There are only a few things in life I’d ever describe as both serene and direct. A good single malt, a perfectly ironed white shirt, and now — apparently — flights from Dubai to Paro, Bhutan.
Yes, the Himalayas have just been made a nonstop affair, courtesy of andBeyond, and it’s the sort of news that makes even a jaded traveler like me pause the in-lounge cappuccino.
For three months in 2026 (June through August, if you’re the sort who marks calendars in ink), Bhutan is closer than ever. It’s a short leap from the world’s flashiest skyline to a place where the tallest thing in sight is a mountain or a monastery. The contrast alone is worth the boarding pass.
Act One: Punakha River Lodge
You begin on the Mo Chhu River, which, unlike your average gym rowing machine, actually flows. There’s rafting if you’re feeling heroic, or you can watch Ara — Bhutan’s traditional spirit — being made while silently wondering if the nuns at your afternoon blessing will notice.
Add in a hike to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten and a wander through Punakha Dzong, and suddenly you’re part of a story that feels centuries old but generously fitted with hot showers.
Act Two: Gangtey Lodge in Phobjikha Valley
If Punakha is a gentle nudge toward the spiritual, Phobjikha is a full embrace. The valley is home to the famed black-necked cranes, which migrate with a punctuality my friends in Milan could only dream of.
Here, the days slow into prayer evenings at a Buddhist school, leisurely walks along the Gangtey Nature Trail, and the kind of silence that makes even your phone seem like it’s intruding. Wellness treatments are on hand too, because apparently even enlightenment appreciates a good massage.
Act Three: Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, Paro
The finale is fittingly grand: two nights at a wellness retreat where traditional Bhutanese medicine guides the pace. Consultations, therapies, and a hike up to Taktsang Monastery — Tiger’s Nest — round out the adventure.
The monastery clings to the cliff like a secret you’re only told after earning it, and the view alone could convert the most stubborn skeptic into a believer in, well, something.
Why It Sticks
What &Beyond has done here is take a country already steeped in spirituality and make it improbably seamless. One minute you’re in Dubai, dazzled by neon and Ferraris, the next you’re in a valley where the loudest sound is a prayer wheel and the air tastes like new beginnings.
It’s not just travel; it’s a pause button disguised as a plane ticket. And for those of us who’ve crossed continents more times than we can count, that’s the kind of itinerary that still manages to surprise.
By: Lucas Raven
