Bhutan

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BHUTAN

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Living Traditions of the Himalayan Buddhist Kingdom

9 days

bhutan

Book a place

9 days

(02)

(01)

We will explore Bhutan like a Buddhist scroll, immersing ourselves line by line in the spiritual life of the land and its rich natural world (60% of the country is protected nature reserves). We will attend festivals inaccessible to ordinary tourists and experience the region’s living traditions firsthand.

In addition to the famous Kurjey and Taktsang Lhakhang perched on a 900-meter cliff, we will visit Chimi Lhakhang — the Temple of Fertility — along with legendary stupas and fortress-monasteries (dzongs). We will engage in conversations with monks and young novices, immerse ourselves in the symbolism of rituals, and participate in monastic life: preparing meals and dining with the monks, contemplating, and meditating

Time is merely a sequence of events in our consciousness, believe the Drukpa Kagyu monks. In Bhutan, time is illusory. Can we consider outdated what shapes the highest Gross National Happiness index? Is it easy to develop tourism when any architecture beyond the traditional is forbidden? And how did His Majesty the Dragon King manage to marry the daughter of a pilot?

Book a place

(02)

In addition to the famous Kurjey and Taktsang Lhakhang perched on a 900-meter cliff, we will visit Chimi Lhakhang — the Temple of Fertility — along with legendary stupas and fortress-monasteries (dzongs). We will engage in conversations with monks and young novices, immerse ourselves in the symbolism of rituals, and participate in monastic life: preparing meals and dining with the monks, contemplating, and meditating

(01)

We will explore Bhutan like a Buddhist scroll, immersing ourselves line by line in the spiritual life of the land and its rich natural world (60% of the country is protected nature reserves). We will attend festivals inaccessible to ordinary tourists and experience the region’s living traditions firsthand

Time is merely a sequence of events in our consciousness, believe the Drukpa Kagyu monks. In Bhutan, time is illusory. Can we consider outdated what shapes the highest Gross National Happiness index? Is it easy to develop tourism when any architecture beyond the traditional is forbidden? And how did His Majesty the Dragon King manage to marry the daughter of a pilot?

Book a place

Upon request

Cost

Overview

Duration

9 days

Highlights

Private conversations with monks, behind-the-scenes access to festivals, and perhaps even the extraordinary chance to be introduced to the King himself!

What to Expect

A profound immersion into the culture of the Land of the Thunder Dragon

Overview

Highlights

Private conversations with monks, behind-the-scenes access to festivals, and perhaps even the extraordinary chance to be introduced to the King himself!

Duration

9 days

What to Expect

A profound immersion into the culture of the Land of the Thunder Dragon

Upon request

Cost

Immerse yourself in monastic rituals, private practices, and personal conversations with monks.

Buddhism

Rare Experience

Nature

Explore snow-capped Himalayan peaks, dense forests, and the fertile valleys of the kingdom.

Festivals

Attend the Jambay Lhakhang Drup festival with its fire ceremonies and the nomads’ festival in Laya.

Experts

Discover Bhutan with one of the country’s leading guides — a trained historian and archaeologist.

Comfort

Stay at Amankora***** or Six Senses***** lodges and villas, located in Bhutan’s key valleys.

Immerse yourself in monastic rituals, private practices, and personal conversations with monks.

Buddhism

Stay at Amankora***** or Six Senses***** lodges and villas, located in Bhutan’s key valleys.

Comfort

Rare Experience

Nature

Explore snow-capped Himalayan peaks, dense forests, and the fertile valleys of the kingdom.

Festivals

Attend the Jambay Lhakhang Drup festival with its fire ceremonies and the nomads’ festival in Laya.

Experts

Discover Bhutan with one of the country’s leading guides — a trained historian and archaeologist.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Thimphu

Arrival in the capital of Bhutan
City sightseeing tour
Visit to Tashichho Dzong
Circumambulation (kora) around a Buddhist chorten

Day 2: Thimphu

Visit to the gilded bronze Buddha Dordenma statue
Visit to the Changangkha Temple — meet a local lama, receive a traditional Bhutanese name, and meet a master calligrapher
Participate in a sacred ceremony to create small tsa-tsa chortens under the guidance of a local lama
Visit to the post office and learn about the unique history of Bhutanese stamps
Visit to an artist’s workshop and discover the art of sacred thangka painting
Create personal amulets under a master’s guidance

Day 3: Thimphu – Punakha

Drive across the scenic Dochula Pass, which offers breathtaking views of the highest snow-capped Himalayan peaks in clear weather
Walk through the village of Metsina to Chimi Lhakhang (the Temple of Fertility), founded in honor of the Divine Madman Drukpa Kunley. Learn about the cult of the lingam
Hike to the longest suspension bridge

Day 4: Punakha

Hike to Khamsum Yulley Temple, offering stunning views over the valley
Excursion to Punakha Dzong — the Palace of Great Happiness

Day 5: Punakha – Phobjikha

Visit to the Gangtey village in the famous Phobjikha Valley, known for its beauty
Visit to the Gangtey Gompa (17th century), a monastery of the Nyingma Buddhist tradition. About forty gomchens — lay meditators whose worldly lives are combined with daily meditation practice according to their vows — live in the village near the monastery

Day 6: Phobjikha – Bumthang

Drive to Bumthang with a visit to the famous Chendebji Stupa
Visit to the Trongsa Dzong, the largest fortress-monastery in Bhutan

Day 7: Bumthang

Visit to the Kurjey Lhakhang, located by the cave where Guru Rinpoche meditated in the 8th century and left the imprint of his back in the rock
Visit to the Jambay Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s two oldest temples, founded in the 7th century by order of the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo
Trip to Membartsho — the Burning Lake — where the famous 16th-century tertön Pema Lingpa retrieved sacred treasures of Guru Rinpoche
En route, we will visit the ancient temple of Tamshing Lhakhang

Day 8: Paro

Ascent to the legendary Taktsang Lhakhang (“Tiger’s Nest”) monastery

Day 9: Paro

Departure home

Explore Bhutan’s living traditions in dzongs and stupas, at festivals and along mountain trails, where the wisdom of the past meets the serenity of the present.