After landing at Paro international airport, you will be received by representatives from precious bhutan travel. After lunch at paro, you will be visiting the Paro Rinpung Dzong and the Kyichu Lhakhang.
After breakfast, take a short drive to the base of the famous Taktshang Monastery or Tiger’s Nest, which clings to a sheer rock face at a height of 2600m above sea level. The climb is quite steep, but ponies are available for those who feel they cannot make the climb themselves.
The main temple was built around Guru Rinpoche’s meditation cave in 1684 This incredible monastery clings to the edge of a sheer rock face which plunges 900 meters into the valley below. Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava, the tantric mystic who brought Buddhism to Bhutan in 747 AD, flew here on the back of a flying tiger, Dorje Drolo.
After lunch, visit Ta Dzong an ancient watchtower, which now houses the National Museum. Below the museum is the Rinpung Dzong (literally meaning “Heap of Jewels”), the centre of civil and religious authority in this valley, built in 1646.
After visit to Tiger’s nest, drive to Thimphu. Overnight at Thimphu.
Drive you to the base of Tango Monastery and Cheri Monastery. Tango Monastery is about an hour and half hike from Dodeyna road head. Originally, it was the residence of Phajo Drugom Shigpo (who introduced Drukpa Kagyupa School in Bhutan) in 13th century.
It was rebuilt in its present form in 1688 by Tenzin Rabgye, the 4th Temporal Ruler of Bhutan and 1st Tri rinpoche. The monastery was restored in mid 1990s and now the residence of 7th Tri rinpoche, the young reincarnation of Tenzin Rabgye. It is also a Buddhist university. Cheri monastery was built by ZhabdrungNgawangNamgyal in 1620 who established the first monk body here. It is an hour hike from Dodeyna road head. Today, these places host as retreat centres for many monks.
After breakfast at your hotel in Thimphu, you will start your journey towards punakha. After 20 minutes of your journey you will reach Dochula Pass at a height of around 3140m above sea level. If the weather is clear you will be able to enjoy views of the spectacular high Himalayan mountain peaks. You can also see the Gasa Dzong.
After reaching Punakha, You will visit the Punakha Dzong. Overnight at Punakha.
After breakfast at Punakha, you will start your journey towards Bumthang. On route to Bumthang, you will visit beautiful valley of Gangtey and Gantey Monastery before lunch. After lunch you will start your journey to Bumthang. On the way you will you will pass the pelela pass which is 3300m above the sea level. Overnight at Bumthang.
AFter breakfast you will be visiting some of the holiest places in Bumthang such as Kurje Lhakhang, Mebar Tsho, Jambay Lhakhang and Tamshing.
Visit Tharpaling Monastery. Tharpaling’ or the place of liberation is located on the face of a hillock overlooking the villages of Chumey and Gaytsa in Bumthang. It is about an hour’s drive through a dirt road which winds up from the village of Gaytsa.
Gyalwa Longchen Rabjampa, a 14th century Tibetan master visited Tharpaling and preached a dharma called Yodsel Dorji Nyingpo. In the course of his teaching, he liberated many followers and gradually the place to be known as ‘Tharpaling’ or the place of liberation. Today, it is one of the important monastic bodies of Kagyu and Nyingma sects of Buddhism in Bhutan. Popularly known as the ‘Great cannon of Tharpaling,’ the Tharpaling cannon, is a massive phallus-carved of stone and cement. This seven foot wonder has a seemingly-strange but interesting history behind it. According to the curator of the temple, the massive phallus was erected with its tip pointed toward the valley. Legend has it that the valley facing the temple, is in the shape of a female organ. As a result of this strange setting, it posed a threat to the sanctity of the temple there were incidences when monks from the monastery gave up their monk hood, resulting in the decline of the number of monks in the monastery. The great cannon was erected in the dawn of the early 21st century and has, since, miraculously curbed the problem that had long been a threat to the sanctity of the temple.
Overnight in Bumthang
On the 9th day of your journey, you will be traveling back to Thimphu. On the way back you will stopping at Dochula Pass for evening Tea and snacks. Overnight at Thimphu.
After breakfast drive to Paro International Airport and fly to onward destination.
Address: Babesa old high way near dantak, Thimphu, Bhutan
Mobile: +975-17347474
Phone: +975-02365365
Fax: +975-02365366
Skype Id: @preciousbhutantravel
Email: preciousbhutantravel@gmail.com
