A Luxury Escape at Six Senses Bhutan

In the Morning Mindfulness with a Lama. A meditation sessionin our Prayer Pavilion is a meaningful way to begin your journey in the Kingdom, learning to focus on the present.

After breakfast visit National Memorial Chorten

Probably one of the most popular Thimphu points of interest, this chorten features as a daily place of worship in many natives’ lives. This Memorial Chorten is visited every day by elderly people, kids and other people on their way to offices, schools and back home. You will find beautiful mandalas and murals here. The large prayer wheels are coloured red in this chorten which sees hundreds daily who meditate here.

Dordenma Buddha statue

Atop a hill in Thimphu, the capital and largest city of Bhutan, is a massive, golden Buddha. 

Motithang Takin Preserve

The Motithang Takin Preserve also known as the Mini Zoo by many is a small natural preserve for the Takin – Bhutan’s national animal. This is a rare animal of the goat antelope family and a particular species is only found in Bhutan. The preserve is a forested preserve that mimics the Takin’s natural habitat, in addition to the Takin there are a few musk deer and barking deer that live inside the preserve. 

After lunch, hike a short distance to Lungsigang overlooks the property with breathtaking views of the entire Thimphu valley below. Hike a short distance uphill from our lodge and enjoy afternoon tea and energy-boosting Bhutanese snacks among the prayer flags and pine trees.

Visit Pangri Zampa Lhakhang, a 16th-century monastic school, for a private astrology reading and fortune telling session with a Buddhist monk. To learn your Bhutanese name, provide your place and time of birth, your parents’ names and their birth dates in advance and an entire birth chart will be revealed along with your new name on the day of your visit.

Overnight in Thimphu

After breakfast, drive to Punakha, on the way, stop at  Dochula Pass.

We won’t deny the fact that Dochula is a 40-minute drive from Thimphu but it is definitely worth the visit especially for those who are looking for Thimphu sightseeing places. Once here, you will witness 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens. 

In Punakha, check into a hotel.

After lunch take a bike ride to the river and the Punakha Dzong referred to as “The Palace of Great Happiness” its design and significance as the second oldest dzong in Bhutan.

Relax with riverside tea and refreshments then take a 20 minutes walk across the famous steel suspension bridge lined with prayer flags blowing gently in the breeze.

Overnight in Punakha.

Learn the ritual of making ara with farmer Ap Passang in this home at the nearby Sirigang Village. Made from rice, millet or wheat, ara can be fermented or distilled. Enjoyed at all social functions in Bhutanese life, this much loved local tipple is carried and stored in handcrafted wood and silver containers. Learn about Ap Passang’s daily life and discover his secret to producing top quality ara.

After lunch, 45 minutes hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyel chorten with the picturesque view of the rice terraces along the river.

Later visit Chimi Lhakhang, temple of Fertility blessed by Lam Drukpa Kuenley, who is known as the Divine Madman for his eccentric behaviors. He is also considered a symbol of fertility and many childless couples go to his temple for blessing.

After arriving back at the spa, select nurturing essential oils from the Alchemy Bar. Cultivate mindfulness in an outdoor meditation sala and continue your pursuit of peace and tranquility with an outdoor treatment.

Overnight in Punakha.

After breakfast, drive to Paro.

A stone’s throw from our lodge, Samtenling is a tiny 14th-century monastery. Inside the main courtyard, the single-story temple was built in the traditional Bhutanese style using stone and timber, and features statues as well as beautiful wall paintings of the Buddhist saints. Reflect on your journey as you light 108 auspicious butter lamps and receive a Tshewang blessing ritual for health and long life. The glow of the lamps represents the wisdom of the awakened mind, ability to dispel darkness.

Rinpung Dzong

Rinpung houses both the monastic body and district government offices, including the local courts. Famous as Paro Dzong, it was built in 1644 under the order of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifier of Bhutan. This dzong has been used on various occasions to protect Paro from the invasion of Tibet. Below the dzong is a traditional wooden bridge called Nyamai Zam, which was reconstructed when the original one got washed away in a flood in 1969.

isit a local shop in town and select your traditional Gho or Kira for this evening’s festivities and feast held at the stone ruins of the 15th-century Chubjakha Dzong, a captivating spectacle that blends the sizzle of the grill with the vibrant story of Bhutanese culture.

Overnight in Paro

Taktsang Monastery: The wooden structure built amazingly, stands bravely on a cliff. It is said that the great Guru Rinpoche flew here on the back of a tigress and set up this monastery when he brought the teachings of the Buddhist Dharma to Bhutan in the 8th Century. From the road, the hike toward Taktsang follows an uphill route and returning back takes approximately 5-6 hours at an average walking pace on a clear, sunny day.

After the hike enjoy Hot Stone bath at the hotel. This uniquely Bhutanese experience comprises of a bath and massage that uses heated river stones to help relieve deep-set aches and pains.

Overnight at Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary.

In the morning drive to the Airport for flight to your onward destination.