Walking tour · 10 days, 9 nights · hotel nights only

10 Day Bhutan Walking Tour: Day Hikes from Comfortable Hotels

Ten days of day hikes in Paro, Haa, Thimphu and Punakha: Tiger’s Nest, Chele La ridges, Tango and Cheri monasteries, Lungchutse above Dochula and rice-field walks, with a hotel bed every night.

Day hikes

3,800 m

Highest point, about

Nights camping

Moderate

Walking grade

Trip overview

See Bhutan on foot, sleep in a real bed

Many travellers want to walk in Bhutan without camping. This trip is built for them. Every day has a hike of two to six hours on old foot trails between monasteries, villages and passes, and every night is in a comfortable hotel. You see the main sights of Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, but you reach many of them on foot, the way pilgrims and farmers still do.

The hikes are chosen for variety. There is the Tiger’s Nest, of course, but also a ridge walk from Chele La down to a hillside nunnery, the climb to Tango and Cheri monasteries above Thimphu, the trail from Dochula to Lungchutse temple with its wide Himalayan views, and gentle walks through Punakha’s rice terraces. Your guide adjusts the length of each walk to the group, and the car is never far away.

Highlights

Hikes on this trip

Tiger's Nest

The classic climb to Paro Taktsang.

Chele La ridge

From the pass to Kila Goemba nunnery.

Tango and Cheri

Two monasteries above the Thimphu valley.

Lungchutse

A forest climb from Dochula to a hilltop temple.

Punakha terraces

Rice-field paths to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal.

Paro villages

Farm trails and a hot stone bath to finish.

Itinerary at a glance

Ten days on foot

Hike lengths can be shortened or extended day by day.

Day 1: Arrive, Zuri Dzong walk

Land in Paro, walk to Zuri Dzong and the museum.

Day 2: Tiger's Nest

Hike to Paro Taktsang and Kyichu Lhakhang.

Day 3: Chele La to Kila Goemba

Drive to Chele La, ridge walk down to the nunnery.

Day 4: To Thimphu

Drive to Thimphu, walk to Changangkha and the city.

Day 5: Tango and Cheri

Hike to Tango monastery and Cheri Goemba.

Day 6: Dochula to Lungchutse

Hike from Dochula to Lungchutse temple, drive to Punakha.

Day 7: Punakha valley walks

Khamsum Yulley Namgyal, Punakha Dzong, Chimi Lhakhang.

Day 8: Back to Paro

Drive back to Paro, Simtokha Dzong, afternoon free.

Day 9: Paro villages

Village walk, Dzongdrakha cliff temples, farmhouse dinner.

Day 10: Fly out

Transfer to Paro airport.

Day 1

Arrive and stretch your legs

Your guide meets you at Paro airport. After lunch, an easy walk through pine forest above the town leads to Zuri Dzong, a small fortress-temple with views over the valley and runway, then on to the National Museum and down to Rinpung Dzong. About two hours of gentle walking.

Day 2

Hike to the Tiger's Nest

The classic hike. The trail climbs through pine forest to a café viewpoint in about 1.5 hours, then reaches Paro Taktsang, at about 3,120 metres, after another hour. Most walkers take 4 to 6 hours for the round trip. On the way back, we visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.

Day 3

Ridge walk from Chele La

We drive up to Chele La, at about 3,988 metres, early for the clearest view of Jomolhari. From the pass, a trail follows the ridge through rhododendron and then drops through forest to Kila Goemba, a nunnery built against the cliff, where nuns live in small retreat houses. The car meets us below. In spring, the rhododendrons along this walk are spectacular.

Day 4

To the capital

The drive to Thimphu takes about an hour. We walk up to Changangkha Lhakhang, a 12th-century temple above the city, then along the Motithang trail to the takin preserve and down to the centre. In the late afternoon, Tashichho Dzong opens to visitors.

Day 5

Two monasteries above Thimphu

At the north end of the valley, a trail climbs through forest to Tango, a monastic university where young monks study, in about an hour. After lunch, a second walk crosses a wooden bridge and climbs to Cheri Goemba, founded in 1620 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, Bhutan’s first monastic community. Monks in long retreat live in the buildings above.

Day 6

The Lungchutse hike from Dochula

From Dochula pass, a trail climbs through moss-hung forest and rhododendron to Lungchutse Lhakhang, at about 3,560 metres. On a clear day the view from the temple takes in a long sweep of the high Himalaya. The walk takes three to four hours return. Afterwards we drive down to the warm Punakha valley.

Day 7

Rice-field walks in Punakha

In the morning we walk up through rice terraces to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, then visit Punakha Dzong, built in 1637. In the afternoon, a walk through fields and a village leads to Chimi Lhakhang, the temple of the Divine Madman. You can also cross the long suspension bridge or float down the Mo Chhu.

Day 8

Back west to Paro

We drive back over Dochula, stopping at Simtokha Dzong, built in 1629. The afternoon in Paro is free for a massage, shopping or a short walk along the river.

Day 9

A village walk in Paro

A gentle last walk through farms on the west side of the Paro valley to Dzongdrakha, a group of small temples on a cliff, sometimes called the little Tiger’s Nest. In the evening, dinner in a farmhouse and a hot stone bath, the traditional cure for tired legs.

Day 10

Farewell to Bhutan

Your guide and driver take you to Paro airport in time for your flight.

Where you stay

Hotel nights only.

Nights	Place	Where you stay	Why we chose it
1 to 3	Paro	3-star or 4-star hotel	Base for Tiger's Nest and Chele La
4 to 5	Thimphu	3-star or 4-star hotel	Base for Tango and Cheri
6 to 7	Punakha	3-star or 4-star hotel	Base for valley walks
8 to 9	Paro	3-star or 4-star hotel	Close to the airport

Luxury lodges in Paro and Punakha suit this trip well.

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 walking 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

Hotel style and season are the main factors. Groups share the guide and car.

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 a walking tour

How fit do I need to be?

If you can walk four to six hours with some uphill sections, you will enjoy every day. Most walks can be shortened, and the car meets you at the end. Bring broken-in walking shoes, a light rain jacket and a small day pack. Read our Tiger’s Nest hike guide for a feel of the trails.

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.

Bhutan walking tour: questions

How much does the 10 day walking 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.

Do we camp on this trip?

No. Every night is in a hotel. If you want one night out, add the Bumdra trek.

How long are the walks?

From 2 to 6 hours, mostly easy to moderate.

Can non-walkers in the group join?

Yes. The car can take them to the end of each walk.

What is the best season?

March to May for rhododendrons, October and November for clear views.

Do we need trekking poles?

They help on descents like Chele La and the Tiger’s Nest.

When should we book?

Two to four months ahead.