An Overview
The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan is a small yet geographically diverse country, where centuries of isolation, spectacular topography, and deep-rooted traditions have combined to create a unique travel destination that offers an extraordinary backdrop to our experiential adventure. In short, a sanctuary of impeccably-preserved, esoteric Tibetan Buddhist culture, and of course, self-proclaimed happiest place on the planet!
First introduced to Whistling Arrow by HRH Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, Honorary Director of the Explorers Club (of which Adrian is a long-standing fellow), it can be tempting to romanticize this once mystical land. In fairness, despite facing the challenges of modernization, Gross National Happiness does remain more than a mere slogan. It is central to the development of the country; an attempt to live in a way that's holistic, that strikes the right balance between economic and emotional well-being.
With Bhutan as our backdrop, this bespoke journey has been designed to showcase the 'Land of The Thunder Dragon' from within; by being hosted exclusively at family-owned properties, by hand-crafting immersive (and often private) cultural experiences, and by us attending a local Vajrayana festival on the only day foreigners are permitted to enter the monastery courtyard.
Hosted by Anita (yogini in chief) and Adrian (chief exploration officer), this second in our series of yoga-themed adventures (following on from Mongolia 2025) will again have us practicing our daily sun salutations in enchanting surroundings, notwithstanding of course the odd interuption from giggling children and bleating livestock! All this, while delivering a homey and warm-hearted level of comfort, so that we can engage with the natural beauty and local culture of Bhutan, with a sense of curiosity as active yoginis (and of course the odd yogi).
THE PLAN
With 8 nights in Bhutan, the plan will be to first rendezvous in Hong Kong (or Bangkok if more convenient for some), fly to, and stay overnight in, the Thai capital (we'll stay at the Banyan Tree with its spectacular sky bar) on October 15th, before catching the spectacular early morning flight to Paro the next morning. Once in Bhutan, we will visit and stay in three wonderful valleys, Wangdue, Punakha and Paro, in a total 4 different family-owned accommodations. Opportunities abound in each location for captivating hand-crafted experiences, ranging from beautiful off-the-beaten trail hikes, games of archery, private visits to local monasteries (and of course nunneries), guided meditations, astrology sessions by a reincarnate lama, Bhutanese cooking lessons, traditional healing, and last but not least, hot stone baths and wild swimming! We are also working on arranging a seldom-seen tantric fire-festival, and will also be attending the aforementioned Vajrayana festival at Dechenphu Gompa which celebrates the guardian deity Gay Ngyen Jakpa Melen with sacred mask dances and tantric rituals.
Our local Accommodations
While in Bhutan, our accommodations will all be family-run properties; offering a lovely mix of genuine, warm-hearted hospitality, beautiful settings, and all exclusively reserved for us during our stay. All of the small-scale lodges are clean, employ only local villagers, and from my own personal experience at least, offer a far more memorable and authentic experience than the generic luxury (and often extortionately priced) offerings provided by the likes of Aman and Como.
Please note that at each location the numbers of units is limited and so, as in Mongolia, everyone will likely have a 'trip wife' with whom you will share a room. All of the properties serve delicious, largely home grown, organic produce, with our first accommodation (where we will stay 2 nights) being entirely vegan.
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Downward Dog Anyone?
The daily routines will be fairly flexible, but we will likely begin each morning on property with a structured yoga and meditation session led by our yogini-in-chief, as well as no doubt also enjoying some additional impromptu sessions, a few fireside chats (the local Bhutanese wine is perfectly drinkable), and generally embracing the natural spiritualty of our surroundings. There will also be a couple of opportunities to arrange for our yoga practice to take place in uniquely customised settings.
Day To Day
October 15: Fly to Bangkok (IATA: BKK). There are multiple daily flights from Hong Kong that take around 3 hours. We will try to co-ordinate flight details from Hong Kong, and also arrange airport pick ups for those arriving from other destinations wherever possible. Tonight we will stay in the Banyan Tree, enjoy a sundowner in their spectacular rooftop bar, and a welcome dinner at my favourite Thai restaurant a short walk away.
October 16: The flight to Paro typically departs early in the morning and takes 3 hours 45 minutes, while the final approach is arguably one of the most dramatic in the world of commercial aviation. Arriving in Paro, we will then transfer to our first accommodation; a 3 hour drive that will take us over the spectacular Dochula Pass (where we will stop for lunch), to arrive at a beautiful eco-lodge, nestled in the hills of Wangdue, overlooking a small monastery. We will settle in, relax, stretch out our inbound journey, and enjoy a game of archery.
October 17: Each day of the adventure will have some fluidity, but this morning we will experience Lhabsang Truesel, a traditional welcome and cleansing ceremony performed by monks inside the local monastery. We will then set off on a beautiful 2 hour hike through the nearby villages (where we will also stop for a home-cooked lunch). Later in the day there will be time for some cooking lessons, where we will help our host collect and prepare Bhutanese vegan dishes for dinner.
October 18: Today we will enjoy morning yoga, and explore our surroundings before having lunch with the local young monks. After lunch, we will drive for an hour or so to our second destination, a lovely boutique farmstay overlooking Punakha Dzong. Here we will stay for the next 3 nights. Once we have settled in, we will begin our exploration of Punakha with a gentle hike up to Khamsum Yulley, a Buddhist temple with a stunning stupa and breathtaking vista over the valley.
October 19 & 20: Over the next two days we will visit Punakha Dzong (arguably the most spectacular in the country), arriving early to ensure relative quiet, before hiking through the padi fields to my friend's ancestral home for lunch. We will also drive up to Talo village and explore my favourite monastry in the area (there are also lovely local hikes around here), and call in on Sangchhen Dorji Lhendrup Nunnery where we can join in a session chanting with the resident nuns. A private yoga session on my friend's property overlooking the dzong can also be arranged, as can, if time permits, some gentle white water rafting. It is in Punakha that we will also plan a fire ceremony.
October 21 : This morning we will leave Punakha and drive to the Dechenphu festival on the outskirts of Thimphu. Here you will all be provided with custom-made kiras (colourful local dresses worn by Bhutanese ladies) for wearing at the festival (in fact we may also need to wear local dress to enter Talo Monastery in Punakha). The tantric mask dances and rituals are fascinating to experience alongside the locals. After the festivities wind down, we will then head to a nearby gompa for an astrological reading, before continuing on to our next destination in the hills above Paro valley where we will enjoy a sunset yoga session.
October 22 & 23: After our morning yoga we will be given a tour of the working farm, and plant an orchard tree as a lasting momento of our trip, before driving for an hour or so to our final destination; a beautifully secluded property located in the forest across the valley from the Tigers Nest. Here we will spend our final 2 nights. The hike up to the Tigers Nest is breathtaking (quite literally) in parts and takes about 3 to 4 hours there and back. The monastery is spectacular, particularly the sacred cave (where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated) above which it is precariously built. Before leaving Paro (and Bhutan) we will also arrange our traditional hot-stone baths. On our final evening we will enjoy a farewell dinner together with local Bhutanese music and singing.
October 24 : On our last morning we will drive up to Lhading Lhakhang, where we will arrange tea with the resident monks. On a good day the views of the snow-capped Himalayan range from here are spectacular. After a final lunch, we will catch our 4pm flight back to Bangkok. Please note that for those travelling onwards to Hong Kong it is not necessary to stay overnight in Bangkok, as there is a Hong Kong Airlines flight that connects in the early hours and will have us landing back (a little tired) in Hong Kong at 6am on the October 25th.
October 25: Arrive back in Hong Kong in the early morning. Please note that you also have the option of staying an extra night in Bangkok on October 24th but this is not included in the price of the trip.
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The Nitty Gritty
The group, including Anita and Adrian, will be limited to 12 people, and the fixed dates are October 15 to 25, 2026 (please note that it is not possible to join for just part of the trip). Please note that accommodations in Bhutan will involve two people sharing each room. In the interest of keeping the cost down I have also currently budgeted for us to share rooms at the Banyan Tree in Bangkok.
The cost of the trip (assuming 10 guests) will be USD 7250 (or the HKD equivalent) per person excluding flights to Bangkok. So, pretty much everything else (including return flights from Bangkok to Paro) is included except alcohol, shopping for souvenirs, and tips for the local guide and drivers. While undoubtedly a distinctive destination, Bhutan is a bit more expensive to visit, in part due to the USD 100 a day Sustainable Development Fee that is charged per visitor. I have done all I can to try and keep the budget as reasonable as possible, and do hope for your understanding with regards to the marginally higher cost.
As before, to confirm bookings, a 30% deposit will be required, with the balance payable 30 days before the departure date. Finally please note that the cost per person may need to be revised incrementally should there be less than 10 guests in total. Bookings will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis, and the booking deadline is December 5, 2025.
Tashi Delek!