Overview
The Bhutan Culinary Journey dives into the rich, fiery world of traditional Himalayan gastronomy.
Moving past standard tourist hotel buffets, you will tour local vegetable markets, forage for wild seasonal ingredients, visit a local craft brewery, and cook alongside master chefs and farm families. Discover how a nation builds its entire food culture around chili and cheese.
Trip Highlights
- A welcome dinner of Ema Datshi — green chilies stewed in cheese — with red rice.
- Dried yak cheese, wild mountain pepper and fiddlehead ferns at the Centenary Farmers Market.
- A street-food tour of Khuley buckwheat pancakes and Puta noodles.
- Punakha orchards and slow-cooked Sikam Paa (sun-dried pork with red chilies).
- A red rice mill and a wood-fire farmhouse lunch seasoned with Sichuan pepper.
- A craft microbrewery, warm Ara rice wine and a private momo masterclass.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Arrive at Paro Airport and drive to Thimphu. Check into your boutique hotel. In the evening, enjoy a special welcome dinner introducing you to the national dish, Ema Datshi (green chilies stewed in local cow’s milk cheese), paired with local red rice.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Thimphu
Spend your morning at the Centenary Farmers Market. Meet local traders to sample dried yak cheese (Chhurpi), wild mountain peppers (Zing), and fresh fiddlehead ferns. In the afternoon, take a street-food tour to sample Khuley (buckwheat pancakes) and Puta (traditional buckwheat noodles).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Thimphu
Drive to Punakha over Dochula Pass. Descend into the warm valley and tour local low-altitude orchards to sample fresh guavas, papayas, and citrus. For dinner, enjoy an authentic preparation of Sikam Paa (sun-dried pork belly slow-cooked with large red dried chilies).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Punakha
Walk through the flat rice paddies of Punakha to a traditional mill to see how organic Bhutanese Red Rice is processed. Continue to a rural farmhouse to cook lunch over an open wood-fire pit, learning the art of seasoning with wild Sichuan peppercorns.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Punakha
Drive back to Paro. In the afternoon, visit a local modern craft microbrewery to taste beers brewed with fresh mountain spring water and local ingredients. Follow this with a private dinner paired with Ara (a warm, home-distilled rice wine served with butter and egg).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Paro
Hike up to Tiger’s Nest Monastery to build up an appetite. In the evening, enter the kitchen of a premium heritage resort for a private masterclass. Learn how to wrap and fold traditional beef, cheese, and vegetable Momos (dumplings), followed by a multi-course farewell feast.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Paro
Transfer to Paro Airport for your onward flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Inclusions & Exclusions
What’s Included
- Private Transport & Guide: All ground transportation in a private vehicle with an English-speaking licensed guide.
- Accommodation: Twin/double-sharing rooms in 3-star tourist-standard hotels.
- Meals: All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) as per itinerary.
- Sustainable Development Fee: The daily SDF is included.
- Hydration: Bottled water during transfers and sightseeing.
- Government Dues: Government royalty and applicable taxes.
What’s Not Included
- Airfare: International/regional airfare to and from Paro.
- Visa Fee: Bhutan visa processing fee (arranged in advance by Gu-Mar as part of permit clearance).
- Personal Expenses: Laundry, telephone, beverages and tips.
- Insurance: Travel insurance.
- Pony Hire: Pony hire for the Tiger’s Nest hike (optional, paid on-site).
- Other Services: Any services not mentioned under Inclusions.
Good to Know
- Licensed Operator: All non-Indian, non-Bangladeshi and non-Maldivian nationals must travel through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator such as Gu-Mar; we process visa clearance and the SDF on your behalf before arrival.
- Hotel Upgrades: Hotel categories can be upgraded to 4-star or boutique/heritage properties under our Deluxe or Luxurious collections.
- Flexible Sequencing: Itinerary sequencing may shift slightly depending on flight timings, road conditions or festival dates — your guide will confirm the final day-by-day plan on arrival.