Monday 1st July – Thimphu, Bhutan

Morning

• There is a Druk Air flight KB127 departing Dhaka, Bangladesh at 7:20am and arriving into Paro at 8:30am – Bhutan`s only international airport. If you are unable to meet the group in Bangladesh, you can meet the group in Bhutan. There are flights departing to Paro from Bangkok, Delhi, and Kathmandu on this day.
• The airport in itself is a sight on its own. Nicknamed the world’s trickiest airport, Paro’s airport was built on Bhutan’s only flat land long enough to accommodate a runway, still, it is surrounded by mountains and requires pilots to be extremely skilful to land and take off here. Only a handful of pilots around the world are qualified to operate in this airport!
• Once you arrive at the airport, our driver will collect you and bring you to the group. The below itinerary depends on the time you arrive into Paro and is subject to change accordingly.
• Our first stop will be Ta Dzong – built in 1649, an ancient watch tower which now houses the National Museum of Bhutan. This unusual building is in a conch shape with 2.5m thick wall.
• Visit Rinpung Dzong – built in 1646, the literally meaning is “The Heap of Jewels”. The Dzong presently functions as the administrative centre of Paro district.
• Begin our 55km drive to Thimphu, across multiple river valleys, and on our way stopping at Tamchog Monastery built by Thangthong Gyalpo in the 15th century.
• We`ll also stop at Tamchhog Lhakhang, the place of worship for the legendary iron bridge builder. Thang Thong Gyalpo was a Tibetan who came to Bhutan in 1433 looking for Iron Ore. He built a total of 108 bridges across Tibet and Bhutan, out of which 8 were built in Bhutan. His only surviving bridge is in Duksum.
• Arrival in Thimphu, where we will check into our hotel.
• We will then head out for a wander through the streets of the capital, with its busy markets, surrounded by the locals, all wearing the compulsory national outfit.
• Greeting dinner and hit the town to visit the different bars and clubs of Bhutan (yes, they exist!)
• Overnight in Thimphu at Hotel Lhayul

Tuesday 2nd July – Thimphu – Punakha – Thimphu

Morning

• After breakfast, we’ll be exploring outside of the current capital to head to the ancient capital of Bhutan, Punakha (2 hours driving).
• On the way we’ll take a break at Dochu La Pass. Dochula is at 3050 metres above sea level and offers panoramic views of the Eastern Himalaya ranges. It is also renowned for its meditation caves, where practitioners isolate themselves, trying to achieve enlightenment.
• On the way to Punakha, you’ll notice how climate and vegetation changes as we are progressively getting to lower altitudes.
• We’ll do a quick visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Lam Pelri – here you can find 39 different colourful species of Rhododendrons.
• Special visit to the Sopsokha village to visit Chimi Lhakhang, the “Temple of Fertility” built in the 15th century by the ‘Divine Madman’ Lama Drukpa Kuenley. He travelled throughout Bhutan and Tibet as a “Neljorpa” (Yogi) using songs, humour and outrageous behaviour to dramatize his teachings of salvation through sex.

Afternoon

• We’ll have a local lunch in the area
• Visit the imposing Punakha Dzong, “Palace of Great Happiness”. Built in 1637, it is strategically placed at the confluence of two rivers, the Po Chu and the Mo Chu.
• Walk along the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan – a little over 160 metres long, this bridge connects the two sides of the Po Chu River. Whilst boosting your adrenaline this bridge offers stunning views over the river. A few decades ago, the bridge was made for the Lamas of Punakha Dzong to cross into the nearby villages.
• In the evening, we’ll head back to Thimphu with dinner and overnight at Hotel Lhayul.

Wednesday 3rd July – Thimphu – Paro

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and begin our city tour of Thimphu, we’ll start the day by stopping at the Memorial Chorten built in honour of the Third King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. We can photograph the monument from the outside.
• Visit the huge statue of Buddha Dordenma. It is so big it is possible to enter it to visit three stories filled with chapels and 125,000 smaller statues of Buddha. From the square in front of the statue, you’ll get a tremendous view of the whole of the Thimphu Valley.
• Stop by the Takin Preserve Centre – an odd looking animal believed to be a mix of a goat and cow which have baffled zoologists for years. The Bhutanese believe that this animal was created by the Devine Madman.
• We’ll visit to the top of Sangaygang viewpoint, this is also where the Bhutan Broadcasting Service Tower is located at an elevation of 2685m.
• A quick visit to the Dupthob nunnery – one of the few surviving nunneries in Bhutan.
• Special visit to the Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory to see how once bark is collected off trees, how the locals produce paper using environmentally safe practices.

Afternoon

• Lunch of traditional Bhutanese food at a local restaurant
• After lunch, we`ll head to the farmers market and handicraft market for some people watching and to pick up any souvenirs.
• We’ll drop by Changlimithang stadium, the national football stadium of Bhutan, and watch archery matches. If there’s no matches today we’ll check out the archery by local hobbyists in Paro.
• Visit Tashichho Dzong, seat of the National Government and Central Monastic Body.
• Begin our drive back to Paro
• Check-in and dinner on arrival
• Overnight in Shomo Chuki Resort

Thursday 4th July – Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Morning

• We’ve kept the most physical part for the end! After breakfast, we’ll take a 2-hour trek up to Bhutan’s most famous site, the Tiger’s Nest Monastery.
• By its local name, Taktshang monastery, the building clings to the cliff, 900 metres above the valley’s bottom. Guru Rinpoche, revered all throughout Bhutan, is said to have flown to the site riding on a tigress and subsequently meditated here for three months. It is one of Bhutan’s most holy sites and draws pilgrims not only from Bhutan but also from neighbouring Buddhist countries.
• The first half of the hike has an elevation of 600 meters and can be done by horse for $20USD for those interested. There’s a cafe halfway up with refreshments and a toilet. The remaining half is only 300 meters in elevation. As a total the hike will take around 6 hours to give everyone a chance to reach the top and bottom safely.
• If you wish, you may hoist prayer flags near the Tiger’s Nest and offer prayers inside the monastery (best to buy a prayer flag at the market on the previous day in case the monastery does not have one).

Afternoon

• Lunch in Paro, and then we’ll head to Drugyel Dzong, built in 1647 by the great Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It served as a defence post against the Tibetan invasion during the ancient days. This Dzong was destroyed by an accidental fire and has been renovated.
• Explore Kichu Lhakhang, built in 659CE by the Tibetan King Srongsen Gampo. He built 108 Temples in a single day to pin the Ogress to the earth
  forever and at the same time, convert the Tibetan people to Buddhism. Six of these Temples lie in Bhutan; most prominent of them are Jambay Lhakhang in Bumthang and Kichu Lhakhang in Paro. This Temple is said to hold the left foot of the Ogress and Jambay Lhakhang pins the left knee.
• In the evening, we’ll stroll around town observing the finest examples of Bhutanese architecture.
• Dinner and overnight at Shomo Chuki Resort.

Friday 5th July – Paro

Morning

• Tour concludes and you will be dropped off at Paro Airport according to your departure flight schedule.  Druk Air have flights scheduled to Delhi, Bagdogra, Kathmandu, and Kolkata this day.

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