Festivals, Culture and Beauty: A Luxury Tour through Bhutan

Duration 10 days
Price guide
From
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Performers in vivid traditional costumes dancing at a cultural festival.
Tiger's Nest Monastery on cliffside with colorful prayer flags in Bhutan.
Traditional Bhutanese architecture style building with a river and bridge against a backdrop of green mountains and blue sky.
Ornate doorway of a traditional Bhutanese building with colorful carvings and paintings.
Experience the ancient living culture of Bhutan on this 10 day immersive journey. Fall in love with the beauty and people of the Land of the Thunder Dragon as you delve into their festivals and way of life.

Trip highlights

  • Attend the Jambay Lhakhang Festival in Bumthang
  • Have tea with nuns at the Wolokha Nunnery
  • Explore Gangteng Valley, also known as the Phobjikhii Valley
  • Enjoy time with courtiers of the Second King
  • Experience the Coronation Day Festival in Thimphu
  • Enjoy an exclusive hike to the famous Taktshang monastery

Bespoke trips with Jacada

We design one-of-a-kind journeys incorporating luxury in all its forms. Our bespoke trips include:

  • Luxury accommodation throughout
  • Privately guided tours
  • Private transfers
  • Meticulously selected experiences
  • Expertise and support from your Jacada Concierge
Black and white illustration of two guides pointing to a building in the distance
  • Days 1–2 Paro
  • Days 2–4 Bumthang
  • Days 4–5 Gangtey
  • Days 5–6 Punakha
  • Days 6–8 Thimphu
  • Days 8–10 Paro
Festivals, Culture and Beauty: A Luxury Tour through Bhutan
Price guide
  PP
  • Days 1–2 Paro
  • Days 2–4 Bumthang
  • Days 4–5 Gangtey
  • Days 5–6 Punakha
  • Days 6–8 Thimphu
  • Days 8–10 Paro

Itinerary in detail

Every Jacada trip is tailored to your personal preferences and interests. Below you’ll find a sample itinerary to inspire your own custom-designed journey.

Days 1–2

Overnight in Paro

Paro, one of the kingdom’s widest valleys, is covered in fertile rice fields and crisscrossed by a beautiful meandering river. Explore the town’s architectural charms of impressive monasteries, ancient ruins and the National Museum. The main street of the town was only built in 1985 but it’s lined with cheerfully painted wooden shop fronts and restaurants in a classic Bhutanese style.

Exploring Paro

Traditional Bhutanese temple amidst mountains with pine trees and blue sky.

Today you will enjoy a tour of the town of Paro. Explore the National Museum, which lends itself to spectacular bird’s eye views of the main Paro Valley and houses over 3,000 pieces of Bhutanese art.

A short drive from the museum takes you to the Rinpung Dzong, a large Buddhist monastery and fortress that’s regarded as one of Bhutan’s most impressive and well-known dzongs.

Days 2–4

Two nights in Bumthang

Next up is Bhutan’s spiritual heartland, Bumthang. Spend your days in this rural and historic region exploring the vast number of ancient temples and sacred sites among the agricultural lands. Comprised of four mountain valleys, Bumthang means ‘beautiful land’. Here you’ll find four farming villages, an intricate and imposing dzong and two national parks that are home to the Bengal tiger, snow leopard and Himalayan black bear.

 

Bumthang Dzong on a cold winter day

Highlights of Bumthang

Ancient temples

A palace exploration

A festival experience

Traditional Bhutanese building with ornate patterns and a stone fence against forested hills.

Jambay Lhakhang and Kurje Lhakhang

Today you will see two of the oldest temples in the kingdom: Jambay Lhakhang and Kurje Lhakhang. The Jambay Lhakhang temple was built in the 7th century AD by a Tibetan King named Songtsen Gampo. The main relic of the temple is the statue of the future Buddha, Jowo Jampa, from whose name the present name of the temple is derived.

You’ll then continue to Kurje Lhakhang temple, whose name means ‘the temple where body image has been engraved’. According to legend, the 8th century Buddhist Master Guru Rinpoche, often referred to as the Second Buddha, meditated here and left an imprint of his body on the rocks.

Wangdicholing

Enjoy a guided tour of the old palace of Wangdicholing. Built in 1857, the palace served as the main summer residence of the first and second kings of Bhutan and is now being turned into a museum. To the north of the palace, you’ll see five giant water-driven prayer wheels.

For those who are interested, we can arrange a very special tea or dinner with some of the courtiers of the Second King who ruled Bhutan from 1926-1952. You’ll be accompanied by a guide who can translate.

jambay-lhakhang-festival-bhutan

Jambay Lhakhang Drup Festival

During your trip you’ll be able to experience two nights of the five-day-long Jambay festival. Bhutanese Buddhist festivals are known as ‘tsechus’ and celebrate Guru Rimpoche, the saint who brought Buddhism to Bhutan. Jambay lhakhang Drup is renowned as one of the most spectacular festivals in the country.

Watch as local villagers gather around the temple in a spirit of festivity, celebration and deep faith to witness unique masked dances and celebrations performed by monks and laymen in colorful costumes. Masked dancers enact the vanquishing of evil spirits in lively performances which are considered important for the well-being of society.

Days 4–5

Overnight in Gangtey

Gangtey, or Gangteng Valley (also known as the Phobjikhii Valley), is a glacial basin populated with an alluring mix of forests. Visit the impressive 17th century Gangteng Goempa – Bhutan’s largest Nyingmapa monastery – and its surrounding quaint village. You’ll have our list of recommended tours, restaurants and attractions to make sure you make the most of your time here.

Mountain village with traditional buildings amidst coniferous trees and hills.
Days 5–6

Overnight in Punakha

The little town of Punakha still enjoys a serene and regal ambience left over from its stately days. Found in a fertile valley at a relatively low 12,000 meters above sea level, travelers here enjoy activities such as mountain biking, trekking and river rafting.

Step into the area’s history with a visit to the town’s show-stopping Punakha Dzong, fully restored to its original splendor and considered one of the country’s most striking ancient fortresses. You’ll then spend your evening in the company of the nuns at the local Wolokha Nunnery.

Days 6–8

Two nights in Thimphu

Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital city, is your next destination. Spend your time exploring the market and the monastery of Tashichho Dzong. A wander around Thimphu’s relaxed and friendly city gives a look at a more urban side of Bhutan. Visits to the Arts and Crafts School, the Textile Museum and the Traditional Medicine Hospital are recommended.

Aerial view of a Bhutanese town with traditional architecture nestled in a mountain valley.

Coronation Day Festival

Crowd at an outdoor event with people dressed in traditional and religious attire.

Today you will attend the celebrations marking the coronation of His Majesty the King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the 5th and current Druk Gyalpo. Held annually, Coronation Day is a public holiday in Bhutan and celebrations to mark it usually last for three days.

The festival begins with the offering of a spiritual lamp before the portrait of the King and the singing of the national anthem. Then follows dancing, games and cultural activities performed by monks and laymen in colorful costumes and masks.

Days 8–10

Two nights in Paro

Returning to Paro, it’s on this visit that you’ll hike to the awe-inspiring eighth-century Taktsang, also known as Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched high on a sheer cliff face. Just outside the town, you will also see the dominating Paro Dzong – a prime example of Bhutanese architecture – and the 7th-century Kyichu Lhakhang, which was one of the first Buddhist temples built in the country.

Picnic with glasses of white wine on a vineyard. Two glasses of white wine, cheese, bread, grape, berries, melon.