Overview

This is the Bhutan trip we recommend to most people. Six days is just enough to see the country’s three main valleys without the day feeling like a race, and the big difference from a shorter tour is one extra night in Punakha. That single night changes everything: you wake in the warm valley by the river instead of driving back to Paro in the dark, and Punakha Dzong at a gentle morning hour is a completely different experience from a rushed afternoon stop.

You start in Thimphu, the quiet capital, cross Dochula Pass to Punakha, then finish in Paro with the Tiger’s Nest hike waiting on a fresh morning. Along the way you get the Buddha Dordenma over Thimphu, the paddy field walk to Chimi Lhakhang, the great fortress where the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers meet, and time to simply sit with a coffee and watch a valley wake up. If you have never been to Bhutan and want one trip that does it justice, this Bhutan 6 days itinerary is the one to book.

Tour Highlights

• An extra night in Punakha, so the valley and its dzong are seen at an easy pace, not squeezed into a day.
• Full morning for the Tiger’s Nest (Paro Taktsang) hike on a fresh day, not the last.
• Dochula Pass at 3,100m with its 108 Druk Wangyal chortens and, when clear, the eastern Himalayan skyline.
• Buddha Dordenma (51.5m), Memorial Chorten and Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu.
• Chimi Lhakhang fertility temple reached on foot through Sopsokha’s rice fields.
• Punakha Dzong and the long Punakha suspension bridge strung with prayer flags.
• A slower morning built in, so Bhutan is felt, not just ticked off. Permit and SDF handled for you.

Who This Itinerary Is For

• First timers who want the complete classic Bhutan loop at a comfortable, non rushed pace.
• Couples, families and older travellers who would rather have an overnight in Punakha than a long same-day return.
• Photographers and slow travellers who want morning light at Punakha Dzong and the Tiger’s Nest.
• Anyone who wants the permit, SDF and logistics fully handled by a local team.

It is probably not for you if:

• You are chasing central and eastern Bhutan (Bumthang, Phobjikha valley, Trongsa). That needs 8 days or more.
• You are extremely tight on leave. In that case the 4N/5D Bhutan Express covers the same highlights in one less day.

Every sikkimtourism.org booking is confirmed with an advance payment, which locks your reservation in place. You clear the balance before services begin, whether at departure or on arrival. We set the advance at our discretion, and it varies with the services in your package and how much time separates the booking from the travel date.

For high-demand dates we sometimes need the whole amount up front rather than a deposit. The Christmas and New Year period is the classic case: bookings fill fast and linked rates rise sharply, so early reservation helps. Payments reach us by wire transfer to our bank.

To change, cancel or shorten confirmed dates, send us written notice at least 30 days before travel, subject to availability. Within 30 days we cannot rework, postpone or cancel the booking, and the full package amount stays with us. No-shows are not refunded, and unused nights and early departures are not credited.

If your bank account is overseas, the related bank charges on a refund are yours. Refunds return through your original payment method, with cash payments refunded by cheque or online transfer. We start the refund within five working days of your written request. A 10% premium plus 18% tax applies to refunds processed outside this policy.

Please note: bookings made between 01 March 2026 and 15 July 2027 are non-refundable, and so are bookings made between 15 December 2026 and 15 January 2027.