Bhutan: The Tiger's Nest Journey (4 Days)

$5,028.00

Start Location: Paro, Bhutan; End Location: Paro, Bhutan

Duration: 4 Days

Travel Season: March to May and September to November (Best: October)

Accommodation: Amankora - 1 to 2 lodges

Journey into the Himalayan heights of Bhutan on a pilgrimage circuit where ancient monasteries cling to cliffside ledges and untouched valleys echo with quiet serenity. Three nights across one or two Amankora lodges, building toward the ascent to the Tiger's Nest, and evenings beside a traditional wood-burning bukhari stove.

Highlights at a Glance

• Paro Taktsang: The Tiger's Nest, clinging to a cliff nine hundred metres above the valley floor.

• Dzongs: Fortress-monasteries that are still the seat of both government and clergy in each valley.

• The lodges: Rammed earth and pine, a bukhari wood stove in every room, and traditional hot stone baths.

Itinerary

27.25°N27.5°N89.25°E89.5°E89.75°ETiger's NestThimphuParo12320 km

1 Paro · 2 Thimphu · 3 Tiger's Nest

Day 1Arrive Paro, drive to Thimphu

Arrive at Paro International Airport and transfer by private vehicle over the Thimphu Chhu valley to Amankora Thimphu, set in a blue pine forest above the capital. Depending on arrival time, the afternoon takes in the Buddha Dordenma, the National Memorial Chorten and the Textile Museum and Weaving Centre. Dinner is at the lodge beside the bukhari wood-burning stove.

Day 2Thimphu to Paro

After breakfast, drive back down the valley to Amankora Paro, a 24-suite lodge in a pine grove near the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong. The morning includes the walk up to Drukgyel Dzong fortress, with the peak of Jomolhari visible on clear days. After lunch, visit the 7th-century Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the first Buddhist temples built in Bhutan.

Day 3Tiger's Nest (Taktsang Goemba)

The signature day: a four-to-five-hour guided hike to Taktsang Goemba, the Tiger's Nest, clinging to a sheer cliff face at 2,950m some 900m above the Paro valley floor. Your guide explains the Guru Rinpoche legend as you climb through blue pine and prayer flags, with a rest at the cafeteria viewpoint. Return to the lodge for a 60-minute massage in the two-storey spa and a traditional Bhutanese dinner.

Day 4Paro and departure

A gentler final morning in the Paro valley, taking in the National Museum housed within the imposing Rinpung Dzong and, time permitting, Paro old town. Optional lodge activities include archery or traditional prayer-flag printing. Private transfer to Paro International Airport for your onward flight.

Accommodation

Amankora - 1 to 2 lodges. Amankora Paro Lodge - 24 suites; Amankora Thimphu Lodge - 16 suites; Suite: open-plan bedroom with king-size bed and banquette window seat; Bukhari wood-burning stove in each suite; Terrazzo-clad bathtub; Amankora Paro two-storey spa: five treatment rooms, hot stone bath, sauna, steam room, yoga studio; Banya Spa House (Amankora Paro); Hammam Spa House (Amankora Paro); Guest Lounge, Library and Boutique; Dining room with terrace.

All-Inclusive Benefits

• Accommodation in a suite at Amankora Thimphu and Amankora Paro

• All in-house meals at each Amankora lodge, plus picnics on transfer days

• House beverages including house wines and spirits

• Private airport transfers to and from Paro International Airport

• Daily guided excursions with a private English-speaking guide, driver and vehicle

• All touring permits and monument access passes

• Guided Tiger's Nest (Taktsang) day hike

• One 60-minute massage per person

• Forest barbecue lunch

• Daily laundry service

• All internal ground transfers between valleys

• Ground handling and concierge services

Not Included

• Bhutan Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of USD 100 per person per night, payable in addition

• Bhutan visa fee of USD 40 per person, payable in addition

• International flights to and from Paro

• Travel insurance

• Spa treatments beyond the one included 60-minute massage

• Premium wines and spirits outside the house selection, and activities marked as incurring additional charges