Explore Mystical Bhutan

Our first day together is dedicated to arrivals and settling into Bhutan. A member of the LHO team will meet you at Paro Airport and transfer you to our accommodation in Thimphu, where your Bhutanese LHO Team Leader will be waiting to welcome you, help you settle in, and make sure you have everything you need for the days ahead.

Most flights to Bhutan arrive in the morning, so lunch will be prepared for the group on our first day together. Early arrivals will have the opportunity to explore the Bhutanese capital, enjoy the local market streets, and begin getting a feel for the country. Your LHO Team Leader will share recommendations closer to the time.

In the afternoon, we head out for our first experience of the trip by visiting the Great Buddha Dordenma above Thimphu. We drive up to the statue and then take a short walk through the forest back toward town. The trail is easy and mostly downhill, making it a perfect first taste of the adventure ahead.

After the walk, we return to the hotel to rest, shower, and prepare for our first dinner together. The welcome dinner, hosted by your Bhutanese LHO Team Leader and local lead guide, is the first opportunity to meet the group, hear a detailed briefing, check your gear, and ask questions about the journey.

Participants are also supported throughout the trip by LHO Base Camp, our office team, with direct access through the group WhatsApp.

Distance: 6.1 KM | Ascent: 411 M | Descent: 411 M | Max Altitude: 3,600 M

Our first full day together starts after breakfast. We check out of our accommodation, load up our private bus, and head east toward Punakha. The drive climbs to Dochula Pass, where we leave the bus and begin our first trek of the adventure to Tashigang Goemba at 3,600 meters.

The trail begins near the roadside before veering off and ascending through deep forest. Although the ascent is substantial overall, the trail itself is gradual and can be done comfortably when taken at a slow and steady pace.

Your Bhutanese LHO Team Leader and local trekking guide will be with the group to help set a sustainable rhythm, giving everyone space to enjoy the forest, prayer flags, mountain views, and cultural context without rushing the experience.

As we approach the high point, the trees begin to thin and open into large meadows. This is a sign that we are almost at the top. Finally, we reach a series of prayer flags marking our arrival at a holy place.

At the top is a temple where we stop for a break and take in the views of the Bhutanese Himalayas. We also have a snack before beginning our descent back to Dochula Pass, where a hot lunch awaits. The total walking time for this hike is usually close to 5 hours and can be shortened for anyone who prefers not to exert themselves too much.

After lunch, we continue to Punakha by private bus and check in to our hotel. If time permits, we may visit the fertility temple before dinner. Dinner will be at our hotel, where we also go over the plan for the next day.

There is a lot to do today, so we get an early start. After breakfast, we head out for a short hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, a temple built to help overcome negative forces in a changing world.

The trail begins near the river and gradually winds through rice paddies to the beautiful temple at the top. The ascent usually takes around one hour, and the descent is shorter. Your Bhutanese LHO Team Leader remains with the group throughout, helping bring context to the landscape, the temple, and the rhythm of the day.

Once back at the bus, we take a short ride to the riverside and the starting point of our rafting journey. This marks the start of an entirely new and wild element of the adventure as we travel down the river, past forests, villages, and the extraordinary Punakha Dzong.

Before boarding the rafts, we receive a full safety briefing led by our rafting expert. Your Bhutanese LHO Team Leader remains with the group throughout, helping the day flow smoothly while the rafting expert leads the technical river safety and raft commands.

Once the team is ready, we begin our journey down the river, past the incredible Punakha Dzong and onward into the wilderness. After a series of rapids and calmer sections, we pause on the riverside for a picnic lunch before continuing toward our campsite further down the river.

The scenery here is spectacular. Upon arrival at camp, we check into our tents and prepare to take part in the food preparation for the evening. Our luggage will be transported to the campsite, so we will have access to warm clothes to change into.

Dinner will be under the stars against one of the most beautiful backdrops of all our LHO adventures.

Cycling Distance: 18 KM | Ascent: 400 M | Descent: 1,205 M | Max Altitude: 3,100 M

After a beautiful night under the stars, we prepare breakfast and enjoy it together before boarding our private bus for the short journey to Punakha Dzong, an iconic fortress on the riverside.

There will be a guided tour of the dzong, which is home to a monastery and several ancient artefacts of Buddhist heritage. This is one of the cultural highlights of the trip and one of the most important landmarks in Bhutan.

After our visit, we board our private bus again and drive back up to Dochula Pass, where lunch will be served. During lunch, we receive a briefing for our upcoming biking adventure down from the pass.

We are met by our local biking experts, who explain how to ride safely and efficiently on the winding road that descends through the mountain landscape. Your Bhutanese LHO Team Leader stays with the group throughout the day, helping coordinate the experience while the biking team manages the technical riding briefing, pacing, road safety, and support vehicle flow.

Once we are ready, we mount our bikes and begin the ride. Our private bus follows the team from behind, so anyone who feels tired or would like to take a break can stop by the roadside and wait for the bus.

Our cycling adventure leads us toward Thimphu, where we board the bus for the short ride to Paro, our home for the remaining nights together. Once we arrive, we check in to our accommodation, enjoy warm showers, and have dinner together.

Distance: 5.9 KM | Ascent: 643 M | Descent: 643 M | Max Altitude: 3,120 M

The classic highlight of our experience in Bhutan is the iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery. The monastery is perched high on the mountainside above the Paro Valley and is one of the most famous Buddhist religious sites on Earth.

After breakfast, we travel by private bus to the trailhead. From here, we have the option to either ride mules or walk the full trail. Those choosing to ride mules will need to dismount at the midpoint and continue the rest of the way on foot.

The trail to the midpoint moves through pine forest that gradually begins to thin as we gain altitude. It is possible to catch glimpses of the monastery between the trees, high above the valley. At the midpoint is a tea house where we stop for a break.

Your Bhutanese LHO Team Leader remains with the group throughout the Tiger’s Nest experience, helping bring context to the monastery, the trail, and the cultural significance of the day, while the local guide supports the formal visit and site interpretation.

For anyone who has overpacked, it is possible to leave some items at the tea house since we return there for lunch. From the midpoint, we follow a series of staircases that wind along the side of the mountain, first leading to the famous viewpoint of the monastery and then to the monastery itself.

Once we arrive, we are taken on a guided tour. For anyone who would prefer to sit quietly, meditate, or simply take in the experience independently, that is also possible. We set a clear meeting point and time for the group before beginning the descent.

Lunch will be at the tea house at the midpoint. From there, we descend on foot back through the forest until we reach the bus. In the afternoon, there is a tourist market at the exit of the trail, and we give everyone time to explore before heading into the centre of Paro for some free time among the shops and market streets.

The final leg of the adventure is a visit to The Farm, a cultural destination outside Paro where your Bhutanese LHO Team Leader and local hosts guide us through traditional archery, hot stone baths, a cultural show, and our final team dinner.

After dinner, we return to our accommodation by private bus.

The final day is dedicated to airport transfers and farewells. Breakfast at the hotel is included.

Please make sure to provide the correct departure details when completing your Team Details Form before the trip begins so the transfer arrangements can be planned properly.

If any information changes, please inform your Bhutanese LHO Team Leader or LHO Base Camp as soon as possible so the final arrangements can be updated smoothly.