8-Day Bhutan Tour of Thimphu, Punakha and Paro with Tiger's Nest

• Receive guests/travellers at Bagdogra Airport, Jalpaiguri Railway Station, Hasimara, or Jaigoan (India-Bhutan border), and drive to Phuntsholing, Bhutan, via Jaigoan, India.
• Complete immigration formalities if time permits; otherwise, they will be done the next day.
• Stroll through Phuntsholing Town and visit Jangdopeli Temple.
• Check in to your hotel.

• Complete immigration formalities if they were not done on Day 1.
• Drive to Thimphu (approx. 145 km / 6 hours).
• Enjoy sightseeing along the Thimphu-Phuntsholing Highway.
• Have lunch at a highway restaurant as guided by your guide/driver.
• After reaching Thimphu, visit the following places if time is available:

@Buddha Point (a 51.5-meter Buddha statue with panoramic views).

@National Memorial Chorten (a stupa built in memory of King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck).

• Overnight stay at a Thimphu hotel (3-star).

After breakfast, drive to Punakha (approx. 80 km / 3 hours).

• On the way to Punakha, visit Dochula Pass, about a 30-minute drive from Thimphu, for panoramic views of the Himalayan ranges and the 108 memorial chortens.
• Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungthang Dewa Chenbi Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness), is a magnificent fortress located in Punakha, Bhutan. It is the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan, built in 1637-38 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.
• Visit the Suspension Bridge, one of the longest footbridges, approximately 170 m long.
• Overnight stay at a hotel (3-star) or homestay.

Drive to Thimphu from Punakha.

Visit the following places:

• Takin Preserve, home to Bhutan's national animal, the Takin.
• Centenary Farmers' Market/Craft Bazar (open Wed-Sun) for local produce and cultural interactions.
• Simtokha Dzong, one of the oldest dzong-fortresses built in Bhutan.
• Overnight stay in Thimphu at a 3-star hotel.

Drive from Thimphu to Paro (approx. 45 km / 1.15 hours).

Visit the following places in Paro:

• Chelela Pass, Bhutan's highest motorable pass, situated at 3,988 meters (13,083 feet) between Paro and Haa Valley. It is a scenic drive, particularly in spring with blooming rhododendrons, offering stunning views of the Himalayas and both valleys.
• Paro Airport Bird's Eye View Point offers a stunning vista of Paro Valley and the surrounding Himalayan mountains, with the unique perspective of Paro Airport nestled within. It is a popular spot for admiring the airport's architecture, watching planes take off and land, and enjoying the scenic beauty of the valley, especially during sunrise and sunset.
• Taa-Dzong, also known as the National Museum of Bhutan, is a historical watchtower that was converted into a museum in 1968. It is located on a hilltop above Rinpung Dzong (Paro Dzong) in Paro, Bhutan. The circular structure, built in 1649, served as a fortress and watchtower to protect the main dzong.
• Paro Dzong, also known as Rinchen Pung Dzong, is a prominent fortress-monastery in Bhutan, recognized for its impressive architecture and historical significance. Built in 1646, it served as a strategic defense point against Tibetan invasions and now houses both government offices and monastic quarters, symbolizing the fusion of civil and religious authority.
• Overnight stay in Paro.

After breakfast, drive early in the morning to the Paro Tiger's Nest base.

• Hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery (Taktsang) - an approximately 6-hour round-trip hike with breathtaking views of the monastery perched on a cliff. It is renowned for its stunning location, nestled on a cliff face about 3,120 meters (10,240 feet) above sea level.
• Enjoy a hot-stone bath after the hike.
• Stroll through Paro Town.
• Overnight stay at the hotel.

• Drive from Paro to Phuntsholing, where you will be exiting Bhutan.
• Visit Kharbandi Goenpa.
• Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, exit Phuntsholing, Bhutan, and drop off at Jaigoan, NJP Jalpaiguri, or Bagdogra.