Family tour · 8 days, 7 nights

8 Day Bhutan Family Tour with Kids: Takins, Archery, Rafting and the Tiger's Nest

A family week built around short drives and hands-on days: meet the takin, try archery, raft a gentle river in Punakha, cook in a farmhouse and walk to the Tiger’s Nest at your children’s pace.

Under 6

Children pay no SDF

Half

SDF for ages 6 to 11

4.5 h

Longest drive of the trip

Private

Guide and car for your family

Trip overview

Bhutan with children works better than you think

Parents often ask whether Bhutan is right for kids. In our experience it is one of the easiest countries in Asia to travel with children. It is safe, clean and calm. Food is fresh and can be made mild. Distances are short in the west of the country. And because every trip is private, your guide and driver work around nap times, snack stops and the moment someone needs a break.

This week is built for families with children from about 5 to 15. Drives are kept short, with the longest about four and a half hours. Each day has something to do with hands, not just eyes: shooting a bamboo bow, spinning giant prayer wheels, making momos in a farmhouse, rafting a gentle river, and finally walking up to the Tiger’s Nest, with ponies to help small legs.

Children pay less too. Under 6 they pay no Sustainable Development Fee at all, and from 6 to 11 they pay half. We plan the route, the hotels and the pace around the ages in your family.

Highlights

What kids remember

The takin

Bhutan's national animal, at the Motithang Takin Preserve in Thimphu.

Archery

A go with a bamboo bow, and a match if one is on.

Rafting

A gentle stretch of river below Punakha Dzong.

Farmhouse cooking

Making momos and ema datshi with a Bhutanese family.

Tiger's Nest

Walking, or riding a pony, up to the cliff monastery.

Dzongs

Fortresses with giant doors, courtyards and monks at work.

Itinerary at a glance

Eight days, short drives

We adjust every day to your children’s ages, energy and interests.

Day 1: Arrive, to Thimphu

Land in Paro, drive to Thimphu, rest.

Day 2: Thimphu

Takin Preserve, archery, Folk Heritage Museum, Buddha Dordenma.

Day 3: To Punakha

Dochula pass, Punakha Dzong, suspension bridge.

Day 4: Punakha

Rafting on the Mo Chhu, Chimi Lhakhang through the rice fields.

Day 5: To Paro

Back over Dochula, Paro town, the archery ground.

Day 6: Paro

National Museum, a farmhouse cooking lesson, Kyichu Lhakhang.

Day 7: Tiger's Nest

Hike or ride a pony to Paro Taktsang.

Day 8: Depart

Transfer to Paro airport.

Day 1

Arrive and settle in

Your guide meets the family at Paro airport and drives you about an hour to Thimphu, stopping at Tamchog Lhakhang, a temple reached by an iron chain bridge that children love. The afternoon is for rest. In the evening, a walk along the river and dinner at the hotel.

Day 2

Takins, bows and a giant Buddha

The morning starts at the Motithang Takin Preserve, home of the takin, a strange goat-antelope that is Bhutan’s national animal. Your guide tells the legend of how the Divine Madman made the first one. Next is archery: a local coach shows the family how to shoot a bamboo bow at a closer target.

After lunch you visit the Folk Heritage Museum, a traditional farmhouse with tools, kitchens and games, then Buddha Dordenma, the huge seated Buddha above the city.

Day 3

Over the pass to Punakha

The road climbs to Dochula, at about 3,100 metres, where children can run between the 108 chortens and hang prayer flags. Then it drops into the warm Punakha valley. In the afternoon you visit Punakha Dzong, crossing a wooden bridge over the river to reach it, and walk the long swinging suspension bridge over the Pho Chhu, which most kids want to cross twice.

Day 4

A day on the river

In the morning the family rafts a gentle stretch of the Mo Chhu with a licensed rafting crew, ending near Punakha Dzong. Helmets and life jackets are provided, and the crew decides the minimum age on the day according to the water level. If the river is too high, we swap it for a picnic and a riverside walk.

After lunch you walk through rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang, a small temple on a hill, passing the village of Sopsokha with its brightly painted houses.

Day 5

On to Paro

You drive back over Dochula to Paro, about four and a half hours with stops for snacks and photos. In the afternoon you walk around Paro town and its colourful shops, and visit Rinpung Dzong across the traditional covered bridge.

Day 6

A day in a Paro farmhouse

The National Museum in the old watchtower above Paro has masks, stamps and stuffed Himalayan animals that keep children busy. Then you visit a farmhouse, where the family shows you how to make momos and ema datshi, the national dish of chillies and cheese, made mild for young tastes. After lunch together, you visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, with its orange trees and prayer wheels.

Day 7

Up to the Tiger's Nest

The Tiger’s Nest is the big day. The full walk is five to six hours return, with plenty of breaks. Ponies can carry children and tired adults to the cafeteria halfway up, which has a fine view of the monastery. Families with small children often stop there; older children usually want to go on to the viewpoint and the monastery itself. Your guide will help you decide on the day.

Day 8

Fly home

After breakfast your guide drives the family to Paro airport for your flight home.

Where you stay

Hotels with family rooms or connecting rooms, and gardens to run around in.

Nights	Place	Where you stay	Why we chose it
1 and 2	Thimphu	3-star or 4-star hotel	Family rooms
3 and 4	Punakha	3-star or 4-star hotel	Garden and river views
5 to 7	Paro	3-star or 4-star hotel	Close to the Tiger's Nest trailhead

Tell us the ages of your children and we will choose rooms and hotels that suit them.

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
Archery lesson, rafting and farmhouse cooking lesson
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
Pony hire on the Tiger's Nest trail

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 family tour.

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

Children pay less SDF, and family rooms keep hotel costs down. Tell us the ages of everyone travelling.

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 a Bhutan trip with kids

SDF for children

Children under 6 pay no Sustainable Development Fee. Children aged 6 to 11 pay half, USD 50 a night, and from 12 they pay the full USD 100. These rates are confirmed until 31 August 2027. Every child still needs a visa, which costs USD 40. We file all the paperwork for the family. Read our SDF guide for the full rules.

Best ages and seasons

Children from about 5 years old get the most out of this trip. Younger children are welcome, but the Tiger’s Nest will be a pony ride or a shorter walk. School holidays work well: April and October have the best weather, and the Christmas break is cold but clear. The monsoon, June to August, is fine for families who don’t mind rain, and hotels are quieter.

Food for children

Bhutanese food uses a lot of chilli, but every hotel and restaurant can make mild versions. Rice, noodles, momos, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruit are easy to find. Your guide can order ahead for fussy eaters. Bring familiar snacks for the car, and drink only bottled or boiled water, which we provide in the car.

Health and altitude for kids

Paro and Thimphu are at about 2,200 to 2,300 metres. Most children adjust within a day. Keep them well watered and tell your guide if anyone has a headache or feels sick. The highest point of the trip is the Tiger’s Nest at about 3,120 metres, near the end. Bring any medicines your children use, plus sunscreen and hats; the sun is strong at altitude.

Documents for children

Every child needs their own passport, valid for at least six months, and a Bhutan visa, which we arrange online. If a child travels with only one parent, or with grandparents, bring a signed letter of consent from the other parent to avoid questions at the airport.

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.

What to pack

Layers, a warm jacket for mornings and evenings, good walking shoes, sunscreen and clothing that covers shoulders and knees for dzongs and temples. See our Bhutan packing list.

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.

Bhutan family tour: questions

How much does the family tour 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.

Is Bhutan safe for children?

Yes. It is one of the safest countries in Asia, with little traffic, low crime and friendly people.

Do children pay the SDF?

Under 6 they pay nothing. From 6 to 11 they pay half, USD 50 a night. From 12 they pay the full rate.

Can young children do the Tiger's Nest?

Many do, often on a pony to the halfway cafeteria. Older children usually walk all the way.

What is the minimum age for rafting?

The rafting crew decides on the day, based on the water level. If it is not suitable, we swap in a riverside picnic.

Can we get connecting rooms?

Yes, at most hotels on this route. Tell us your family size when you book.

Is the food too spicy for kids?

Hotels and restaurants make mild dishes on request. Your guide will help.