Sleep: Paro (2,200m). Road: airport transfer only. Permit: Entry Permit checked on arrival.

Fly into Paro, the only international airport in Bhutan, on Druk Air or Bhutan Airlines. Your Entry Permit is verified at the airport, so keep your passport (six months’ validity) or Voter ID and a couple of passport photos handy. Resist the urge to rush. Take the afternoon slow with a walk around Paro town, Rinpung Dzong and the covered Nyamai Zam bridge. Do not attempt the Tiger’s Nest today. You want a night to adjust before anything strenuous.

Sleep: Thimphu (2,320m). Road: 1 to 1.5 hr, about 50 km. Permit: apply for the Route Permit today for Punakha.

It is a short, easy drive to Thimphu along the river. Thimphu is the only world capital with no traffic lights, and it is a gentle introduction to Bhutanese life. See the Buddha Dordenma statue looking over the valley, the National Memorial Chorten where locals circle all day, and Tashichho Dzong in the late afternoon light. The Takin Preserve is worth an hour for Bhutan’s odd national animal. Your operator arranges the Route Permit here, which you need to go beyond Thimphu to Punakha the next day.

Sleep: Punakha (1,200m). Road: about 3 hr, 86 km, climbing to Dochula at 3,100m.

This is a driving day, so start reasonably early and do not over stack the afternoon. The road climbs to Dochula Pass at 3,100m, marked by 108 chortens. On a clear morning the Himalayan skyline behind them is the reason to leave early, since cloud usually builds by midday. Then you descend a long way down to Punakha at just 1,200m, which is noticeably warmer and greener. Visit the Punakha Dzong at the meeting of two rivers, one of the finest buildings in the country, and walk the long suspension bridge if you have the legs for it.

Sleep: Paro (2,200m). Road: 4 to 4.5 hr, back over Dochula.

A short optional walk to Chimi Lhakhang through the rice fields is a nice start before the long drive back. This is the longest single drive of the trip, back up over Dochula and down to Paro, so break it up and keep motion-sickness tablets close if the bends bother you. Reach Paro by evening and rest, because tomorrow is the hard one.

Sleep: Paro (2,200m). Effort: 4 to 5 hr round-trip hike, roughly 900m of climb.

The Tiger’s Nest monastery hangs on a cliff high above the Paro valley, and reaching it is the highlight of any Bhutan trip. Start early, before the heat and the crowds. The climb is steep and takes around three hours up, with a cafeteria at the halfway point for tea and a breather. Horses can carry you as far as the cafeteria, but not beyond, and the final stretch of steps is all on foot. Carry water, wear proper shoes, and keep the afternoon free to recover. Do not schedule a long drive or a departure on the same day.

Sleep: Paro (2,200m). Road: Chele La is about 1 hr each way, up to around 3,988m.

Keep this day flexible on purpose. Paro flights and mountain weather are unpredictable, and having a spare day here is your insurance against a delay wrecking the Tiger’s Nest plan. If all has gone well, drive up to Chele La, one of the highest motorable passes in Bhutan at around 3,988m, for wide views and prayer flags. Or stay low with the National Museum, the ancient Kyichu Lhakhang and the Paro weekend market. This is also the day to buy any souvenirs.

Road: airport transfer.

Transfer to Paro airport for your flight home. If you have a late flight, there is time for a slow breakfast and a last walk by the river. Build in extra buffer if you are connecting through Delhi, Kolkata or Bagdogra, as Paro departures can shift with the weather.

Yes, 6 nights and 7 days is a comfortable amount of time for Paro, Thimphu and Punakha at a relaxed pace, including the Tiger’s Nest hike and a buffer day for weather. It is the sweet spot for most first-time Indian travellers. Add days only if you want Phobjikha or Bumthang.

Indian nationals need an Entry Permit, issued at Paro airport or online, using a valid passport (six months’ validity) or Voter ID. A Route Permit, arranged in Thimphu, is required to travel on to Punakha. Your operator processes both. The SDF of ₹1,200 per adult per night also applies.

It is a steep climb of roughly 900m over about three hours up, on a clear trail with a halfway cafeteria. Most reasonably fit travellers manage it with breaks. Start early, carry water and wear proper shoes. Horses go as far as the cafeteria but not to the top.

The Punakha to Paro leg on Day 4 is the longest at 4 to 4.5 hours, back over Dochula Pass. The Thimphu to Punakha drive on Day 3 is about 3 hours. Paro to Thimphu is the shortest at 1 to 1.5 hours. All roads are winding, so carry motion-sickness tablets if needed.

March to May and September to November give the best weather and clearest mountain views, with major festivals in both windows. These are peak months, so book flights and hotels two to three months ahead. June to August is monsoon and cheaper but wetter, with occasional Paro flight delays.