Home Asia Bhutan Bite-sized Trips Warm Welcomes & the Mighty Dzong
Warm Welcomes & the Mighty Dzong
3-Day Punakha Valley Tour - Bhutan
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Prices from £478 pp
All prices exclude international flights at the start/end of your trip. Let us book flights for you.
3 days / 2 nights (flexible)
Punakha - Traditional B&B
Overview
This Bhutan trip will take you on a journey through rural villages where time has stood still. You’ll see red chillies hanging out to dry in the sun, a rice farmer with a sickle harvesting his fields and Buddhist temples with white-washed walls. Admire the stunning Punakha Dzong from across the river, walk through the rice paddies to the temple of The Divine Madman then journey by car to spend the night at a traditional Bhutanese B&B.
What's included
- Accommodation – price based on 2 people sharing
- All meals and local drinks (e.g. tea and coffee)
- Transport with private driver
- English-speaking guide at your disposal
- Entrance fees as applicable
Create your own holiday itinerary 1. Add at least 3 chosen trips to your travel plan 2. Send it our way 3. Our travel specialists will get planning and send you a quote
Location map
Your day-by-day itinerary
Arrival in Punakha
Today you’ll travel to the Dochula Pass at 3,050m. At the top you can have a quick lunch break and soak up the spirit of the snowy Himalayan peaks. The climate is milder in the Punakha Valley and instead of pine forests, you’ll find fruit trees and vast rice fields. You’ll stay in a hotel, just outside the town. You could spend the afternoon taking a stroll to the Temple of the Divine Madman, in honour of a Tibetan monk who had a very unorthodox way of teaching Buddhism…
From Punakha to Homestay
After breakfast you’ll have some time to explore the village of Punakha. Take a walk along the banks of the river past the mighty Dzong. The colourful towers and white walls of this characteristic building form a striking contrast to the emerald green scenery and the turquoise rivers. This area is perfect for growing rice due to the large volumes of melt water from the mountain glaciers.
Here you’ll find the rarest rice in the entire world; red rice, harvested only once a year. After lunch, you’ll travel into Bhutan’s countryside, arriving at a local bed & breakfast late in the afternoon. This is where you’ll spend the night. The accommodation is simple and functional and you’ll have your own private room. This is a real opportunity to get a glimpse of Bhutanese village life.
Departure from Homestay
For breakfast you can enjoy a typical Bhutanese meal (likely containing chillies as they’re grown widely in this area). After breakfast you could take a hike through the valleys, across rice fields and a small uphill stretch to the road. Here your driver can wait to take you to your next destination.
Optional Day/Overnight Trip - Hot Springs
In Bhutan, hot springs are found all over the country and just a 3 hours drive from Punakha lies the Gasa hot springs. On arrival, you’ll take a walk to the springs located on the valley floor. This is a place for you to relax but the springs are also known for their healing powers. They’re believed to cure rheumatism, arthritis, ulcers, indigestion and even skin diseases! You can spend the day here or stay overnight in the local guesthouse – just let your travel specialist know.
Combine this trip with
Where to next? This trip goes together perfectly with these:
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