Description

Highlight Tour (12D11N)

 

 

At a Glance

• Day 01: Arrival in Paro – Thimphu 
• Day 02: Thimphu
• Day 03: Thimphu – Punakha
• Day 04: Punakha – Chumey 
• Day 05: Chumey – Bumthang
• Day 06: Bumthang
• Day 07: Bumthang
• Day 08: Bumthang – Phobjikha 
• Day 09: Phobjikha
• Day 10: Phobjikha – Paro 
• Day 11: Paro – Excursion to Taktsang
• Day 12: Departure from Paro

Day 1. Paro – Thimphu

Your adventure already starts when approaching the airport in Paro: During the flight you will enjoy the view of Mt. Everest, Mt. Kanchenjunga and other Himalayan mountains including the sacred Mt. Jhomolhari & Mt. Jichu Drake in Bhutan. 

Welcome to the Kingdom of Bhutan. Upon your arrival at Paro Airport our representative will await you and you will drive together to Thimphu, Bhutan’s own mini-metropolis.

In the afternoon you will enjoy some first excursions around town:

Kuensel Phodrang is the largest Buddha statue in the country, from there you can get an amazing view over the Thimphu valley.

Tashichho Dzong – The “fortress of the glorious religion” was initially erected in 1641 and rebuilt by King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in the 1960s. Tashichho Dzong houses some ministries, His Majesty’s secretariat and the central monk body. 

Overnight in Thimphu

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 2. Thimphu

After breakfast, drive to Sangaygang and hike to Wangditse – a walk through a gradual gradient of pine forest with occasional sights of giant flags. We walk for about two hours in total, enjoying enthralling views of Thimphu Dzong.

Late that day we will visit:

Motithang Takin Preserve: Houses the rare national animal of Bhutan. Takin is listed by international   conservation agencies as a vulnerable species and it is a rare animal found only in Bhutan, Nepal and Myanmar (Burma).

National Institute for Zorig Chusum: The school of Arts and crafts is an institute where students undertake a six-year course on the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan.

Textile Museum: worth a visit to experience the living national art of weaving. Exhibitions introduce the major weaving techniques, styles of local dress and textiles.

Bhutan Postal Museum: this museum is dedicated to the history of the Bhutan postal service, from its earliest days (when messages were delivered from dzong to dzong by the king’s bodyguards) to the arrival of modern postage stamps and delivery methods. There are also displays of coins and religious artifacts. 

Overnight in Thimphu

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 3. Thimphu – Punakha

After breakfast, drive to Punakha – driving approximately three hours through picturesque valleys and mountain slopes dotted with typical Bhutanese villages. From the Dochula pass, at over 10,000 feet, vast panoramic views of the high snowcapped peaks of the Bhutanese Himalaya can be enjoyed on a clear day. 

Continue the drive down into the Punakha valley. On the way, visit Chhimi Lhakhang, founded in the 15th century by Lama Dukpa Kinley, who is also known as “divine mad man”. 

After lunch, visit Punakha Dzong – built in 1637 by Zhabdrung. 

Overnight in Punakha

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 4. Punakha – Chumey

Today we will continue our tour and drive from Punakha to Chumey. On the way, visit Trongsa Dzong, seat of the district administration, built in 1648. You will also visit the Tower of Trongsa, which originally was a watchtower that once guarded Trongsa Dzong, but has been converted into a museum. 

Overnight in Chumey

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 5. Chumey – Bumthang

After breakfast we will visit a Yathra Weaving Centre. Thick hand woven woolen textile with intricate designs, locally known as Yathra, has been a unique specialty of weavers in Chumey for generations.

Yathra weaving is prevalent in all the four gewogs in Bumthang and about 240 households from various villages in Bumthang depend on the sale of Yathra for their livelihood.  

Later-on, we will visit the Tharpaling Monastery and hike for about four to five hours until we reach the Kikila Pass. From there, we will drive to Bumthang. 

Overnight in Bumthang

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 6. Bumthang – Half Day Hike 

After breakfast we will hike half day until we reach Pelseling Goemba. The half-day hike from the Swiss Guest House in Jakar to the large ‘Lotus Grove’ Monastery is all uphill (2½ hours), gaining 800m, but it is a nice and varied hike through a mix of forests, meadows and villages, and you are rewarded with great views. 

After so much activity we will visit the valleys unique cottage industries: the Red Panda Brewery, the Bumthang Cheese/Dairy Facility and the Bumthang Distillery – home to numerous distinctive spirits. 

Overnight in Bumthang

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 7. Bumthang – Tang Valley

Today you will drive to the Tang Valley and visit the mystical Ogyen Choling Palace. The building, which has since been converted into a museum to promote its conservation, was largely destroyed following an earthquake in the late 1800s. The residential quarters, the main temple, and the tower were all rebuilt, and the site continues to beckon visitors and religious pilgrims alike. The palace remains a sacred point of interest for Tibetan Buddhists, but under the Ogyen Choling Foundation’s care, the building also provides a fascinating insight into historical Bhutanese life.

After lunch we will drive back to Bumthang. En-route, we will enjoy a short walk at the riverside of Menbar Tsho, which is also known as “the burning lake”.  

Overnight in Bumthang

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 8. Bumthang – Phobjikha

After breakfast, we will continue our tour and drive to Phobjikha, where we will visit the Black-necked Crane Information Centre – situated on the edge of the forest and the wetlands along the main road of Phobjikha valley. The Black-necked Crane Information Centre has an observation room equipped with a high power telescope and spotting scopes for catching the best view of the cranes. The center also offers display information that outline the natural and cultural history of the area. There is a small gift shop, which sells handicrafts produced by the local people.

Overnight in Phobjikha

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 9. Phobjikha

Explore Phobjikha Valley by going on a nature hike which is leading through a beautiful pine forest. Hikers will come across a community school, temples and a small village where they can engage with the locals. The broad valley with its best-known marshland in Bhutan, is popular for its scenic splendour and cultural uniqueness. The valley is rich in faunal biodiversity and has, apart from the threatened black-necked cranes, 13 other globally threatened species. Within the ambit of the valley, an area of about 163 square kilometres has been declared a protected area.

Overnight in Phobjikha

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 10. Phobjikha – Paro 

After breakfast we will drive to Paro. The driving time takes approximately six hours.  

We will visit Ta Dzong, a former Watch Tower which now serves as the National Museum, as well as Rinpung Dzong which houses a monastic school and the office of the civil administration.

Overnight in Paro

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 11. Paro – Excursion to Taktsang (Tiger`s Nest)

We will first drive for half an hour and then continue the day with a hike, which will take about five hours (round trip.) The trail leads past along an ancient path marked by river-powered prayer wheels. As you reach Taktsang you will be struck by the architectural wonder of this most pious Buddhist shrine in Bhutan. Perched some 900m on a cliff overlooking the valley it would justifiably qualify as one of Bhutan’s wonders. Tragically wrecked in a fire early in 1998, it has been rebuilt to its original glory. It is said that the legendary Indian saint, Guru Padma Sambhava, flew from Tibet on the back of a tigress to tame five demons, who were opposing the spread of Buddhism in Bhutan in 746 A.D. Hence the name, Taktsang, or the “Tiger’s Lair.” 

If time permits, drive further north to visit another symbolic structure, which is now under reconstruction. Drugyel Dzong, or “Castle of the Victorious Drukpa”, which was also built by the Shabdrung to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over the Tibetans in the 16th centuries. From here, the Jomolhari Peak (“Mountain of the Goddess”) can be seen on a clear day (7,329m).  

Overnight in Paro

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 12. Paro – Departure

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the International Airport for your onward journey.