Arrive
Paro by Flight & transfer to Thimphu (55km, approx. 1.1/2-hour
drive)
After immigration formalities and
baggage
collection, you will be met by our representative,
and afterwards drive to Thimphu, the capital town of Bhutan with
enroute stop at Chuzom,
the confluence of Thimphu and Paro rivers.
On arrival, in Thimphu check-into the
hotel. The
capital town of Bhutan and the centre of
government, religion and commerce, Thimphu is a unique city with
unusual mixture of
modern development alongside ancient traditions. With the population
of about 1,00,000 it
is perhaps still the world’s only capital city without a traffic
light.
Evening an exploratory walk around
Thimphu main
street and market area.
Overnight at the hotel in Thimphu.
(Altitude
2,320 m)
Day- 2:
Thimphu
After breakfast, drive to visit
Buddha Dordenma,
located atop a hill in Kuenselphodrang
Nature Park and overlooks the Southern entrance to Thimphu Valley.
This massive statue of
Shakyamuni made of bronze and is gilded in gold, measures 51.5
meters in height, making it
one of the largest statues, in Bhutan. 125,000 smaller Buddha
statues have been placed
within the Buddha Dordenma statue, each of these also have been cast
in bronze and
gilded.
Then, visit King’s Memorial Chorten
continuously
circumambulator by people, murmuring
mantras and spinning their prayer wheels.
Textile
Museum:
is worth a visit to experience the
living
national art of weaving. Exhibitions
introduce the major weaving techniques, styles of local dress and
textiles made by women
and men.
Folk Heritage Museum:
The Museum is dedicated to connecting
people
with the rich
Bhutanese Folk heritage and rural history through exhibits,
demonstrations, educational
programs and documentation of Bhutanese rural life.
Trashichhoedzong:
Built in 1641 by the political and
religious
unifier of Bhutan Shabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal, it was reconstructed in 1960s in traditional
Bhutanese manner, without
nails or architectural plans.
Evening time can be spent strolling
through
Thimphu city centre and local crafts bazaar, to
browse through example of Bhutan’s fine traditional arts. Here you
can buy hand-woven
textiles, thangkha paintings, masks, ceramics, slate and wood
carvings, jewellery, interesting
items made from local materials.
Overnight at the hotel in Thimphu. (Altitude 2,320 m)
Day- 3:
Thimphu
– Punakha & Wangdue (75 km, approx. 3-hour drive)
After breakfast, drive to Punakha
across Dochu
La. Located at a height of 3,088m/ 10,130 ft,
Dochu la is a scenic location with chorten, mani wall, and prayer
flags which decorate this
highest point on the road. If sky is clear then it may be possible
to see the following peaks
from this pass in the order left to right: Masagang (7,158m),
Tsendagang (6,960m), Terigang
(7,060m ), Jejegangphugang (7,158 m), Kangphugang (7,170 m ),
Zongphugang (7, 060 m ), a
table mountain that dominates the isolated region of Lunana –
finally Gangkar puensum,
the highest peak in Bhutan at 7,497m.
At Dochula pass, visit to Druk
Wangyal Lhakhang
(temple), built in honour of His Majesty the
fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
On arrival in Punakha, check into the
hotel.
Afternoon visit Punakha Dzong (Palace
of Great
Happiness), built in 1637 by Shabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal, at the junction of the Phochu and Mochu rivers.
This majestic dzong
served as both the religious and the administrative center of Bhutan
in the past. It measures
some 600 by 240 feet and has a six-story, gold-domed tower. Inside
are courtyards and
religious statuary that hint at the depth of history and spiritual
tradition embodied here.
Later in the day explore Wangdue town
and its
market.
Overnight at the hotel in Punakha.
(Altitude
1,300m)
Day- 4:
Punakha & Wangdue – Paro (125 km, approx. 4.1/2-hour drive)
After breakfast drive back to Paro
descending
back down from Dochu La, follow the way
back up the dramatic Wang Chhu and Paro Chhu river valleys.
Later in the day after checking into
hotel,
proceed to visit Ta Dzong, originally built as
Watchtower, now houses by National Museum. The extensive collection
includes antique
thangkha paintings, textiles, weapons & armour, household
objects and a rich assortment of
natural and historic artifacts.
Then walk down the trail to visit
Rinpung Dzong,
meaning (‘fortress of the heap of jewels’),
which has a long and fascinating history. Along the wooden galleries
lining the inner
courtyard are fine wall paintings illustrating Buddhist lore.
Evening to explore Paro city centre.
Overnight at the hotel in Paro.
(Altitude
2,280m)
Day- 5:
Paro
After breakfast excursion to
Taktshang Monastery
(approx. 5 hours round trip walk). It is
one of the most famous of Bhutan’s monasteries, perched on the side
of a cliff 900m above
the Paro valley floor. It is said that Guru Rinpoche arrived here on
the back of a tigress and
meditated at this monastery and hence it is called ‘Tiger’s Nest’.
This site has been
recognized as a most sacred place and visited by Shabdrung Ngawang
Namgyal in 1646 and
now visited by all Bhutanese at least once in their lifetime.
OR
After breakfast, driving excursion to
Chele la
pass.
Chele la (pass), at an elevation
3,988 meters is
considered to be one of the highest
motorable passes in Bhutan. About an hour’s drive along a thickly
forested road. This Pass is
a botanical paradise. The pass provides stunning views of the sacred
mountain Jomolhari
and Jichu Drake. It is also marked by hundreds of prayer flags
fluttering in the wind. During
season, here visitors can see cascades of wild roses, purple and
yellow primulas, and
swathes of deep blue iris covering the forest floor. The top of the
pass bloom with
rhododendrons in a variety of colours-pale pink, deep pink, burnt
orange, mauve, white and
scarlet, in season.
Later enroute excursion to
Dzongdrakha Goempa.
Often called as mini Takstang,
Dzongdrakha is a cliff-side temple complex on the western side of
the Paro Valley. Four
shrines make up the complex, dedicated to Drolma (Tara), Tsheringma
(Goddess of
Longevity), Guru Rinpoche and the Buddha of the Future, Maitreya.
Evening an exploratory walk around
main street
and market area.
Overnight at the hotel in Paro.
(Altitude
2,280m)
Day- 6:
Depart Paro
After early breakfast at the hotel,
drive to the
airport for flight to your onward destination.
Our representative will help you with exit formalities and then bid
you farewell.