Day 1: November 5th Arrival in Paro
Welcome to the land of happiness, also known as Druk Yul (country of the Drukpa Lineage, the Dragon People, or the Land of the Thunder Dragon.) Upon arrival at the Paro International Airport, you will be greeted in our traditional style by our guide and driver, who will be accompany you throughout the tour.
You will drive to Thimphu (capital city, 1hr drive). On the way, we will stop for a short sightseeing at Tamchog lhakhang (Temple built by the famous saint from Tibet called Thangtong Gyalpo in 13th century.)
We will then start our sightseeing by first visiting the Buddha Point (one of the largest Buddha rupas in the world, at 54 meters/177ft)
Memorial Chorten (built in memory of Third Druk Gyalpo and is dedicated to World Peace.)
Lunch will be at Folk Heritage.
National Institute of Zorig Chusum; (Commonly known as ‘the painting school’, operates four to six years courses that provide instruction in Bhutan’s 13 traditional arts.)
You will then visit Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan (is a national textiles museum)
Tashichho Dzong (Tashichho Dzong has been the seat of the government since 1952)
Day 2: November 6th Punakha
After breakfast, you will then start moving to Punakha. While going to Punakha, you will need to go across the Dochula Pass (3100m). Over there you will stop for a short sightseeing and tea break, while having tea, you can also see the beautiful Himalayas across.
After that, you will then descend down towards Punakha at the elevation of 1242 m. Then visit Chimi Lhakhang (Madman’s temple)
Lunch at the Local Restaurant
Visit Punakha Dzong (fortress of glorious religion. It’s also known as Punthang Dechenphodrang, Legend says that Zhabdrung made the carpenter trulpizow balep made to sleep in chamber and he had been taken to paradise /zangtopelri of Guru Rinpoche and he got at the sketch and the model of the dzong)
Visit to the long suspension bridge in Punakha.
Day 3: November 7th Gangtey/Phobjikha
After breakfast, today you will drive to Gangtey. (It’s a beautiful vast U-shape valley which is a winter residence of the famous endangered bird called “The Black Necked Crane”)
Now driving to Gangtey will take around 2hr 21mins. After reaching Gangtey, you will first visit Gangtey Gonpa or Gangtey Monastery, is an important monastery of Nyingmapa school of Buddhism built in 17th century.)
Nature Trail, walk around the Phobjikha valley.
The Black Necked Crane Information Center. Your first stop in Phobjikha should be the information centre of the Royal Society for Protection of Nature’s (RSPN), which has informative displays about the black-necked cranes and the valley environment. You can use the centre’s powerful spotting scopes and check what you see against its pamphlet Field Guide to Crane Behaviors.
Day 4: November 8th Trongsa – Bumthang
Drive from Gangtey to Bumthang via Trongsa (8 hrs) over Pele La pass (3,420m) on the Black Mountain range.
En-route visits beautiful Chendebji Chorten, erected in the 18th century.
The imposing Trongsa Dzong can be viewed across a deep canyon to signal your approach to the town around a curving road. Trongsa is the ancestral home of Bhutan’s ruling dynasty. After lunch, visit Trongsa Dzong, the largest Dzong in Bhutan. The view from the Dzong is spectacular and one can see across the landscape for many miles. Also visit the Ta Dzong museum housing an incredible collection of historical artifacts of the Royal Family.
Continue driving to Bumthang, home to some of Bhutan’s oldest Palaces and temples. The valley’s barley fields, apple groves and meadows lay below huge hills which climb up towards the Himalayan mountain wall separating Bhutan from Tibet.
Day 5: November 9th Jakar Festival
After having breakfast, today you will go and witness the last day of Jakar Festival. The three-day festival displays several sacred mask dances. The festival also hosts different types of folk songs and dances. People visit the festival dressed in their finest clothes and the festival is also popular among tourists.
Day 6, 7 & 8: November 10th, 11th & 12th Bumthang Sightseeing
Bumthang is the most historic dzongkhag if the number of ancient temples and sacred sites is counted. Bumthang consists of the four mountain valleys of Ura, Chumey, Tang and Choekhor, although the entire district is referred to as Bumthang valley.)
Jakar Dzong (Ngagi Wangchuk continued his journey towards Bumthang after completing Trongsa dzong and as he wanted to built a suddenly he saw a white bird flying from this place and later he knew it was a Pelden Lhamo and built a Dzong and named as Jakar Dzong in 1549.
Jambay lhakhang (The 2nd oldest Jowo temple was built by Songtsen Gampo the first dharma king of Tibet. He has built 108 temples in a day to subdue the evils/ ogress in the Himalayan region for the free flourishing of Buddhism and this temple is one of them. It was renovated by Sindhu Raja as he has promised guru to protect the Buddhism.)
Kurjey lhakhang (Kurjey the name has been derived from the body print of Guru Padmasambhava that has been left after the subjugation of the Shelzen Karpo.)
Tamzhing monastery (The foundation has been done by Terton Pema Lingpa from (1501-03) and it is the second temple built by him.)
Kenchosum lhakhang (Kencho sum lhakhang means the temple of three times Buddha (past, present and future)
Mebartsho/Burning lake (It was prophesied by a Terton Dorji Lingpa that one day the boy will come from this village and discover a treasure from this river. So as prophesied a Terton Pema Lingpa is born to a father Dondrup Zangpo and mother Pema Dolma and he was born with many miraculous birth sign. Later he gathered all the people in the village and discovered a treasure from the river. The legend says that he went into a lake with a burning butter lamp and came out without putting off the light and came out with a text and treasure so it was named as a burning lake.)
Day 9: November 13th Jambay Lhakhang Drup
Today you will witness another festival where the dances include Terchham( the Naked Dance) formerly initiated by Terton Dorje Lingpa, Mewang, Macham, Ging Tsholing, Dramtse Ngacham, Zhana Cham etc, which are performed by the local villagers of Norgang, Changwa and Nangsiphel.
Day 10: November 14th Prakhar Duchhoed
Today again you will witness another festival where the Prakhar Duchhoed will display a giant silk applique Painthing depicting Guru Padmasambava or other deity.
Day 11: November 15th Lobesa
Early morning after having breakfast, you will then start your journey to Lobesa. The journey will take around 7hours to reach Lobesa.
Day 12: November 16th Paro
Early morning after having breakfast, you will then start your journey to Lobesa. The journey will take around 7hours to reach Lobesa.
Early morning after breakfast, you will then continue you journey to Paro. It will take around 3 hours to reach Paro. After reaching there, get checked in and rest for awhile.
Later after lunch, you will then visit National museum / Ta Dzong / Watch tower. (Ta Dzong actually means a watch tower to look after the province of Paro valley and served as a regional administrator as well as a store house which would ensure supplies in the event of warfare.)
Paro Dzong / Rinpung Dzong (It was built by Gyalchog (brother of Gyalzom) the family of lama Pha Dung Dung in 15 centuries. He surrendered himself to the local deity Jawang Nep and built a 5 storied building and named as Hungrel Gampo.)
Then you can stroll around the Paro town and buy souvenirs.
Day 13: November 17th Tiger’s Nest
Today you will be visiting the most iconic structure in the valley of Paro, the Tiger’s Nest. The cave on the rock was there before 750 million years ago during the formation of the earth. It was only known after the arrival of Guru Padmasambhava in 746 A.D.
Kichu lhakhang (Kichu it actually means the peaceful palace. The first temple was built by a 1st Dharma king of Tibet Songtsen Gampo in 7th century). Then you can also visit the Late Dilgo Khyentse Rimpoche’s Museum next to Kichu Lhakhang.
Then you can stroll around the Paro town and buy more souvenirs if you like.
Day 14: November 18th Departure from Bhutan
Our guide and driver will bid farewell to you all and have a pleasant flight back home. We will be looking forward to seeing you again in future for another place to tour around.