Premium
Explorer
Premium Nepal & Bhutan
17 days • 4.7
4.5
Excellent
16 reviews
17 days
Start
Kathmandu, Nepal
Finish
Paro, Bhutan
Trip Code
HNPEC
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 12
Physical Rating
Meals
15 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 12 dinners
Transport
Private vehicle, Plane, Jeep, Canoe
Accommodation
Hotel (12 nights), Chitwan Feature Stay (2 nights), Paro Feature Stay (2 nights)
From £5,923(17 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
Experience two incredible Feature Stays – a stylish and elegant resort right on the border of Chitwan National Park, and a traditionally beautiful and eco-conscious resort tucked away in the gorgeous valley of Paro.
Get an intimate look at local culture with Exclusive Experiences, including a cooking class with the Seven Women social enterprise, lunch with a Tibetan community in Nepal, and a conversation with a senior monk at a monastery in Bhutan.
Witness world-class mountain scenery during a picturesque hike through the inspiring landscapes of Pokhara.
Come face to face with rare and fascinating wildlife in the breathtaking Phobjika valley, including a visit to a protection and information centre for black-necked cranes, a Premium Exclusive Experience.
Climb to the teetering monastery of Taktsang (the Tiger's Nest) 900 metres above Paro’s valley floor and take in once-in-a-lifetime views.
Is this trip right for you?
Nepali infrastructure is still returning to normal after the 2015 earthquake, so some delays are inevitable. Embracing the slow pace and meditative atmosphere will go a long way toward your enjoyment of this beautiful country.
Prepare for some drives over narrow, winding roads. The drive from Pokhara to Chitwan is on very windy roads as you climb up and down mountains, there will be a lot of corners and don't forget to buckle up. In Bhutan short distances can take much longer due to small, narrow roads and mountain passes. Motion sickness can be an issue on longer driving days on windy roads.
A moderate fitness level is required for the hike in Pokhara and walks in Chitwan National Park. The hike to Tiger’s Nest can also be strenuous. The trek can take up to 5 hours and reach an altitude of 3120 metres.
Due to the high altitude of the places we visit in Bhutan some people can suffer altitude sickness, regardless of age, gender or fitness. It even happened to Sir Edmund Hillary! Please see the ‘Medical and Health Information’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more details.
All meals are included due to the nature of travelling in Bhutan. This means there may be limited choices on some days.
Itinerary
Journey through the Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan
Explore the Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan on a 17-day Premium adventure. Be blown away by the majestic snow peaks of the Himalaya mountains, explore the wild lands of Chitwan National Park, learn about black-necked Cranes in Phobjikha, uncover the sacred religions and devoted beliefs of the pilgrims, and find the secret to happiness in Bhutan. Discover spectacular landscapes, rich cultures and magnificent wildlife with experienced local leaders by your side on a journey to remember.
Inclusions
Meals
15 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 12 dinners
Transport
Private vehicle, Plane, Jeep, Canoe
Accommodation
Hotel (12 nights), Chitwan Feature Stay (2 nights), Paro Feature Stay (2 nights)
Included activities
Kathmandu - Welcome dinner
Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
Kathmandu - Pashupatinath Temple
Kathmandu - Durbar Square
Kathmandu - Boudhanath Stupa and Monastery visit
Kathmandu - Thangka Painting Studio Visit
Kathmandu - Swayambhunath Temple
Bhaktapur - Leader-led walking tour
Nagarkot - Sunset local cocktail at Club Himalaya (one drink included)
Kathmandu - Cooking class at Sungava Nepal
Pokhara - Phewa Tal Lake boat trip
Pokhara - Peace Pagoda
Pokhara - Tibetan community visit with momo lunch
Pokhara - International Mountain Museum
Pokhara - Sarangkot Viewpoint
Chitwan NP - Village tour
Chitwan - Sunset Snacks by Rapti River
Chitwan - Private bush dinner (on hotel grounds)
Chitwan - Canoe Safari
Chitwan - Jeep Safari Tour
Thimphu - Welcome dinner
Thimphu - National Library
Thimphu - National Textile Museum
Thimphu - National Memorial Chorten
Thimphu - Takin Conservation Park
Thimphu - Voluntary Artists School
Thimphu - Buddha Dordenma
Thimpu - Simply Bhutan Heritage Museum
Punakha Valley - Chimi Lhakhang
Dochula Pass - Druk Wangyal Chortens
Thimphu - Simtokha Dzong
Punakha - Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten
Punakha - Punakha Dzong
Punakha - Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery
Phobjikha - Gangtoe Goemba
Phobjikha - Black Necked Crane Information Center
Phobjikha - Valley hiking
Paro - Kaja Throm Market Visit
Paro - Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) Monastery hike
Paro - Home-cooked dinner
Paro - Complimentary Departure Transfer
Optional activities
Paro - Hot Stone Bath - USD25
Dates and availability
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Important notes
1. Complimentary airport arrival and departure transfers are included. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. Entry to Bhutan is very strict and travellers can only enter Bhutan on a group visa as part of a tour. All travellers must arrive on Day 9 and depart on Day 17 to be eligible for a group visa. At time of booking, please provide your booking agent with a scanned colour copy of your passport, a scanned colour passport photo.
4. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport). Fees may apply for adding or amending details within 60 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
5. All flights to and from Bhutan are operated by a Bhutanese national carrier which fly direct to several cities within Asia/Middle East. It is not uncommon for these airlines to make last minute changes to their flight timetables or be subject to delays. Therefore, it is recommended that you allow plenty of transit time both before your connecting flight to Bhutan, and after your flight from Bhutan ahead of your onward flight connection.
6. This trip includes domestic and international flights as indicated on the trip map. The luggage allowance for domestic flights is 20kg for check in luggage and 5kg for carry on. The international flight between Nepal and Bhutan has a luggage allowance of 20kg for check in luggage and 5kg for carry on. While in Nepal, you can store excess luggage at the Kathmandu hotel.
7. The Sustainable Development Fee, charged by the government of Bhutan, is included in your trip price. It only applies to the days you will spend in Bhutan.
8. This trip is a combination of two trips. Please review the Itinerary for details of when your fellow travellers and leader will change.
Reviews (16)
5 stars
12
4 stars
3
3 stars
1
Roy
Apr 23, 2025
This trip provided an excellent range of activity across temples, stupas, glorious scenery, cooking lessons, hiking and wildlife. Guide quality was first class and good quality well-located hotels. Recommended to experience Nepal and Bhutan and forge great memories.
Jennifer
Mar 25, 2025
Visit Bhutan for an extremely unique and culturally life changing experience. The people are smiling and genuinely happy. The scenery and the devotion to Buddhism is like no where ever I've travelled in the world. Step back. Slow down and leave Bhutan a changed person.
Rebecca
Dec 31, 2024
I really enjoyed the trip to Nepal & Bhutan. They are technically two separate tours so in my case two of us went on and met others in Bhutan. Nepal highlights were seeing the Himalayas early in the morning with a cup of chai & Chitwan. Bhutan highlights seeing the valley mist on Punakha Dzongkha from our hotel balcony and all hikes. Bhutan I saw a review saying food was monotonous- it wasn’t for me. It was what I expected and you can always pick & choose so you don’t eat every dish at every meal.
David
Nov 30, 2024
Our first booking with Intrepid and everything about it was first rate. The Premium experience was well worth it. A packed but varied itinerary showcasing two contrasting countries. Both guides were knowledgeable, engaging and passionate about their counties. Hotels were the best quality available with some fantastic views. Only downside - Nepal’s roads leave a lot to be desired.
Geraldine
Nov 14, 2023
Great trip. Go to Bhutan before tourism really changes it. What a wonderful place to learn about Buddhism in everyday life. We were fortunate to coincide with a festival in Bhutan. Great guides.
James
Nov 13, 2023
Our driver Yoda and our group leader BJ went out of there way to keep us safe, comfortable, and excited to book our next Intrepid trip.
William
Nov 03, 2023
The Premium Nepal and Bhutan trip was exceptional. Nepal and especially Kathmandu was no hectic and chaotic but very diverse from the Himalayan’s to Chetwin National Park. I learned a lot about the major religions (Hinduism and Buddhism) and how they influence everyday life. Bhutan was the highlight, right from arriving at the airport fragrant was so calming especially having just gone through the world’s worst airport in Kathmandu. The people in both Nepal and Bhutan were wonderful and seemed to be just as curious about me as I was about them. The highlight overall was the hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. A great trip, highly recommended.
Fay
Oct 13, 2023
Nepal and Bhutan were amazing! The scenery, the people, the food everything. They are just amazing counties and Intrepid has done a brilliant job in providing us with a tour that shows the best of these countries without having to trek for 10 days. Anyone can do this trip!
John
Apr 26, 2023
A great trip. Nepal is a hell hole so I would only spend two days there and the rest In Bhutan. Bhutan is magical, the controlled Tourism is wonderful and go before they let everyone in. No place like Bhutan in the world.
Vanessa
Nov 09, 2022
Incredible experience. A good balance of culture, activity, and food. First tour with intrepid - will definitely return. Guides and drivers were incredible on both legs of the tour which is appreciated by someone that has a history of motion sickness. Thank you for the memories!
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