Tours / Cultural journeys

The Dragon Kingdom's Complete Journey

Twelve days across Bhutan, from Paro and Punakha through Bumthang to Mongar and Trashigang in the east.

Trip at a glance

Duration12 days, 11 nights
Main stopsThimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha, Bumthang, Mongar, Trashigang
Starts and endsParo
Travel styleCultural journey
IncludesDomestic flight Bumthang to Paro
Best seasonSpring and autumn are most popular; year-round possible

Overview

Few visitors see eastern Bhutan. This journey crosses the whole country, from the western valleys through Trongsa and Bumthang, over Thrumshing La to Mongar and Trashigang, before returning to Bumthang and flying back to Paro.

It is the most complete overview we offer, for travellers who want to understand how different the regions of Bhutan are.

Why travellers choose this journey

The whole breadth of Bhutan, from Paro to Trashigang
All the major spiritual, cultural and scenic highlights
Overland travel combined with a domestic flight
For adventurous travellers, photographers and culture enthusiasts

Highlights

A west-to-east journey across Bhutan

Two days among the temples of Bumthang

Punakha Dzong and the Phobjikha Valley

Mongar and Trashigang in rarely visited eastern Bhutan

The hike to Tiger’s Nest

Route

Thimphu
Punakha
Phobjikha
Bumthang
Mongar
Trashigang
Bumthang
Paro

Day by day

The full itinerary, day by day. Every journey is private, so we can adjust the pace, hotels and stops to suit you.

Day01

OvernightThimphu

Arrive in Paro and drive to Thimphu

Your journey across the whole of Bhutan begins with the flight into Paro International Airport, famous for its Himalayan views and dramatic descent between forested ridges. Your local guide meets you at the terminal, along with the driver who will accompany you from the far west to Trashigang in the east.

Transfer to Thimphu, Bhutan’s charming capital, about an hour and a half by road. The route follows the Paro Chhu to Chuzom, where three chortens mark its confluence with the Wang Chhu, and passes Tachogang Lhakhang with its iron chain bridge before climbing to the capital at around 2,320 metres. In the evening, stroll through the city’s craft shops and cafés, an easy introduction to Bhutan and a gentle way to adjust to the altitude before the long journey east.

Day02

OvernightThimphu

Thimphu sightseeing: culture and capital life

Explore the capital’s landmarks with your guide. Start at the Buddha Dordenma, the gilded giant on the hill of Kuensel Phodrang, from where the whole valley is laid out below. Continue to the National Memorial Chorten, Thimphu’s busiest place of devotion, where residents walk around the chorten and turn the great prayer wheels throughout the day.

See the takin, Bhutan’s national animal, at the Motithang Takin Preserve, and hear the legend of its creation by Drukpa Kunley, the Divine Madman. In the late afternoon, visit majestic Tashichho Dzong, which houses the throne room, government ministries and the summer quarters of the central monastic body. Its courtyards and temples open to visitors when government offices close, and the fortress is beautifully lit in the evening, a fitting end to your first full day in Bhutan.

Day03

OvernightPunakha

Thimphu to Punakha via Dochula Pass

Drive across Dochula Pass at 3,100 metres, crowned by the 108 Druk Wangyal chortens, where clear days reveal a long line of snow peaks to the north. After tea at the pass, descend through forest into the Punakha Valley, where the warmer climate allows rice to grow on terraces along the rivers.

In Punakha, walk through the fields to Chimi Lhakhang, the Fertility Temple dedicated to Drukpa Kunley, a short and pleasant walk through village farmland. Then explore breathtaking Punakha Dzong, built in 1637 at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu. It was the capital of Bhutan until the 1950s and remains the winter home of the central monastic body, and its courtyards, carved woodwork and assembly hall make it one of the highlights of any journey through the country.

Day04

OvernightPhobjikha

Punakha to the Phobjikha Valley

Travel to the peaceful Phobjikha Valley, a conservation area and glacial basin on the western slopes of the Black Mountains. The drive passes Wangdue Phodrang and climbs through forest to a pass above 3,000 metres before descending into the wide valley, where a wetland is surrounded by pine-covered hills and farmhouses.

Visit Gangtey Monastery, which stands on a ridge overlooking the valley and is one of the most important Nyingma monasteries in western Bhutan. Then walk the scenic Gangtey Nature Trail, an easy walk of about two hours through pine woods and meadows to Khewa Lhakhang, with panoramic views over the valley. In winter, endangered black-necked cranes can be seen in the marshes below. Phobjikha is quiet and remote, and the evening here is one of the most peaceful of the journey.

Day05

OvernightBumthang

Phobjikha to Bumthang via Pele La and Trongsa

Journey east over Pele La, the pass through the Black Mountains at around 3,400 metres that marks the boundary between western and central Bhutan. On the descent, stop at Chendebji Chorten, built in the 18th century in the style of Kathmandu’s Swayambhunath, before continuing to Trongsa.

Explore magnificent Trongsa Dzong, which commands the gorge of the Mangde Chhu from its long ridge. Whoever controlled Trongsa controlled travel between east and west, and it was from here that the Wangchuck family governed before becoming Bhutan’s kings in 1907. After lunch in Trongsa, continue over Yotong La into Bumthang, a region of four broad valleys known as the spiritual heart of Bhutan, where temples linked to Guru Rinpoche and Pema Lingpa are scattered across fields of buckwheat and potatoes.

Day06

OvernightBumthang

Bumthang valley exploration

Spend the day visiting the ancient temples of the Chokhor Valley. Begin at Jakar Dzong, the “castle of the white bird”, which overlooks Jakar town and the valley. Then visit Jambay Lhakhang, traditionally dated to the 7th century and one of the oldest temples in the country, and Kurjey Lhakhang, where Guru Rinpoche is believed to have left the imprint of his body in a rock while meditating.

Kurjey’s three temples are enclosed by a wall of 108 chortens, and a large cypress beside them is said to have grown from the Guru’s walking stick. Cross the river by footbridge to Tamshing Lhakhang, founded in 1501 by Pema Lingpa and known for its ancient sacred murals and the heavy chain-mail coat that pilgrims carry around the inner sanctuary. The day gives a deep insight into Bhutan’s religious history.

Day07

OvernightBumthang

Bumthang: local culture and sacred sights

Visit Mebar Tsho, the Burning Lake, a deep pool in a gorge of the Tang Chhu and one of Bhutan’s holiest sites. According to legend, the treasure revealer Pema Lingpa dived into the water holding a burning butter lamp and emerged with sacred treasures, the lamp still alight. Prayer flags and small offerings line the rocks above the dark water.

In the afternoon, explore local life in the valley at a relaxed pace. Your guide can take you to local artisan workshops, including weavers of yathra, the colourful woollen cloth for which Bumthang is known, or to the valley’s brewery or cheese makers. The rest of the afternoon is free to wander Jakar town or enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the valley, and to rest before tomorrow’s long drive into eastern Bhutan, one of the most scenic road journeys in the country.

Day08

OvernightMongar

Bumthang to Mongar over Thrumshing La

Today you journey into eastern Bhutan. The road climbs through the Ura Valley, with its clustered village and fields, to Thrumshing La, at around 3,750 metres one of the highest road passes in Bhutan, within Phrumsengla National Park. From the pass, the road makes a long and spectacular descent through every forest zone, from fir and rhododendron to warm subtropical forest, dropping thousands of metres in a few hours.

This stretch is famous among birdwatchers, and the views over deep valleys and waterfalls are remarkable. In the afternoon, arrive in Mongar, the first major town of the east, and visit Mongar Dzong, a 20th-century dzong built in the traditional way without plans or nails, which shows that dzong building remains a living craft. Eastern Bhutan sees far fewer visitors than the west, and the atmosphere is noticeably different.

Day09

OvernightTrashigang

Mongar to Trashigang

Travel on to Trashigang, the largest town in eastern Bhutan and a lively centre of local trade, where people from surrounding villages, including Brokpa herders from Merak and Sakteng in their distinctive dress, come to buy and sell. The drive crosses Kori La, at around 2,400 metres, then descends through forests and farmland to the valley of the Drangme Chhu.

Explore Trashigang Dzong, built in 1659 and dramatically perched on a spur above the confluence of the Drangme Chhu and Gamri Chhu, from where it guarded the east against invasions from Tibet. Its temples, courtyards and commanding views make it one of the most impressive dzongs in the country. In the evening, wander through the town’s small market streets, where shops sell everything from textiles to household goods, and enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the east.

Day10

OvernightBumthang

Trashigang to Bumthang: the return journey

Today you retrace your route westward, a long but rewarding day on the road through some of the most scenic landscapes of the Himalaya. Leaving Trashigang, the road climbs back over Kori La and passes through Mongar before climbing again towards Thrumshing La.

The drive passes waterfalls, deep forested valleys and remote villages, and the change from subtropical forest to high fir and rhododendron as you climb is striking. Seen in the opposite direction, the landscapes often look quite different from the outward journey, and there will be stops for meals, photographs and to stretch your legs along the way. Crossing Thrumshing La once more, descend through the Ura Valley into Bumthang, arriving in the Chokhor Valley in the evening, ready for tomorrow’s domestic flight back to Paro.

Day11

OvernightParo

Fly from Bumthang to Paro and hike to Tiger's Nest

Board the domestic flight from Bathpalathang airport near Jakar to Paro. The short flight over the mountains offers spectacular views of the valleys and ridges you have crossed by road, and on clear days of the high Himalaya. Domestic flights depend on mountain weather, and your guide will keep you informed of any changes.

On arrival in Paro, hike to the world-famous Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Taktsang, perched on a cliff about 900 metres above the valley floor, where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated after arriving on the back of a tigress. The trail climbs through pine forest hung with prayer flags, with a café about halfway. It is a full and active day, so in the evening relax in a traditional hot stone bath, heated with river stones, to soothe tired legs after the climb.

Day12

Depart from Paro

After breakfast, your guide transfers you to Paro International Airport for your onward flight. If time allows, take a final look at the Paro Valley from a viewpoint above Rinpung Dzong, or a last walk through the town, before checking in.

As the aircraft climbs out of the valley, look for the snow peaks of the Himalaya on clear days, a fitting farewell after a journey that has crossed the whole of Bhutan, from the capital and the great dzongs of the west, through the temples of Bumthang, to Mongar and Trashigang in the rarely visited east. At the airport your guide bids you farewell with Bhutan’s blessing, “Tashi Delek”, wishing you happiness and good fortune on the road ahead.

Good to know

Private journeyPlanned around your dates, pace and interests
GuideA licensed Bhutanese guide accompanies you throughout, as Bhutan requires
ArrivalParo International Airport
PriceDepends on dates, hotel category and group size; our prices include the government’s Sustainable Development Fee