Thimphu Hostel
Hostel
Day 1
Bhutan Central Overland - 7 Days (Paro, Thimphu, Dochula, Punakha & Phobjikha)
Seven days east of the usual, flying back from Bumthang. The same valleys driving both ways instead of flying back, which adds a day on the road and lowers the price.
Meridian Overland
Runs this trip
Group trips
Seven days east of the usual, flying back from Bumthang
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Paro DzongOnly a few dozen pilots are certified to land at Paro. Buddha DordenmaPunakha Dzong sits where two rivers meet and is the most beautiful building in the country by most accounts, including Bhutanese ones. Dochula pass Gangtey GoenpaBlack-necked cranes fly in from Tibet each November and the valley has no overhead power lines because of them. Jambay LhakhangJambay Lhakhang is said to be one of 108 temples built in a single day in the seventh century. Paro valleyThe alternative is two full days back on the same road. Taktsang (Tiger's Nest)Nine hundred metres of climbing to a monastery bolted to a cliff face at 3,120 m. Tiger's Nest, then outEveryone does it and everyone finds it harder than expected.
Itinerary
Only a few dozen pilots are certified to land at Paro. The approach threads a valley and it is a genuine white-knuckle arrival.
Paro, ThimphuHow the day runs
- 2 hrsTransfer over to the capital
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationThimphu Hostel
Included Activities
- Sustainable Development Fee
- Licensed guide and vehicle
- Hotel night
LANDMARKS Paro Dzong Tachogang bridge Tashichho Dzong Start point Paro, Paro International Airport (PBH), Bhutan 06:00 - 16:00Punakha Dzong sits where two rivers meet and is the most beautiful building in the country by most accounts, including Bhutanese ones.
Thimphu, Dochula, PunakhaHow the day runs
- 8:30 AM — the Buddha Dordenma and the weekend market
- 3 hrs1:00 PM — over Dochula pass and down the valley
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationPunakha Hostel
Included Activities
- All entries
- Hotel night at Punakha
LANDMARKS Buddha Dordenma Dochula pass Punakha Dzong Mo Chhu Black-necked cranes fly in from Tibet each November and the valley has no overhead power lines because of them.
Punakha, PhobjikhaHow the day runs
- 3 hrs9:00 AM — east and up into the Black Mountains
- 2 hrs2:30 PM — the Gangtey nature trail
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationPhobjikha Hostel
Included Activities
- Crane centre entry
- Farmhouse stay
- All meals
LANDMARKS Gangtey Goenpa Phobjikha valley Black-necked cranes Trongsa Dzong is the ancestral seat of the royal family and it controls the only east-west road in the country.
Phobjikha, Trongsa, BumthangHow the day runs
- 3 hrs8:00 AM — over Pele La to the ancestral dzong
- 3 hrs1:30 PM — over Yotong La into Bumthang
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationBumthang Hostel
Included Activities
- Trongsa Dzong and museum
- Hotel night at Bumthang
LANDMARKS Pele La Trongsa Dzong Yotong La Chamkhar Jambay Lhakhang is said to be one of 108 temples built in a single day in the seventh century.
BumthangHow the day runs
- 9:00 AM — Jambay Lhakhang, Kurjey and Tamshing
- 2 hrs2:30 PM — the walk between them along the Chamkhar Chhu
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationBumthang Hostel
Included Activities
- All temple entries
- Hotel night
Optional Activities
- Red Panda brewery and the Swiss cheese factory, both real
LANDMARKS Jambay Lhakhang Kurjey Lhakhang Tamshing Burning Lake The alternative is two full days back on the same road. The flight is worth every ngultrum.
Bumthang, ParoHow the day runs
- 1 hrsThe domestic flight west over the Himalaya
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationParo Hostel
Included Activities
- Domestic flight
- Hotel night at Paro
LANDMARKS Paro valley Rinpung Dzong Paro town Nine hundred metres of climbing to a monastery bolted to a cliff face at 3,120 m. Everyone does it and everyone finds it harder than expected.
ParoHow the day runs
- 5 hrs7:00 AM — the climb to Taktsang and back down
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch
- AccommodationParo Hostel
Included Activities
- Taktsang entry
- Airport drop
LANDMARKS Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) Paro valley
- Day 1Sustainable Development Fee
- Day 1Licensed guide and vehicle
- Day 1Hotel night
- Day 2All entries
- Day 2Hotel night at Punakha
- Day 3Crane centre entry
- Day 3Farmhouse stay
- Day 3All meals
- Day 4Trongsa Dzong and museum
- Day 4Hotel night at Bumthang
- Day 5All temple entries
- Day 5Red Panda brewery and the Swiss cheese factory, both realCosts extra
- Day 6Domestic flight
- Day 6Hotel night at Paro
- Day 7Taktsang entry
- Day 7Airport drop
- Day 1 · 1 nightThimphu Hostel
- Day 2 · 1 nightPunakha Hostel
- Day 3 · 1 nightPhobjikha Hostel
- Day 4 · 2 nightsBumthang Hostel
- Day 6 · 2 nightsParo Hostel
- Day 1Paro to ThimphuTransfer over to the capital
- Day 2Thimphu to Punakha1:00 PM — over Dochula pass and down the valley
- Day 3Punakha to Phobjikha9:00 AM — east and up into the Black Mountains
- Day 4Phobjikha to Trongsa8:00 AM — over Pele La to the ancestral dzong
- Day 4Trongsa to Bumthang1:30 PM — over Yotong La into Bumthang
- Day 6Bumthang to ParoThe domestic flight west over the Himalaya
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Punakha Hostel
Hostel
Day 2
Phobjikha Hostel
Hostel
Day 3
Bumthang Hostel
Hostel
Days 4, 5
Paro Hostel
Hostel
Days 6, 7
What you'll eat
7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 6 dinners across 7 days, at camp. It opens with breakfast, lunch and dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast and lunch on day 7.
- BreakfastServed on days 1–7
- LunchServed on days 1–7
- DinnerServed on days 1–6
20 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered everywhere; Jain and gluten-free on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.4/5
Based on 44 reviews
Review summary
Food4.3/5
Guide4.1/5
Itinerary4.2/5
Transport4.3/5
Accommodation4.2/5
Tour operator4.3/5
Sort by:Recommended
3
Y
Yuki Tanaka – Toronto2026-05-13 · Verified booking
Too much time on the coach and not enough at the places we'd come for. Guides answered every question, including the daft ones.
Reply from Meridian Overland
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another trip.
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4
S
Sneha Kulkarni – Ahmedabad2026-05-13 · Verified booking
Punakha to Bumthang done well. The itinerary had room to breathe. Worth every rupee.
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5
S
Sameer Khan – Chandigarh2026-05-13 · Verified booking
Punakha to Bumthang done well. The itinerary had room to breathe. Meals were good throughout and the vegetarian options weren't an afterthought. Recommended.
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5
R
Rohit Verma – Kolkata2026-05-13 · Verified booking
Punakha to Bumthang done well. The itinerary had room to breathe. Hostel nights are basic but clean, and that's what the price says. Would send friends their way.
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2
S
Sameer Khan – Chandigarh2026-05-09 · Verified booking
Hotels were a step below what I expected for the price.
Reply from Meridian Overland
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
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4
D
Daniel Okafor – Dublin2026-05-09 · Verified booking
Punakha to Bumthang done well. The itinerary had room to breathe. Would send friends their way.
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5
A
Ananya Gupta – Pune2026-05-09 · Verified booking
Good mix of the obvious things and a few places we'd never have found. Whoever planned the days knew what they were doing. Good value for what's included.
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4
N
Nikhil Joshi – Indore2026-05-09 · Verified booking
Punakha to Bumthang done well. The itinerary had room to breathe. Recommended.
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Questions people ask
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