Bhutan Cultural Tour

01 / THE EXPERIENCE

Discover the journey

A glimpse of a magical world where past and present merge, traditions live and the spiritual and material are undistinguished and indivisible aspects of every facet of life. This Himalayan Kingdom calls itself Druk Yul, Land of the Thunder Dragon, and carefully guards the traditions of its past. Little touched by the outside world the traditions of art and architecture and, most importantly, religion are upheld. The modern world is admitted only cautiously. The result allows you an encounter with a stunning, pristine landscape of forest and mountains, a proud, friendly people and a vibrant, living religious tradition.

03 / YOUR ROUTE

Journey at a glance

Day 1: 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 Jichu Drake Peaks 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. Accommodation: Hotel, Meals: Dinner Day 2: Thimpu sightseeing — There are a good many things to see in the capital which has a very relaxed, laid-back feel about it. Thimphu is relatively small having a population of approximately 45,000 people and the streets are wide and tree lined. You will almost certainly visit the Late King's Memorial Chorten, the National Library, Drubthob Nunnery, Folk Heritage Museum, the handmade paper factory, the school of arts and crafts where young students learn the traditional arts and crafts (Zo Rig Chusum – the thirteen crafts), Gold and the Silver Smiths workshop, Zangtopelri Lhakhang, and the Handicraft Emporium and the local handicraft centers to see the weavers at work and also varieties of textiles, thangkha paintings, masks, jewellery etc Accommodation: Hotel, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 3: 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. Accommodation: Hotel, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 4: Excursion to Gangtey (2890m.) / Wangdiphodrang (1460m.) – 5-6 hrs. drive — Visit Gangety (Phobjikha) Is one of the few flacial valleys in Bhutan and chosen home for Black Neck Cranes Which migrate from the central Asiatic Plateau to escape its harsh winters. Explore Phobjikha valley and also visit to Gangtey Monastery the only Nyingmapa monastery in Bhutan. Evening you will return to Wangdiphodrang for overnight stay. Accommodation: Hotel, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 5: Wangdiphodrang / Paro (2260m.) – 3-4 hrs. drive — Today we drive along the winding mountain road to Paro. 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. Accommodation: Hotel, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 6: Paro - hike to Taksang (Tiger’s Nest Monastery) — After breakfast hike to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, which is Bhutan’s most famous monastery. It is perched on the edge of a steep cliff, about 900 meters above Paro Valley. The hike to reach the viewpoint to the monestery makes for a nice half-day excursion. After lunch you can visit other important site which you could not complete previous days. Accommodation: Hotel, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 7: Final Departure — Transfer to international airport and fly to onward destination. Meals: Breakfast

YOUR DAY-BY-DAY ROUTE

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1Arrival 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 Jichu Drake Peaks 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. Accommodation: Hotel, Meals: Dinner+