Mindfulness-Based Adventure & Tour
11 Days / 10 Nights
October 20 – 30, 2026
“Maybe Bhutan isn’t at the top of most travelers’ bucket lists—or even easy to pinpoint on your mental world map—but this tiny Himalayan kingdom sure ought to be.”
-Vita Magazine, 2025
Full Itinerary | Information Session | Registration
About The Trip
Who is this journey for?
If you’ve ever wondered what it would look like if a society were built upon mindfulness, this trip is for you.
If you meditate — and you’ve wondered what it would feel like if a physical place and its modern culture were postured in a meditative seat — this trip is for you.
If you long not just for lovely accommodations, breathtaking scenery, and memorable cuisine — but a sprinkle of grit…an overlay of adventure…and an opportunity to stretch and unfold in unexpected ways: this trip is for you.
You are the challengers. You are the visionaries. You are the conscious, and the rooted.
You are the “What if…?” askers.
You are the “I know there’s a better way…” questioners.
You are the forward-thinkers and inward-lookers, who have been building within you a vision for what might come next for us tender humans.
You are excited for a peek at that future.
You are ready to step into possibility.
If this is you?
This is your trip.
Why Bhutan?
Our journey through Patagonia last fall reminded me, once again, how deeply rewarding it is to explore breathtaking, dramatic landscapes alongside a group of like-minded people committed to living mindfully.
Bhutan, as we’ll discover together, isn’t just a destination — it is quite likely the world’s most mindful country.
Tucked high in the Himalayas, Bhutan is gloriously beautiful, remote, and unlike anywhere you’ve ever been.
And what truly sets it apart is something remarkable: a national philosophy that government exists to help its people thrive — not just economically, but emotionally and spiritually.
Traveling with Kate
As you know if you have traveled with me on prior excursions, Mindfulness-Based Travel is not an exercise in surface-level “place visiting.”
It is a welcome inside.
Welcome inside the spirit of a country.
Welcome inside the heart of a culture.
Welcome inside the lived moment-to-moment experience of real people, in their real home.
And woven throughout, in daily yoga sessions led by Kate: Welcome to what is true inside you—right here, right now.
If 5-star hotels, predictable luxury, well-worn tourist trails, and the “fully familiar” are your jam, this tour probably isn’t your thing.
You can have that kind of experience on any trip, anywhere.
But if you appreciate a simple, lovely room—
…unique and sometimes (gently) wild and interesting opportunities—
…a deep, warm welcome from local people who are truly glad you are visiting—
…sacred time & space built into each day to turn inward, breathe, and touch ground—
…the experience of traveling off the beaten path in thoughtful, adventurous community—
…and the gift of meeting a place that will want to be friends with you, forever—
Mindful Kingdom: Bhutan is calling your name.
Trip Highlights
- Receive blessings and a spiritual cleansing from a high lama at Buddhist temple Dungtse Lhakhang
- Explore a Craft Bazaar and Kaja Throm (food market) in Thimphu, the highest capital in Asia by altitude
- Join nuns in evening prayer at the Thimphu nunnery
- Visit the GNH (Gross National Happiness) Centre in the Punakha District for an in-depth exploration of Bhutan’s central philosophy of Gross National Happiness
- Witness the Dechenphu Tsechu festival in Thimphu, celebrating the powerful guardian deity believed to protect Bhutan and its people
- Hang prayer flags to spread goodwill and compassion into all-pervading space
- Find solitude in the serene meditation caves at Dochula
- Plant tree saplings in Lampeiri Park with Green Bhutan
- Enjoy a gentle raft ride down the Mo Chhu River in the Punakha Valley
- Explore the Punakha Dzong fortress
- Walk across Bhutan’s Longest Suspension Bridge, spanning the Pho Chhu River
- Practice traditional dyeing and weaving in Punakha with Aum Karma, a leading activist for preserving traditional textile practices
- Enjoy a home-cooked backyard dinner and bonfire at Aum Karma’s farm home in Gubjithang, Punakha, with sacred song and dance
- Soak in Gasa’s famed natural hot springs
- Enjoy meals and an overnight at Tashi Dechencholing Farmhouse
- Make a butter lamp offering at Gangtay Goenba Monastery, an architectural marvel nestled amidst the breathtaking scenery of the Phobjikha Valley
- Hike the Gangtay Nature Trail
- Participate in a prayer ceremony with the monks at Taphu Monastery
- Explore the magnificent fortress of Trongsa Dzong
- Embrace a unique and rare opportunity to witness the Mewang (Fire Blessing/Dance) and the Tercham (Naked Dance)
- Participate in the Jambay Lhakhang Drup Festival, one of the most significant and timeless festivals in Bhutan
- Join monks for evening prayer and dinner, and stay overnight at Neyphu Monastery in Paro
- Embark on an iconic trek to the legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery in the Paro Valley
- Enter the sacred cave beneath the monastery
- Experience a guided meditation and spiritual teaching from a reincarnated spiritual master at the heritage home
- Soak in a traditional hot stone bath with freshly picked local therapeutic herbs
- Enjoy a farewell 6-course garden-to-table dinner in Paro
*If you have questions about the trekking level of the hikes, what options are offered for those who prefer not to hike, etc., please refer to the Full Itinerary page. We have tried to anticipate participant questions. We are also happy to answer any additional questions you may have — don’t hesitate to contact us!
Price and What Is Included
Our trip will include unique accommodations, gourmet meals, and extensive guided experiences. Your one price includes all accommodations, meals, guide, driver, experiences, government fees and visas. Does not include alcohol and other non-essentials.
- Per person double occupancy: $8499
- Single supplement, add $1785.
International airfare not included. Flights go through Dubai, Bangkok and South Korea and directly on to Paro, Bhutan. We can help with travel guidance.
Information Session
I will be hosting a free, no-obligation online information session on March 16th at 8pm Eastern. I will be joined in this webinar by my Bhutanese partners, who have extensive experience planning boutique luxury travel in their beloved country of Bhutan. We will be available for questions after the information session.
Unable to attend live? A recording of the session will be sent to all who register.
Ready to register?
Please don’t wait! Bhutan intentionally limits the number of travelers permitted to visit each year. The sooner we gather our group and reserve our spots, the more opportunities we will have to secure preferred options for our trip.
We need a minimum of 8 participants, and we will cap participation at 16.
Explore Further
I’ve been learning about Bhutan for the past four years from my dear friend and former colleague, Mary Alice, who has led MBA and Yale School of Public Health students there for many years to study how Bhutan puts its commitment to Gross National Happiness into practice.
Thanks to the deep connections Mary Alice has built over the years, our trip will go far beyond the usual tourist trail.
Watch the recent conversation I enjoyed with Mary Alice about Bhutan, and the inspiration for this trip, here:
What is Gross National Happiness?
The concept of “Gross National Happiness” was created and developed in 1972 by the 4th King of Bhutan.
Gross National Happiness says that sustainable development should take a holistic approach towards notions of progress — giving equal importance to non-economic aspects of wellbeing.
The king declared it “more important than Gross Domestic Product.”
In conceiving GNH, the king drew inspiration from Bhutan’s long-standing tradition of compassion and non-violence toward all living beings, rooted in its 1,200-year Buddhist heritage.
The four pillars of GNH are good governance, sustainable socio-economic development, cultural preservation, and environmental conservation.
In 2011, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution urging member nations to follow the example of Bhutan and measure happiness and well-being, calling happiness a “fundamental human goal.”
Join us!
Full Itinerary | Information Session | Registration
