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5N/6D Phuentsholing, Thimphu and Paro Drive-In - Bhutan Overland from the Plain

5 nights · 6 days Cultural Chukha Bhutan Hyundai Creta (Bhutan)

Bhutan Overland from the Plain. Stay plan: Phuentsholing (1N) – Thimphu (2N) – Paro (2N). Arrive Bagdogra Airport, India, with road entry at Jaigaon, depart Paro International Airport.

Day by day

Distances and drive times are the ones our own drivers record, not map estimates.

  1. 1
    Day 1

    Arrival and transfer to Phuentsholing

    Arrive at Bagdogra Airport, India, with road entry at Jaigaon. Clear immigration and baggage, meet our representative and transfer to your hotel in Phuentsholing — a 160 km, four-hour drive east to the border gate. The frontier town on the plain where the permits are issued and the road into Bhutan begins its climb. The rest of the day is free to settle in. Overnight in Phuentsholing.

    Overnight Phuentsholing Meals Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  2. 2
    Day 2

    Phuentsholing to Thimphu

    Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Leave for Thimphu — a 170 km, six-hour climb from the plain into the hills. The capital, and the only one in the world without a traffic light — a valley of dzongs, weaving studios and a very large seated Buddha. Check in on arrival and, as the day allows, the Buddha Dordenma statue over the valley. Overnight in Thimphu.

    Overnight Thimphu Meals Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  3. 3
    Day 3

    Thimphu: Tashichho Dzong, seat of the government and the Je Khenpo

    Breakfast at the hotel. A full day in Thimphu — the Tashichho Dzong, seat of the government and the Je Khenpo; the National Memorial Chorten and its circumambulating crowd; and the Folk Heritage Museum and the National Textile Museum. The evening is free for dinner and a walk on your own. Overnight in Thimphu.

    Overnight Thimphu Meals Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  4. 4
    Day 4

    Thimphu to Paro

    Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Leave for Paro — a 55 km, ninety-minute drive up the Wang Chhu valley. The valley the only international airport sits in — a fortress over the river, the oldest temple in Bhutan and the Tiger Nest on the cliff above. Check in on arrival and, as the day allows, the Taktsang Tiger Nest monastery, a five-hour return climb. Overnight in Paro.

    Overnight Paro Meals Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  5. 5
    Day 5

    Paro: Rinpung Dzong and its cantilever bridge

    Breakfast at the hotel. A full day in Paro — the Rinpung Dzong and its cantilever bridge; the Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan; and the National Museum in the old watchtower. The evening is free for dinner and a walk on your own. Overnight in Paro.

    Overnight Paro Meals Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  6. 6
    Day 6

    Paro — departure

    Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Time for any last shopping before your transfer to Paro International Airport for the onward flight. The tour ends here, and we hope it is not your last visit to Bhutan.

    Meals Breakfast

Where you sleep

We name every property before you pay — not “4-star or similar” afterwards.

StopNightsHotels at each grade
Phuentsholing 1 Standard · Deluxe · Luxury · Premium
Thimphu 2 Standard · Deluxe · Luxury · Premium
Paro 2 Standard · Deluxe · Luxury · Premium

The named properties for each grade go out with your quotation, so you can look every one of them up before anything is paid. Ask for the hotel list →

What the price covers

Printed together on purpose. A list of inclusions without its exclusions is a quote you cannot check.

Included

  • Accommodation in Tourism Council of Bhutan approved hotels on double sharing basis.
  • All meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner — for the whole tour, as the Bhutan tariff requires.
  • A licensed English-speaking Bhutanese guide throughout, and a private vehicle with driver.
  • All monument, dzong and museum entrance fees named in the programme.
  • Bhutan entry permit and route permits processed before arrival.
  • Mineral water in the vehicle and a hot stone bath where the programme names one.
  • 24x7 on-tour coordination and a dedicated Bhutan destination desk.

Not included

  • Airfare to Paro or to the entry gateway, and airport taxes on it.
  • The Sustainable Development Fee levied by the Royal Government of Bhutan, quoted separately because it is a government charge and it changes by nationality.
  • Travel insurance, which is compulsory for entry.
  • Optional activities not named in the programme — rafting, mountain biking, archery, a helicopter transfer or a festival photography permit.
  • Alcoholic and bottled beverages, laundry, telephone, tips and personal expenses.
  • Peak-season and festival-period hotel supplements, and any Gala Dinner supplement.
  • Anything arising from circumstances outside our control — road block, landslide, a cancelled Paro flight or a change of government levy.

Close to this one

Same desk, same ground team, a different length.

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