6 NIGHTS 7 DAYS-WONDERFUL BHUTAN TOURWestern
Bhutan Tour Day 01:Arrive
at Paro, Paro –Thimphu
Fly into Paro by Druk Air, Bhutan’s National Airline.
The great snowcapped peaks of the inner Himalayas rise up to the heavens can be
seen during clear weather. As the plane approaches Bhutan, if you look down farmhouses
as dots on the hillsides can be seen.
As the aircraft enters the Paro valley, you will see Paro
Dzong on the hillside overlooking the Paro Chu (river), with Ta Dzong, formerly
a watchtower and now the National Museum, above it. You
will be received by the representative of Access Bhutan Tours & Treks (Bhutan
tour operator)who will be your Bhutan travel guide throughout your tour.
After the refreshment, visit the Ta Dzong, built
in the 17th century as a watchtower for the Paro
Dzong. This dzong was converted into the National museum in 1967 and is filled
with antique thankha paintings, textiles, weapons and armor. Drive to see Rinpung
Dzong, built in 1645 to defend the valley against Tibetan invaders. The Dzong
is now being used as an administration center and school for monks. Walk down
to Rimpung Bridge ( Traditonal Bridge), oldest bridge in Bhutan.
Drive to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.
Drive to the Changangkha
temple - temple of Chenrigzig known as Buddha of Compassion and offer butter lamps.
Drive to see the Takin Zoo, which houses the national animal the Takin that is
only found in Bhutan. Drive to Sangaygang to get a bird’s eye view of the Thimphu
valley in the evening. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Thimphu. Day
02: Thimphu Sightseeing ,Thimphu –Punakha-Wangdue
Thimphu sightseeing
includes visits to the following:
The National Library, housing an extensive collection of priceless Buddhist manuscripts.
The National Institute of Traditional Medicine (outside only), where Bhutan’s
famed traditional herbal medicines are compounded and dispensed.
The Institute for Zorig Chusum (commonly known as the Painting School) where students
undergo a 6-year training course in Bhutan’s 13 traditional arts and crafts. The
National Folk Heritage Museum to get an insight into the typical Bhutanese way
of life.
The Textile Museum to get an understanding of the beautiful hand woven Bhutanese
textiles. If the
time permits, visit Tashichhodzong,
“the fortress of the glorious religion”. This is the center of government and
religion, site of the monarch’s throne room and seat of the Je Khenpo or Chief
Abbot. Built in 1641 by the political and religious unifier of Bhutan, Shabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal, it was reconstructed in the 1960s in traditional Bhutanese manner,
without nails or architectural plans.
In the late afternoon, drive to Punakha
(2 ½ hrs) via the Dochula pass. An hour's drive from Thimphu will take you to
this pass (3140 m) where one can have a superb view of the Eastern Himalayas on
a clear day with a powerful binocular telescope. Visit the beautiful 108 chortens
built on the hill by Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo for the security and well being
of His Majesty the King
of Bhutan.
Drive onto Punakha, the old capital
of Bhutan and presently the winter residence of the central monk body. Visit
the Punakha Dzong, located on the island of the Pho-Chu (male) river and the Mochu
(female) river. Visit the Dho Jha Gha Lam Temple. In
the evening, walk through the Metshina Village and take a 20-minute walk through
the rice fields to the Devine Madman’s Monastery-Chhimi Lhakhang, famously known
for its fertility shrine, where couples unable to concieve come here for blessing.
Overnight at hotel in Wangdue. Day
03: Wangdue - Trongsa -Bumthang
Drive to Trongsa via Pele la pass at
an altitude of 3,150 metres, a wonderful opportunity for photographs. Stop over
at Trongsa to visit Trongsa Dzong, which is the most impressive dzong in Bhutan.
Built in 1644 by the Shabdrung, the dzong is an architectural masterpiece.
Drive to Bumthang, this is one of the most spectacular
valleys in Bhutan and
also the heartland of Buddhism. Here the great teachers meditated and left in
their wake many sacred grounds. The Guru and his lineage of Tertons, treasure
finders, have led to the sprouting of many temples in the valley. Visit Yatha
Weaving Center, a cooperative of the National Women Association of Bhutan where
the women of the region sell their textiles and Yatha specialty. Check
into hotel and overnight in Bumthang. Day
04: Bumthang Sightseeing
The sightseeing in Bumthang includes the visits
to the following:
Jambay
Lhakhang, built in the 7th century by the King Songtsen Goempo of Tibet. In his
effort to propagate Buddhism he had a plan to build a total of 108 temples in
Tibet and neighboring kingdoms.
Chakhar Lhakhang. Besides the main road, a short distance beyond Jambay Temple
is Chakhar (Iron Castle) Lhakhang. Although it is easy to mistake it for a house
and drive right by, this is an interesting temple and is worth a short visit.
It is one of the 108 monasteries built by him to subdue evil spirits in the Himalayan
region. Kujey Lhakhang (Kujey
means, "Body imprint"). The temple to the right is the oldest and was built by
Minjur Tempa in 1652. It was built around the cave in which Guru Rimpoche meditated
and left his body imprint.
Tamshing Lhakhang. This temple is also known as Tamshing Lhendrup Chholing (Temple
of the Good Message). Jakar
Dzong, "castle of the white bird". According to legend, when the lamas assembled
in about 1549 to select a site for a monastery, a big white bird rose suddenly
in the air and settled on a spur of a hill. This was interpreted as an important
omen, and the hill was chosen as the site for a monastery and for Jakar Dzong.
The fortress is now used as an administrative center of the valley and summer
residence of Trongsa monks.
In the evening stroll around the beautiful landscape of the Bumthang valley. Dinner
and overnight at hotel in Bumthang. Day
05: Bumthang -Gangtay -Wangdue
After early breakfast, drive to Gangtey
Gompa with picnic lunch en route. Visit Gangtey Gompa, which now houses one of
the only Nyingmapa monastery in Bhutan. The valley is also the winter home to
the rare black-necked cranes (Grus Nicorocolis), which migrate, from remote parts
of Tibet, China and Siberia to winter in this valley. Drive to Wangdue for overnight
stay. Day 06: Wangdue - Paro
Visit Wangdue Dzong, situated on a ridge overlooking a river junction. In the
17th century, Wangdue played a critical role in unifying the western, central
and southern regions of the country. Also visit the local market.
Drive back to Paro, driving through the idyllic countryside, dotted with villages
and paddy fields, crossing rivers and natural forests to Paro, visiting Simtokha
Dzong en route. This dzong, built in 1627, is the oldest in Bhutan. It now houses
the Institute for Language and Culture Studies.
In the evening, free to relax or stroll around Paro town, do shopping, etc.Overnight
at hotel in Paro. Day 07:
Departure from Paro
In the morning, your tour guide from Access
Bhutan Tours will escort you to the Paro
airport for your onward destinations. Bhutan
Tour Itineraries>> |
