Glimpse of Bhutan Tour - 4Days Visit to Paro & Thimpu

Overview

The Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan, nestled in the heart of the great Himalayan range, is one of the world’s most beautiful travel destinations.

Bhutan is also known as Druk Yul meaning ‘The land of thunder dragon. It is often described as last Shangri-la.

This tiny Himalayan kingdom hosts a remarkable variety of climates and ecosystem, almost 72% of it under forest cover, high mountain terrain and deep fertile valleys. We have arranged this Glimpse of Bhutan tour in a way that would provide participants with opportunity to interact with the people of Bhutan and experience the Bhutanese way of life in its undiminished natural form.

Note: This program can be tailor made to suit your plan or need. Please write to us at info@magnificenttravels.com for further assistance.

Note: This itinerary is a sample itinerary to give you a general idea of the likely trip schedule. We have designed this itinerary including the best cultural and natural aspects of this country. We can further customize the itinerary to suit your specific interest and needs. Please talk to us for more details.

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Itinerary

Arrival at Paro (Fly In) - Transfer to Thimphu

The flight into Paro by Druk Air, is a befitting introduction to the spectacular beauty of Bhutan. In clear weather, magnificent views of the world’s highest peaks give way to the lush green Paro valley as you land. First gift from Bhutan will be the cool, clean fresh air as you step out of the plane. After clearing customs and visa control you will be briefed by our guide and transferred to Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. The drive will take around 1 hour. Thimphu has a population about 100,000. The town is made up of just three lines of shops and is the only capital in the world without traffic lights. In the evening, we will visit the Handicrafts Emporium, where all types of Bhutanese handicrafts are made and sold. We stay overnight at a hotel.

Day Excursions to Punakha in Thimphu

Morning visit to the Memorial Chorten, a huge stupa build in memory of the third King who reigned from 1952-1972. This will be followed by visit to the National Library where ancient manuscripts are preserved. Then we will visit the Painting School where traditional art is still preserved. Artists are taught to paint Thankas(scared Buddist scroll) here. After the visit depart to Punakha, leaving Thimphu the road climbs steeply through a forest of pine cedar, festooned with hanging lichen high up near Dochula pass (3,050m). This pass often offers panoramic views of the Himalayan mountain ranges. After stopping for tea and the view, we enjoy an hour’s downhill walk through magnolia, hydrangea, vibernam and evergreen oaks, and through blankets of the wild orchids before once again reaching the road. From here we board our transport and drive into Punakha valley and visit Punakha Dzong, the winter seat of the Je Khenpo and ancient capital of Bhutan, located between the rivers of the Mo Chu (Female) and Pho Chu (Male). After the visit we drive back to Thimphu. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.

Sightseeing in Paro and Hike to Taktsang.

We will depart early from Thimphu to Paro. After checking in an hotel in Paro we will drive on the winding road to reach Drukgyal Dzong, the ruined fortress, which once defended this valley from Tibetian invasions. We then drive to Ramthangkha, the terminating point of motorable road and then hike up to the Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s nest). Little further up from here is a cafeteria located above 2,950 meters (9,678 feet). At this view point we will enjoy the stunning views of the monastery, where Guru Padmasambhava landed on the back of tigress in the 8th century, containing thirteen holy places. Takstang is one of the most venerated pilgrim sites of the Himalayan World. The monastic complex clings to the rock towering 900 meters above valley. After the visit to the temples we walk back to the cafeteria for lunch. After lunch we then walk back to the road point and then visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temple in Bhutan. In the afternoon visit National Museum, Ta Dong, an ancient watchtower which now houses the National Museum. After this we will visit Paro Ringpung Dong, built in 17th century to defend the valley against Tibetain invaders. The Dzong is now used as an administration centre and school for monks. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.