Dates
- Paro to Paro
- Duration: 6 Days 5 Nights
- As per Request
Approx Temperatures
- Day time: 10°C to 15°C
- Morning/night: 5°C to 8°C
Highlights
- Tiger’s Nest
- Punakha Dzong
- Great Palace Of Happiness
- Thimpu Dzong
Trek Itinerary
Paro
Welcome to Paro, a quaint little town in the picturesque Paro valley of Bhutan. Transport to and from the Airport is included in our fee with no service tax applicable on transport cost. Participants are picked up from the airport and most participants opt for the Roads & Journeys pick up and we assume the same in your case. In case you do not want the Roads & Journeys pick up, you will have to make your own travel arrangements. From the airport, you are taken to your hotels and checked-in. We make sure to accommodate you in good 3-star hotels throughout your trip. Once you’re done with lunch, we will proceed to visit some tourist points around the city. The Memorial Chorten is a monument built to honour the 3rd King of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. It is a prominent landmark in the city. The stupa-temple “Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang Temple”, built in 1421, is brimming with legendary tales. One says that it was constructed to vanquish a serpentine force while another says that it was erected on the head of a demoness. You must have definitely heard of the famous dried yak cheese (chugo). Find it along with many more local trinkets at Paro’s local market. Buy souvenirs for your friends back home and indulge in the local Bhutanese flavours. You will also find local produce like chugo and organic Tsirang honey. There are many more sights that we will explore on our 4th day back at the valley. Retire to the hotel for the night and rest well.
Paro To Thimphu
We make our way to the capital city after a hearty breakfast at our hotel. It takes about an hour and a half without any stops. Thimphu is a perfect example of traditions meet modernity. It has still retained its cultural identity and values in these times of modernisation without being left behind in today’s world. Once you have checked into the hotel, we set out to visit the local sights of the capital city. The Clock Tower Square is a primary landmark in the city centre. The long dragons represent the independence of the dragon kingdom of Bhutan while the colourful Bhutanese designs carved onto the surface of the tower give it an identity. You will find locals hanging out around the clock tower square due to its spacious nature while frequenting the surrounding shops and café’s. Located below the main town, near the Wang Chhu River, Thimphu’s weekend market is by far the largest domestic market for the farmers in Bhutan. Farmers come from all over the country to sell their farm products in the market. Are you excited to see the world’s largest sitting Buddha statue? Welcome to Kuensel Phodrang. The Great Buddha Dordenma is a gigantic Shakyamuni Buddha statue in the mountains of Bhutan celebrating the 60th anniversary of the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The Kuensel Phodrang nature park formally opened in 2011. The park conserves 943.4 acres of forest area that surrounds the Buddha Dordenma statue. An absolute must is a visit to the Motithang Takin Preserve. It is a wildlife reserve area dedicated to the “takin”, the national animal of Bhutan. Originally a mini-zoo, it was converted later converted into a preserve. After a day of intense exploration, retire back to your rooms for the night.
Thimphu To Punakha
Located at a height of 4265 ft., Punakha valley is one of the most scenic destinations in Bhutan. We set out after breakfast on a 3 hour long ride to the town. On our way to Punakha, we will stop at Dochula Pass for a short break and admire its 108 stupas. If the weather is good, you will enjoy a great view of the Himalayas . Once you have settled into your new accommodation and enjoyed a good lunch, we will set out to explore the town. The most popular and must visit destination is the Punakha Dzong, the administrative and religious centre of the region. It is also known as the “Palace Of Great Happiness”. Built at the junction of two rivers – Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu – the Punakha Dzong offers stunning views of the lush green Punakha valley. It also looks beautiful during the Punakha festival and is open to the general public during the festival and the summer months. The fertility temple, Chimi Lhakhang, is quite well-known around the world as it attracts people who wish to conceive will find guidance at the temple. Thousands pilgrimage to The Fertility Temple in the hopes of having a child. The phallus symbol is used throughout the design of the temple in its paintings and carvings. Embark on a one-hour hike along a trail that crosses a suspension bridge and then goes up the hill to the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal. Overlooking the Punakha Valley, this stupa was constructed specifically to ward off evil spirits in Bhutan and across the world and bring peace and harmony to all living things. After a rather adventurous day in Punakha, return to your accommodation for some well-deserved rest.
Punakha To Paro
Post breakfast, we will proceed to Paro after having had our fill of the picturesque Punakha valley. One thing that you can do at Punakha, which is not included in our fee, is go white water rafting on the Mo Chhu River. However, this depends on that time of the year you choose to visit Bhutan. Spring is usually the best time to undertake this adventure sport. Once we reach Paro, our first stop will be the National Museum of Bhutan. A place filled with knowledge on the country’s ancient glory, the museum is called Ta Dzong, which means the watchtower. Shaped like a conch shell, the building is circular and has seven floors. It still preserves remnants of Bhutanese architecture, values, and lifestyles. Another place of prominent significance is the Paro Dzong or Rinpung Dzong Monastery. Known for its beautiful and precise architecture, the fort has protected the valley from Tibet invasions on numerous occasions. We don’t want to keep this day too heavy because of the long winding travel between Punakha to Paro, so retire to your accommodation early and rest well.
Tiger’s Nest
Ready to hike up to Bhutan’s most popular destination? Tiger’s Nest, or Paro Takstang, is a small collection of buildings precariously perched on a cliff, 900 meters off of the ground. It is said to be the spot where Guru Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche) landed when he flew from Tibet on the back of his Tigress. It takes about 25 minutes from Paro to reach the main parking lot where you can start your hike up to the Monastery. There are mules available for hire for those who may not want to walk up the complete distance. However, the mules go only till half way and beyond that the only means of reaching the monastery is by walk.The trail takes you into a pine forest and you will also pass by several Chorten buildings with water-powered prayer wheels inside. Depending on the weather, the trail can get muddy or dry. Hope for the latter. If you are a quick hiker, you can make it up in 50 minutes. Or else it could take close to 2 hours. The first halfway point is a small cafeteria where you can stop for refreshments. If it isn’t too cloudy, you can get a glimpse of the Tiger’s Nest from here. The path from here is mostly flat, so it shouldn’t take you more than half an hour to get there. You will pass a few small monastery ́s on the way up, which have some residential monks living in them. You can make a stop there if you wish to. As you reach the next viewpoint, you have to climb down to the Tiger’s Nest. You will cross a small bridge before the last climb up. The bridge is across a sacred pool with a large waterfall, which drops by 60 meters (200 ft) into the sacred pool underneath the bridge. Once you reach the monastery, it’s your time to self explore. You cannot take any photos inside. Learn all about the history of the temple. When everyone is done, we’ll start making our way back to the parking lot and back to Paro. Take the rest of the evening to explore Paro your own way.
End of Tour
The tour has officially come to an end. Those who need to be dropped at the airport can avail our service to arrange vehicles for them. We hope you had a memorable time and return with fond memories of a beautiful country.
Cultural Highlights
Visit the famous Taktshang or the Tiger’s Nest in Paro. You can’t afford not to visit the Tiger’s Nest when in Bhutan. Or it’s as good as not visiting Bhutan at all.
Visit the historical Paro Rinpung Dzong the oldest Buddhist temples in Bhutan Kyichu Lhakhang and ruin site of Victory fort, locally known as Drugyal Dzong.
Take a tour of Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital and soak in its contrasting cultures, where modern and tradition seamlessly fuse
Stop by two mountain passes that offer breathtaking views of the Himalayan mountain ranges and unclimbed, virgin peaks
Visit the inner sanctums of the historical Thimphu Dzong (fortress), a living example of the brilliance of Bhutanese architecture, which has but very few equals across the country
Visit the old capital Punakha and the Puna Dewa Chenpoi Phodrang or the Great
Palace of Happiness, built on the confluence of two rivers.Visit Chimi Lhakhang or the Temple of Fertility
Hike to a breathtaking hilltop of Khamsum Yuelay Namgyal Chhorten in Hebesa
valley
Terms & Conditions
1. Stay: 3 star hotel on all nights with Breakfast. Permit to Visit all places mentioned in the itinerary
2. Transport: Transport to and from Airport is Included in the fee. No service tax is applicable on transport cost. Cab to visit all the places mentioned in the itinerary. Airport Pick up and drop.
3. Pick-up: Participants are picked up from the Airport. Most participants opt for the Roads & Journeys pick up and we assume the same in your case. In case you do not want the Roads & Journeys pick up you will have to make your own travel arrangements.
To know more about Bhutan, its culture and what to expect, read the following articles
Trek Fee: ₹32,000
