Detailed itinerary

• Day

  01

  Arrival

  Welcome by our representative at the airport, transfer to hotel in Kathmandu. Later enjoy a Welcome Dinner in the evening.

  Stay overnight at Kathmandu.

• Day

  02

  Sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley(Swayambhunath Stupa, Kumari Temple and Kathmandu Durbar Square)

  After breakfast we are going to do some sightseeing activities today. As planned, we are going to explore some of the most iconic UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Kathmandu city: Swayambhunath Stupa, Boudhanath Stupa, Patan City, Kumari Temple and lastly Tibetan Refugee Camp evening drive back to hotel.

  Stay overnight at Kathmandu.

• Day

  03

  Fly from Kathmandu to Paro and drive to Thimphu

  (Altitude 2280 m) (By Druk Air): Your Representative will receive you at the Airport and drive to Thimphu.

  After lunch, visit to the National Memorial Chorten (1974) built in honour of our late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, Sangaygang view point to see the Tallest Statue of Buddha, Takin Preserve center, Dupthop Lhakhang one of the few surviving nunneries in Bhutan and Changangkha Lhakhang.

  Stay overnight in Hotel Migmar or similar.

• Day

  04

  Sightseeing Thimphu (Altitude 2320 m)

  After breakfast, excursion to Cheri monastery. Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, built this monastery in 1620 and established the first monk body here. A silver chorten inside the goemba holds the ashes of the Shabdrung’s father.

  After lunch, visit Folk Heritage Museum, Painting school and National library. Other highlights include a visit to the Tashichho Dzong, seat of the national government and the Central Monastic Body, including the summer residence of the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot of Bhutan) and finally visit the Handicrafts Emporium followed by shopping for souvenirs in the shops of Thimphu.

  Stay overnight at overnight in Hotel Migmar or similar.

• Day

  05

  Drive from Thimphu to Punakha (Altitude 1310 m)

  (72 Km/s, 3 hours drive): After breakfast, drive to Punakha via Dochula pass. If the weather is clear, we stop for a while at Dochula pass to view Higher Himalayas. On the way, visit Chime Lhakhang, which was built by Lama Drukpa Kuenley. He subdued the demons with his “Magical Thunder bolt”. The Temple is also known as “The Temple of  Fertility”.

  Lama Drukpa Kuenley (1455 – 1529) was one of the Bhutan’s Favorite Saints who was born in Tibet, trained at Ralung Monastery and was a contemporary and a disciple of Pema Lingpa. He Traveled throughout Bhutan and Tibet as a “Neljorpa” (Yogi) using songs, humor and outrageous behavior to dramatist his teachings of Salvation through sex.

  After lunch, visit Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and is situated between Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River). For many years until the time of the second king, it served as the seat of the Government. The construction of the Dzong was foretold by Guru Rimpoche, who predicted, “…a person named Namgyal will arrive at a hill that looks like an elephant”. There was a smaller building here called Dzong Chu (Small Dzong) that housed a statue of Buddha. It is said that Shabdrung ordered the architect, Zowe Palep, to sleep in front of the statue, while Palep was sleeping; the Shabdrung took him in his dreams to Zangtopelri and showed him the palace of Guru Rimpoche. From his vision, the architect conceived the design for the new Dzong, which in keeping with the tradition, was never committed to paper. The Dzong was named Druk Pungthang Dechen Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness). The war materials captured during the battle with Tibetans are preserved here. Punakha is still the winter residence of Je-Khenpo and King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk convened the new national Assembly here in 1952.

  Stay overnight at overnight in Punatsangchhu Cottages or similar.

• Day

  06

  Drive from Punakha to Gangtey and drive back to Punakha (Altitude 3120 m)

  After breakfast drive to the beautiful valley of Gangtey. En-route sightseeing in the valley of Wangdiphodrang includes: visit to Wangdiphodrang Dzong(from outside) built in 1638. Legend relates that as the people were searching for the site of the Dzong, four ravens were seen flying away in four directions. This was considered auspicious sign, representing the spread of religion to the four points of the compass. The Dzong is situated at the confluence of Mo Chu and Tang Chu rivers. Drive further to Gangtey.

  After lunch visit Gangtey Gompa Monastery, from outside. Gyaltse Pema Thinley, the grandson and mind reincarnation of Pema Lingpa founded the Temple in 1613, and Tenzin Legpai Dhendup, the second re-incarnation, built the temple. The present Abbot, Kunzang Pema Namgyal is the ninth re-incarnation. It is a Nyingmapa monastery and is affiliated to other Nyingmapa monasteries including Tamshing in Bumthang. Explore Phobjikha valley, famous for the Black Necked Cranes during winter. In the evening, drive back to Punakha.

  Stay overnight at overnight in Punasangchu Cottages or similar.

• Day

  07

  Drive from Punakha to Paro

  After breakfast, drive to Paro. On the way, visit Tamchog Monastery built by Thangthong Gyalpo (Popularly known as Lama Chazampa, which literally means, the Iron Bridge builder) in the 15th century.

  Thang Thong Gyalpo (1385 – 1464) was a wonder working saint from Tibet who came to Bhutan in 1433 looking for Iron Ore. He built 108 bridges across Tibet and Bhutan, out of which 8 were built in Bhutan. His only surviving bridge is in Duksum (Tashi Yangtse in Eastern Bhutan).

  After lunch, drive to visit Ta Dzong (built in1656 and renovated in 1968), an ancient watchtower, which now houses the National Museum and a short walk takes you to the base of the Dzong and across a traditional cantilevered, covered bridge.

  Stay overnight at over night in Tashi Namgay resort or similar.

• Day

  08

  Paro (Excursion to Taktsang Monastery)

  After early breakfast, excursion to Taktsang Monastery, Tigers Nest a short drive takes us to Satsam Chorten, the trail climbs through beautiful pine forest, many of the trees festooned with Spanish moss, and an occasional grove of fluttering prayer flags. After lunch, visit the Ta dzong, an ancient watchtower, which has been, since 1967, the national museum of Bhutan then visit Rimpung Dzong (Paro Dzong) built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The Dzong presently houses administrative offices.

  In the evening, visit the Drukgyel Dzong, now in ruins was built by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to commemorate the victory over the Tibetan invaders in1644; the Dzong name’s means indeed “ victorious Druk “. The Dzong was used as an administrative center until 1951 when a fire caused by butter lamp destroyed it. Then visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest and most sacred monasteries dating from the introduction of Buddhism in the 8th century.

  Stay overnight at Paro.

• Day

  09

  Fly from Paro to Kathmandu

  After having early breakfast we drive to airport and fly from Paro to Kathmandu.

  Stay overnight at Kathmandu.

• Day

  10

  Sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley and Bhaktapur Durbar Square

  After breakfast set for the another day’s sightseeing: Boudhanath Stupa, Pashupatinath Temple and Bhaktapur Durbar Square.

  Later on in the evening enjoy the Farewell Dinner.

  Stay overnight at Kathmandu.

• Day

  11

  Departure

  After breakfast transfer to the airport to fly to onward destination.