Get Best Bhutan Holiday Packages | Bhutan Inbound Tour

Bhutan Happiness Tour


Bhutan Happiness Tour offers you a tour plan where you can get  insights into the principles of Gross National Happiness and how they shape every aspect of Bhutanese society. 

 In this tour, we will let you interact with people from all walks of life – , farmers, locals, monks and students. You may visit schools, monastic institutions which will give you an insight to the idea of why Bhutanese people main goal is pursuing Happiness.

The main goal of this tour is to allow you to understand what happiness is and to allow you to ask yourself what makes you happy.

Package Details :

Duration : 8Nights 9Days .

Destination Covered : Thimphu-Paro-Punakha-Gangtey .

DAY 01 :Arrive At Paro – Transfer To Thimphu (55 Kms/1.5 Hrs)

The flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular in the entire Himalayas. Whether flying along the Himalayan range from Kathmandu or over the foothills from Kolkatta, the journey offers fascinating views and an exciting descent into the Kingdom. Bhutan’s first gift as you disembark from the aircraft will be cool, clean fresh mountain air.

After immigration formalities and baggage collection, you will be met by our representative, and afterwards drive to Thimphu, the capital town of Bhutan with en-route stop at Chuzom, the confluence of Paro and Thimphu Rivers. Three different style of stupas ; Tibetan , Nepalese and Bhutanese adorn this confluence. On arrival, in Thimphu check-into the hotel, the capital town of Bhutan with the population of about 100,000 it is perhaps still the world’s only capital without a traffic light. Evening an exploratory walk around Thimphu main street and market area.

Overnight at Hotel in Thimphu

Day02: Thimphu Cultural Pursuits

Embark on a memorable day in Thimphu, beginning with a short hike to Tango Goemba. This revered monastery, founded in the 12th century, is a haven for Buddhist scholars and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.

Return to the hotel for a delicious lunch, followed by a visit to the National Institute for Zorig Chusum. This prestigious institute imparts training in the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan, playing a vital role in preserving and promoting the country's cultural heritage. You may visit Indigenous Hospital for Traditional Medicines where you can meet elderly people who has more faith in traditional medicine system than the modern medical facility.  The Institution was established with the goal to improve  the welfare of Bhutanese people and to preserve its rich culture and tradition

Continue your exploration with a visit to the Royal Textile Academy, a center dedicated to conserving and restoring Bhutan's weaving traditions. Admire the intricate artistry and vibrant colors displayed in the textiles, and gain insights into the significance of this craft. If time permits, you will have the opportunity to visit the Jungshi paper making factory. Discover the ancient craft of papermaking using natural materials, and create a unique souvenir to take home.

Overnight at your hotel in Thimphu.

Day 3: Meet The Monk In The Hidden Mountain of Dodeydra

Today we will take a hike to the off beaten path that leads us to the hidden monastery through the Pine forest. If you want to know more about this hike or Dodeydra monastery then you can read our blog https://www.bhutaninbound.com/blog/2020/10/04/hike-to-dodeydrak/

Alongside the temple you will see numerous houses which shelters 175 monks studying at Dodeydra.

 

They also have a small guest house and we will be holding a night here today.  The place is absolutely tranquil and there are many activities that you can engage here

  • You can participate in morning prayer from 5:30 AM to 6:15Am
  • We can have an evening meditation class from 5:30pm to 6:30pm on Samantha meditation, loving and kindness or Vipassana.
  • You can also participate in evening prayer from 6:30pm to 7:30pm
  • Hoist Prayer flags
  • Smoke Offering/Wine offering/ Butter Lamp Offering
  • Picnic with monks
  • Attending Dharma talk
  • Private Meeting with the abbot (Khenpo) of Shedra
  • Make a meal donation and serve the food to the monks
  • Attend Dharma Talk

Based on time availability and your interest, we will take part in the above activities. Few of the activities above may not be possible if your night stay is just one night.

Overnight at Dodeydra Monastery.

Day 4: Explore Hermitage in Far Flung Land

We will participate in Morning Prayer and after a decent meal we will explore a 1000-year old meditation hermitage where hermits meditate for as long as 12 years. The Hermitage is situated further away from the monastery and may take a day exploring this but this expedition will give you an aura  that comes from another time.

Evening Return to monastery

Have a meal with the monks

Overnight at guest house in Dodeydra

Day05: Thimphu –Punakha (74Km/2.5 Hrs)

We will bid goodbye to our monk friends and hike down to Thimphu valley.

Our driver will be waiting for us at the end of the trail ; we will have a good breakfast and head towards Punakha valley. On the way stop at Dochula Pass ( 3140m) . This pass one of the most photogenic place you will come across  on your journey to Punakha. On a clear weather days you can see the whole Eastern Himalayas from this pass. Walk through the 108 Stupas. Spend some time over here at the Cafeteria with some good coffee and really amazing views. Later continue your drive .

Today we will have a lunch by the river side.

After your lunch we will head towards Sopsokha Village.   A tiny village located in the midst of paddy field. It is believe that  Lam Drukpa Kinley the divine madman was followed by demoness till Sopsokha village. It is here where he has subdued the evil spirits.He used the phallus as a medium to subdue and discipline the malevolent Spirits. And to celebrate the victory , on the exact spot Chimi Lhakhang was constructed later on by Lama Ngawang Chogyal. We can also visit chimmi Lhakhang and get the blessing from divine phallus.

So maybe that’s why you may see the phallus painting at almost all the houses of Sopsokha Village.

We will be holding a night in one of the homes here.

Enjoy the typical Bhutanese meal in Bhutanese style with your host family at Sopsokha Village. If you like you can cook your dinner along with your host and chat with them as you cook.

Overnight at Sopsokha village in Punakha.

DAY 06: Punakha-Phobjikha Valley(75 Kms/1.5hrs)

Bhutan faily vacation

After a morning breakfast, we will visit Punakha Dzong & enjoy its architectural grandeur and then head towards Phobjikha Valley

Phobjikha is a wide glacial valley with a central stream meandering through the open grassland and home to the magnificent Black-necked Cranes. It is known for its breathtaking scenary.

On arrival at Gangtey you will be driven to Kunzang Chholing college for Buddhist studies. We will offer some butter lamp , hoist prayer flags, take some pictures with little monk and head for a farm house lunch

Later in late afternoon explore the Phobjikha valley.

Must Do Activities Here:

Hike the Gangtey nature trail: This trail is the best way to explore the Gangtey Valley. It leads you through the pine forests and into the villages of Phobjikha.  The total distance to be covered is four kilometers and the level of the hike is easy. It also offers the best view of the valley.

Visit the Black Necked Crane Centre: As the valley is home to one of the endangered species called as the Black Necked Crane, this place offers a perfect opportunity to understand the bird and its nature, and you will understand how it lives in harmony with farmers of the valley

Overnight at hotel in Gangtey.

DAY 07 : Punakha To Paro (200Kms/6hrs )

After your morning breakfast at your hotel drive back to Paro. En route stop for a good coffee at Dochula Pass (3148 mts). Continue to drive further to Paro .

On reaching Paro check-in at hotel.

In the afternoon, visit the Ta Dzong, a historic watchtower that now houses the National Museum of Bhutan. Explore the captivating exhibits showcasing Bhutanese art, relics, thangka paintings, and more. Admire the unique architecture of this circular building, originally built for defense purposes. Continue your exploration with a visit to Paro Rinpung Dzong, a fortress-like structure perched on a hill. Marvel at its impressive size and intricate details as you learn about its historical significance and its role in Bhutanese governance. Just near Paro dzong you can visit the place where they rent out Bhutanese gho and kira and enjoy the experience (Optional)

Later head for a farm house dinner . Here  you will be visiting a local family house where you will be demonstrated on how to prepare Bhutanese butter tea called as Suja. Get yourself involved and interact with the family and know their idea of what happiness means to them and how do they value it. Try a hand on archery game( the National game of Bhutan)

Overnight at hotel in Paro

DAY 08: The Excursion To The Iconic Tiger Nest

Today we will hike the famous Tiger Nest, may take about 4hours or so.

After a tiring hike rejuvenate with herbal and hot stone bath

Later in the evening you can take a stroll in Paro streets and if interested you can pick up some Bhutanese Souvenir.

Overnight at hotel in Paro

DAY 09 : Departure

Depart Bhutan to your onward destination

Read Customer Reviews

5.0 / 3 Reviews

Mihnea P
Hongkong

 

Happiness is in our hearts 💕

Under auspicious Buddhist Gods we have visited such a beautiful and peaceful country. We were very impressed by Jambay Lhakhang in Bumthang District and Kichu Lhakhang in Paro.
It was heart touching the festival in Tamshing Lhakhang where the actors wore a mask from 15 th century.
We visited Jakar Dzong, Burning Lake , Punakha Dzong, Taktsang Monastery, Paro Dzong, Thimphu Dzong ( where we saw the second festival) and many others Chorten.
Finally at Kichu Monastery we were blessed by his Holiness Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche.
All was possible because of Thinley, Phurba Tshering our guide and Rinchen our driver.
We hope our happiness will last our entire life.


Tom
Washington

memorable experience, great company!

Our 9-day tour of Bhutan was an exceptional experience, thanks in large part to Bhutan Best Inbound. There are lots of tour companies operating and the prices don’t vary much, so the difference comes in service and quality, and I think Inbound really understands that. We had done some initial planning with a different tour company and decided to dump them after they got pushy about sending a deposit before the plan was final and pressuring us to go with upgrades and more expensive flights. Inbound, however, was super responsive and very helpful from the start, with no pressure, offering several tour choices that fit our timeframe and interests. Thinley answered all our questions very quickly and helped us design a customized tour based on our interests. I’d say we lucked out with no trip disruptions and perfect weather (true), but we really hit the jackpot with our guide and driver, Phurba and Chencho. What a combo! Phurba was incredibly knowledgeable about Bhutan and Buddhism, and showed genuine enthusiasm and pride introducing us to his people and culture. He was constantly checking in with us to make sure we were happy and enjoying, and accommodated all our requests immediately. Chencho was much more than a driver—an expert on culture, politics, music, and even archery. We enjoyed the car conversations with them as much as the incredible landscape, fortresses and temples. They worked together to plan the order of each day’s stops and were quick to suggest alternatives when landslides (just one!) and closed venues disrupted the plan. They were so friendly and welcoming and really made the experience so smooth and comfortable for us. Thanks, guys! The only thing that we found disappointing during the tour was one of the hotels (in Thimphu) was not quite up to a 3-star standard, and we suggest they may want to drop that one from their rotation. All the other hotels were good to excellent. We were lucky enough to meet Thinley and Geeta before we departed Bhutan to express our thanks in person; they are wonderful, kind people. Thank you, Bhutan Inbound, for a memorable experience!


Wandering Blogs
Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Great experience

We planned our trip at the last minute and found this tour company through TripAdvisor. The main thing I remembered from the reviews was the prompt response and communication which we received as well.

The trip itinerary was customized for our short time frame so that we could see the most number of things. Our guide, Phurba and driver were very good. Phurba’s assistance in obtaining last minute route permit to Dolchala pass and in climbing tiger nest was invaluable. We also got to see a local archery tournament.

We also got to meet the owners who gave us thoughtful souvenirs. Overall we had a great trip and would recommend Bhutan Best Inbound Tour.