Magical Western Bhutan Tour

01 / THE EXPERIENCE

Discover the journey

A glimpse of a magical world, where past and present merge, where traditions live and where the spiritual and material are undistinguished and indivisible aspects of every facet of life. Magical Western Bhutan tour is a venture into a world that will touch your heart and soul. Nestled deep in the eastern Himalaya, unknown to much of the world. Magnificent mountains, lush valleys, thick forests, a serene lifestyle and traditions unchanged for centuries - this is the real of Bhutan. Towns are tiny, little more than villages, with quiet streets lined by decorative shops and houses. In a remote part of the Paro Valley the ruins of Drugyal Dzong mark a fortress from which the Bhutanese repelled many Tibetan invasions.

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: Punakha - Trongsa (2200m.) - 5 hrs. drive — It takes almost four hours to drive between the windswept town of Wangdue and Trongsa. The route crosses the Black Mountains via Pele la (3240 m) before entering the broad, heavily cultivated Mangde Chhu Valley. Trongsa means 'the new village.' and it dates from the 16th century, which is indeed relatively recent for Bhutan. The approach to Trongsa is spectacular, and for miles on the end the Dzong seems to tease you so that you wonder if you will ever reach it. Backing on to the mountain and built on several levels, the Dzong fits narrowly on a spur that sticks out into the gorge of the Mangde River and overlooks the routes south and west. Accommodation: Hotel, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 5: Trongsa - Gangtey (2890m.) - Wangdiphodrang (1460m.) - 5/6 hrs. drive — Retracing the route towards Wangdue the road diverts to Gangtey Valley and descends through fields of bamboo a glacial valley on the western slopes of the black mountains. The valley is a designated conservation area and borders the Black Mountains National Park. Because of the large flock of black-necked cranes that visits here in winter. It is one of the most important wildlife reserves in the kingdom. In addition to the cranes, there are also muntjacks (barking deer), wild boars, sambars, Himalayan black bears, leopards & black foxes in the valley and surrounding hills. To the Bhutanese, going to Gangtey is like going back in time, an interesting perspective given that they themselves live in a country not rushing towards modernization. Gangtey Gompa overlooks the large green expanse of the Phobjikha Valley. The extensive complex consists of the Gompa and several other buildings, which include monk quarters, meditation centers, school and small hostel. In the front of the yellow roofed Gompa is a Tibetan style Chorten with a wooden roof. In the evening return to Wangdu for overnight stay. Accommodation: Hotel, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 6: Wangdiphodrang - Paro (2200m.) - 3/4 hrs. drive — Today we drive along the winding mountain road to Paro. Afternoon, visit 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 7: Paro - hike to Taksang (Tiger’s Nest Monastery) — After breakfast hike to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, 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 monastery 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 8: 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+