The flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular mountain flights in the world, with a constantly changing panorama of some of the highest mountains on earth!

Our Bhutan Druk Adventure representative will meet you at the exit to Paro airport, after customs formalities. Following lunch, we will drive to the capital, Thimphu (1.5 hours) along the Pachu River.

Activities

• Transfer To Thimphu

Accommodation

Hotel in Thimphu

• Bhutanese style 3-Star Hotel, with private bathroom.

Begin your day with a visit to the handmade paper factory. Paper has been made in the Himalayas for a long period of time, traditionally to supply the Buddhist monasteries with paper for woodblock and manuscript books. The most common and popular papers of Bhutan are made from the bark of the De-nar plant, a variety of Daphne. It is a dark woody paper fiber found only in Bhutan. Bhutanese Handmade Paper is made without environmental damage to the land.

If your visit to Thimphu falls over a weekend, you can walk through the Thimphu Market to see a variety of traditional food of Bhutan, including basket upon basket of fiery chillies, fresh cheese and a variety of fresh greens. In addition, many stalls contain Bhutanese handicrafts and household items. (This market is only open from Friday until mid Sunday).

Later visit the Folk Heritage Museum featuring an exhibition of items and artifacts of Bhutanese villages and rural households. The museum also organizes demonstrations of rural traditions, skills, habits and customs; educational programs for children on rural life of Bhutan.

Accommodation

Hotel in Thimphu

• Bhutanese style 3-Star Hotel, with private bathroom.

Depart for Punakha, the ancient capital of Bhutan. The road takes you over Dochu-La pass (3,100m) where you will stop to walk around the 108 stupas and, if the weather is clear, enjoy an incredible view of The Himalayan peaks.

Before reaching Punkha, visit Royal Botanical Garden in Lamperi. The park features a variety of forest types, spectacular scenery, natural rhododendron groves, endangered wildlife and a lake. Declared over an area of 47 square kilometres, the park serves as a biological corridor connecting Jigme Dorji National Park and Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park.

Continue your drive towards Punakha, through beautiful countryside which offers a glimpse of everyday life in this most remote area of the Himalayan kingdoms. In the Dochu-La area there are vast Rhododendron forests that grow to tree size and bloom in late April/early May, covering the mountains in a glorious spring colour.

Check into your hotel in Punakha/Wangduephodrang. Afterwards, visit Lhawang Tshering’s small incense making factory, the most successful and leading incense exporter in Bhutan. Incense, (poi) is one of the most essential elements in religious offerings. Its aroma, it is said, can help to soothe and calm a restless mind.

Accommodation

Hotel in Punakha/Wangduephodrang

• Bhutanese style 3-Star Hotel, with private bathroom.

In the morning visit Punakha Dzong, the “Palace of Great Happiness”. It was built in 1637 by the Shabdrung, the ‘Unifier of Bhutan’ as predicted by the great Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava). It is situated at the confluence of the Mo Chu and Pho Chu (Mother and Father Rivers) and is the winter headquarters of the Je Khenpo. This is when hundreds of monks move en masse from Thimphu to this warmer location.

The three story main temple of the Punakha Dzong is a breathtaking example of traditional architecture, with four intricately embossed entrance pillars crafted from cypress and decorated in gold and silver. After visiting the dzong we will walk about 10 minutes to see the swing bridge, built over Pho Chu river. It connects people from Shengana village with Punakha Dzong. This is one of the longest suspension bridges in Bhutan, constructed around 2001.

After a picnic lunch nearby the Pho Chu river, we will drive back to Lobesa and to visit a farm house. Here we will see a Traditional Bhutanese cooking and farming demonstration. Afterwards, you will have the opportunity to participate in some unique Bhutanese recreational activities including Khuru; a Bhutanese dart game, Archery; The National Game of Bhutan and Degor, a throwing competition.

Activities

• Picnic Near The Pho Chu River

Accommodation

Hotel in Punakha/Wangduephodrang

• Bhutanese style 3-Star Hotel, with private bathroom.

This morning we will drive back to Thimphu, crossing over Dochula pass at 3150m. En route witness thousands of prayer flags on the pass. Hundreds of these flags can be seen flying atop and around homes; mountain passes hills, bridges, monasteries and temples.

Hike from Dochula and finishing at Hongtsho village with Lungchutse gomba and Trashigang gomba visit. You will start your hike from the large chorten in the middle of Dochula, the pass between Thimphu and Punakha at 3140 meters (10300 feet) above sea level. From here the trail slowly climbs a ridge, through a forest of hemlock, birch and rhododendrons until reaching an open meadow. Again, you will enter into forest of moss-covered rhododendrons, gigantic hemlocks, junipers, and bamboo undergrowth.

A small trail leads you the last 50 meters, past a row of fluttering prayer flags, up to Lungchutse temple. A trail to the left just 150 meters below Lungchutse, leads to Trashigang village and temple. It slowly descends through spruce, rhododendron, hemlock and juniper forest. The trail leading down from the front of the temple zigzags quite steeply down the side of the mountain, until reaching a farm road which takes you up to the main road. Optional visit to Hongtsho village temple on the hill side. This involves a 30 – 60 minute short hike up through the little village and back down again the same way.

Trashigang Goemba was built in 1786 by the 12th Je Khenpo. It is an important mediation centre, and houses statues of several Je Khenpos, who meditated here. Hongtsho Goemba was built in 1525 by the older brother of Drukpa Kuenlay, the Divine Mad Man. It is a two story traditional Bhutanese building where the main alter room has an enormous statue of Guru Tshoki Dorji in a standing posture together with a statue of Guru Dorji Drool, Lama Ngawang Chhoegyal and Lama Drukpa Kuenley.

Check into the hotel for lunch, followed by a tour of the The National Library housing the collection of Bhutanese scriptures dating back to the 8th century and the Choki Traditional Art School. Evening walk in the town and enjoy tea or coffee in local café.

Accommodation

Hotel in Thimphu

• Bhutanese style 3-Star Hotel, with private bathroom.

Enjoy a morning visit to the National Memorial Chorten. It was first initiated by the Third King as protection from the negative elements of modernisation, and as a monument to world peace. The Royal Queen Mother completed it as a memorial stupa for the Third King who passed away in 1972.

Continue on to 12th century Changangkha Temple and Drubthob monastery, housing the Zilukha Nunnery. Following a delicious lunch, depart for Paro. On arrival, enjoy a stroll through downtown Paro before checking into the hotel. Depending on availability, we will arrange a story teller to entertain you with Bhutanese folktales before dinner.

Accommodation

Hotel in Paro

• Bhutanese style 3-Star Hotel, with private bathroom.

After a tasty breakfast, hike to Taktsang Monastery. The walk will take approximately 2 hours, taking you uphill, almost a kilometre above the Paro valley floor (a horse transfer to the cafeteria is optional). The view of Taktsang Monastery, is a spectacular sight. It is built on a sheer cliff face, 900 metres above the valley floor. The Monastery is also an important pilgrim site for the Buddhists.

According to legend, the great Guru Rimpoche and his consort are said to have meditated in a cave here for three months, when he brought the teachings of the Buddhist Dharma to Bhutan in the 8th Century. After meditation, they manifested themselves in the forms of Guru Dorji Drolo and a tigress to subdue demons in the valley below. The cave, where the monastery was later built, is said to be the origin of Buddhism in Bhutan. Nearby there is a teahouse where you can stop for refreshments before returning to Paro for lunch.

In the afternoon, return to Paro for some sightseeing including a visit to the Ta Dzong Museum; housing many religious relics, works of art and handicrafts. This offers a great orientation into Bhutan’s historical, cultural, and religious past. Next, visit the Rimpong Dzong to see the painting of the great saint Milarepa, considered as the master of meditation and believed to have attained enlightenment in a lifetime. Upon your return to the hotel, enjoy a traditional hot stone bath.

Activities

• Bhutan Hot Stone Herbal Bath

Accommodation

Hotel in Paro

• Bhutanese style 3-Star Hotel, with private bathroom.

Enjoy your last hearty breakfast at the hotel, before the drive to the airport for your flight to your onward destination.

Tashi Delek!