Paro & Thimphu: Tiger Nest Hike, Monastery Stay & Culture

Five days climbing toward prayer flags and monastery bells in Bhutan's valleys

You hike through Bhutan's valleys, stay overnight at a working monastery where you join the monks for prayer and dinner, visit four major dzongs and temples, and end with the famous Tiger Nest trek. The tour includes your visa, all transport by private vehicle with a guide, accommodation in 3-star hotels and the monastery guest house, meals, and the Bhutan Sustainable Development Fee. You don't arrange transport, book sites separately, or navigate the country alone.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Paro and explore Thimphu

• Stop at Tachoggang iron bridge
• Visit Simtokha Dzong fortress
• See Kuensel Phodrang Buddha statue
• Hike to Wangditse temple
• Visit Dechenphodrang Monastery
• Explore Thimphu Weekend Market

Day 2: Monastic stay at Dodeydrak Monastery

• Drive to Pangrizampa Buddhist College
• Visit 21 Tara Devi temple
• Hike to Dodeydra monastery
• Attend cleansing ritual and prayers
• Hoist prayer flags and offer incense
• Dine and discuss Dharma with monks

Day 3: Morning prayer and travel to Punakha

• Join morning prayer at monastery
• Drive to Dochu La mountain pass
• Hoist prayer flags at pass
• Hike to Chimi Lhakhang temple
• Visit Punakha Dzong fortress

Day 4: Drive to Paro and Tiger Nest hike

• Drive early morning to Paro
• Hike to Tiger’s Nest monastery

Day 5: Departure from Bhutan

• Drive to airport and farewell

The experience

You drive out of Paro airport and turn north toward Thimphu, 54 kilometers away. The road winds through pine forest and past villages where prayer flags snap in the wind above stone houses. Within the first few hours you'll stop at Tachoggang, an iron bridge strung across the Paro River with hundreds of flags tied to its railings, then climb to Simtokha Dzong, the oldest fortress in the kingdom, its 12-sided central tower overlooking the entire valley. By evening you're in Thimphu, the capital, where the Kuensel Phodrang statue, a sitting Buddha 51.5 meters tall, rises above the city. This tour mixes hiking, cultural sites and stays in places most visitors skip.

The second day takes you to Dodeydra Monastery, a climb through off-beaten tracks past the Buddhist College of astrology at Pangrizampa and a temple dedicated to the 21 Tara Devi. You hike up to the monastery itself, where you'll spend the night in the guest house and join the monks for evening prayer and dinner. If you want, you can ask one of the monks about Buddhist astrology or sit in on a Dharma discussion. Before sleep, you'll receive a cleansing ritual called Lhabsang Thruesel, meant to wash away negativities. You can hoist prayer flags on the hilltop and make offerings of incense, wine, or butter lamps. The morning starts early: the monastery bell rings for 5 a.m. prayer, and you sit with the monks before hiking back down to Thimphu.

On the way south to Punakha, you stop at Dochu La, a mountain pass at 3,100 meters marked by 108 Buddhist shrines. On clear days the high Himalayan peaks appear to the northeast. You hike five minutes to Chimi Lhakhang, a small temple known as the fertility temple, then drive to Punakha Dzong, a massive fortress built where two rivers meet. It was Bhutan's capital until 1955 and still serves as the winter home of the central monk body. The first king was crowned here in 1907. The structure has survived fires, earthquakes and floods: the 1994 flood nearly destroyed it, but the most sacred statue inside was spared.

The final full day is the Tiger Nest hike. You drive early from Paro and climb up to Taktsang, the monastery that sits on a cliff 3,120 meters above sea level and 900 meters above the Paro valley. The legend says Guru Rinpoche, the second Buddha, flew here on the back of a tigress in the 8th century and meditated for three months. The hike takes most of the morning, and the view of the monastery clinging to the rock face is the reason people come to Bhutan. After that, you return to Paro for your last night, and the driver takes you to the airport the next morning.

What’s included

Your five days include Bhutan's Sustainable Development Fee, your visa, a private vehicle and guide for all transport between Paro, Thimphu, Punakha and back to Paro, accommodation in 3-star hotels in Thimphu and Punakha plus one night in the Dodeydra Monastery guest house, all meals from lunch on day one through breakfast on day five, entry to Simtokha Dzong, Kuensel Phodrang, Wangditse Temple, Dechenphodrang Monastery, Dochu La, Chimi Lhakhang, Punakha Dzong, and Tiger Nest, the monastic cleansing ritual and evening prayer, and a guide who can arrange a consultation with a monk on Buddhist astrology if you're interested.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (26 to 56 years) · Senior (57 and older) · Youth (13 to 25 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Bhutan Best InBound Tour

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to see Bhutan's main cultural and natural sites without arranging visas, transport, guides or accommodation separately: the fixed itinerary and included logistics let you focus on the hikes, monasteries and valleys instead of logistics.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 25 years); Child (5 to 12 years); Infant (under 5).

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 24 h before the start.

How many days is the tour?

Five days and four nights, starting from Paro airport and ending with a drive to the airport for departure.

What's included in the price?

Bhutan visa, accommodation, private transportation, a guide, all meals, taxes, and the Bhutan Sustainable Development Fee (USD 100 per person per night).

Do I need to be very fit for this tour?

The hikes are moderate. Tiger Nest is the most demanding, climbing about 900 meters over a few hours. The tour is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health or low fitness levels.

What is the monastic stay like?

You stay in the monastery guest house at Dodeydra, join the monks for evening and morning prayer, eat dinner with them, and can participate in a cleansing ritual and Dharma discussions if interested.

Is Tiger Nest the hardest hike?

Yes. The other hikes: to Wangditse Temple (1.5 hours, easy) and to Dodeydra Monastery, are less strenuous. Tiger Nest climbs 900 meters and takes most of the morning.

What time does the tour start?

You arrive at Paro airport and are picked up for the drive to Thimphu. The tour begins immediately upon arrival.

Can I visit the weekend market in Thimphu?

Yes, if your tour falls on a Thursday through Sunday. The market near Wang Chhu sells regional produce, incense, spices, dried fish, local honey, and handicrafts.

What happens if the weather is bad at Dochu La?

The pass sits at 3,100 meters, so clouds can obscure the Himalayan views. You still visit the 108 shrines and hoist prayer flags, but the peaks may not be visible.

Do I need to speak Dzongkha or English?

Your guide speaks English and will translate. You don't need to speak the local language, though learning a few phrases is appreciated by locals.