Family holidays in Bhutan

“I had been to Bhutan before and thought I knew the country reasonably well. I was completely wrong. This journey took us into homes, workshops and conversations I would never have known how to access. It felt less like sightseeing and more like being invited in.”

“The afternoon with the Mongpa community was extraordinary. We sat listening to stories about their beliefs and history, watched the weaving and shared lunch together. Nothing felt performed for us. It was one of those rare days when you realise how little you knew before you arrived.”

“I loved that the journey never felt like we were ticking off attractions. We met historians, monks, artisans and conservationists, and every conversation added another layer to what we were seeing. By the end I understood Bhutan in a completely different way.”

“The private camp near Royal Manas was a highlight, but what I remember most are the people. Sitting with a weaver in her home, talking with monks, meeting the family at Ugyen Choling. There was a sense throughout the trip that doors were being opened for us that normally remain closed.”

“I did this trip just after turning fifty and it felt strangely well timed. The trek was challenging enough to make me work for it, but the days at Phajoding gave the whole journey a depth I wasn’t expecting. I came away feeling like I had marked something important.”

“The night beside Jimilangtsho is the one I still think about. No phones, no road noise, just the lake, the mountains and the camp. It was probably the first time in years that I had nowhere else to be.””

“I was worried that the spiritual side might feel a little forced, but it never did. The conversations with the lama were thoughtful and very human. You could take from it what you wanted, which I really appreciated.”

“The combination worked beautifully. You trek hard for several days, then suddenly you are in Haa eating with a family and sitting in a hot stone bath beside a stream. By the time we reached Tiger’s Nest, it felt like the right way to finish.”

“I thought Bhutan was going to be really quiet and probably a bit serious. It was nothing like I expected. We went rafting, rode motorbikes to Punakha and went out in Thimphu with people our age. I came home wanting to travel everywhere.”

“The best part was being somewhere where everything felt completely different from home. Spending time with the monks was actually one of my favourite days. We talked, played games and realised we were the same age but living totally different lives.”

“I had never travelled without my family before, so I was nervous at the start. By the end I felt like I could handle anything. Laya was incredible because there was no comfort zone left. You just had to get involved.”

“It was fun, but it also made me think about things I hadn’t really thought about before. I came back more confident, more independent and definitely more interested in seeing the rest of the world.”