7 days, 6 nights
A week through the three western valleys. Choose this if these are your main stops and you can leave Phobjikha for another trip.
$1,740 per adult
View the Essential Bhutan Journey
Bhutan itinerary: how many days do you need?
Five days can cover Paro and Thimphu well. Seven adds Punakha. Ten reaches Phobjikha without rushing, and fourteen opens up central Bhutan.
Pick the shortest trip that still fits what matters
Compare the road days and time in each place before choosing. Prices use our standard package calculator for two adults sharing, with SDF and visa included. International flights and optional upgrades are excluded.
5 daysCompact paceParo · ThimphuBest for: A focused short visit.Adult SDF $400 · About $1,160 per person with Standard 3-star hotelsRead the 5-day itinerary →
7 daysBest first tripBalanced paceThimphu · Punakha · ParoBest for: Most first-time visitors.Adult SDF $600 · About $1,740 per person with Standard 3-star hotelsSee the 7-day tour →Or read the 7-day guide, day by day
10 daysRelaxed paceParo · Thimphu · Punakha · PhobjikhaInto Phobjikha, the crane valleyBest for: More nature and a slower rhythm.Adult SDF $900 · About $2,610 per person with Standard 3-star hotelsRead the 10-day itinerary →
14 daysImmersive paceWestern and central BhutanCustom routes into central Bhutan's temple valleysBest for: Time to explore central Bhutan.Adult SDF $1,300 · About $3,770 per person with Standard 3-star hotelsRead the 14-day itinerary →
Turn your itinerary into a private tour
A planning route helps you choose where to spend your time. A tour page gives you the day-by-day arrangements, inclusions and booking options. Our five-day guide stays in Paro and Thimphu; the five-day Highlights tour also visits Punakha, so expect a busier route. Ask us to tailor it if you prefer fewer stops.
Seven or ten days in Bhutan?
Choose seven days for Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, with a day for Tiger's Nest. Ten days gives you three extra nights: our Culture & Nature Escape uses two of them in Phobjikha. You can also ask for a longer stay in the western valleys if fewer hotel changes suit you better.
10 days, 9 nights
Adds two nights in Phobjikha, including a full day for a valley walk or Gangtey Monastery. Allow for the extra mountain-road travel and colder nights.
$2,610 per adult
View the Culture & Nature EscapeAt current standard rates, the three extra nights add $870 per adult, including SDF. Both totals include the one-time visa fee. Your quote confirms the price and arrangements for your group and dates. If the valley is the deciding factor, read our Phobjikha visit and overnight guide. For either length, check flights before allocating your final day to sightseeing.
Three decisions before you add another valley
A good Bhutan itinerary is not the longest list of places. It is a route that still works when a flight moves, clouds hide a pass, or you want an unplanned hour with your guide.
Road time matters
Bhutan looks compact on a map, but mountain roads turn short distances into real travel days. Add valleys only when the trip has room for them.
Every night changes the SDF
The current Sustainable Development Fee is $100 per adult per night, so trip length changes the fixed government cost as well as hotels and transport.
Flights and festivals set the frame
Start with international flight availability and any must-see festival dates. Build the road route inside that frame, with a buffer before departure.
Bhutan itinerary questions
What is the best Bhutan itinerary for a first visit?
For most first visits, seven days through Paro, Thimphu and Punakha works well. It covers Tiger's Nest, Punakha Dzong, the capital and the Paro valley with two nights in each place, so you are not packing a bag every morning. With only five days, stay with Paro and Thimphu. With ten, add Phobjikha.
Read the 7-day Bhutan itineraryDo trip lengths include the arrival and departure days?
Yes. A seven-day itinerary means arriving on day one and flying out on day seven, so it has six nights. The Sustainable Development Fee and hotels are charged per night, which is why each extra day adds to the cost.
Work out a budget in the trip cost calculatorCan I change one of these itineraries?
Yes. Treat them as starting points. You can book one of our private tours as it is, or change the hotels, the number of days or the pace before you book. If none of them fits, tell us your dates and interests and we will plan a route around them.
Plan a custom itineraryDo the itineraries include a guide and driver?
Every visitor travels with a licensed Bhutanese guide, so every route here assumes one. Our private tours also include a driver and private vehicle, hotels, meals, entry fees, the SDF and the visa. On a custom trip you choose which of those we arrange.
How travelling with a guide worksWhich route suits a slower pace?
The ten-day route through Paro, Thimphu, Punakha and Phobjikha has the most breathing room, including two nights in Phobjikha for walks in the valley. Phobjikha does add mountain-road time. On any route, fewer hotel changes make a trip feel slower, often more than adding extra days.
See the 10-day Bhutan itineraryCan I plan my itinerary around a festival?
Yes, but the festival dates come first and the route is built around them. Dates follow the lunar calendar and change every year. Festival weeks are also the busiest hotel weeks in Paro and Thimphu, so plan early. If you would rather travel on set dates with others, our small group festival trip is built around a tshechu.
Check the festival calendarCan I reach Bumthang or central Bhutan?
Yes, with around two weeks. Bumthang is a long drive east of Punakha, so it does not fit into a seven or ten-day trip without rushing. Our fourteen-day route adds central Bhutan's temple valleys at a pace that leaves time to see them.
See the 14-day Bhutan itineraryNot sure which length to choose?
Answer five quick questions about your time, interests and pace, and we will suggest the tours and routes that fit. You can also compare all of our private tours side by side.
Find your trip in five questionsStart with your dates, not a rigid package
Share your flight window, interests and preferred pace. We'll recommend the shortest route that doesn't feel rushed and send an itemised quote, with no payment required.