Experiences

Nature & Hiking

As soon as you walk down the steps of the plane that landed in Paro, you will see the beautiful nature of Bhutan and inhale the pure fresh air. By law, 60% of the country is covered by forest. This makes it a fantastic place for walking and hiking, either starting from the Sanctuary itself or from a bit further away. There are walks available for every fitness level, and our team will be happy to prepare a homemade picnic for you to enjoy during the track.

If you would like to learn more about Bhutanese wildlife or are interested in overnight camping, please contact us at sales@bhutanspiritsanctuary and we will make sure to connect you to the right people.

Wellness & Retreats

Whether you are looking for a total reset or some small changes to balance body, mind, and spirit again, we have a wide variety of wellness experiences available for you. Start the day with a yoga session with one of our yoga teachers, or with an active swim in our indoor heated pool. Plan a singing bowl meditation session later in the day to create total relaxation, or ask one of our wellness therapists for a tour of our herbal garden, and learn about the healing herbs of Bhutan. Our library houses a wide selection of books and magazines on meditation, mindfulness, traveling, and well-being.

Culture

As soon as you see the Sanctuary for the first time, you will notice that the building completely blends into the natural environment of the Neyphu Valley. The Sanctuary was built with respect for Bhutanese architecture, and when you enter your immersion in Bhutanese culture starts. This is supported by our team, which for 95% consists of Bhutanese people. We are happy to add to your cultural introduction with Bhutanese cooking classes, a photo shoot in traditional Bhutanese clothing, a pottery class, or some lessons in Bhutanese darts and archery.

We can also arrange day tours to the Tiger´s Nest, Thimphu (the capital of Bhutan), the Haa and Punakha Valley, and all the beautiful places in between. To visit these places it is mandatory to be accompanied by a licensed Bhutanese guide. The day tours incur additional costs.

Food

Bhutanese cuisine is varied and condiments depend on the area you visit, however, the main components of a typical plate are rice, chilies, and some yak chees or other vegetables. Popular snacks include momo (Bhutanese dumplings), and khabzey (a sweet fried snack). Let us know if you would like to learn how to make these, and our Culinary Team will be happy to schedule a class. If you are interested in our farm-to-table concept, we can give you a tour of our gardens or visit a farmer family in the Neyphu Valley.

Besides Bhutanese food, restaurants serve Chinese, Nepalese, Tibetan, and Indian food. In recent years some bakeries and restaurants have opened that serve Western dishes and bread.

Spirituality

From every room in our Sanctuary, you have a view of the Eutok Goenpa Monastery, right across us on the other end of the Neyphu Valley. During the years, we have built good relationships with the monks and the students of the monastery school. In about an hour’s hike, you can reach the Monastery, where we can arrange for a special blessing ritual and meetings with the monks. Around the Sanctuary, there are several small nunneries and monasteries, all well-known by our team members, and it is easy for us to organize a visit.

If you would like to meet and engage with a Rinpoche, we can arrange this, either in the Sanctuary or in a Monastery. This will incur additional costs.

All Stays Include
  • Flight reservations
  • Visa processing assistance
  • Personalised itinerary planning
  • Special welcome ceremony
  • Early check-in
  • Late check-out
  • A la carte breakfast
  • 4-course lunches
  • 6-course dinners
  • Soft drinks, fruit juices, house wine and local beers
  • Packed breakfast or lunches for day trips
  • Home-made picnics
  • Tea bar with 20 herbal teas
  • Doctor consultation
  • One wellness treatment per day
  • Daily yoga classes
  • Sauna and steam rooms
  • Fully equipped gym
  • Daily meditation sessions
  • Indoor heated pool
  • Bhutanese cooking classes
  • Archery games
  • Pottery classes
  • Bhutanese clothing photoshoot