Flavours of the Valleys

Hidden in isolation until the 1970s, Bhutan’s culinary traditions remain completely intact. This 12-night gastronomic journey introduces the Kingdom’s remarkable cuisine – not just its well-known national dish, ema datshi (a fiery love affair between chili and cheese), but delicacies and dishes from every region. Combining stays at all five of Amankora’s lodges, the adventure begins in Thimphu with an introduction to Bhutanese cuisine through a visit to the Centenary Farmer’s Market and a cooking-class dinner.

At Amankora Gangtey in Phobjika Valley, highlights include a stopover in a yak herder’s camp, learning to milk cows and churn butter, and a candlelit dinner in a stone potato shed with Bukhari stove and ara rice wine. The orchards and cottage industries of Bumthang, known as Bhutan’s ‘food bowl’, provide a plethora of gourmet experiences: Enjoy a farmhouse lunch, pick peaches and apples in season, learn to make apple cider, cheese and beer, and visit a herbal tea farm. In Punakha, discover the joys of momo-making (dumplings) and ezay (fresh and pickled dips), sample street food and enjoy a picnic lunch at the Chendebji Chorten. Finally, the culinary influences of Tibet, Nepal and India will be explored in Paro with a delicious thali dinner, a foraging picnic, a post-Tiger's Nest riverside BBQ and a gala dinner showcasing Royal Bhutanese Cuisine.