Cultural tour · 7 days, 6 nights

7 Day Bhutan Tour with the Haa Valley

Thimphu, Punakha and Paro with a day over Chele La, the highest road pass in western Bhutan, to the quiet Haa valley and its White Temple, plus the Tiger’s Nest.

7 days

6 nights

3,988 m

Chele La pass

2002

Year Haa opened to visitors

Private

Guide, car and driver

Trip overview

The classic week, with a hidden valley

This plan takes the classic first week in Bhutan and adds a day in the Haa valley. Haa lies west of Paro, over Chele La, the highest motorable pass in western Bhutan at about 3,988 metres. The valley only opened to visitors in 2002, and it still feels far from the main tourist route: farmhouses, barley fields, small temples and very few other travellers.

The drive over Chele La is a highlight in itself. On clear mornings, especially from October to February, Jomolhari and the peaks along the Tibetan border stand out behind the prayer flags. In Haa we visit Lhakhang Karpo, the White Temple, and walk through a village. The rest of the week covers Thimphu, Dochula, Punakha Dzong and the Tiger’s Nest.

Highlights

What you will see

Chele La

About 3,988 metres, with Jomolhari on clear mornings.

Haa valley

Quiet farmland opened to visitors in 2002.

Lhakhang Karpo

The White Temple of Haa, said to date from the 7th century.

Punakha Dzong

The 1637 fortress at the meeting of two rivers.

Buddha Dordenma

The giant bronze Buddha above Thimphu.

Tiger's Nest

Paro Taktsang on its cliff.

Itinerary at a glance

Seven days with a hidden valley

An overnight homestay in Haa can be added if you have one more day.

Day 1: Arrive, to Thimphu

Land in Paro, drive to Thimphu, Memorial Chorten.

Day 2: Thimphu

Buddha Dordenma, takin, crafts, Tashichho Dzong.

Day 3: To Punakha

Dochula pass, Punakha Dzong, Chimi Lhakhang.

Day 4: To Paro

Khamsum Yulley Namgyal walk, drive to Paro, Rinpung Dzong.

Day 5: Haa valley

Chele La, Lhakhang Karpo, Lhakhang Nagpo, village walk.

Day 6: Tiger's Nest

Hike to Paro Taktsang, Kyichu Lhakhang, farmhouse dinner.

Day 7: Fly out

Transfer to Paro airport.

Day 1

Arrive in Bhutan

Your guide meets you at Paro airport for the hour’s drive to Thimphu. After lunch we visit the National Memorial Chorten and walk through the centre. The afternoon is kept easy so you can adjust to the altitude.

Day 2

A day in the capital

We visit Buddha Dordenma on the ridge above the city, the takin at Motithang, the Institute for Zorig Chusum and the Jungshi paper factory. After office hours, Tashichho Dzong, the seat of the government and the central monk body, opens to visitors.

Day 3

Over Dochula to Punakha

The road crosses Dochula, at about 3,100 metres, with its 108 chortens. In the warm Punakha valley we visit Punakha Dzong, built in 1637, and walk through rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang, the temple of the Divine Madman.

Day 4

Punakha morning, Paro afternoon

A morning walk up to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten gives a wide view of the Punakha valley. We then drive to Paro, about four hours, and visit Rinpung Dzong and the covered bridge below it in the late afternoon.

Day 5

Over Chele La to the Haa valley

We leave early for Chele La, about 1.5 hours up through forest from Paro, to catch the clearest views. At about 3,988 metres, the pass is hung with thousands of prayer flags. On a clear day you can see Jomolhari, at 7,326 metres, to the north.

The road drops into the Haa valley, where we visit Lhakhang Karpo, the White Temple, and Lhakhang Nagpo, the Black Temple, both linked by legend to the 7th-century Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo. After lunch with a local family, we walk through a village and return over the pass to Paro. With an extra day, you can stay overnight in a Haa farmhouse instead.

Day 6

Hike to the Tiger's Nest

The path to Paro Taktsang climbs through pine forest to a café viewpoint in about 1.5 hours and reaches the monastery, at about 3,120 metres, after another hour. Most people take 4 to 6 hours. On the way back we stop at Kyichu Lhakhang, and a farmhouse dinner ends the week.

Day 7

Farewell to Bhutan

Your guide and driver take you to Paro airport in time for your flight. Morning departures are the most reliable.

Where you stay

Three hotels in six nights, plus an optional Haa homestay.

Nights	Place	Where you stay	Why we chose it
1 to 2	Thimphu	3-star or 4-star hotel	Central
3	Punakha	3-star or 4-star hotel	Near the dzong
4 to 6	Paro	3-star or 4-star hotel, or a luxury lodge	Base for Haa and the Tiger's Nest

A farmhouse homestay in Haa can replace one Paro night if you add a day.

What the price covers

Included and not included

Included

Bhutan visa (USD 40) and the Sustainable Development Fee for every night
Hotels as listed, 3-star as standard, with 4-star and luxury upgrades on request
All meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
A licensed English-speaking guide for the whole trip
Private car or SUV with a Bhutanese driver, and all transfers
Entry fees to dzongs, temples and museums
Bottled water in the car

Not included

International flights into and out of Paro (we can book them for you)
Travel insurance, which we strongly recommend
Drinks, laundry and other personal costs
Tips for your guide and driver
Anything not listed under included

Price on request

Tell us your budget and we will send our best price

We don’t publish one fixed price, because hotels, season and group size change the total a lot. Tell us your dates, who is travelling and the budget you have in mind. We will reply within 24 hours with our best price for this 7 day trip.

How we price

What decides the cost of this trip

Government fees

The SDF is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, plus a USD 40 visa. These are fixed by the Government of Bhutan and paid through us.

Hotels you choose

Hotel style is the biggest factor. A Haa homestay is a good-value, memorable option.

Season and dates

Spring and autumn are peak season. Winter and summer dates are often easier to price well.

Group size

Guide and car costs are shared, so the price per person drops for two, three or four travellers.

We send a written, itemised quote before you pay anything. No booking fees.

Good to know

Planning notes for Haa

About the Haa valley

Haa sits at about 2,700 metres in the far west of the country, close to the border with Tibet. Its people farm barley, wheat, potatoes and buckwheat, and the valley is known for hoentay, buckwheat dumplings filled with turnip leaves and cheese, which your host may cook for lunch. There is a small army base in the valley, so some areas are off limits, and your guide will tell you where you can walk and take photographs.

Farmhouse homestays in Haa are simple: a clean room, shared bathroom, wood stove and home cooking. Most guests remember the evening with the family more than any temple. If you can add one day to this trip, we strongly suggest a night there.

Chele La weather

Chele La can be below freezing at dawn even when Paro is mild, and the road can close briefly after heavy snow in winter. Bring a warm layer. The Haa Tshechu is expected on 6 to 8 November 2027 if you want to add a festival.

Best time to go

March to May brings rhododendrons and warm valley days. October and November have the clearest skies and the best mountain views. December to February is cold, bright and quiet, with cranes in Phobjikha. June to August is the monsoon: green and peaceful, with rain most afternoons. Our month-by-month guide has more detail.

Altitude

Paro sits at about 2,200 metres and Thimphu at about 2,300. Most people feel fine after a slow first day. Drink plenty of water, go easy on alcohol at first, and tell your guide about headaches or poor sleep. The Tiger’s Nest, at about 3,120 metres, comes later in the trip for this reason.

Temple etiquette

Cover shoulders and knees in dzongs and temples, take off hats, and walk clockwise around chortens and prayer wheels. Photography is not allowed inside shrine rooms. Your guide explains each place before you go in. Read more in our Bhutan travel rules guide.

Visa, SDF and guide rules

Every visitor except Indian nationals needs a visa, which costs USD 40 and is issued online before you fly. The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, with half rates for children aged 6 to 11. A Department of Tourism notice from April 2026 confirms that visitors travel with a licensed guide. We file the visa and pay the SDF for you. Read more in our Bhutan visa guide and SDF guide.

Flying into Paro

Only Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly into Paro, mainly from Bangkok, Delhi, Kathmandu, Kolkata and Singapore. Pilots land by sight between the ridges, so morning flights are the most reliable. We suggest a night in your hub city on the way in. Our flights to Bhutan page lists every route.

7 day Bhutan tour with Haa: questions

How much does the 7 day Bhutan tour with Haa cost?

It depends on your hotels, group size and dates. Tell us your budget and we will reply within 24 hours with our best price, including the SDF, visa, hotels, meals, guide and car.

Why visit the Haa valley?

It is quiet, rural and rarely visited, with old temples and a beautiful drive over Chele La.

Can we stay overnight in Haa?

Yes, in a farmhouse homestay if you add a day.

Is Chele La open all year?

Usually, though snow can close it briefly in winter.

Will we see Jomolhari?

On clear mornings, mostly from October to February.

Is the Tiger's Nest included?

Yes, on day six.

When should we book?

Two to four months ahead for spring and autumn.