Your adventure starts from the moment you breathe in the fresh air as you descend the stairs of the plane, your hassle-free smooth check-out at Immigrations and finally seeing your smiling tour guide and driver at the Airport gate.  

Depending on the time of your flight, either have your lunch in Paro town or a quick coffee and snacks before driving on to Thimphu for an hour. From the town drive on to your Amankora Lodge where your personal butler will make sure you are comfortably checked in and well rested. The Aman Lodge in Thimphu is located on the outskirts amid pine trees and remains a secluded retreat with easy access to the city. 

As an introduction to this exotic tour, in the evening an elaborate banquet with various Bhutanese cuisine tasting will be arranged at the Lodge. 

While the tour is focused on Bhutanese cuisine however you wouldn’t want to miss out on the popular cultural attractions, so you also have the option to visit the lively Memorial Chorten and the spectacular gigantic Buddha Statue overlooking the valley, to the special visit to Tashi Chho Dzong / Fortress of Glorious Religion. The 1 ½ hour Wangdi Tse Dzong Hike is a leisurely leg stretching exercise with spectacular bird’s eye view of the Valley.

An open kitchen restaurant inside a supermarket in the heart of the city is where you can enjoy your lunch of various dishes from the different regions of the country all made with local organic ingredients. 

However, the Centenary Farmers Market is the place to be for a deeper understanding of the ingredients that constitute the Bhutanese palate and an insight into the food habits and cuisines of Bhutan. The market is one of the busiest place in the valley with farmers from all corners of Bhutan selling their organic produce. One ingredient that is widely seen in the market is the dried and fresh green chilies which has a significant place in all the Bhutanese Cuisines.

Be sure to pick some favorite fruits and vegetables for you to enjoy a cooking class back at your Lodge.

After a leisurely breakfast, drive for about 5 hours to Gangtey and Phobjika valleys. However this is not a straight drive and there are many interesting stops in between to stretch your legs and soak in the panoramic vistas of the Himalayas. 

The first stopover is at the Dochulaa Pass (3150 meters) to enjoy the spectacular views of the snow capped Himalayan Mountains. The 108 small stupas built over a small hill is also a beautiful sight with pilgrims circumambulating around it.   

The road from the Pass winds down to the warm and fertile valleys and after a brief rest visit the Fertility Temple / Chime Lhakhang. It is a pleasant 30 minutes walk through mustard and paddy fields. Standing on a picturesque hilltop the Lhakhang is famous for its fertility wish grants to couples. Inside the walls of the Lhakhang are beautiful frescoes depicting the colorful life of Lama Drukpa Kuenley, the Divine Madman regarded for his crazy methods of teaching which included blessing women in the form of copulation!

Enjoy your picnic lunch on a peaceful spot above the highway and continue drive till you reach Gangtey. Check out a yak herders camp and the famous potato fields of Gangtey and Phobjika valleys. These valleys are poplar for producing the most delicious high-altitude potatoes and a favorite ingredient in all the Bhutanese kitchen. 

Enjoy a relaxed evening at your Lodge with scenic views of the valley floor and the countryside. 

Gangtey, Phobjika and the surrounding villages are one of the most beautiful glacial valleys of Bhutan and a favorite with tourists. The valleys are also home to the endangered and graceful Black Necked Cranes in the winter and you can see them in the marshes in the middle of the valley.

After breakfast, you can visit the Gangtey Goemba Monastery and if interested also get a horoscope reading from the Astrologer. A must do is the short one and half hour Gangtey Nature Trail hike through the pine trees. 

After, visit some traditional farmhouses and watch the farmers as they go about their daily lives. Depending on the season you can even help out at their farm, where mostly potatoes, cruciferous vegetables, barley and wheat is grown. 

A special dinner of local delicacies from the valley will be arranged at the rustic potato shed of the Lodge. 

Today you will travel further into the central valley of Bumthang. The drive is scenic via the Pelela Pass at 3,420 meters and across quaint little highland villages of Sephu, Rukubjee, Chendebjee, Tangsibjee and many other small rural settlements along the way.

At the Trongsa viewpoint, enjoy the view of the majestic Trongsa Dzong/fortress of the vanguard of Warriors and the neighboring valleys. Located above the Dzong is the Watch Tower that has been converted to a Museum dedicated to the Dragon Kings of Bhutan. 

All along there are many beautiful spots where you can enjoy your picnic basket. 

From Trongsa it is another 2 hours to Bumthang via the Yotongla Pass at 3,400 meters. Enroute stop over at the Yathra Weaving center in Chumey village where you can watch men and women weavers at their loom weaving yak and sheep wool products.

The Aman Lodge in Bumthang is located in town opposite the Wangdichholing Palace. Enjoy a relaxed evening after the long drive. Dinner will be a selection of cuisines from Eastern Bhutan. 

Bumthang is one of the most beautiful valley also known as mini-Switzerland due to its similar spectacular landscape and countryside. Being at an altitude of about 2,900 meters’ rice was not grown until few years ago, therefore the staple diet of the Bumthang palate is wheat and buckwheat and various diary products.  

Enjoy a typical Bumthang breakfast which is a fusion of international with local ingredients and after, walk at a leisurely pace to the four temples of Jambay Lhakhang/temple, Kurjey Lhakhang, Tamzhing Lhakhang and Kenchosum Lhakhang. All the monasteries are ancient and with their unique history and beauty. In any one of the temples a Buddhist name-giving ceremony will be arranged for you to be christened with your own Bhutanese name. 

After lunch visit the Jakar Dzong/fortress of the White Bird and the Swiss factory/farmhouse where you can taste and or buy local beer, honey wine, Swiss cheese, clover honey, apple cider, apple brandy and other products. 

A special outdoors BBQ dinner will be arranged for you on the lawn, overlooking the palace and neighboring farmlands.

An excursion of the Tang valley will give you a fresh perspective of a community solely focused on agriculture and farming. Located about 1 ½ hour drive from your Lodge, Tang Valley is another remote and beautiful wide-open valley of Barley, Wheat and potato fields with the gentle Tang Chu (River) flowing in between the villages. 

Enroute stopover for a brief while to visit the Burning Lake / Mebar Tsho. Legend has it that the treasure discoverer Saint Pema Lingpa dived into the lake with a burning lamp and came out with the lamp still burning and laden with treasures. Treasures here meaning holy scriptures and artifacts hidden by Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) – the saint who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan and the most important and revered saint in Bhutan. 

At Tang valley, visit some traditional farmhouses replete with farm animals, paddy fields added on by an extensive farming of various fruits and vegetables. A visit to the Ogyen Choling Palace will take you back to the time of local Royalty/Feudal Landlord and if you are lucky you can meet Ashi Kunzang Choden, descendant of the local Royalty and also the first Bhutanese woman writer. She will regale you with stories of the past and give an insight into the feudal system and way of life in the olden days. 

And you will learn more about buckwheat, its cultivation and various recipes and about the exclusive Cordyceps. Cordyceps are caterpillar fungus grown in very high altitude about 3,500 meters and above thus making it very expensive. Classified as medicinal mushroom the Cordyceps have numerous health benefits including anti-aging, boost the immune system among many others.

Enjoy your sumptuous breakfast as you will be on the road for about seven hours with frequent stops in between at scenic points to stretch your legs. You will be driving all the way back to Trongsa and on to Punakha via the Divine Madman’s Temple. 

At Punakha, check into your luxurious Lodge overlooking paddy fields and orange orchards. Reached by crossing a suspension bridge over the Mo Chhu (Female river) the Lodge is a traditional Bhutanese Farmhouse built by a former Chief Abbot of Bhutan. Since Punakha is a sub-tropical valley you can enjoy the warm evening by their outdoors swimming pool. 

In the evening you will be introduced to Momos, a favorite snack among locals and visitors alike and also learn to make some. Momos are steamed dumplings filled with either veg and cheese or meat (beef, chicken, pork, mutton) and has an extremely dense savory taste appealing to everyone including first timers. 

After an early breakfast drive for a few minutes up north and walk for about an hour to Khamsum Yulley Namgyel Chorten stupa. The walk is beautiful through the pine trees and from the Stupa the view of the meandering river across scattered villages, the massive Punakha Dzong in the far distance and the paddy fields are a visual delight. 

Next visit the Punakha Dzong meaning the Fortress of Great Bliss, built in 1673 to commemorate the final victory against numerous Tibetan invasions. Located on a piece of land between two rivers Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu (literally meaning male and female rivers), the Dzong is massive, huge and magnificent in all its architectural grandeur. Although ravaged by flood, fire and earthquakes many times, the Dzong was always rebuilt with its original pattern and design.

Enjoy your picnic lunch by the banks of the Mo Chhu. 

You can either choose to relax at your Lodge or enjoy an excursion of Nobgang village which is about a half and hour’s drive from the main town. You can walk through the village, watch the villagers as they go about their daily farm-life and visit a traditional farmhouse, enjoy a cup of salted butter tea and interact with the local family. At the farmhouse the Aum (head of the family) will show you the traditional art of making ara – rice wine, zow – puffed rice which is a local snack best enjoyed with butter tea. A walk through the village will also acquaint you with tropical organic fruits grown in Punakha and the region.  

After a leisurely breakfast drive back to Paro for about three and half hours via the scenic Dochula Pass and Thimphu valley. Stopover at Thimphu valley to enjoy a traditional lunch at the Folk Heritage Museum that serves home-cooked local food with a variety of vegetables and meat. 

Continue your drive till you reach your Lodge in Paro. The Aman Lodge at Paro offers an atmospheric end to this Amankora Journey and a time to reflect on your experiences of the past few days. 

In the evening, drive for about 15 minutes to the Kyichu Lhakhang one of the oldest temple built in the 7th Century and has been visited and blessed by numerous renowned Buddhist saints over the centuries. The temple enjoys a peaceful and serene location away from the main town and though the structure is simple but abounds in many tantric and mythical wonderful stories that will take you back to the times of demons and saints and their battles. You can light the auspicious 108 butter lamps at the temple with a simple blessing ceremony for Happiness, Peace and Prosperity. 

Evenings are perfect for a walk, hike or cycle through the sleepy rural village till you reach the main Paro town. The small town is lined with cafes, eateries and handicraft shops that provides a perfect glimpse into the unique culture and traditions of Bhutan. 

A visit to the Namgay Artisanal Brewery is the perfect place to relax and unwind. Overlooking the valley and the airport strip, the place also offers dining options with musical performances by local artists during the weekends. 

At the brewery, you can enjoy a guided tour of the microbrewery followed by a beer tasting session of all the 8 different flavors produced – Red Rice Lager, Dark Ale, Wheat Beer, Indian Pale Ale, Milk Stout, Pilsner, Pineapple Gose and Apple Cider.  

With a small team from Aman you will enjoy this day on a farm and in the nearby forest foraging with live cooking lunch onsite. If you are visiting during monsoon (June-August) the nearby forests offer a range of mushrooms to fill your palate. 

On top of the above activities, if you have time then visit the Rinpung Dzong (Palace of Heaped Jewels) and the National Museum located above the Dzong. If you are up for a short hike then the leisurely trail from the Museum to Zuri Dzong is a moderate one and half hour hike with birds eye view of the Paro valley and its colorful houses and paddy fields.    

You can enjoy your evening tea with local snacks at a traditional farmhouse replete with farm animals, paddy fields and vegetable/fruit garden. Interact with the local family and exchange stories. 

Wear the traditional costumes and experience a game of traditional archery and darts with your guide and driver. 

Call in early for the night and rest well for your much anticipated hike to the Tiger’s Nest.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast for your hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery locally known as Taktsang Goemba. The hike to and excursion of the Tiger’s Nest Monastery is a full day activity normally taking about 3-4 hours uphill with the option of riding a pony till midway.

You can enjoy your BBQ lunch at the base of the Monastery. 

A special farewell dinner will be arranged for you back at the Lodge. Called the King’s Table Dinner, the menu features some Royal Bhutanese cuisine and His Majesty the Fifth King’s favorite dishes. 

Depending on the time of your flight your tour guide and driver will drop you to the Airport, or if it’s an afternoon flight you can continue exploring the valley and its popular attractions. 

***The above is only a proposed 13 days journey, however we can customize your itinerary and extend the number of days and add on more experiences as per your comfort and time.