9 Nights 10 Days

The flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular in entire Himalayas. Flying along the Himalayan the journey offers fascinating views and an exciting descent into the Kingdom. Bhutan’s first gift to you as you disembark from the aircraft will be cool, clean fresh mountain air. After immigration formalities and baggage collection, you will be met by our representative, and afterwards drive to hotel in Punakha across Dochula Pass.

Evening an exploratory walk around Paro Main Street and market area.

Overnight in Dhumra Farm House

After breakfast drive for around 10 minutes to the parking for Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten, starts hike up through fields of chilies, cabbages to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten, which was built to remove negative forces and promote peace, stability and harmony in the changing world. The Chorten dominates the upper Punakha Valley with commanding views across the Mo Chhu and up towards the mountainous peaks of Gasa and beyond. A stunning monument recently built by the Queens and consecrated in 1999.

After the hike drive back to your hotel and get refreshed followed by Lunch at hotel.

After lunch enjoy the village walk, excursion to Chimi Lhakhang. The Chimi Lhakhang, situated on a hillock in the center of the valley, also known as the temple of fertility. It is widely believed that couples who do not have children and wanting one, if they pray at this temple, they are usually blessed with a child very soon. The trail leads across rice fields to the tiny settlement of Pana, meaning ‘field’. A walk through the village near the temple will give you rare glimpses into the daily life and lifestyle of the villagers.

Later, Punakha Dzong, built strategically at the junction of Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers in 1637, by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to serve as the religious and administrative center of the region, Punakha Dzong has played an important role in Bhutan's history. Damaged by four catastrophic fires and an earthquake, the Dzong has been fully restored by the present King. The Dzong is open for visitors during Punakha festival and in summer months when the monk body moves to Thimphu.

After breakfast drive for an excursion to Talo / Nobgang villages. The village of Talo (alt. 2,800m) which is scattered along the hill slopes, known for its cleanliness and hygiene among Punakha villages. Talo Sangnacholing is built on a plateau and has majestic view of surrounding villages. The beautiful farm houses of the village have its own flower gardens and on the hill slope corns and sweet peas are grown in abundance. 

Followed by a visit Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang nunnery:Perched on a ridge amid pine trees and overlooking valleys of Punakha and Wangduephodrang, gleams the magnificent structures of Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang (Temple). The temple houses a 14-foot main bronze statue of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrigzig chagtongchentong). Other statues include those of Guru Padmasambawa, Gautama Buddha, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, TselaNamsum, the 21 Taras and Tsepamay (Buddha of longevity). The Avalokiteshvara statue, one of the biggest in the country, was the handiwork of entirely local Bhutanese artisans.  

The temple complex also houses a permanent higher learning and meditation centre for nuns where, apart from religious trainings, it provides life skill training such as tailoring, embroidery, statue making and thangka painting.

Check in to the hotel and leisure

Today we take a drive through the beautiful landscape towards Haa Valley via Dopji Dzong. 

Enroute visit Dobji Dzong, Considered to be first model Dzong in Bhutan, Dobzi Dzong is a tourist spot in Paro which looms magnificently on a hilltop. The Dzong was erected in the year 1531 by Ngawang Chogyal, the brother of Choji Drukpa Kunley, who is also known as the ‘Divine Madman.’ It is believed that Ngawang Chogyal followed the spring that emerged below the throne of Jetsun Milarepa in Tibet and the source of the spring was discovered to be the rock which was located at Dobji Dzong. For this reason, Dobji Dzong was chosen for having a religious significance.

Check in to the hotel and leisure

After Breakfast, drive to visit the Lhakhang Karpo (white temple). Towards the southern foothills of the three towering mountains known as Rigsum Gonpo, meaning the “Lords of the Three Families”, refers to the enlightened deity trinity of Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani, stands the mystical Lhakhang Karpo which basically translates to white temple. Lhakhang means temple and Karpo means white.Lhakhang Karpo was established in the 7th century. It is believed that two birds that is a black dove and a white pigeon were released in order to allocate the site for construction of the shrines and when the white pigeon rested on the grounds near the three towering temples that is when the Tibetan King Songtsen Gempo decided to raise the temple which stand firm still date,it houses the monastic body for the Haa region and the festivals that is to be held in the Dzong are usually organized at this Lhakhang and in order to maintain this tradition this Lhakhang has been recently rebuilt into a more beautiful looking master piece.

Few minutes away from the Lhakhang Karpo is the Lhakhang Nagpo which literally means the Black temple. In order to feature the name of the temple, the temple has been built with a grey tint in order to represent the darker color. Both the White and Black temple houses statues of the three great mountains peaks above the valley which local tradition believes as Gods known as Rigsum Gonpo, meaning the “Lords of the Three Families”, refers to the enlightened deity trinity of Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani.This Lhakhang was built by the King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. The reason why this temple is known as the black temple is because the king released a black pigeon along with a white one to designate a site for building of the temples and the Lhakhang Nagpo was built on the site where the black pigeon actually landed. There is an opening inside the floor of the temple that leads to the underground lake.
The statue of Jowo Sakyamuni can be found at this temple at the inner side of the shrine and the red –faced protector Drakdu Tsen on the outer chapel house.

Later Stroll around the Haa Town

After Breakfast, you will take a Haa Panorama hike which was developed with a team of 21 people working in tourism such as guides, cooks, and horsemen revived an ancient route in

Haa and developed it into a new trekking trail when the Tourism has been put at halt due to global

pandmic. Calling it the ‘Haa Panorama Hiking Trail’ (HPHT), the one-day hiking trail overlooks four major

monasteries of upper Haa: Yangthang, Katsho, Dranadingkha and Takchu goenpas.

The hike could either start from Yangthang goenpa or Wangtsa village through thick pine covering and

provides a bird’s eye view of Haa valley.  It gently ascends to 3,150 meters above sea level and passes

through Juney Drak, Katsho and Yanthang goenpas. Haa Panorama Hiking is ideal for a day hike. “One

can cycle through the rich forest.”

The trail covers 11 kilometers in about five hours.  The trail connects two gewogs of Katsho and Bji with two exit points in between. “If hikers can’t complete the journey, they can exit from Katsho goenpa and Juney Dra.”The trail has two canopies, a bazam, 15 log bridges and a picnic spot with a hot stone bath. 

Meanwhile, Haa opened to tourism in 2002 when the people of Haa valley approached the National

Assembly and expressed their desire to introduce their community to the world of tourism, but only a few

tourists visited. Although Haa has a strategic location and proximity to Thimphu, Paro international airport, and the southern gateway town of Phuentsholing, it lacks proper infrastructure, according to Haa’s tourism action plan.

After breakfast, drive towards Paro across chelela pass.

Enroute, you can start a Kila Nunnery hike which begins from Chele La (Pass), the highest motor-able road in Bhutan set at an altitude of 3810 meters. It is one of the most beautiful day hikes that you can take while in your Bhutan Tour.

It takes about one and half hour (65 Km) drive from Paro town to reach Chelela (Pass). The drive from Paro to Chelela would be through a winding road over the dense pine forest, the view is spectacular.

After lunch proceeds to visit Ta Dzong, originally built as Watchtower, which now houses National Museum. The extensive collection includes antique thangkha paintings, textiles, weapons & armour, household objects and a rich assortment of natural and historic artifacts.

Ta Dzong visit shortly followed by a short walk down the trail to visit Rinpung Dzong, meaning (“fortress of the heap of jewels”), which has a long and fascinating history. Along the wooden galleries lining the inner courtyard are fine wall paintings illustrating Buddhist lore such as four friends, the old man of long life, the wheel of life, scenes from the life of Milarepa, Mount. Sumeru and another cosmic Mandala.

Stroll around the Paro Town and KAJA THROM (Farmer’s market).

After breakfast, drive to Thimphu city:

On arrival, Visit King's Memorial Chorten continuously circumambulated by people, murmuring mantras and spinning their prayer wheels. Construction of this landmark was the idea of Bhutan’s third king, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuk (“the father of modern Bhutan”) who has wished to erect monument to world peace and prosperity. Completed in 1974 after his untimely death, it serves both as a memorial to the Late King and as a monument to peace. 

Later, visit Buddha Point (KuenselPhodrang). Located a short drive away from Thimphu city centre, visitors can get a panoramic view of the Thimphu valley from here. You can pay your obeisance and offer prayers to the Buddha, the largest in the country. A walk in and around the premises taking in the scenic beauty of the surroundings is a popular activity even among the locals.

Then, hike from Buddha Point to Changangkha Lhakhang. The hike takes us through populated blue pine forests, with the perfect view of Thimphu Valley. It was initially intended to be a cycling trail, but it is excellent for hiking as well. You can do the hike either way. The hike will take about 2 hours. The hike is through pine forest. This trail is part of the 60th birth anniversary celebration of the fourth king of Bhutan.

Afternoon, visit Textile Museum: is worth a visit to get to know the living national art of weaving. Exhibitions introduce the major weaving techniques, styles of local dress and textiles made by women and men.  

Followed by a visit the Takin Preserve to see the national animal of Bhutan. The Conservation Centre is located a few kilometers above the Thimphu Town or just above Motithang Town, in a pine forest. Takin is the national animal of Bhutan and it is one of the endangered and rare animals in the world. The center though looks like a zoo with several animals like deer and reindeer, it is the Takin Conservation Center. The present zoo was originally a small zoo but later it was converted into a preservation center of Takin when it was discovered that the animals refrained from inhabiting the surrounding forest even when set free.

The reason for takin adopting as national animal of Bhutan was due to animal’s attribution with a legend of the animal’s creation in Bhutan in the 15 th century by Lama Drukpa Kuenley. The local mythology related to declaring Takin as The National Animal of Bhutan is dated back to 15 th Century.

After breakfast excursion to Taktshang Monastery (5hrs hike) (3150 Meters):  It is one of the most famous of Bhutan’s monasteries, perched on the side of a cliff 900m above the Paro valley floor. It is said that Guru Rinpoche arrived here on the back of a tigress and meditated at this monastery and hence it is called ‘Tiger’s Nest’. This site has been recognized as a most sacred place and visited by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1646 and now visited by all Bhutanese at least once in their lifetime. On 19 April 1998, a fire severely damaged the main structure of building but now this Bhutanese jewel has been restored to its original splendor.

Along the way, visit the 7th century Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the 108 temples built in the Himalayas by Tibetan King, SongtsenGampo. The building of this temple marks the introduction of Buddhism in Bhutan.

Evening an exploratory walk around Main Street and market area.

This morning, drive to Airport for your flight to onward destination.