ARRIVAL TO PARO AIRPORT
Upon arrival to paro airport, you will be met by your driver and guide.
We will then drive to hotel and rest for sometime and acclimatise yourself. After that we will visit Rinpung Dzong, fortress of the heap of jewels.’ The dzong was built in 1644 by ZhabdrungNgawangNamgyel on the foundation of a monastery built by Guru Rinpoche. Some of the scenes from the film ‘Little Buddha’ by Bernardo Bertolucci in 1995 was filmed at the Paro Rinpung Dzong.
We will also visit Ta-Dzong (National Museum). Ta-Dzong was originally the watchtower for the Paro Dzong and stands imposingly on a hillock overlooking the Paro valley and if time permits visit Kichu Lhakhang, one fo the oldest temple in Bhutan.
We stroll Paro town in the evening and check out souvenirs.
HIKE TO TIGER’S NEST
After breakfast, we will take a hike to Taktsang Monastery (or Tiger’s Nest), one of the most recognizable sites in Bhutan. Accessible only by foot, we will hike for couple of hours to reach the monastery . Built over the caves that Guru Padma Sambhava meditated in for three years, this eighth-century father of Bhutan Buddhism is said to have been brought there on the back of a tigress. It is one of the sacred sites in Bhutan and offers breathtaking views of the Paro valley.
PARO TO THIMPHU
After breakfast we will drive to Thimphu, on the way visit Iron bridge built by Thang Thong Gyalpo.
Visit Simply Bhutan museum which shows the ancient life style of Bhutanese and their culture and traditions.
We will end the day with a visit to Simtokha Dzong. Built in 1629, it was the first fortress of its kind in Bhutan. Simtokha means “demon stone” and legend has it that the fortress was used to contain a demon inside a rock which was terrorizing the region. Today, it is home to one of the premier monk-taught Dzongkha learning centers, the national language of Bhutan.
THIMPHU SIGHTSEEING
After breakfast, we will begin the tour with the National Memorial Chorten which was built in 1974 to memorialize Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, the third king of Bhutan (1928-1972). A chorten is a stupa, or hemispherical structure, that is used as a place of meditation. The whitewashed building with a golden finial on top is a popular location for prayer
Next we will visit Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory, you will see the ancient practice of natural papermaking. Using the bark of two local tree species (Daphne and Dhekap), craftsmen demonstrate how to make the traditional paper Deh-sho.
Then proceed to Buddha Dordenma is a gigantic Shakyamuni Buddha statue under construction in the mountains of Bhutan. The statue will house over one hundred thousand smaller Buddha statues, each of which, like the Buddha Dordenma itself, the Buddha Dordenma is sited amidst the ruins of KuenselPhodrang, the palace of SherabWangchuck, the thirteenth Desi Druk, overlooking the southern approach to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.
We will visit to Bhutan postal Office where one can get their own personalized stamp
ThimphuTashichho Dzong is a fortress and Buddhist monastery with a distinctive Bhutanese architectural design. Sitting aside the Wang Chhu (river), it is the current seat of the Druk Desi, the head of the civil government, and houses the offices of the current king.
THIMPHU – GENEKHA
After breakfast we will drive to Genekha and start our trek today through terraced fields and coniferous vegetation
After 4 hours hike we will reach our camp site and halt there.
GENEKHA – GUR
Its approximately 4 to 5 hours trek through thick alpine flora and fauna and plenty of flowers in the spring season
GUR – LABATAMA
Today’s trek is around 5 hours approximately and we may come across Yak herders today
Our camp site is nearby and we will halt, 4050m above level
LABATAMA SIGHTSEEING
After breakfast we will start with a short hike to Setsoi and also some lakes nearby
Today’s hike will be easy one and we will enjoy the view of the lakes and mountains
LABATAMA – PANAKA
Today’s trek is around 4 hours and on the way we will see Mt Everest, Jomolhari, JichuDrakeyMasagang, kangbum, 4500m above sea level
PANAKA – TALAKHA
After 4 hours we will reach the camp site and it will be our last camp, on the way we will get to see blue poppy if it falls on June, July month.
Overnight halt with altitude of 3080m above sea level
TALAKHA –THIMPHU
Today we will reach Talakha village and Takakha monastery, we can also see Thimphu valley from top, your car awaits you and drive to Thimphu, it will be 4 hours trek today
We will drive to Paro which is an hour drive and halt there at the hotel/resorts
After early breakfast, drive to the airport for flight to onward destination.