Bhutan - private tour with 5★ boutique hotels

After breakfast, drive to Buddha Point (Kuensel Phodrang). Buddha Point (Kuensel Phodrang) is just a short drive from Thimphu town centre and offers a good overview of the Thimphu Valley. You can pay your respects and offer prayers to the Buddha, the largest statue in the country, and then take a tour and look out over the valley.
Then visit the King's Memorial Chorten, which is constantly surrounded by people chanting mantras and turning their prayer wheels. The construction of this landmark was the idea of Bhutan's third king, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck ("the father of modern Bhutan"), who wanted to erect a monument to peace and prosperity in the world. It was completed in 1974 after his untimely death and serves both as a memorial to the late king and as a monument to peace.
You will then visit the Textile and Folklore Museum, a fascinating testimony to Bhutan's living traditions. After lunch, visit the National Library, which houses an extensive collection of priceless Buddhist manuscripts, and the Institute of Zorig Chusum (commonly known as the School of Painting), where students undergo six years of training in the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan.
You then drive to the Takin sanctuary. The takin is the national animal of Bhutan and looks like a cross between a cow and a goat. Later in the afternoon, you will visit Tashichoedzong, the "Fortress of Glorious Religion". This is the centre of government and religion, the monarch's throne room and the seat of Je Khenpo or the supreme abbot. It was built in 1641 by the political and religious unifier of Bhutan, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, and reconstructed in the 1960s in the traditional Bhutanese manner without nails or blueprints.
In the evening, you can stroll through the government-run Handicrafts Emporium and the local handicrafts bazaar to see examples of Bhutan's beautiful traditional art. Here you can buy hand-woven textiles, Thangkha paintings, masks, ceramics, slate and wood carvings, jewellery and interesting items made from local materials.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Thimphu. (altitude 2,320m)

Today you drive to Gangtey, about 150 kilometres from Thimphu (129 km, approx. 3.5 hours). On the way, you will stop at Dochula Pass, where you will take a coffee break while enjoying the impressive views of the Himalayas. You will also visit the great 108 stupas. Afterwards, you will continue to Gangtey. Once in Gangtey, travellers will experience the full beauty of Bhutan's untouched, long-preserved natural landscape. The wide valley in the middle of the Himalayas is surrounded by vast, unspoilt forests, including ancient rhododendron forests, and meadows and exudes absolute tranquillity and unspoilt nature. Active holidaymakers in particular get their money's worth here. One of the most breathtaking hikes in the region, the Gangtey Nature Trail, leads through the village of Senchumbara and on to the Buddhist temple Kewa Lhakhang. There, visitors can spend some time with the young monks, learn more about their traditional way of life and light butter lamps in the monastery. Another natural highlight of the region are the black-necked cranes, which are personally protected by the king. Together with experts and nature guides, you can get very close to the impressive cranes and observe them from the necessary distance with powerful telescopes and spotting scopes (season October to March). In Bhutan, they are regarded as "birds of happiness" and are called sky birds, as it is believed that they carry the souls of the deceased on their backs to heaven.
This evening remains free for you. Dinner & overnight stay at the hotel in Gangtey.

2 nights at the Dewachen Hotel, Standard Room incl. breakfast – Details about the hotel

In the early morning, visit Gangtey Goempa, the largest Nyingmapa monastery in the west of the country.
Afterwards, explore the valley on one of the shortest and most breathtaking hikes, the Gangtey Nature Trail, which takes about 2 hours. It leads through the village of Senchumbara & on to Kewa Lhakhang. At Kewa Lhakhang, you can spend some time with the little monks and also light butter lamps in the monastery.
Then visit the Black-necked Crane Information Centre: Located on the edge of the forest and wetland on the main road of the Phobjikha Valley, the Black-necked Crane Information Centre has an observation room equipped with a powerful telescope and spotting scopes to best observe the cranes. The centre also provides information about the natural and cultural history of the region. There is a small souvenir shop selling handicrafts made by the locals.
Dinner & overnight stay at the hotel in Gangtey.

After breakfast you start the return journey (2.5 hours, approx. 75 km) and cross the Pele La Pass (3300m/10830 ft).
The Pela La (pass) is characterised by large white chorten prayer flags. At this point, the vegetation changes abruptly and the mountain forest is replaced by high altitude dwarf bamboo.
On the way, take a short walk to Chimi Lhakhang through the village of Mitsena. Chimi Lhakhang is located on a hill in the centre of the valley and is also known as the temple of fertility. It is widely believed that couples who have no children and wish for one when they pray at this temple are usually blessed with a child very soon. The path leads across rice fields to the tiny settlement of Pana, which means "field". A walk through the village near the temple gives you rare insights into the daily life and lifestyle of the villagers.
Later in the day Punakha Dzong, the Palace of Great Happiness, built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, at the junction of the Phochu and Mochu rivers. This majestic dzong served as both the religious and administrative centre of Bhutan in the past. It measures about 600 by 240 feet and has a six-storey tower with a golden dome. Inside are courtyards and religious statues that hint at the depth of history and spiritual tradition embodied here. Your guide will introduce you to this intricate culture, which is exotic to us even though it has been here for a long time.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Punakha.

2 nights at the Dhensa Boutique Resort, Suite Room incl. breakfast – Details about the hotel

After breakfast, a beautiful hike (about 2 hours round trip in total) takes you to the royal Khamsum Yuelley Namgel Chorten, built by the Queen Mother of Bhutan to dispel negative forces and promote peace, stability and harmony in the changing world. The chorten dominates the upper Punakha Valley and offers magnificent views over the Mo Chhu River and to the mountain peaks of Gasa and beyond. It is also home to one of the longest suspension bridges in Bhutan.
In the afternoon, visit the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang (nunnery). On a ridge surrounded by pine trees and overlooking the valleys of Punakha and Wangduephodrang shines the magnificent structure of Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang (temple). The temple houses a 14 feet high bronze statue of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrigzigchagtongchentong). The Avalokiteshvara statue, one of the largest in the country, was made exclusively by local Bhutanese artisans.
Optional excursion to Talo village: The village of Talo (2,800 m), scattered on the slopes of the hills, is known for its cleanliness and hygiene among the villages of Punakha. Talo Sangnacholing is built on a plateau and offers a majestic view of the surrounding villages. The beautiful farmhouses of the village have their own flower gardens and corn and sweet peas are grown in abundance on the hillside.
Later in the afternoon drive back to Punakha. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Punakha.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast and drive back to Paro (128 km, approx. 3.5 hours). You descend from Dochula La and follow the trail through the dramatic river valleys of Wang Chhu and Paro Chhu before crossing the town of Paro at the northern end of the valley.
Later in the day, after checking into the hotel, visit the Ta Dzong, which was originally built as a watchtower and now houses the National Museum. The extensive collection includes ancient Thangkha paintings, textiles, weapons, armour, household items and a rich selection of natural and historical artefacts. Then walk down the path and visit the Rinpung Dzong, meaning 'Fortress of the Jewelled Heap', which has a long and fascinating history. Along the wooden galleries that line the courtyard are beautiful murals depicting Buddhist lore such as the Four Friends, the Old Man of Long Life, the Wheel of Life, scenes from the life of Milarepa, Mt. Sumeru and other cosmic mandalas.
In the afternoon, visit Ta Dzong, the kingdom's national museum. Originally built as a watchtower, it has served as the country's national museum since 1967 and houses a fascinating collection of art, artefacts, Thangkha paintings and Bhutan's exquisite stamps. Then drive to the Buddhist monastery of Sangchokhor. It is a Buddhist shedra for about 150 monks who undergo a six-year course on Buddhist studies and then move on to the Tango Monastery. You can experience and receive a prayer ceremony for peace, prosperity, happiness and long life in a monastery in Paro.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Paro.

2 nights in the Naksel Boutique Hotel, Deluxe Room incl. breakfast – Details about the hotel

This morning you will visit the jewel of Bhutan, Taktsang Monastery. It is said that Guru Rinpoche arrived here on the back of a tigress and meditated in this monastery, hence it is called the 'Tiger's Nest'. The excursion to the viewpoint of the monastery takes about 5 hours for the round trip. Later, visit the traditional Bhutanese farmhouse which offers a good insight into the way of life of the locals & take a hot stone bath in one of the local farmhouses. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Paro.

After an early breakfast at the hotel, you will drive to the airport to board your onward flight. Your tour guide will help you with the departure formalities and then bid you farewell.
Nearby, you will visit a traditional Bhutanese farmhouse, which offers a good insight into the way of life of the locals.