Day 1: Touching down in THIMPHU. When you land in the beautiful Paro Valley, surrounded by the Himalayas, our drivers will be there to welcome you to Bhutan. After you’ve received your bags, you will be driven about an hour to the capital city of Thimphu (7,900 ft) where you can unwind from your journey at the Namgay Heritage Hotel, rest, and soak up the atmosphere.  After everyone has arrived, each person will have private one-on-one meeting with Eric. In the evening, there will be a brief orientation meeting for our new community of writers, and a group dinner at the Namgay Heritage Hotel before we turn in for the night..

Day 2: THIMPHU. After our morning meditation & an early breakfast at the Namgay Heritage Hotel, we’ll gather for a brief group meeting and then head out on our first adventure.  We’ll enjoy a short walk and a stunning overview of the Thimphu Valley from Big Buddha Point, perched in the foothills high above the city of Thimphu. Afterwards, we’ll stop by the Memorial Chorten, built in memory of the beloved third king Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, where we’ll learn about tantric Buddhist philosophy & iconography before returning to the hotel for lunch. We'll spend the afternoon writing or relaxing, and perhaps visiting the nearby Thimphu Handicrafts Market before gathering again for dinner at the hotel.

Day 3: THIMPHU.  After our morning meditation & a delicious breakfast at the Namgay Heritage Hotel, we’ll gather for our daily group meeting with Eric & James. This morning we’ll go deeper into Bhutanese life on a private tour of Thimphu. We will visit the Royal Textile Academy to admire the displays of unique and intricate Bhutanese weavings Afterwards we’ll gain insight into rural Bhutanese life at the Folk Heritage Museum, a replica of a traditional mud-and-timber farmhouse, where we’ll also enjoy a fabulous traditional Bhutanese meal, prepared especially for us. After lunch we'll spend the afternoon writing or relaxing, or you may take your own personal journey through the streets & markets of Thimphu before the writers gather once again for dinner at the hotel.

Day 4: BUMTHANG REGION, THANG VALLEY This morning, after meditation and breakfast, we’ll drive to Paro Valley, for one of the most spectacular 30 minute flights in the world - the Paro to Bumthang flight. Out the window of the plane you’ll pass range after awe-inspiring range of Himalayan peaks, before touching down in Bumthang, the “heartland of Buddhism” in Bhutan. In 746 AD, the great bodhisattva, Guru Rinpoche, arrived in Bumthang, where he exorcised a demon from the king, thus restoring peace to the region & converting the people to Buddhism. After enjoying a quick lunch we’ll begin our 3-hour drive to our new home in the Thang Valley, the magnificent 18th century Oygen Choling Heritage House, stopping at the dramatic mountain gorge of Mebar Tsho along the way.

Day 5: BUMTHANG REGION, THANG VALLEY For the next 3 days, we’ll dive deep into our writing at the inspiring Oygen Choling Heritage House, perched on a commanding hilltop in rolling Thang Valley. I addition to excellent food, the historic property offers gardens, a museum, hiking trails, and it’s own meditation hall where we’ll hold our morning meditations. After meditation & breakfast we’ll have our morning meeting, and then spend the rest of the day in one-on-one mentoring sessions with Eric, writing on our own, or strolling through the small village & nearby hills for inspiration. In the evening we’ll gather in the kitchen, or around the fire, for a discussion with Kunzang Choden, a descendant of the original family owners of Oygen Choling, and the first Bhutanese woman to write a novel in English.

Day 6: BUMTHANG REGION, THANG VALLEY On our second day at Oygen Choling Heritage House, after meditation & breakfast, we’ll have our morning meeting and then we’ll drive a short distance to the trailhead for a hike up to Thowa Drak, one of most important “yogi caves” in Bhutan. The 8th century Buddhist yogi Guru Rinpoche spent several years practicing & teaching in caves all over Bhutan, four of which are on the Thang Valley. We’ll enjoy a moderate hike up to the spectacular cave & a temple that overlooks the Thang Valley, with dramatic snow peaks in the distance. After our hike, we’ll return to the Heritage House for lunch. In the afternoon we’ll again enjoy one-on-one mentoring sessions with Eric, and writing on our own before gathering for a healthy meal prepared for us, from Oygen Choling’s own gardens.

Day 7: BUMTHANG REGION, THANG VALLEY & JAKAR

On our third day in the Thang Valley, after meditation & breakfast, we’ll have a leisurely morning with Eric, and we’ll have some time on our own to relax or explore the village around Oygen Choling Heritage house, before heading to Jakar for our last night in the Bumthang region. Along the winding & scenic way, we’ll stop for an invigorating hike up to Kunzang Drak Monastery, another of the four 8th century Guru Rinpoche caves in the region. We’ll stop for lunch along the way, and when we arrive in Jakar we’ll have time to explore Kurjey Lhakang, a temple that holds a body print of Guru Rinpoche, or Jambey Lhakhang, one of 108 monasteries that in mythology were miraculously constructed by King Songten Gampo in one night. That evening we’ll relax by the fire in the cozy Swiss Guest & enjoy a glass of wine, or some local home-made beer, with our fellow writers.

Day 8: PARO. NAK-SEL BOUTIQUE HOTEL

This morning we’ll have an early flight from Jakar back to Bhutan’s Paro Valley (7,300 feet). We’ll settle into our stunning hotel - the Naksel Boutique Hotel - nestled into the foothills of the Himalayas and with views of both snow peaks and Bhutan’s famous Taktsang Monastery in the distance. After lunch we’ll gather for a brief afternoon meeting with Eric, then we’re free to enjoy the rest of the day at Naksel’s world-class spa. Spend some time on your own, have a relaxing massage, or a soothing traditional hot stone bath, and just enjoy the rustic luxury of the beautiful hotel and grounds.

Day 9: PARO. NAK-SEL BOUTIQUE HOTEL. After morning meditation & breakfast, we’ll gather for our daily group meeting with Eric & James, and then spend the morning writing on our own. After a delicious lunch at Nak-sel, we’ll have an easy hike down the hill to visit the seventh-century Kyichu Lakhang. Kyichu is one of the two oldest temples in Bhutan, and is believed to be holding the left foot of an ogress whose body is so large that it covers Bhutan and most of eastern Tibet. After returning to Naksel Boutique Hotel we’ll enjoy a feast of delicious Bhutanese food, and be treated to traditional Bhutanese dancing. That evening we’re again free to enjoy a relaxing massage, or a soothing traditional hot stone bath, in Naksel’s world-class spa.

Day 10: PARO, TAKTSANG (TIGER’S NEST) Our journey through Bhutan culminates at the kingdom’s most iconic site: Taktsang monastery, known as “The Tiger’s Nest.” This majestic structure is located high above the Paro valley, built dramatically into the face of a vertical granite cliff. After our morning meditation and our meeting with Eric, we will take the steep, strenuous trek up to the temple (or to a nearby viewpoint) and enjoy a spectacular landscape dotted with pine trees, prayer flags, and ancient shrines. After our pilgrimage up to Bhutan’s most dramatic monastery, we’ll hike back down the mountain and return to the luxurious Naksel Boutique Hotel for a hot dinner. Afterwards we’ll again be free to enjoy a relaxing massage, or a soothing traditional hot stone bath, in Naksel’s world-class spa.

Day 11: Saying farewell to BHUTAN. After morning meditation and a luxurious breakfast at Naksel Boutique Hotel our group of writers will gather for one last group meeting with Eric. We will share final thoughts, and our personal writing aspirations, and then it will be time to say goodbye & head back home.  Our staff will provide transportation to deliver you to Paro airport & will be available to help you with anything you need for your onward journey…