Day 5 - Bumthang: The Spiritual Heartland

Ancient Wisdom & Living Traditions
Location: Bumthang Valley (2,600 m)
Altitude: 2,600 m

​

Spend the day exploring Bumthang, the region many consider the cradle of Bhutanese spirituality. Begin at Jambay Lhakhang, one of the country’s oldest temples, followed by a visit to Kurjey Lhakhang, where Guru Rinpoche is believed to have meditated and left his sacred imprint.
Continue to Tamshing Monastery, home to centuries-old murals and one of the most authentic monastic communities in Bhutan. Later, visit a local weavers’ cooperative, gaining insight into traditional textile craftsmanship, a cornerstone of Bhutanese culture.
A gentle stroll through Chamkhar town ends the afternoon, where you’ll enjoy a tasting of ara, a traditional local spirit, in a welcoming farmhouse setting.

Discover Bhutan Insight — Why Bumthang Matters

Bumthang is not just a region — it is the spiritual memory of Bhutan.
Many of the kingdom’s most important myths, legends and monastic lineages originate here, and the valley continues to serve as a living bridge between ancient teachings and daily community life.
For visitors, Bumthang offers a rare combination of peaceful landscapes, sacred sites and quiet authenticity rarely found elsewhere in the Himalayas.

​

As evening approaches, the valley settles into a gentle stillness — a fitting backdrop for reflecting on the spiritual stories and living traditions encountered throughout the day.

​

Overnight: Bumthang – Swiss Lodge or similar
Included: Breakfast, private car & driver, guide, water/tea/snacks, all attraction entry fees, lunch, hotel stay, dinner.

Day 6 - Tang Valley Excursion

Into One of Bhutan’s Most Remote and Story-Rich Valleys
Location: Tang Valley, Bumthang Region
Altitude: approx. 2,800 m

​

Today you venture into the quiet and little-visited Tang Valley, one of Bhutan’s most remote yet culturally rich landscapes. The journey itself is part of the experience — passing scattered farmhouses, highland meadows and forested slopes where yak herders still follow traditional seasonal rhythms.
Your destination is the Ogyen Choling Heritage Museum, a former noble manor that preserves centuries of Bhutanese daily life, rituals and household artifacts with rare authenticity.
After exploring the estate, enjoy a picnic lunch by the river, surrounded by stillness, open skies and the raw beauty of the upper valley. On the return journey, there is time to stop at small monasteries or meet local herders along the way, depending on conditions and your interests.

Discover Bhutan Insight — Tang Valley’s Hidden Legacy

Tang is often described as the “valley that time forgot.”
Here, ancient family lineages, sacred stories and modest rural life coexist in a landscape untouched by mass tourism.
Ogyen Choling stands as a living archive, offering one of the most authentic windows into Bhutan’s socio-cultural history — a place where heritage feels personal, quiet and deeply human.

​

Because Tang Valley lies off the main traveler circuits, you experience Bhutan in a way only a few visitors ever do: slower, more personal and truly local.
It’s the kind of day where unexpected encounters — a conversation with a yak herder, a moment of silence by the river, or the warm welcome at a hillside monastery — become the memories that stay with you long after the journey ends.

​

Overnight: Bumthang – Ugyen Choling Heritage or similar
Included: Breakfast, private car & driver, guide, water/snacks/tea/coffee, picnic lunch, all attraction entry fees, hotel stay, dinner.

Day 7 - Bumthang → Phobjikha Valley

High Passes, Ancestral Landscapes & the Sacred Valley of the Cranes
Route: Bumthang (2,600 m) → Trongsa → Pelela Pass (3,300 m) → Phobjikha Valley (2,900 m)
Altitude: Arrival altitude: 2,900 m.

Today’s journey carries you westward across high passes and deep valleys, retracing part of Bhutan’s ancient east–west route. After passing Trongsa and the dramatic ridgelines below Pelela Pass, the landscape gradually shifts into open glacial terrain as you approach Phobjikha Valley — one of Bhutan’s most pristine and protected highland basins.
In the late afternoon, visit Gangtey Monastery, a revered Nyingma institution overlooking the valley. The gentle sound of evening prayers, the soft light on the hills and the quiet atmosphere around the courtyard create one of the journey’s most serene moments.
A leisurely walk along the Gangtey Nature Trail leads you through pine forests, traditional farmsteads and sweeping valley meadows — the perfect introduction to this extraordinary destination.

​

Discover Bhutan Insight — The Valley of the Black-Necked Cranes

Phobjikha is more than a beautiful place — it is a sanctuary.
Every winter, the rare Black-Necked Cranes migrate here from Tibet, circling Gangtey Monastery before settling into the wetlands. This ritual, believed to be a sign of blessing, has shaped decades of conservation efforts and deepened the valley’s spiritual identity.
The balance between nature, community and tradition found here is a powerful expression of Bhutan’s commitment to harmony with the land.

​

Travelers often describe Phobjikha as “quiet in a way you can feel.”
The valley is free of overhead power lines, protected from overdevelopment and supported by local stewardship. This means your experience — from the nature trail to the monastery vistas — remains truly unspoiled.
For many guests, this is the moment in the journey when Bhutan’s calm power becomes unmistakably real.

​

Overnight: Phobjikha – ABC, Gakiling Hotel or similar
Included: Breakfast, private car & driver, guide, water/snacks/tea/coffee, all attraction entry fees, lunch, hotel stay, dinner.

Moments That Define Bhutan

Day 8 - Phobjikha Valley → Paro

Rural Life, Warm Hospitality & the Road Back to Paro
Route: Phobjikha (2,900 m) → Dochula Pass (3,100 m) → Paro (2,200 m)
Altitude: Highest point today — 3,100 m (Dochula)

​

Begin the morning with a visit to the Crane Information Centre to learn more about Phobjikha’s unique conservation work and the valley’s annual visitors — the elegant Black-Necked Cranes.
Continue your journey westward, stopping in a rural village for a farmhouse lunch with a local family. This intimate experience offers a genuine look into Bhutanese daily life, cuisine and hospitality.
The drive back to Paro takes you once again over Dochula Pass with time for tea and photos, before descending into the familiar valley where your journey first began.

​

Discover Bhutan Insight — The Soul of Rural Hospitality

Local farmhouses remain at the heart of Bhutanese culture.
Meals are prepared from fresh produce grown within the valley, and the warmth of family hospitality is considered as meaningful as the food itself.
Experiences like these reveal Bhutan’s most enduring value: community as a living tradition.

​

Spending time in a rural farmhouse bridges the distance between “seeing” Bhutan and feeling connected to it.
Guests often describe these moments as highlights of their trip — not because they are spectacular, but because they are real, personal and deeply human.

​

Overnight: Paro – Tashi Namgay or similar
Included: Breakfast, private car & driver, guide, water/snacks/tea/coffee, organic farmhouse lunch, all attraction entry fees, hotel stay, dinner.