Flavors of Bhutan: A Culinary Journey (7 Days / 6 Nights)
Bhutan’s cuisine is a hidden gem, combining bold flavors, organic ingredients, and unique cooking traditions shaped by its high-altitude geography. This immersive culinary tour takes you on a journey through farmhouses, bustling markets, monasteries, and traditional Bhutanese kitchens, where you’ll learn to prepare and savor Bhutan’s most iconic dishes.
From the spicy Ema Datshi (chilies and cheese) to the comforting Suja (butter tea), this tour offers hands-on cooking classes, visits to organic farms, and dining experiences with local families, all while exploring Bhutan’s stunning landscapes and cultural heritage.
Day 1: Arrival in Paro – First Taste of Bhutan
- Arrive at Paro International Airport, where your guide will greet you.
- Transfer to your hotel and welcome briefing on Bhutanese cuisine.
- Lunch: Enjoy a traditional Bhutanese set meal featuring red rice, dried beef, and seasonal vegetables.
- Visit Paro Rinpung Dzong, then explore Paro town and sample local snacks like Zow (puffed rice) and Khapzey (Bhutanese cookies).
- Cooking Demonstration: Learn how to make Ema Datshi, Bhutan’s most famous dish.
- Overnight in Paro.
Day 2: Paro to Thimphu – Farm-to-Table Experience
- Drive to Thimphu (1.5 hours), stopping at a local dairy farm to see how Bhutanese cheese and butter are made.
- Visit Centenary Farmers' Market, Bhutan’s largest market, to discover fresh organic produce, rare Himalayan spices, and dried yak meat.
- Cooking Class: Learn how to make Momo (Bhutanese dumplings).
- Visit the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, where you’ll learn about Bhutanese herbal medicine and wild foraged ingredients used in cooking.
- Enjoy a traditional Bhutanese hot stone bath infused with healing herbs before dinner.
- Overnight in Thimphu.
Day 3: Thimphu to Punakha – The Valley of Rice & Chillies
- Drive to Punakha via Dochula Pass, stopping for a tea break with homemade Bhutanese sweets.
- Visit Punakha Dzong, Bhutan’s most beautiful fortress.
- Farmhouse Visit & Cooking Session:
- Participate in rice harvesting (seasonal) or learn about Bhutan’s unique red rice cultivation.
- Learn to make Hoentay (Buckwheat dumplings), a specialty of Haa Valley.
- Enjoy a home-cooked meal with a Bhutanese family, paired with homemade Ara (local rice wine).
- Overnight in Punakha.
Day 4: Exploring Bhutan’s Spice Route
- Visit Chimi Lhakhang (Fertility Temple) and explore nearby mustard fields where mustard oil is produced.
- Visit a beekeeping farm and taste Bhutanese wild honey.
- Cooking Class: Learn how to prepare Jasha Maru (spicy Bhutanese chicken stew) and Kewa Datshi (potato and cheese curry).
- Enjoy a picnic by the river, featuring homemade cheese, freshly baked buckwheat pancakes, and wild mushrooms.
- Overnight in Punakha.
Day 5: Return to Paro – Monastery Cooking Secrets
- Drive back to Paro, stopping at a monastery kitchen, where monks will teach you how to make Zow Shungo (stir-fried rice and vegetables), a dish made from leftovers, following Bhutanese Buddhist principles of food conservation.
- Visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest temples, and participate in a butter lamp offering ceremony.
- Cooking Class: Learn how to make Bhutan’s infamous butter tea (Suja) and Puta (Buckwheat noodles).
- Overnight in Paro.
Day 6: Departure – Taking Bhutanese Flavors Home
- Visit a local spice and tea shop to buy Bhutanese ingredients to take home.
- Transfer to Paro International Airport for your departure.