Extraordinary Bhutan Trip

Arrive in Paro and meet the private guide who will accompany you for your entire trip. You’ll be driven to Six Senses Thimphu, perched high in the forested hills overlooking the valley. Spend the afternoon acclimating, gently, in a traditional hot stone bath or more actively at the Royal Takin Preserve to spot Bhutan’s national animal. Watch sunset from a sunken seat within the reflecting pool, sipping a signature butterfly pea flower daiquiri. 

Rise for yoga or lama-led morning meditation in the Prayer Pavilion. After breakfast, your guide brings you inside the gilded Buddha Dordenma statue, revealing 125,000 Buddhas nested within. At the Royal Textile Museum, admire intricate weaving techniques and traditional gho and kira robes, Bhutan’s national dress. Shop handicrafts and sample tasty morsels at the Thimphu Farmers’ Market. Dinner at Namka is a celebration of regional dishes. 

Depart for the Punakha Valley, pausing en route at Dochula Pass where 108 chortens pay homage to fallen soldiers and fluttering prayer flags frame mountain views. Pay a visit to the famed fertility temple, then arrive at Amankora Punakha, a riverside luxury lodge styled after a Bhutanese farmhouse. Later, tour the fairytale Punakha Dzong, where murals and rituals are explained by an acclaimed architect.

Start your day with a brisk walk to the whimsical Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, crossing a 590-foot-long suspension bridge. Graze a picnic breakfast before continuing on to the 300-year-old Giligang Temple. Lunch at the lodge, then ready yourself for a pulse-quickening river rafting adventure along the Pho Chu. In the late afternoon, you’re invited to Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang Nunnery for a tshewang (blessing) ceremony and to light butter lamps.

Dedicate your morning to time well spent in the Aman Spa sampling ritual massages, practicing yoga, or sound bathing. Midday, accompany a chef to a local market to procure freshly harvested produce. Back in the kitchen, lend your hands to prepare—then sample —traditional Bhutanese dishes. Salute sundown with a drink on the stone patio, then wander to the river’s edge for a private candlelit dinner and a starry bonfire.

After breakfast, drive to the tranquil Phobjikha Valley. Consciously undeveloped, bears, deer, and foxes wander the forests and meadows here. Alongside a guide, dedicate your afternoon to Gangtey Goemba’s hallowed halls and sacred prayer rooms, then settle into Gangtey Lodge. Spend a serene evening soaking in a traditional Bhutanese hot stone bath, warmed by heated river rocks. Infused with forest herbs, it’s a restorative ritual shaped by centuries of practice.

This morning, set out along the Gangtey Nature Trail, winding through the valley floor, tracing boardwalks, and dipping into hushed woodland. In season, spy revered black-necked cranes wintering in misty wetlands. Otherwise, meet Pema and Karma, permanent residents of the Black-Necked Crane Centre. Later, join monks in a blessing ceremony and butter lamp offering. A private dinner is served in a rustic woodshed, warmed by a cozy Bukhari stove.

Your day is at ease. Sit for an unhurried breakfast on the valley view terrace or privately in the Gangtey Geonpa. When forested trails beckon, answer on horseback or mountain bikes. This evening, a short walk brings you to the nearby Gangtey Shedra (Buddhist College), where some 300 monks study. You’re invited to a lama-led meditation class, followed by evening prayers and conversations with monks.

Depart Gangtey for a half-day drive to Paro, stopping for lunch at Babesa Village Restaurant and planting saplings with a local not-for-profit. Craft beer enthusiasts might sample a Bhutanese microbrewery before unwinding in an atmospheric suite at Six Senses Paro. Dinner is a memorable parade of Bhutanese plates, served within candlelit fortress ruins, complemented by a masked dance performance. 

Clinging to a cliff thousands of feet above the Paro Valley floor, Tiger’s Nest Monastery is venerated as one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in the world. A moderately challenging hike leads you to the monastery and rewards with arresting valley views. Enter via a sacred cave, then enjoy guided meditation alongside the high lama. Before returning to your lodge, peruse Paro’s quaint shops for handcrafted souvenirs.

Your Extraordinary Bhutan Trip comes to a gentle close. Savor one last misty meal or squeeze in a pre-flight Kashmir lavender facial. Your guide will collect you from Six Senses and transfer you to the airport. Bid farewell to your Bhutanese guides-turned-friends and board your international flight home.