Adventure to the Dragon Kingdom of Bhutan

November 7 - 18, 2024

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If you'd like to join the waiting list, email Kerri at SirenSojourns@gmail.com.

This Siren Sojourns adventure will immerse you in the spellbinding history and contemporary mystery of the Dragon Kingdom of Bhutan.

Together, we’ll explore mountaintop fortresses and ancient temples.  We’ll discover verdant valleys where we’ll picnic amid forests and grasslands.  A naturalist and expert on Bhutan’s rich environment will introduce us to one of the most biodiverse landscapes in the world.

We’ll be welcomed into small villages and Buddhist monasteries and our guides have customized our itinerary to include several hikes and a visit to the world-renowned Black-Necked Crane Festival.

To capture the spirit of our adventure and friendship, Kerri has created a special reading list for the trip and we’ll gather for frequent book discussions. (See list at the bottom of this page.)

We’ll seek out Bhutan’s go-to bookstore and spend the night at the ancestral estate of one of the country’s most esteemed writers.

Day One, Nov. 7
Touch down to the sounds and scents of Bangkok, a city nicknamed “The Big Mango.”  Take a taxi ( I’m a fan of the EV taxis!) and retreat into our quiet hotel. We’ll gather for a refreshing evening cocktail to meet one another and discuss the itinerary.  

We are rising with the sun to catch a plane to Paro, Bhutan so a light dinner or evening snack may be in order.   

Lodging: TBD

Meals: Cocktail

Day Two, Nov. 8
We’ll have a nourishing breakfast at the hotel and then make an early start for the airport. BKK is a hectic, cacophonous hub, so we’ll give ourselves plenty of time to find our Bhutan flight.

We’ll land in Paro, (known as one of the most challenging airports in the world in which to land a plane!) where we’ll be greeted by our guides and welcomed with a traditional Bhutanese tea ceremony.  

Then, as the snow-capped Himalayas come into view, we’ll set off for the spectacular Dochula mountain pass that ushers us into the enchanting interior of Bhutan. 

We’ll stretch our legs with a hike into a deep forest filled with birds, wild mushrooms and emerald moss.  

And we’ll conclude our first day in the Dragon Kingdom at an exceptional lodge where morning mist hangs over the gardens and the food comes straight to the table from the land.

Lodging: Dhumra Farm Resort 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day Three, Nov. 9
Load in the carbs because our day is filled with walking and wonders!  We’ll begin at Khamsum Chorten, a lovely temple built on the crest of a hill by Queen Mother Ashi to communicate peace and harmony to her people. Elegant prayer wheels will welcome us into the temple where we’ll find hundreds of colorful representations of deities. We’ll learn about the theological and cultural history of the figures and take some time to make offerings of gratitude.

Then we’re off to Punakha Dzong, one of Bhutan’s most elaborately fortified monasteries in the country. We’ll be guided through the magnificent structure and hear about the history of this “palace of great bliss.”   

We’ll complete our day at the Sangchen Nunnery, an elegant place overseen by a community of nuns, that serves as a Buddhist college and meditation center. And then it’s back to the serenity of our rooms and a fresh and healthy dinner at Dhumra.

Lodging: Dhumra Farm Resort 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Book Conversation

Day Four, Nov. 10
How do traditional Bhutanese families live?  Today we’ll visit a hillside village where the community is still raising rice as they did hundreds of years ago. We’ll meet the village leaders and try our hand at archery, a beloved sport in Bhutan.

Then we are off to one of Bhutan’s most magical places, the green, marshy Phobjikha Valley, where the renowned black-necked cranes winter. You’ll watch as these huge birds fly in from their summer nesting grounds in the upper Tibetan plateau and settle onto the marshes where they’ll rest and breed.

Lodging: Dewachen Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day Five, Nov. 11
The King of Bhutan’s Birthday!: This day will be one of the most enchanting days of the whole adventure. We’ll join hundreds of Bhutanese citizens as they make their way to the Gangtey Monastery in the Phobjikha Valley, where a song and dance-filled celebration is held to greet the cranes as they arrive. Children practice their ceremonial dances all year and adults don splendid traditional costumes for their performances.

We’ll tour the terrific black-necked crane center to learn about the history of crane conservation around the world and I found some excellent souvenirs last time.

We’ll also plan to meet up with the Wisconsin-based ornithologist, Dr. George Archibald, who launched the Black-Necked Crane Festival in 1998. He’s a delight!

From the festival, we’ll take a leisurely hike along the Longtey Trail, which winds through forests and green meadows and open plains with stunning views. Our day will finish in Trongsa at a lovely mountain-side hotel.

Lodging: Dewachen Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day Six, Nov. 12
Partake of all of the chocolate croissants and muesli you can find because we are on the go again–to one of the few monastic communities for women and girls in Bhutan. We’ll be warmly welcomed into the nunnery where we’ll watch traditional drumming and chanting.  Then we’ll serve the nuns tea and sweets in gratitude for their good work.  

At midday, we are off to the ancestral home of one of Bhutan’s most esteemed writers. Ashi Kunzang’s family has owned Oygen Chholing for generations and the estate, which perches above a lush valley, is sublime.  

We’ll gather for dinner, enjoying vegetables from the Oygen Chholing gardens, and a conversation about writing with Ms. Kunzang if she’s able.

Lodging: Oygen Chholing

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Conversation about writing with Ashi Kunzang.

Day Seven, Nov. 13
As the sun comes up at Oygen Chholing, it reveals a veil of fog that hangs over the valleys and the rice fields. Feel free to roam the estate, take in the architecture and gardens.

After breakfast, we’ll visit the estate’s on-site museum and see the surrounding countryside as we take a walk into the nearby village.  You’ll have an opportunity to explore the village and shop for souvenirs and then we’ll gather for dinner and a book conversation.

Lodging: Oygen Chholing

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8, Nov. 14
Rise rested and refreshed! We are off to the Tang Valley to see temples, small villages and one of Bhutan’s most sacred places in nature, The Burning Lake.

Prayer flags greet pilgrims and visitors as we enter this pristine and mystical site.  

Legend says that religious treasures were submerged in the lake and when a Bhutanese saint went to retrieve them, he held a butter lamp that remained lit underwater.  

We’ll spend some quiet time, exploring the tranquil paths near the lake and then set out for Jakar, a place that’s famous for its stunning scenery and for honey and cheese and apricots.

We’ll spend the night in a lodge perched at the edge of a mountain and have some time for reading and reflection.

Lodging: Mountain Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Book Conversation

Day 9, Nov. 15
Rested and refreshed from our days in the pastoral beauty of rural Bhutan, we’re headed to the cultural center of Thimphu.  

We’ll fly into Paro and then drive to the capital city, which is both modern and wonderfully preserved. Our guides will tell us about the history of the city and we’ll have time for exploration, people watching and shopping.  

Then we’ll check into The Pema, a hotel beloved for its hospitality. You’ll have time to find a quiet cafe for a cocktail and dinner. 

Lodging: The Pema

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 10, Nov. 16
Have a leisurely lie-in this morning and enjoy a luxurious breakfast.   

At mid-morning, we’ll depart to gaze upon the Buddha Dordenma, a golden giant of a statue that conceals 125,000 tiny statues inside of it.  We’ll learn about the significance and construction of the giant Buddhas and hear more detail about the icons in the temples around Bhutan.

Then there will be time for a drop-in at a bookstore and shopping. At the end of the day, we’ll drive to Paro in time for dinner.

Lodging: Tashi Namgay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 11, Nov. 17
This is a fitting finale for our wonderful adventure!  The hike to the iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery will test your strength and determination but the incredible temple at the summit is worth every step!  

We’ll rise early and after a filling breakfast, begin our walk through a beautiful birch forest.  Bird calls will accompany us and prayer flags will come into view as we gradually ascend, pausing frequently to snap pictures of the beautiful scenery.

We’ll stop halfway up to get our sugar high on for the rest of the journey. The deck of the Takstang Cafeteria is peaceful and lovely and we’ll sip coffee and munch on a sweet roll as we take in the swaying trees and spectacular view of Tiger’s Nest.

This is where anyone who has done the hike before (me!) or anyone who is content to gaze at the monastery from afar without summiting will linger.  

I’ll plan a lively, open-air conversation about books and we’ll take in the sunshine and await the return of our fellow travelers.

In the late afternoon, you are free to roam the grounds of our lovely hotel, read quietly or go into Paro for some last-minute shopping.  

Day 12, Nov. 18
We’ll rise early and gather for one last breakfast together before our guides drop us at the airport and we fly back to Bangkok.

With a farewell from your fellow travelers, you can store your luggage at the airport and go into Bangkok for some last minute sightseeing.