Wander Across Bhutan

Oct 23

Arrival day

Included: Dinner

Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you'll be picked up by our private driver and taken to our hotel in the city center. Once everyone has arrived we'll have an evening orientation followed by a great local dinner for a first taste of Himalayan cuisine.

Oct 24

Highlights: Walking tour of Kathmandu

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast we’ll head out for a half day introduction to Kathmandu that mixes history with everyday street life. We’ll ride by tuk tuk to Durbar Square, the old royal heart of the city, where temples, carved wood details, and palace courtyards make it easy to understand why this place has been a center of life for centuries. From there we’ll continue on foot through nearby markets and small neighborhood shrines, passing vendors selling spices, produce, flowers, and prayer items. For lunch we’ll have a guided Nepali food walk and sample local favorites such as momos, sel roti, and rich curries. Afterwards you’ll have free time to explore on your own, with options such as a quiet hour in the Garden of Dreams or browsing the shops back in Thamel, before we meet in the evening again for dinner at a rooftop restaurant with wide views over the city.

Oct 25

Highlights: Flight to Bhutan, Thimpu, School of Buddhist Astrology

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we’ll leave Nepal behind and take a quick 1.5-hour flight to Paro, Bhutan, beginning a new chapter in the Himalayan region. After arrival we’ll drive for about an hour to Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital, set in a valley surrounded by terraced fields and forested hills. After we check into our hotel, we’ll keep things easy with a relaxed lunch and time to settle in. Later in the evening we’ll visit the School of Buddhist Astrology, where you’ll get a closer look at how spiritual traditions still shape daily life here, from calendars and ceremonies to the way people think about timing and important milestones.

Oct 26

Highlights: A memorable breakfast setting, Institute of Traditional Medicine, dinner with local friends

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We'll start today with a breakfast at a golden monument overlooking Thimphu, a rare experience made possible through our local contacts and one that sets a memorable tone for the day. Afterward we’ll visit the Institute of Traditional Medicine Services to learn how Bhutan’s healing practices work, including the role of herbs, diagnosis, and long held approaches that still sit alongside modern care. You’ll have the option to take a short hike to a nearby temple for fresh air and quiet views, then after lunch you’ll have downtime or the option to visit the Green Weaving Center, where artisans show how textiles are made with a focus on sustainability and craft. In the evening, we’ll be welcomed into a local home for dinner, a warm, personal window into Bhutanese hospitality.

Oct 27

Highlights: Dochula Pass, Richtenang Village, Phobjika Valley

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we’ll head deeper into the mountains and you’ll feel the scenery change as we climb out of Thimphu and into cooler, higher country. We’ll stop at Dochula Pass, known for its 108 chortens and big Himalayan views on clear days, then we’ll take a light walk along a section of the Trans Bhutan Trail, an old route that cuts through forest and open viewpoints where prayer flags move in the wind. After lunch, we’ll visit Richtenang Village, where we’ll walk through the community, meet locals, and get a feel for rural Bhutanese rhythms, from farm work to family life. From there we’ll continue into the wide, quiet Phobjikha Valley, a place that feels open and calm the moment you arrive, and we’ll check into our lodge for a relaxed evening.

Oct 28

Highlights: Phobjikha Valley, Gangtey Monastery, Punakha

Included: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning we’ll explore the Phobjikha Valley, an open landscape of rolling hills and small villages that feels calm the moment you arrive. We’ll start at Gangtey Monastery, a spiritual center for the valley, where you’ll learn why this place matters locally and how it continues to shape community life. From there we’ll take a leisurely hike into the valley, with steady walking, fresh air, and wide views that make you slow down. After lunch we’ll drive over Lawala Pass and through changing mountain scenery as we make our way toward Punakha, arriving in the evening to check into our hotel and sit down for dinner in one of Bhutan’s most scenic regions.

Oct 29

Highlights: Punakha Dzong, lunch at a nunnery

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we’ll start at Punakha Dzong, an impressive fortress monastery set where two rivers meet, with white walls, golden roofs, courtyards, and painted details. We’ll take time to understand what a dzong is and why it’s still central to Bhutanese religious and administrative life, then we’ll visit a nearby nunnery where you’ll learn directly from the nuns about daily routines, study, and practice. The afternoon will be open so you can enjoy Punakha at an easy pace, with options that include a walk in town, time at the local farmer’s market, or a light nature walk if you want more fresh air. We’ll meet again in the evening for dinner near town.

Oct 30

Highlights: Relaxed morning in Pinakha, Paro

Included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast we’ll begin our drive back towards Paro, and this is one of those travel days where the road itself is part of the experience, with valleys narrowing and opening, hillsides dotted with homes, and small temples appearing in unexpected places. We’ll stop for viewpoints and short breaks when it makes sense, and you’ll see more of everyday Bhutan passing by, school kids in uniform, roadside shops, prayer flags strung across ridgelines, and farmers working in the fields. We’ll have lunch along the way, then arrive in Paro in the late afternoon and settle in early before the Tiger's Nest hike tomorrow.

Oct 31

Highlights: Tiger's Nest hike, optional hot stone bath

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast we’ll set out on a hike to the legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery, also known as Paro Taktsang, a sacred Buddhist site dramatically perched on a cliffside nearly 3,000 feet above the Paro Valley. Believed to be the site where Guru Rinpoche meditated after arriving on the back of a tiger, the monastery holds immense spiritual and historical significance. The hike is approximately 4 miles round-trip and moderate in difficulty, although those looking for a lighter experience can opt for a pony ride that will take you to a viewpoint halfway up, where a café provides awe-inspiring views of the monastery and a comfortable place to relax. The hike can be done at your own pace as we'll have plenty of staff scattered along the trail. Once at the top, you'll enjoy a guided tour of the 7 temples built into the side of the cliff. Once back at the bottom, we'll return to our hotel for a much deserved rest and a great meal in the center of Paro! (Please note: For those who do not wish to participate in the hike, we will have a variety of other options available!)

Nov 1

Highlights: Free day, farewell dinner

Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we’ll keep the morning relaxed so you can recover from yesterday and enjoy Paro at a gentler pace, with time to sleep in, take a slow breakfast, and reset. After lunch we’ll head into town to browse local shops for handcrafted Bhutanese items, then we’ll take a light walk to Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest temples. You’ll also have time for a traditional Bhutanese massage and a coffee stop if you want it, and there will be an optional village visit for one last look at rural life. In the evening, we’ll come together for a farewell dinner with a cultural performance, a great way to close Bhutan with music, color, and shared stories from the road.

Nov 2

Highlights: Flight back to Nepal, departure day

Included: Breakfast

We’ll begin the day with an early morning 1.5-hour flight back to Kathmandu, where the tour will officially come to an end. From here, you can connect with your onward flight home, taking with you the unforgettable memories of our journey through Bhutan and Nepal! **IMPORTANT: Please make sure your departure flight out of Kathmandu is later than 1:00pm in order to have enough time to transfer to the International Departures area of the airport.