BHUTAN WESTERN AND CULTURAL TOURS

Tour Duration: 10 day (s)
Destination(s): Thimpu-Paro-Tigers Nest- Punakha- Bhumthang- Gangtey
Specialty Categories: Art/Architecture  History  Museum 
Season: Round the year. Best season Oct – Dec. and Feb - May
Tour Starts at: Paro
Ends at: Paro

Highlights..
Visit one of the Himalaya’s least known regions at a time when deities and demons, wrathful and benign, appear in a blaze of brilliant color as they dance in honor of Guru Rinpoche.

Each monastery or dzong holds an annual festival, Tsechu, which instructs onlookers in the Buddhist teachings, gains them merit and acts as an important social occasion. The valleys of Bumthang are the heart of central Bhutan. their incredible beauty highlighted by numerous palaces, ancient temples and monasteries.
Few westerners visit Bhutan's central Bumthang district with its four sacred valleys. Fewer still venture to far eastern Bhutanspan stylewith its distinctive peoples, culture and its rich natural history. The 21-day tour offers a rare insight of the entire country of Bhutan including Paro, Thimpu, Punakha, the sacred Bumthang valleys and the rarely seen Eastern Bhutan. After exploring the Paro and Thimpu's craft centers dzongs, and over the Dochu La to top at Bhutan's ancient capital of Punakha whYere the great Punakha Dzong stands at the confluence of the Pho Chu and Mho Cho Rivers. Contining westwards we visit the alpine the alpine valley of Bhobjika where we will visit the Gangtey Gompa and then on to Trongsa and then to Jakar, Bumthang's main village. This is Bhutan's most sacred valleys, hallowed 1,200 years ago by the visits of Padmashambava the great Buddhist guru also knows as the Guru Rimpoche.


ITINERARY:

Day 01 Arrival Paro International airport / transfer to Thimpu (2300m) – 2 hrs. drive
During the flight, on a clear day, you can see breathtaking views of the Himalaya Mountains, including the sacred Jumolhari and JichuDrakePeaks in Bhutan. On arrival you will be greeted by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

If time permit in the afternoon you can visit the following places:
-Kyichu Lhakhang
-Paro Dzong
In the evening you can drive to the capital town of Thimphu

Day 02 Thimpu sightseeing
After breakfast we proceed to the Tashi Chho Dzong, a medieval fortress, monastery, and the central secretariat of the government and the Buddhist monastic order. The annual religious Tsam ‘mask’ dances are held here in the courtyard of this massive dzong (fort). We will participate in the Thimpu Tsechu festival religious functions, dances, and prayers, returning to the hotel for lunch. After lunch we visit the Memorial Chorten of late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, 15^th century Changangkha Monastery, and the Motithang mini zoo to see the rare Takin, the national animal of Bhutan, Time permitting, we will observe the traditional archery competition in Changlimithang ground.

Day 03 Thimpu / Punakha (1250m.) – 3-4 hrs. drive
After breakfast you will drive to Punakha, with a stop en route for tea at Dochu La (3,100 meters), where on a clear day you can get spectacular views of the Himalayas. After lunch at Wangduephodrong continue to drive to Punakha, the former capital of Bhutan, and visit Punakha Dzong, which is noteworthy both for being one of the most beautiful dzongs in Bhutan and also for having been built by the first Shabdrung in 1636.

Day 04  Excursion to Gangtey (2890m.) / Trongsa (2317m.) – 6-7 hrs. drive
Today early morning we depart for central Bhutan through the tropical vegetation to Nobding.  Throughout your trip you will come across the beautiful sceneries of rural Bhutan, with scattered settlements far from the road. We drive about an hour towards Pelela pass (11,000ft) and retrace our steps and take a road that heads to Gangtey Gompa over Tashi La pass. Descend about an hour to PhobjikhaValley. It is a wide open valley, where Gangtey Gompa is ideally located on a hill over looking the valley. It is the winter habitat for the Black necked cranes migrating from Tibetearly November till mid March. Gangtey Gompa is institute for monks following the Nyingmapa sect in the country. After visiting the monastery we drive back over the Pelela pass. Descend through the open meadows and valley of yak herders and several villages via Chendeji Chorten built in a form of Nepalese style in 15^th century.  Picnic lunch will be served enroute or at the restaurant at Chendebji. We drive for another 2 hours passing through several villages like Tsangkha, Tashicholing. Enroute stop at the viewpoint of Trongsa Dzong. Drive for another ½ an hour to your hotel. Dinner & overnight at hotel

Day 05  Trongsa / Bumthang (2600m.) – 3 hrs. drive
After breakfast we visit one of the most beautiful dzongs(forts) of Bhutan, the Trongsa Dzong that overlooking the MangdeChhuValley where temples, monasteries and retreats of great importance house many sacred images and relics. After lunch we drive to Yotong La Pass at 3425 meters and slowly descend to Zungney passing through fir, blue pine and bamboo forests and reach Jakar. On reaching Jakar late afternoon, dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 06  Bumthang (Jakar valley)
Visit Jakar Dzong and the most important chapels with wonderful paintings and murals; visit Jampey lhakang, built in the 7^th century, Chakhar Lhakhang, Kurjey lhakhang and overnight in the hotel.






Day 07  Bumthang / Wangdiphodrang (1350m.) – 7 hrs. drive
It will take 7-8 hours long drive to Wangdue. Lunch will be served at Chendebji Chorten.
Visit the Wangdi phodrang Dzong, bult in 1750, the market place, and overnight in the hotel after dinner. (Approximately 3 hours drive and 70 kilometers distance).

Day 08  Wangdiphodrang / Paro (2260m.) – 4-5 hrs. drive
Today we drive along the winding mountain road to Paro via Thimpu. Afternoon, tour of Bhutan's national museum, a fascinating place housed in an old watchtower above the huge Paro Dzong (monastery/fortress). The museum holds a fantastic collection of Bhutanese national treasures ranging from ancient armour to textiles and thangkha paintings. Then, we drive to the head of the valley and visit Drukgyel Dzong built in a location that was chosen for its control over the route to Tibet. A spectacular view of Mount. Jumolhari (23,996ft /7314m) can be seen from here. Also visit Rinpung Dzong and a typical Bhutanese farm house.

Day 09 Paro - hike to Taksang (Tinger’s Nest Monastery)
After breakfast hike to Taktsang (Tinger’s Nest) Monastery, which is Bhutan’s most famous monastery. Itis perched on the edge of a steep cliff, about 900 meters above ParoValley. The hike to reach the viewpoint to the monstery makes for a nice half-day excursion. After lunch you can visit other important site which you could not complete previous days.

Day 10 Departue
After early breakfast in the hotel, drive to the airport to connect flight for onward destination.

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