Tuesday 16th December – Thimphu, Bhutan

Morning

• Arrival in Paro airport – the only international airport in Bhutan – in the morning. There are flights departing to Paro from Bangkok, Delhi, Dubai and Kathmandu on this day.
• The airport in itself, nicknamed the world’s trickiest airport, is a sight on its own. Built on Bhutan’s only flat land suitable for a runway, it’s surrounded by mountains, requiring exceptional piloting skills for landing and takeoff. Only a select few pilots worldwide are qualified to operate here.
• We’ll begin our 55km drive to Thimphu, crossing multiple river valleys, and stopping at Tamchog Monastery, built by Thangthong Gyalpo in the 15th century. This is a place of worship for the legendary iron bridge builder. Thang Thong Gyalpo was a Tibetan who came to Bhutan in 1433 looking for iron ore. He built a total of 108 bridges across Tibet and Bhutan, out of which eight were built in Bhutan. His only surviving bridge is in Duksum.
• Arrival in Thimphu, where we will see the National textile museum, the Craft bazaar and the National postal museum, where you can print your photos on official Bhutanese stamps!

Afternoon

• In the afternoon, we will head out for a wander through the streets of the capital, with its busy markets, surrounded by the locals, many of them wearing the national outfit.
• We’ll start our visit by stopping at the Memorial Chorten, built in honour of the Third King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. We can photograph the monument from the outside.
• Visit the huge statue of Buddha Dordenma. It is so big it is possible to enter it to visit three stories filled with chapels and 125,000 smaller statues of Buddha. From the square in front of the statue, you’ll get a tremendous view of the whole of the Thimphu Valley.
• Stop by the Takin Preserve Centre – an odd looking animal believed to be a mix of a goat and cow which have baffled zoologists for years. The Bhutanese believe that this animal was created by the Divine Madman.
• We will visit the top of Sangaygang viewpoint, where the Bhutan Broadcasting Service Tower is located at an elevation of 2,685m.
• A quick visit to the Dupthob nunnery – one of the few surviving nunneries in Bhutan.
• We will also visit Changangkha Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Thimphu Valley, built in the 13th century by Phajo Drugom Shigpo.
• Welcome dinner and hit the town to visit the different bars and clubs of Bhutan (yes, they exist!)
• Overnight in Thimphu at Hotel Lhayul

Wednesday 17th December – Thimphu – National Day Punakha – Thimphu

Morning

• After breakfast, we will head to the Changlimithang Stadium and witness the national day celebrations. Hundreds of performers will show songs and dances that encapsulate the rich and diverse culture of the country. Alongside inhabitants of the capital and others who have flocked from all over the country, wearing colourful traditional dresses and intricate masks, you will see all the festivities and maybe see the royal family.

Afternoon

• After lunch, we will start exploring outside of Thimphu. We will go to Dochu La Pass. Dochu La is at 3,050 metres above sea level and offers panoramic views of the Eastern Himalaya ranges. It is also renowned for its meditation caves, where practitioners isolate themselves, trying to achieve enlightenment.
• Back to Thimphu, we will visit Tashichho Dzong, the seat of the national government and the central monastic body, including the summer residence of the Je Khenpo (the chief abbot of Bhutan). This is one of the most famous buildings in Bhutan.
• Dinner and overnight in Thimphu. This evening will be a great opportunity to continue partying with the Bhutanese people.

Thursday 18th July – Thimphu – Paro

Morning

• After breakfast, we will start our one-hour drive back to Paro. On the way, we will stop at the Dungtse Lhakhang Temple, built in the 15th century by the Tibetan saint Thangtong Gyalpo.
• On arrival, we will visit the Ta Dzong. Built in 1649, this is an ancient watchtower that now houses the National Museum of Bhutan. This unusual building is in a conch shape with a 2.5m thick wall.
• Visit Rinpung Dzong. Built in 1646, the Dzong is one of the most beautiful buildings in the country. It literally means “The Heap of Jewels”. The Dzong presently functions as the administrative centre of Paro District.

Afternoon

• Lunch will be served in a typical Bhutanese farmhouse
• After this, we will visit the Drugyel Dzong, built in 1647 by the great Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It served as a defence post against the Tibetan invasion in ancient days. This Dzong was destroyed by an accidental fire and is under repair.
• Then we’ll visit the Kichu Lhakhang Temple, built in 659 AD by the Tibetan King Srongtsen Gampo. He built 108 temples in a single day to pin the ogress to the earth forever and at the same time, convert the Tibetan people to Buddhism. Six of these temples lie in Bhutan, and Kichu Lhakhang is one of the most prominent.
• Dinner and overnight at the River Front Paro resort.

Friday 19th December – Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Morning

• We have kept the most physical part for the end! After an early breakfast, we will take a trek up to Bhutan’s most famous site, the Tiger’s Nest Monastery.
• By its local name, Taktshang Monastery, the building clings to the cliff, 900 metres above the valley’s bottom. Guru Rinpoche, revered all throughout Bhutan, is said to have flown to the site riding on a tigress and subsequently meditated here for three months. It is one of Bhutan’s most holy sites and draws pilgrims not only from Bhutan but also from neighbouring Buddhist countries.
• The first half of the hike has an elevation of 600 metres and can be done by horse for $20 USD for those interested. There is a café halfway up with refreshments and a toilet. The remaining half is only 300 metres in elevation. As a total, we’ll dedicate six hours to the hike to give everyone a chance to reach the top and bottom safely.
• If you wish, you may hoist prayer flags near the Tiger’s Nest and offer prayers inside the monastery (best to buy a prayer flag at the market on the previous day in case the monastery does not have one).

Afternoon

• Back in Paro, we’ll have a late lunch and free time in the city. We’ll stroll around town observing the finest examples of Bhutanese architecture, buying souvenirs or having a drink.
• Dinner and overnight in Paro

Saturday 20th December – Paro

• Tour concludes and you will be dropped off at Paro Airport according to your departure flight schedule.  Druk Air have flights scheduled to Delhi, Bagdogra, Kathmandu, and Kolkata this day.
• You can also continue your tour to Nepal, Bangladesh or Tibet.

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