8-Day Classic Bhutan Tour: Paro to Tiger's Nest with Easy Hikes

Walk through valleys and climb to cliffside temples, with a guide who knows the stories behind every stone.

This 8-day guided tour of Bhutan begins in Paro and moves through the capital Thimphu, the Punakha valley with its fortress, the glacial Phobjikha valley, and ends at Tiger's Nest monastery clinging to a cliff above Paro. Easy hikes connect the stops (six kilometers through rhododendron forests, forty-five minutes to a hilltop temple, two hours to the monastery itself), and an English-speaking guide travels with you the whole way. Private transport, all hotel stays in 3–4 star properties, and monument entry fees are included. You choose whether to add airfare from your home country.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Thimphu

• Arrive in Paro with Himalayan views
• Meet guide and drive to Thimphu
• Visit Tamchog Lhakang monastery and iron bridge
• Check in to hotel and rest
• Visit Memorial Chorten Stupa if time permits
• Enjoy welcome dinner at local restaurant

Day 2: Thimphu hiking and cultural tour

• Drive to Buddha Dordenma statue
• Hike 6 km to Changangkha temple
• Lunch at local café in town
• Visit Folk Heritage Museum
• Visit National Institute of Traditional Arts
• Visit Royal Textile Academy
• Stroll Crafts Bazaar and local markets

Day 3: Thimphu to Punakha via Dochula Pass

• Drive to Dochula Pass and view chortens
• Optional Lungtsezelkha or Trans Bhutan Trail hike
• Visit Druk Wangyel Chortens
• Drive to Lobesa and visit Chhimi Lhakhang monastery
• Overnight at resort overlooking Punakha fortress

Day 4: Punakha sightseeing and hiking

• Drive to Kabesa village and hike to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal stupa
• Picnic lunch at Zomlingthang grounds by Punakha river
• Visit Punakha Dzong fortress
• Visit Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang Nunnery
• Hike 5 km on Trans-Bhutan Trail to Punakha

Day 5: Punakha to Phobjikha valley

• Drive scenic route to Phobjikha valley
• Visit Gangtey Gompa monastery and meditate
• Learn about Black-necked cranes and valley agriculture

Day 6: Phobjikha to Paro via Dochula Pass

• Drive back to Paro via Dochula Pass
• Visit Kyichu Lhakhang temple
• Visit National Museum
• Visit Rimpung Dzong fortress

Day 7: Tiger’s Nest Monastery excursion

• Hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery
• Stop at Satsam Chorten viewpoint
• Visit ruins of Drugyal Dzong fortress
• Visit Kichu Lhakang monastery and Dungtse Lhakhang paintings
• Farewell dinner at local restaurant

Day 8: Departure day

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to Paro airport
• Guide assists with departure formalities

The experience

The flight into Paro offers your first view of the Himalayas, Mt. Everest, Mt. Kanchenjunga and Bhutan's own Mt. Jomolhari rising above forested hills and the silver thread of the Paro river. Your guide meets you at the airport, settles you into a comfortable vehicle, and drives an hour to Thimphu, stopping at Tamchog Lhakang monastery to see the iron bridge rebuilt from 13th-century chain links. That evening, after checking into your hotel, you visit the Memorial Chorten Stupa if time allows, then eat authentic Bhutanese food at a local restaurant.

The next two days stay in Thimphu and Punakha, where the hikes are the point. You climb six kilometers from Kuensel Phodrang (where a 169-foot Buddha statue overlooks the city) to Changangkha temple, then explore the Folk Heritage Museum, the National Institute of Traditional Arts where artisans teach, the Royal Textile Academy, and the Crafts Bazaar and weekend markets where locals shop for vegetables and live music plays. From Dochula Pass at 3,140 meters, you see the Himalayan spine and the Druk Wangyal Chortens, a collection of 108 stupas built to honor the Fourth King. You can hike the Lungtsezelkha trail to 3,800 meters where the temple stands, or take an easier route through rhododendron forests on the Trans-Bhutan Trail. Then you drive down to Punakha's rice valley to visit Chhimi Lhakhang, the fertility monastery, with a short hike through paddy fields. The Punakha Dzong (the most beautiful fortress in Bhutan, sitting where two rivers meet) gets a full visit with your guide explaining the art and architecture. You also hike the gentle five-kilometer Trans-Bhutan Trail from Laptsakha to Punakha, passing the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang Nunnery where nuns speak English and welcome visitors.

Phobjikha valley, a glacial basin that inspired the name "Switzerland of the East," is home to endangered black-necked cranes that arrive each winter from Tibet. You visit Gantey Gompa monastery in the afternoon and can sit in on a meditation session with basic instruction from your guide. The valley is also Bhutan's potato basket, a working example of agriculture and conservation together. On the drive back to Paro via Dochula Pass, you stop at Kyichu Lhakhang, an eighth-century temple, then the National Museum with its collection of arts, textiles and statues, and Rimpung Dzong, a fortress built in 1644. The final day is Tiger's Nest: a two-hour hike up to Taktshang monastery clinging to a thousand-foot cliff, built in 1692 and one of Bhutan's most valued sites. On the way back you pass Satsam Chorten for views of Mt. Jomolhari and the ruins of Drugyal Dzong, a strategic fortress that repelled Tibetan invasions in the 1600s. A farewell dinner closes the trip before your morning drive to the airport.

What’s included

• Private transportation in a comfortable vehicle with your driver.
• all accommodation in 3–4 star hotels for seven nights.
• entry fees to all monuments and sites (worth USD 300).
• all necessary permit fees for protected areas.
• an English-speaking tour guide and driver for the full eight days.
• mineral water in the car during drives.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to1d before

AgesUp to age 90

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Bhutan Travel Club

Is this one for you?Your guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the stories and history without translation delays. This matters if you want to understand the art and architecture of each fortress and monastery rather than just see them. The easy-paced hikes suit anyone comfortable walking for an hour or two without scrambling, making the trip accessible whether you are a regular hiker or someone who walks for fitness but has never done a mountain trek.

Traveler reviews

4.99★★★★★★★★★★

116 verified traveler reviews

5 ★115

4 ★1

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 6 days before the start.

What is the Tiger's Nest monastery and why is it such a big part of this tour?

Tiger's Nest, Taktshang monastery in Paro, is Bhutan's most valued attraction, built in 1692 on a cliff 1,000 feet above the valley. The two-hour hike to reach it is saved for the final full day so you can take your time and absorb the scale and history of the place with your guide's explanation of its story and significance.

How much actual hiking is involved on this 8-day tour?

The hikes are easy-paced and short: a six-kilometer walk from Kuensel Phodrang to Changangkha temple in Thimphu; a forty-five-minute climb through paddy fields to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal stupa; a five-kilometer gentle section of the Trans-Bhutan Trail; and the two-hour ascent to Tiger's Nest on the final day. None require mountaineering experience, and your guide adjusts the pace to the group.

What are the Druk Wangyal Chortens and where do you see them?

The Druk Wangyal Chortens are 108 stupas built atop Dochula Pass at 3,140 meters to honor the Fourth King, set against a backdrop of prayer flags and views of the Himalayan ranges. You visit them on the drive from Thimphu to Punakha and can choose to hike from the pass into rhododendron forests or take an easier trail through botanical gardens.

Are meals and drinks included in the tour price?

Breakfast is included each morning at your hotel. Lunch and dinner are not included in the tour price, though your guide will take you to local restaurants where you can eat authentic Bhutanese food and experience how locals spend their time. Mineral water is provided in the car during drives.

What happens on the first and last days?

Day one is arrival: you fly into Paro, meet your guide, drive to Thimphu with a stop at Tamchog Lhakang monastery, check into your hotel and have a welcome dinner. The final day is departure: after breakfast, your driver takes you to the airport and your guide helps with formalities before you leave.

Do I need to arrange my own flights to Bhutan, or are they included?

Airfare to and from Bhutan is not included in the tour price. You arrange and pay for your own flights. Once you arrive in Paro, all transport, accommodation, monument fees and guide services are covered. A visa fee of USD 40 is also separate.