Overview

Five days Bhutan trip is an excellent time window if you have limited leave but do not want to feel like you only saw Bhutan through a car window. This Bhutan Express itinerary covers the three valleys most people come for, Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, and still keeps a full, unhurried morning for the Tiger’s Nest hike, which is the one thing you should never squeeze in at the end while watching the clock.

When we first did this route, the surprise was Dochula Pass. On a clear morning the 108 chortens sit against a wall of white Himalayan peaks, and it is far better than the photos suggest. You will cross Punakha’s warm valley, walk to the Chimi Lhakhang fertility temple through paddy fields, and stand inside Punakha Dzong where two rivers meet. The pace is quick but sensible: two nights to settle into Thimphu, then two nights in Paro so the Tiger’s Nest hike is fresh, not tacked on. If you can only give Bhutan five days, this is the version that still feels like a real trip.

Tour Highlights

• Hike to the Tiger’s Nest (Paro Taktsang), Bhutan’s cliff-edge monastery, with a full morning set aside so you are not rushing.
• Cross Dochula Pass at 3,100m and, on a clear day, see the eastern Himalayan range behind the 108 Druk Wangyal chortens.
• Stand at the great Buddha Dordenma, a 51.5m gilded statue looking over the Thimphu valley.
• Walk through Sopsokha’s paddy fields to Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple.
• Visit Punakha Dzong, arguably Bhutan’s most beautiful fortress, at the meeting of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, and cross the long Punakha suspension bridge if you have a head for heights.
• See Thimphu the way locals do: Memorial Chorten at prayer time, the Takin preserve, and the weekend market if your dates line up.
• Permit and Sustainable Development Fee arranged for you before arrival.

Who This Itinerary Is For

• First time visitors who want Bhutan’s three signature valleys without a long holiday.
• Working professionals and couples with only 5 days of leave who still want to hike the Tiger’s Nest properly.
• Travellers who prefer a guided, permit-sorted trip over doing the paperwork themselves.
• Reasonably fit walkers. The Tiger’s Nest climb is the one demanding part; the rest is easy.

It is probably not for you if:

• You want deep, slow immersion in one valley, or plan to visit central Bhutan (Bumthang, Phobjikha). For that, look at a 7 day or longer itinerary.
• You cannot manage a few hours of uphill walking at altitude and do not want to skip the Tiger’s Nest.

Booking a trip with sikkimtourism.org starts with an advance payment. That upfront sum holds your reservation firmly, and the remaining balance is settled before any service starts, at departure or once you reach the destination. The advance we quote is not fixed. It moves with the type of services you have booked and the time left between your booking and your start date.

In the busiest weeks we may ask for payment in full instead of a part advance. Think of the Christmas to New Year window, when demand spikes and prices for hotels and transport jump across the board, so reserve early. We accept payment by wire transfer to our bank.

Confirmed days can be changed, cancelled or cut short only if you tell us in writing at least 30 days ahead, and only if space allows. Inside that 30-day window we are unable to amend, postpone or cancel, and the full package cost is held. A no-show earns no refund, and unused nights or leaving early are not credited back.

Guests with an international bank account cover any bank fees on the refund themselves. We return money by the same method you paid with, and cash payments come back by cheque or online transfer. Once we have your written cancellation, the refund process begins within five working days. Any refund falling outside this policy carries a 10% premium plus 18% tax.

Important: no refunds on bookings made from 01 March 2026 to 15 July 2027, or from 15 December 2026 to 15 January 2027.