7 days/ 6 nights · Private tour
Tour highlights
About this tour
Every spring, the forests below Dochula turn red, pink and white. The Rhododendron Festival in Bhutan is held at the Royal Botanical Park in Lamperi. It brings this bloom to life with nature walks, folk songs, local food and crafts. In 2027, it runs on 22 and 23 April.
This seven-day spring tour gives you both festival days, plus Thimphu, Punakha Dzong and the hike to Tiger’s Nest. It is a gentle, colourful trip for nature lovers, photographers and families.
Bhutan has around 46 species of rhododendron, and the festival park is home to many of them. Rangers lead guided walks along forest trails. Meanwhile, local groups perform songs and dances, and stalls sell home-made snacks, honey and weaving.
The park sits at about 3,100 metres, close to Dochula Pass. As a result, on a clear day you can see the snow peaks above the flowering trees.
Wear good walking shoes and bring a rain jacket, because spring showers are common. Mornings are cool, so pack a warm layer. In addition, bring a zoom lens if you love birds, as the forest is full of them in April.
Love spring festivals? The Ura Yakchoe takes place in Bumthang the same week. Or see every Bhutan festival tour for 2027.
Your Rhododendron festival tour starts from US$2,100 per person, and group discounts are available. The price covers the Sustainable Development Fee, hotels and all meals. It also includes a private vehicle and driver, a licensed guide, taxes and entry fees. Flights, insurance and drinks are extra.
The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per night right now. That is half the standard rate set by Bhutan’s official tourism site. However, this lower rate is confirmed only until 31 August 2027. We have been licensed since 2012 and have welcomed more than 2,000 travellers.
From March to May, starting in the warm valleys and climbing higher as spring goes on. April is the peak around Dochula.
Yes. The walks are short and easy, and children love the music and food stalls.
Spring is a busy season, so we suggest booking two to three months ahead.
Day by day
This itinerary shows one way to enjoy this trip. We can change any day, add or remove places, change the pace or the hotels, and add a festival. Every journey we run is curated around you.
Paro to Thimphu · 55 km · about 1.5 hours · 2,300 m Your flight drops into the Paro Valley, and your guide greets you with a white scarf. You follow the river to Thimphu, stopping at Chuzom, where three small stupas mark the meeting of two rivers. In the afternoon, you visit the Memorial Chorten, where elders turn prayer wheels. In the evening, you walk the main street of the capital. Overnight: Thimphu
Thimphu · full day · 2,300 m After breakfast, you visit Buddha Dordenma, the giant golden Buddha watching over the valley. Next, you see young artists at work in the School of Traditional Arts and browse the craft bazaar. In the evening, you visit Tashichho Dzong, the seat of government, as the light turns gold. Overnight: Thimphu
Thimphu to Lamperi · 35 km · about 1 hour · 3,100 m You drive up to Dochula Pass, where 108 chortens stand against the Himalaya, then continue to the Royal Botanical Park. A park ranger leads you along a forest trail through rhododendrons in full bloom. After lunch, you enjoy folk songs and browse the craft stalls. In the evening, you return to Thimphu. Overnight: Thimphu
Thimphu to Lamperi to Punakha · about 72 km You return to the park for the second morning of the festival, when the light in the forest is soft. Then you drive down into the warm Punakha Valley. In the late afternoon, you walk through rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang, the temple of the Divine Madman. Overnight: Punakha
Punakha to Paro · 125 km · about 4.5 hours In the morning, you cross a wooden bridge into Punakha Dzong, set where two rivers meet. In April, the purple jacaranda trees around the dzong are often in flower. After lunch, you drive over Dochula to Paro. Overnight: Paro
Tiger's Nest hike · about 500 m climb · 4 to 6 hours return · 3,100 m You set off early through pine forest hung with prayer flags, climbing about 500 metres to the viewpoint opposite the monastery. From there, steps lead past a waterfall to Taktsang itself, clinging to the cliff above the valley. Your guide tells the story of Guru Rinpoche, who is said to have flown here on a tigress. In the afternoon, your legs can rest with an optional hot stone bath in a farmhouse. Overnight: Paro
Paro airport · short transfer After breakfast, your guide and driver take you to Paro airport and see you off with a farewell scarf. We hope to welcome you back soon, perhaps for a festival in another season.
Package does not include insurance of any kinds, and that you are required to obtain separate coverage from your home country or any insurance company of your choice.
Tell us your dates, and we will shape this trip around you.
