Upon arrival at the Paro International Airport, you will be met by your guide and driver. You will be then drove to your hotel in Thimphu, Bhutan’s beautifully located capital city which is about 45 minutes drive (53.6 km) from the Paro internation airport.
Following lunch at your hotel in Thimphu, visit the Tashichho dzong, the beautiful medieval fortress/monastery which houses most of the Government’s office and King’s Throne room. It is also the summer residence of Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot. Then visit National Library which has vast collection of ancient Buddhist texts and manuscripts.
After visiting National Library, drive to Zorig Choesum School (13 Bhutanese Arts & Crafts School-famous for traditional thangkha paintings) to see thanka painting, sculpture, wood and slate carving, gold works, embroidery and traditional boot making. Here you will see, students at work producing intricate design on cloth. If time permits also visit the Traditional Medicine Institute.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Thimphu.
After breakfast in your hotel, then drive to the forested edge of Thimphu to commence a five hour return trek to the Phajoding Monastery – which dates from the 13th century. The route climbs 1,100m through rhododendron forests to the monastery at 3,600m above sea level. The resident monks will welcome you to their place of worship – and a picnic lunch will be served. This day walk is actually the first part of the famous Druk Path trek between Thimphu and Paro.
After your day hike to Phajoding Monastery dinner at your hotel and overnight at Thimphu.
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 exploring Dochula pass you will start your short hike to Lhuenchutse monastery several hundred meters above the Dochula pass. After your hike you will be served your lunch and evening tea at Dochula resort.
On the way to Punakha, visit Chimey Lhakhang located on a hillock in the centre of the valley below Metsina. Built in 1499 the temple is also known as “the Temple of Fertility”. A wooden effigy of the lama’s thunderbolt is preserved in the lhakhang, and childless women go to the temple to receive a blessing.
After reaching Punakha you will be served your dinner and halt at your Hotel in Punakha.
After your breakfast, take a 45 minute walk to a Nyizergang followed by a visit to the amazing Punakha Dzong which was built in 1637 and serves as winter residence for the Je-Khenpo and the central monastic body.
You will be served your lunch at zomlingthang, a famouc campsite on the banks of th Pho Chu river. After lunch you will start your journey towards Gangtey. Dinner and Overnight at Gangtey.
After breakfast at your hotel, take a walk through Gangtey village and then along a nature trail through the Phobjikha valley. This glaciated valley on the western slopes of the Black Mountains is the winter home for a large flock of black-necked cranes. In addition to the cranes, there are also muntjacs (barking deer), wild boars, sambars, Himalayan Black bears, leopards and red foxes in the surrounding hills.
Lunch at your hotel then drive through to Trongsa. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Trongsa.
After breakfast at your hotel in trongsa, explore the scenically located and historic Trongsa Dzong. Here you may also have a chance to see Bhutanese archers playing their favourite sport. After lunch return through the mountains to Thimphu with a short stop at Dochula if time permits.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Thimphu
After breakfast, drive through to Paro to visit Simtokha Dzong in thiimphu, built in 1627 and also to visit the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong in Paro which was built in 1644 to commemorate the victory over the Tibetan invaders. The Dzong was used as an administrative center until 1951 when a fire caused by butter lamp destroyed it. Then visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest and most sacred monasteries dating from the introduction of Buddhism in the 8thcentury and also visit the Rimpung Dzong built in 1646.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Paro.
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.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Paro.
After breakfast drive to Paro International Airport to 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
