Bhutan family trip in 6 nights

Day by day

The timetable

1. Day1

   Land at Paro, settle in Thimphu

   ≈ 50 km · 1–1.5 hThimphuDinnerThimphu guide

   Children love the landing at Paro, a visual approach down a valley between ridges. Show a passport or original Voter ID for each adult; children under 18 without a passport need their original birth certificate. Your guide meets you outside. The drive to Thimphu takes about an hour and a half with a tea stop at Chhuzom, where two rivers meet beside three chortens. After lunch, rest. Late afternoon, walk to Clock Tower Square and watch the policeman directing traffic by hand from his painted box: Thimphu has no traffic lights, which children always find hard to believe.

2. Day2

   Takin, archery and a giant Buddha

   ≈ 30 km in townThimphuBreakfast, dinnerThimphu guide

   Start at the Motithang Takin Preserve, where the national animal grazes in a fenced forest. Tell the children the legend: Drukpa Kunley, the Divine Madman, ate a cow and a goat, then stuck the goat's head on the cow's bones and the takin walked away. Then the Folk Heritage Museum, set in an old-style farmhouse. After lunch, the archery ground; archery became the national sport in 1971 and teams shoot at targets about 145 m away, singing and dancing when they hit. End at Buddha Dordenma, about 51.5 m high. Fees Nu 300–500 for adults, usually half for children, indicative 2026.

3. Day3

   Dochula and down to Punakha

   ≈ 75 km · 3.5–4 h with stopsPunakhaBreakfast, dinnerPunakha guide

   A relaxed start. At Dochula, 22 km and about 45 minutes from Thimphu at 3,100 m, children can count the 108 chortens and look for the snow peaks on a clear day. A little further down, the Royal Botanical Park at Lamperi has easy forest paths; entry Nu 100, indicative 2026. The road then drops to Punakha at about 1,250 m, warm enough for T-shirts much of the year. Afternoon by the hotel or a short walk along the river. If your children are older, the 20–30 minute walk through rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang, built in 1499, is easy and pretty.

4. Day4

   Punakha Dzong and the swinging bridge

   ≈ 30 km in the valleyPunakhaBreakfast, dinnerPunakha guide

   Cross the wooden cantilever bridge into Punakha Dzong, built in 1637–38 where the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu meet. It looks like a fortress from a storybook, and it was the seat of government until 1955. The first king was crowned here in 1907. Entry Nu 500 for adults, indicative 2026. Then walk across the long suspension bridge over the Pho Chhu, hung with prayer flags, which sways gently as you cross; hold small hands. Picnic lunch on the riverbank. Families with teenagers can ask us about a gentle rafting float on the river in the right season.

5. Day5

   To Paro and a farmhouse evening

   ≈ 130 km · 4–4.5 hParoBreakfast, dinnerParo guide

   The longest drive of the trip, broken into two halves: over Dochula to Thimphu for lunch, then on to Paro. Late afternoon we visit a farmhouse in the Paro valley. The family shows you the house, often with the altar room upstairs, and serves dinner: red rice, kewa datshi with potato and cheese, ema datshi for those who like chilli, and butter tea. Parents can book a hot stone bath, ₹1,500–3,000, where river stones heated in a fire warm a wooden tub. Children usually prefer to watch the stones go in.

6. Day6

   Tiger's Nest at a family pace

   ≈ 30 km round tripParoBreakfast, dinnerParo guide

   Start by 7.30 am from the car park at about 2,600 m. The cafeteria viewpoint, roughly halfway, is a good target for families with children under 10: about 1–1.5 hours up, with the temple in full view across the gorge. Older children who walk regularly can go the whole way, about 500 m of climbing to about 3,120 m and 4–6 hours return. Tell them the legend: Guru Rinpoche flew here on a tigress. Entry to the temple Nu 1,000 for adults, indicative 2026. Afternoon at Rinpung Dzong, consecrated in 1646, and the National Museum.

7. Day7

   Fly out of Paro

   ≈ 10 km · 15 minBreakfastParo guide

   Most flights from Paro leave in the morning. Reach the airport 2 hours before departure with every family member's ID and Entry Permit. Pack snacks and a book: Paro flights depend on visibility and can be delayed. Keep a buffer of several hours before onward trains or flights from Bagdogra, Kolkata or Delhi. If you have time, buy small souvenirs on Paro's main street: prayer flags, woven bags and postage stamps, which Bhutan has long been known for. Drukair and Bhutan Airlines change schedules by season; check current status before you travel.