Cultural Heart of Bhutan

Day 01: Flight to Paro

Flight to Paro. You are met and greeted at the airport and transferred to hotel. After some rest, in the evening your guide will take you to a tiny Paro town for orientation with the place and people.

Day 02: Hike Taktsang Monastery and Tour the Paro Valley

The legendary Taktsang Monastery, which is also called Tiger's nest, perched some 2,000ft/600m up on a sheer cliff overlooking the valley, is a popular hiking destination. The return trek to the road head is downhill and takes about a little more the time it has taken you to come up. On the way back, visit a typical Bhutanese village home to have an insight on living style of Bhutanese villagers. Drive back to your hotel in the evening.

Day 03: Chele La Hike

Take a scenic drive of 1 & ½ hr to Chele La pass at an altitude of approximately 3900m/13000ft with views of Paro Valley on one side and Haa Valley on the other side. Hike up to clustered shelters built on sheer cliffs, under the rock cave and a temple that house some 50 or so nuns. 

Walk back to meet the transport and drive to Paro and visit Bhutan's national museum, a fascinating place housed in an old watchtower above the huge Paro Dzong. You will also visit Rinphung Dzong.

Day 04 Drive to Thimphu

After breakfast, we drive to Thimphu, 2 ½ hrs, the least visited of all the Himalayan capitals. Check in hotel and after some rest; embark on the tour of Thimpu, beginning from a Nunnery on the outskirts of Thimphu. You will then visit the School of Arts and Crafts, Textile Museum, the Heritage Museum, Changgangkha Lhakhang (temple), National Library, Traditional Hospital and traditional paper factory. At the end of the day, we may also pay a visit to the great Tashichho Dzong, seat of Bhutan's administrative and religious centre.

Day 05: Tour the Thimphu Valley and hike Cheri Gompa.

Early in the morning, visit the Memorial Chorten, a shrine built in the memory of the late king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, where people gather to pray and pay homage. Today, we hike to Cheri Gompa Monastery.

This is a pleasant rural walk, gently up a valley through paddy fields and woodland via a Tibetan village. You can enter the courtyard of the Gompa but entrance to the main shrine is not permitted for Non Buddhists. Descend to the bottom of the hill, meet your transport and drive back to Thimpu.

Day 06: Hike to Chokortse Monastery

This morning, we hike to Chokortse monastery which is situated on a saddle. The walk is all the way uphill 40-50 minutes and passes through blue pine, spruce and rhododendrons. From here, the view of Thimphu valley below is breathtaking. It takes 2 hrs, for the out and back trip. In the afternoon, browse the markets of Thimphu and later drive to Paro for overnight.

Day 07: Drive to Punakha

After breakfast, drive to Punakha, the old winter capital of Bhutan with a Stop at Dhochu La Pass, (10,000ft/3,048m) and appreciate the spectacular views of eastern Himalayas. Check in hotel and in the afternoon, you will make a short trek to visit the Crown Prince's chorten and nearby villages. You return on a different route through the village to Sonagasa (the King’s winter residence) and through to Punakha Dzong, following the Mo chu river. You will meet the vehicle and visit huge impressive Punakha Dzong.

Day 08: Chimi Lakhang Hike and explorations of Wangduephodrang Town and Dzong and drive to Trongsa

After breakfast, hike the legendary Chimi Lakhang, also known as the ‘temple of fertility’. Then proceed to Trongsa with a stop in Wangduephodrang. Visit majestic Wangduephodrang Wangdue Dzong and interesting local market. Continue on the road to east, through ever changing vegetation as road gradually winds its way up towards the Pele La Pass at 11,152ft. On a clear day, views of the valleys and mountains, including Mt. Chomolhari can be seen from here. After making several stops en-route for pictures, we arrive in time for lunch at the town of Trongsa. After some rest, browse the town of Trongsa.

Day 09: Trongsa / Bumthang

Morning visit to Trongsa Dzong, the master piece of Bhutanese architecture and see Ta Dzong, the watch tower, built to defend this Dzong and surrounding region.

After visiting Trongsa Dzong, you drive across the Yotong La 11,234 ft and descend eventually into the valley of Chumey, the first of four Bumthang valleys. Here we will visit the Palace used primarily by the second King as his summer residence, and hike for about 15 minutes that brings us to the Prakar monastery, followed by visit to Yathra Weaving Centers (a Colourful wool weaving). Then we’ll drive onto the Jakar the centre of Bumthang valleys.

Day 10: Walking tour of Bumthang Valley

After breakfast start the walk from the hotel to Jambay Lhakang and continue to Kurjey Lhakang. After Kurjey, you will cross the suspension bridge over to Tamshing Lhakang. Continue walking to the Swiss farm and then on to the main town area. The vehicle will meet you at this point and drive you to visit other sights in and around Jakar; which may include homeopathic hospital, the cheese factory, the castle of the 'White Bird', perhaps one or two local temples and a walk around to visit woodcraft workshop, dying workshop, and the five water wheels behind Wangdicholing Old Palace.

Day 11: Excursion to Ura Valley

In the morning we will drive for about 1 hour to Ura Valley. In Ura, we will visit a monastery and a few houses of Ura community. Enjoy picnic lunch in Ura and drive back to Jakar. On the way back visit ‘Membartso’ (the flaming pool) of Pemalingpa. Pemalingpa (1450-1521) was one of the five great tertons (treasure discoverers) of Nyingma Buddhism. The artefacts he found and the dances he composed are all important parts of Bhutan’s heritage.

Day 12: Drive back to Wangdue Phodrang

From the township of Jakar, you first climb out of the Bumthang valleys on the twisting mountain road towards the Yotong La (11,000ft/3,353m). Near the pass is an area of wild cane/bamboos that is a well-known habitat for Red Panda. The road then descends to Tongsa and continues over the Pele La (11,000ft/3,353m) and eventually to Wangdue Phodrang.

Day 13: Drive back to Paro

You will drive towards west to Paro along Dochu La pass where we make a short stop once again to view the Eastern Himalayas. At Paro, we will participate in a special private prayer ceremony with Buddhist monks. There will be an opportunity to meet and receive some teachings from a Lama or a senior Buddhist monk.

Later in the evening we will arrange for you to experience a Traditional Hot Stone Bath.

Day 14 Depart Paro

After breakfast, transfer to airport for your flight to next destination.