Wonders of Bhutan

Day 1

Arrival in Paro | Thimpu

Day 2 & 3

Thimpu

Our next two days will be spent immersing in the culture and sightseeing around Thimpu. Some of the activities you will enjoy include: 1) Purchasing the world’s most beautiful postage stamps, collector’s items and postcards at face value from the general post office, right next to the Bhutan National Bank. 2) Visiting the Arts and Crafts School where one can see young Bhutanese children at work. 3) Visiting the Traditional Medicine Institute where the ancient healing arts are still practiced. 4) Visiting the Textile Museum and the Emporium of Arts & Crafts. 5) Visiting the Memorial Chorten, built in 1974 to honour the memory of Late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, popularly known as the Father of Modern Bhutan. A multi-storied stupa will introduce you to the vitality of Tantric Buddhism. 6) Hike to Tango Monastery (a mini Tiger's Nest, built in the 14th century). 7) Observe traditional paper making from Daphnia and Edgeworthia shrub to the finished product and purchase some beautiful writing sets from the factory. 8) Drive up to a viewpoint and take a hike beyond to see the clear picture of Thimphu Valley.

Day 4

Thimpu | Dochula Pass | Punakha

Punakha has been the winter capital for over 300 years until the time of Second King. It is presently the administrative seat of the district, and home of the Monastic School. The town is located at the confluence of two rivers. It is one of the most impressive, active Dzongs (“fortress-monasteries”) in the country. We’ll embark in the morning for a visit to the most significant of the rooms and courtyards of Punakha Dzong.

Day 5

Punakha | Pele La Passe | Trongsa

A morning outing will be arranged to either the Temple of the Divine Madmen or a nunnery. Then, we’ll depart to Trongsa in Central Bhutan. We’ll cross the high Pele La Pass (11,400 feet) along the way. Nearby are impressive pastures where we hope to see yak, and in the nearby dense forests: an array of exotic avifauna. Trongsa is the ancestral home of the Royal Family of Bhutan. We will visit Trongsa Dzong (fort), one of the largest in the country. It was first built in 1648 by Chogyel Minjur Tempa, the Third Desi, and later enlarged many times. It is presently the administrative seat of the district and home of another monastic school. Views from here are panoramic and all-encompassing, creating a truly strategic location of this Dzong. We’ll spend the night at Yanghil Resort, or a similar accommodation provider.

Day 6

Trongsa | Ura | Bumthang

On this day, we’ll explore a wide variety of flora and fauna habitats along the road to Bumthang. We will drive via the Ura Valley, where traditional farms, weaving cooperatives and terraced fields can be seen. On arrival in Bumthang, we’ll check into Hotel River Lodge for the next three nights. Our suggestion: try out one of the hot stone baths at the resort!

Day 7

Bumthang

Bumthang Valley is one of the most beautiful and fascinating places in the country. View the Jakar Dzong "The Castle of White Bird" and the Chumey Valley where one can see girls weaving Yatha the traditional woollen weavings. If interested, we can provide you with our “West to East” pdf with more additional information on the sights you’ll see!

Day 8

Ura | Jakhar

We’ll have a full day of sightseeing in and around Shingkhar Valley, visiting temples and farm houses with time to mingle with the local communities we encounter. Our cultural sightseeing includes the numerous and important Buddhist monasteries and pilgrimage sites. Included in our tour will be a short hike to explore the fascinating valley.

Day 9

Bumthang | Punakha

We will begin our drive back to Western Bhutan and break our journey in Punakha. With our time here, we will explore more cultural sites in and around Punakha.

Day 10

Punakha | Gantey Valley

We will take a detour to visit one of the most stunning valleys in the country, the Gantey Valley, also known as the Valley of the Black-necked Crane (who visit the marshes here from November to March). While the birds may have flown away, there are a number of attractions including nature walks, a visit to a local school, and the iconic Dzong.

Day 11

Gantey Valley | Paro

Our morning will be spent sightseeing in and around Gangtey, then transfering to Paro via the Dochula Pass. Along the way, we’ll enjoy great views of the Bhutanese Himalayas and the likely blooming of the rhododendron trees. Paro’s sightseeing is full of gems such as the 200-year-old Watch Tower, which has been renovated and converted into National Museum in 1968. It houses a fine collection of national costumes and fabrics, gallery of thangkas, an impressive stamp gallery with three-dimensional stamps issued as early as 1960. We’ll pay a visit to Drugyel Dzong, which sadly is now mostly in ruins. We’ll also visit Drugyel High School and Kychu Lhakhang, the oldest monastery in the valley built in 7th Century. The shops in Paro town are also enticing, and we’ll walk through the main square to visit them.

Day 12

Tiger’s Nest

Our day consists of Bhutan’s most famous attraction, the Tiger's Nest Monastery. We’ll start our hike in the morning, allowing us to see formidable sights in and around Paro. “Tiger's Nest”, built around a cave in which Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhawa) meditated, clings seemingly impossibly to a cliff of rock at 3,000 feet above the valley floor. For the local people, it is a place of pilgrimage. Hikers who wish to walk all the way to the monastery should be in excellent physical condition. A hike up to the viewpoint opposite the monastery is exhausting, thrilling and mystical. For a shorter hike, a teahouse walk brings visitors to a midpoint overlooking the monastery. For those not wishing to hike, there is a viewpoint at ground level - and the option exists to substitute this day for a day of cultural immersion.

Day 13

Haa Valley

A trip west towards the Tibetan border that will take us over the Celela Pass, the highest motorable point in Bhutan, sitting 3,988 metres above sea level between the Haa and Paro valleys. The pass is located 35 km from Paro and 26 km from Haa. The asphalt road descends through a gorgeous forest where rhododendrons and other flowering trees offer a stunning backdrop. Lunch will be included at a Bhutanese farmhouse, and an exploration of the traditional village.

Day 14

Departure from Bhutan

After our life-altering experiences, we’ll depart in the morning from Paro to either Bangkok, Delhi, or Singapore. Flights leave daily to Bangkok, and 3 times a week to Delhi and Singapore. Post-trip extensions available - let us know if you would like us to further extend your adventures. Thank you for exploring the wondrous Kingdom of Bhutan with us and co-creating our two weeks of enriching experiences. Tashi Delek!