Bhutan Trek & Cultural Explorer

Arrival in Bangkok 

Welcome to Thailand! Upon landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport, catch the complimentary 24-hour shuttle bus to your hotel right from the terminal. Most airlines arrive late at night into Bangkok, and your flight from Bangkok to Paro departs very early the next morning, so you may want to consider arriving a day earlier.

Accommodations: Hyatt Regency Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Fly to Paro & Journey to Thimphu 

Board an early morning flight to Paro, Bhutan in the Himalayan foothills. Pro-Tip: Try to get a seat on the left side of the aircraft for unrivaled aerial views of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, and Bhutan’s own sacred peak, Chomolhari. 

Touch down in Paro, and after clearing customs, we’ll head to Paro for lunch before driving along the Wang Chu River to Thimphu, Bhutan’s vibrant capital city. Unwind at the hotel for the remainder of the day.

Accommodation: Druk Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transportation: 4-hour flight & 45-minute private vehicle transfer

Cheri Goemba 

After breakfast,  begin your first trail warm-up: a steady climb through pine forests to Cheri Goemba, one of Bhutan’s oldest and most significant Buddhist monasteries and meditation sites. After viewing the historic relics and quiet prayer rooms, descend for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a tranquil, relatively flat loop trail around Wangdi Tse Ridge, which offers sweeping vistas over the Thimphu Valley without the crowds.

Accommodation: Druk Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hiking: 3–4 hours; 4 miles
Transportation: 2-hour private vehicle transfer

Cultural Heritage of Thimphu & Paro

Spend the morning immersed in Bhutanese craftsmanship. Visit the Zorig Chusum (School of 13 Traditional Arts) to observe students practicing age-old carving, painting, and embroidery techniques. Continue to the National Textile Museum and Folk Heritage Museum. Later, we’ll travel back to Paro and visit the National Museum, housed in a former watchtower above the valley. Its collections include Buddhist paintings, bronze sculptures, and other artifacts that offer insight into Bhutan’s cultural and religious history. If time permits, we may stop at Paro Dzong, a striking fortress-monastery dating to the 17th century.

Accommodation: The Zhiwa Ling or Le Méridien Paro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activity: Cultural touring
Transportation: 45-minute private vehicle transfer

Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest)

Today brings one of Bhutan’s most memorable sights: Taktsang Monastery, better known as Tiger’s Nest, perched dramatically on a cliff above the Paro Valley. The ascent is steep, winding uphill through pine forest toward this revered pilgrimage site, which sits roughly 2,700 feet above the valley floor. Pause at the tea house, a popular viewpoint along the way for a closer look at the monastery and the sheer cliffs surrounding it. Those who wish to continue can climb farther to visit the monastery. After the hike, return to Paro for a relaxed afternoon and time to explore on your own.

Accommodation: The Zhiwa Ling or Le Méridien Paro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hiking: 5 hours; 2.6 miles with 1,707 feet of elevation gain/loss

Haa Valley

We’ll leave Paro behind and travel into the Haa Valley, a quieter corner of western Bhutan near the border with Tibet. Long closed to outside visitors, the valley retains a remote character, with traditional villages and forested slopes framed by the mountains. There may be an opportunity today to meet a Bhutanese family and learn a little about everyday life in the valley. We’ll also visit Lhakhang Karpo, or the Temple of the White Dove, a revered monastery traditionally associated with Bhutan’s early Buddhist history and believed to date to the 8th century. Get a good night’s rest. Our multi-day trek into the high country begins tomorrow.

Accommodation: Lechuna Heritage Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transportation: 3-hour private vehicle transfer

Hike Haa Valley to Saga Pass Camp 

Our 3-day trek sets out from the valley floor on a trail that winds through blue pine forest and open farmland before gaining elevation into the mountains. As the climb steepens, the vegetation shifts to include rhododendron, juniper, spruce, and birch, with streams and clearings breaking up the ascent. We’ll stop for lunch in a meadow at around 11,200 feet, then continue to our exclusive camp at approximately 12,700 feet, below the Saga Pass. If the weather cooperates, you can take an optional afternoon walk toward the pass for expansive views of Chomolhari and the surrounding peaks, along with a bird’s-eye perspective of the Haa Valley. 

Accommodation: MT Sobek Wilderness Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hiking: 4.5–5 hours; 4–5 miles with 1,500 feet of elevation gain

High Ridge Crossing to Ningula

This morning, we’ll climb to Saga  Pass at 12,200 feet, where the tree line thins and opens into a vast, wind-swept world. From here, we follow the undulating spine of a high mountain ridge, tracing a path that carves through wide-open, sun-drenched alpine meadows and craggy, exposed slopes. From around 13,200 feet, the views stretch across the surrounding high country, and on a clear day you may even spot Taktsang Monastery in the distance. The trail pushes higher still to 13,700 feet before dipping onto narrow, earthy singletracks etched into the hillsides by generations of yaks and nomadic herders. Camp this evening is set-up near Ningula, in a rhododendron forest with views toward Chomolhari and 21,857-foot Jichu Drake. After a demanding day on the trail, settle beneath the mountains for another night in the wilderness.

Accommodation: MT Sobek Wilderness Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hiking: 7–8 hours; 7–8 miles with 1,500 feet of elevation gain

Himalayan Peaks

Our final day on the trail brings another steep, but rewarding traverse through Bhutan’s high country. Climb back to the ridgeline and cross Kale La at approximately 12,900 feet, with views opening toward both the Haa and Paro Valleys. Continue toward Kung Karpo, around 13,500 feet, before descending and traversing in the direction of Chele La. Clear conditions can reveal a remarkable panorama of the surrounding Himalaya, including Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-highest mountain, as well as views of Paro Dzong below. At Chele La, we’ll meet our vehicle for the drive back to Paro, before celebrating the completion of our trek over a farewell dinner. 

Accommodation: The Zhiwa Ling or Le Méridien Paro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hiking: 7–8 hours; 7 miles with 1,200 feet of elevation gain
Transportation: 1-hour private vehicle transfer

Return to Bangkok

Transfer to Paro Airport for your flight back to Bangkok, taking one last look at the mountains surrounding the valley. Flight schedules and availability will determine your departure time. Upon arrival in Bangkok, use the complimentary airport shuttle to return to your hotel. The remainder of the day is on your own to rest, shop, or enjoy a final meal in Thailand before your onward travels. 

Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
Meals: Breakfast
Transportation: 4-hour flight transfer

Depart from Bangkok

You may depart at any time today. Take the hotel shuttle to the international terminal for your homeward-bound flight.

Meals: Breakfast