Day 01: Arrival at Paro International Airport
Upon your arrival at Paro International Airport, our representative will pick you up and transfer you to a hotel in Thimphu. Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan, is just 55 km or one and a half-hour drive away from Paro.
There the representative will help you check-in at the hotel. At the hotel, you will get briefed about the tour in detail. You can stroll around the city in the evening. You will stay overnight at the hotel in Thimphu.
Day 02: Sightseeing in Thimphu
After breakfast, you will make your way to the famous Bhutan postal museum. The museum demonstrates the story of Bhutan’s progress and development through the evolution of the postal system and communication.
The exciting part of the visit is that you can get personalized Bhutanese postage stamps with your picture on them. You will then visit the Changzamtok weaving centre to observe the silk and cotton textiles woven in traditional Bhutanese clothing with vibrant colours.
You can then visit the Traditional Medicine Institute. The traditional medicines use the rich, and abundant herbs found all over Bhutan. You can stroll around the city in the evening. Thimphu has an attractive tourist hub with karaoke bars, nightclubs, and cafes and restaurants, among others.
Day 03: Thimphu Tsechu Day One
After an early breakfast, you will head to Tendrek Thang which is a significant ground used for the festival celebration next to Thimphu Tashichho Dzong. Thousands of pilgrims dressed in traditional Bhutanese wear flock to the Tendrel Thang to pay homage and receive blessings.
The Tashichho Dzong is a majestic fortress built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and rebuilt by the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk in the year 1962-1969. The Dzong has a secretariat building, throne room and the office of the king and the central monk body. You will get to watch an exciting archery competition. Archery is Bhutan’s national game.
The giant Buddha statue in Bhutan, the Kuensel Phodrang, stands tall on top of a hill overlooking the entire Thimphu valley. Finally, you can visit the National Memorial Chorten. Chorten, which means a seat of faith in Bhutanese, is also considered as the Mind of the Buddha. You will return to the hotel and stay overnight.
Day 04: Thimphu Tsechu Day Two
After breakfast, we will start our second Tsechu visit and visit the centenary market. The market opens from Thursday to Sunday, where many local products, arts, and crafts get bought and sold. The market is an excellent place to purchase souvenirs and take pictures.
Then you can proceed to the second day of the Thimphu festival and enjoy the festivities. The national textile museum is our next destination, which gives us an incredible insight into traditional weaving culture. The exhibition contains a vast collection of old textiles with elaborate designs and vibrant colours.
After lunch, we take a ride to arrive at the junction and hike the famous Tango monastery. The walk takes us through dense forests. Monks study in the Tango monastery for higher education. The view from the top is beautiful. You will drive back to Thimpu and stay overnight.
Day 05: Thimphu Tsechu Day Three
We make our way to the Tendrel Thang again after breakfast to witness the closing ceremony of the Thimphu Tsechu. There you can enjoy the religious dance performances and folk dances of Bhutanese warriors.
You can then proceed to the traditional Bhutanese Paper Making factory. The handmade paper making is an old tradition in Bhutan. The handmade paper is an integral part of the Bhutanese cultural identity.
We then arrive at the Takin Preserve, which is a sanctuary for taking the national animal of Bhutan. They are a rare member of the goat family and live in grass and bamboo.
The Changangkha Lhakhang is a small temple at a hill overlooking the Thimphu valleys built in the 13th century by Lama Phajo Drugom Zhigpo. We return to the hotel and stay overnight in Thimphu.
Day 06: Sightseeing in Thimphu
After an early breakfast, we visit the Folk Heritage Museum. The museum works to connect visitors to the rural past of Bhutan through exhibition, demonstration, documentation. The architecture of the museum is reminiscent of an average household in the Wang era.
Simply Bhutan is a living museum that provides in-depth insight about the rural Bhutanese way of life. You can also take a short drive to Buddha Point. The view from the end is magnificent. There are also some nightclubs in Bhutan specially dedicated to tourists.
You can enjoy the exuberant nightlife in the evening. You will return to the hotel and stay overnight.
Day 07: Thimphu – Punakha
After an early breakfast, we travel to Punakha through Dochula Pass (3240m). The breathtaking panorama of the snow-capped Himalayan mountains welcomes us on a clear day. We pass by 108 spectacular Chortens.
The number 108 is quite significant in Hinduism and some forms of Buddhism. You will pass by Druk Wangyal Lhakhang Monastery built by the Queen Mother of Bhutan Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck. The peaks of the monastery have murals depicting the crucial timeline and events in the reign of Bhutan.
We then proceed to Punakha, the old capital city of Bhutan from 1637 to 1907. The Dzong is an essential symbol of unified Bhutan. We will have our lunch at Metsina village and then visit the Divine Madman’s Monastery – Chimi Lhakhang. Devotees come here to attain blessing for their fertility in the fertility shrine.
The travel then leads us to Punakha Dzong. The Dzong has an excellent architecture and woodwork. We stay overnight at Punakha.
Day 08: Punakha – Paro
We start our day with a travel through the Punakha valley and hike through farmhouses to the beautiful Khamsum Valley And The Namgyal Lhakhang Temple. The hike to the temple in gentle pace takes about an hour. The stunning beautiful view awaits us at the top of the hill.
We travel to Paro from Punakha. In Punakha, we visit the Rinpung Dzong.
The rulers erected The Dzong in 1645 to defend the valley from Tibetan invaders.
The Dzong is now converted to a school for monks. We then walk down to the Rim Dung Bridge which is the oldest bridge in Bhutan. We pass through the farms and farmhouses and return to Paro where we stay overnight.
Day 09: Hike To Tiger’s Nest Monastery
You will hike to the famous Taktsang Gompa or commonly known as Tiger’s Nest Monastery. The walk takes about one and a half hours. You can get a spectacular view of the monastery from a cliff on the route. We will then have a break for refreshments and hike up to the monastery for another one and a half hours.
After visiting the monastery and getting refreshed spiritually, we return downhill to the main road to get lunch. We then drive back to the hotel visiting the Kichu Lhakhang Temple on the way. In the evening, we return to the hotel in Paro and relax and stay overnight.
Day 10: Departure From Paro
You will get dropped to the airport by a local representative, and then you can board a flight to your desired destination.
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