited a typical Bhutanese farmhouse and met the farmer who made us dinner and offered arak, the local tipple.

Day 7 A Fond Farewell

Time to leave this marvellous country and catch the flight back to Kathmandu. If you have time, there may be an opportunity to visit the national museum, Ta Dzong, which was built as a watch tower for the Paro Dzong. The Dzong itself is an administration centre and education centre for monks. Or you could enjoy a walk along the river.

Don’t forget to look out for Everest on the way home.

Bhutan for Foodies

Prepare for your tastebuds to be tantalised. The quintessential Bhutanese dish is ema datshi – chilli cheese! In Bhutan chillies are used as vegetables, rather than a spicy flavouring. Chilli cheese is super-hot but the cheese does help mitigate the heat. It is kind of addictive.

Rice is a staple – usually red rice, which has a nutty flavour. Meat is eaten widely and is often dried for storage. Yak, beef, pork and chicken are all popular dishes. Meat is often stewed. We enjoyed shakam paa, which comprised dried beef cooked with chillies and radish slices, spiced with dried chillies. Vegetarians can enjoy khewa datshi, which comprises sliced potatoes with cheese.  

The local tipple is called arak. It’s a clear liquor, usually made from rice or maize. Bhutan also makes whiskey and you can pick up a bottle at the airport. It may not rival any of Scotland or Japan’s finest malts but it’s an interesting and quaffable drink – definitely one to add to the list for whiskey fans seeking alternative flavours.

Final Thoughts

There is no doubt that Bhutan is an expensive country to visit. But it is a wonderful place to discover, a country that fiercely protects its heritage and culture, all set amidst spectacular mountain landscapes. The fee for visitors goes directly towards making life better for its citizens. Although the high cost may put off some travellers, we strongly recommend visiting if you can.