8 nights 9 days Bhutan tour package
Keep reading to see what our 9 days Bhutan tour package offers: the day-by-day itinerary, the cost by group size, and what is included.
| Solo Traveler | $2,380 |
|---|---|
| 2 Pax | $2,040 per person |
| 3 Pax or more | $1,960 per person |
What's included in the cost? What's included in the cost?
Nature of Tour: The tour will be a private tour, with your own guide and a Driver (which means your group will not join any other group).
Free & no obligation — we'll reply within 24 hours.
Paro (2,250m) – Thimphu (2,320m) · 54 km | 1 hr 30 mins
A warm welcome at Paro Airport from a representative of Byways Tours and Travels, then the drive to Thimphu.
After lunch, visit the 51-metre Buddha Dordenma statue, see Bhutan's national animal at the Takin Preserve Centre, explore a nunnery and the School of Traditional Arts, and shop at the local authentic Bhutanese craft market. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Thimphu.
Thimphu (2,320m) – Punakha (1,242m) · 77 km | approx. 3 hrs incl. Dochula stop
Drive to Punakha over the scenic Dochula Pass (3,100m), which opens onto the Himalaya on a clear day.
Visit Chimi Lhakhang, the Temple of Fertility, and the magnificent Punakha Dzong, set between the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers. If time permits, walk across the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Punakha.
Punakha (1,242m) – Phobjikha (2,900m) · 78 km | 2.5 – 3 hrs
After breakfast, drive to the glacial Phobjikha Valley via Wangduephodrang, stopping to photograph Wangduephodrang Dzong from outside.
On arrival, visit Gangtey Gompa, the monastery founded in 1613 by Gyaltse Pema Thinley, grandson and mind reincarnation of Pema Lingpa, and later enlarged by his second reincarnation, Tenzin Legpai Dhendup. Then walk the Gangtey Nature Trail, about 5 km and an hour and a half, one of the most beautiful and relaxing walks in the valley: meadows, traditional villages and the mountains all round.
Continue to the Black-Necked Crane Information Centre to learn about the rare cranes that winter here from the Tibetan plateau, and watch them through the telescopes when they are in the valley; two injured cranes live beside the centre year round. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Phobjikha.
Phobjikha – Trongsa – Bumthang · 162 km | 6 – 7 hrs incl. Trongsa stop · Altitude 2,900m – 2,580m
After breakfast, drive towards Bumthang via Trongsa. In Trongsa, visit Trongsa Dzong, built in 1643 by Chogyel Minjur Tempa, an official sent by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to unify eastern Bhutan, and enlarged at the end of the 17th century by Desi Tenzin Rabgye. Its official name is Chhoekhor Raptentse Dzong, also known as Choetse Dzong. It is the ancestral home of Bhutan's royal family: the first two hereditary kings ruled from Trongsa, and by tradition the crown prince serves as Trongsa Penlop before ascending the throne. The present King, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, became Trongsa Penlop in 2004.
Next, visit Ta Dzong, the watchtower above the dzong, now the Trongsa Museum of Bhutan's history, royal heritage and cultural traditions. After lunch, continue to Bumthang Valley, one of Bhutan's most beautiful regions, known for its sacred monasteries and wide valleys. Check in and relax. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Bumthang.
Bumthang (2,580m) · Full day
In the morning, visit Jakar Dzong, the Castle of the White Bird. When lamas gathered in 1549 to choose a site for a monastery, a large white bird rose and settled on a hill spur, taken as an auspicious omen; the present structure dates from 1667, with a circumference of over 1,500 metres, and its official name is Yuelay Namgyal Dzong.
Continue to Jambay Lhakhang, one of Bhutan's oldest temples, believed to have been built in 659 AD by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo on the same day as Kyichu Lhakhang in Paro, then Kurjey Lhakhang, among the most sacred sites in Bumthang, named for the body imprint of Guru Rinpoche: kur means body, jey means imprint.
After lunch, visit Tamshing Lhakhang, established in 1501 by the saint Pema Lingpa, who was born in Bumthang's Tang valley; also known as Tamshing Lhendup Chholing, the Temple of Good Message, it is one of the most important Nyingma monasteries in Bhutan. Finally, visit Mebar Tsho, the Burning Lake, where Pema Lingpa is said to have leapt into the water holding a lit butter lamp and surfaced with sacred treasures, the lamp still burning; it remains an important pilgrimage site. In the evening, stroll through Bumthang town and its shops. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Bumthang.
Bumthang (2,580m) – Thimphu (2,320m) · 270 km | 8 – 9 hrs
A long drive of about eight to nine hours back the way you came. Have an early breakfast and depart for Thimphu; lunch is served en route. In the evening, if time permits, visit Tashichho Dzong. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Thimphu.
Thimphu (2,320m) – Paro (2,250m) · 54 km | 1 hr 30 mins
After breakfast, visit the National Library, with its collection of ancient Buddhist manuscripts, and the Folk Heritage Museum.
After lunch, drive to Paro and visit Ta Dzong, the watchtower built in 1656, restored in 1968 and now the National Museum of Bhutan, then Rinpung Dzong, built in 1646 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and still home to Paro's district offices and a monastery. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Paro.
Paro (2,250m) – Tiger's Nest (3,120m) · 7.4 km round trip | approx. 5 hours
In the morning, hike to the iconic Tiger's Nest Monastery, 7.4 km round trip and about five hours, depending on your pace and how long you rest.
After lunch, if time permits, visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan's oldest temples, then enjoy a complimentary hot stone bath in a farmhouse. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Paro.
If you would like, we can arrange your final lunch in a farmhouse.
Paro Airport (2,250m)
According to your flight schedule, drive to the airport for your departure and bid farewell to the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Tashi Delek!
Our 9 days Bhutan tour package covers everything listed below, so the price on the cost card is the price you pay.
Spring and autumn are the two windows most travellers choose. March to May brings the rhododendrons into bloom; October to December gives the clearest Himalayan views. Both carry the big tshechu festivals — Paro in March or April, Thimphu in September or October. Winter is quieter and colder but the valleys stay open, and the monsoon months are green and uncrowded. Our month-by-month guide breaks it down in detail.
The 9 days Bhutan tour package costs US$1,960 per person for three or more travellers, US$2,040 each for two, and US$2,380 travelling solo. Those are all-inclusive figures: the Sustainable Development Fee of US$100 per person per night — US$800 across your eight nights — and the one-off US$40 visa fee are already inside them, along with 3-star hotels, all meals, a guide, driver and private transport. Nothing further is payable on arrival.
Yes. The hike to Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) sits on your last full day, once you have had seven nights to acclimatise. The round trip is about 7.4 km and takes roughly five hours including the tea-house stop.
Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha, Trongsa and Bumthang.
Not in 9 days. Ura is reached on our 10 Days Bhutan Tour, the shortest itinerary that gets there.
Private. You travel with your own guide and driver, and your group is never merged with another.
Note: We recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment against unforeseen circumstances.
Tell us your travel dates for this 9 days Bhutan tour package and we take care of the rest — visa, SDF, hotels, guide, transportation and permits.
| Solo Traveler | $2,380 |
|---|---|
| 2 Pax | $2,040 per person |
| 3 Pax or more | $1,960 per person |
What's included in the cost? What's included in the cost?
Nature of Tour: The tour will be a private tour, with your own guide and a Driver (which means your group will not join any other group).
Free & no obligation — we'll reply within 24 hours.
Note: We recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment against unforeseen circumstances.
