Bhutan Thimpu Punakha Paro Tour

As you embark from your flight, the first thing that strikes your fancy is the architectural splendor of the Paro Airport, voted by notable travel magazines as one of the most beautiful airports in the world.

Upon your arrival outside the terminal, you will be greeted with a smile by our tour executive and escorted to Thimphu.  You will get the first insight of the spiritual and ethical values of the country as our guide takes you on your first cultural orientation of Tachogang Lhakhang temple view and  a 15th century temple famed for its iron bridge and the more popular Thangthong Gyalpo, the reincarnate saint who brought the art of metallurgy in Bhutan.  After check in at the hotel, your guide will await your convenience to give you the overview of the day’s activities and touch upon some issues in regard to the appropriate protocol to be observed while on visit to religious and secular institutions.

After lunch, you can visit the following places if time permits:

1. Memorial Chorten; a stupa built for the manifold purposes of commemorating World peace and at the same time serves as a gentle reminder to the visitors that this architecturally unique structure was built as a memorial to the late third king of Bhutan.
2. Tashi Chho Dzong, the first of the many Dzong’s on your trip after the office hours for less than hour stroll. A medieval fortress of defense in the 17th Century and now both the administrative and religious seats of a district, the Tashi Chho Dzong has the distinction of being the summer residence of the Chief Abbot of Bhutan. The office of the king is also housed within the Dzong complex.

Driving Distance: 55KM

Duration: 1.5 Hours (Driving duration)

Overnight @ Hotel.

Elevation 2320m

Post breakfast, we checkout from the hotel and we visit Simtoka Dzong in Thimpu, the oldest fortress in the country. 
The Simtoka Dzong, built in 1629 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, functions as a monastic and administrative centre and is the oldest dzong which has survived in its original form; Namgyal brought into vogue, for the first time in Bhutan, this concept of the "dzong" as castle monastery.

Post that we drive for an hour and we reach DOCHULA PASS, which is marked with 108 monuments known as DRUK WANGYEL CHORTEN & DRUK WANGYEL LHAKHANG.
On a clear day one can see and view entire north-eastern snow-capped Himalayan range. All snow peaks are sacred and unclimbed; believing homes for mountain deities.
* Tea & snacks time, a breather time to rest and stop for restroom as well at Dochula Pass.
* From here drive switch backs down side of the valley through lovely green nature and lush forest to tropical vegetation of Punakha Valley (1200 mtrs). About 30 minutes drive stop for lunch at MENCHUNA Restaurant, this is designated lunch Stopover for tourist.

After lunch continue drive for about 30 minutes to ACHIMI LHAKHANG Lhakhang village and 25 minutes walk through Rice field to 15th century fertility temple known as Chimi Lhakhang. Day ends with blessing from this temple and breather time to arrive at hotel.

Overnight Stay at PUNAKHA ZHINGKHAM RESORT, 3 STAR

Driving Distance 77 KMs and 3 hours drive

Punakha is a very popular haven for avian-fauna enthusiasts: Today as you Drive towards the north following the emerald Mo Chu River for a day hike to Khamsum Yueley Namgyel Lhakhang, you will have a rare opportunity in spotting many of the globally endangered birds like the ruddy shell duck, the Pallas’ fishing eagle, the ibis bill, etc, along this river. Built in 1991 for the country’s peace and prosperity, Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel is attributed to the Warrior king, Gesar of Ling. To get to this temple is a 45 minute walk across paddy fields and farm houses and this gentle endeavor will bring you face to face with the locals working in their fields. Your easy labor of getting to the top will reward you with picture perfect views of the Punakha valley with the serpentine Mo Chu River noiselessly gliding along the valley.
The main highlight of the trip to the Punakha valley partially owes its credit to the Dzong. Aptly named ‘Pungthang Dewachhen Phodrang (which translates as ‘the Palace of eternal joy’), this Dzong is the personal favorite of the majority not just for its sheer beauty but also for its enormous historic proportions. Punakha is synonymous with history: the very reason that it is the winter Capital of Bhutan, the chosen refuge of the Chief Abbot and his monk subjects makes this locale a place of enormous holistic   proportions. 
This magnificent structured Dzong built in 1637 at the confluence of the Pho Chu-Male River and Mo Chu-Female Rivers, Punakha Dzong is the winter home for the central monk body headed by the Chief Abbot of Bhutan.
You can stop for lunch and refreshments at Punakha before the onward drive to Paro via the Dochula pass.
Driving Distance: 133 KMS

Duration: 6 -7 Hours (Inclusive of hikes, sightseeing, lunch stop and drive)
 

Overnight@ Hotel or Farmhouse Stay
 

Elevation: 2250m

After an overnight stay at a hotel in Paro, your guide today will start the day’s activities today by a visit to the Taa Dzong. Originally a watch tower in the 17th century, the Taa Dzong lost some of its historic status as the first watch tower in the country when it was converted to a cultural museum in 1968. Nevertheless, in the present state, Taa Dzong lays its claim to be the best and the first cultural museum in the country. 
The visit to the Paro Dzong is usually done in conjunction with the trip to the museum. Directly related to each other in the historical and to a large extent geographical context, the Paro Dzong or otherwise the ‘fortress on heap of jewels ‘was built in about the same era as the Taa Dzong. The Dzong in all its redolence of the medieval time period of the mid 17th century virtually smells of antiquity and the thickness of its walls and the gigantic size of the supporting beams are true testimonials of some glorious by-gone era of true artistic proportions.  
An afternoon visit to the Kichu temple will not just give you insights into the time period of Buddhism in Bhutan but will also give you sufficient reasons as to why the religion has come to stay. The first of the Buddhist temples to be built in the wake of the 7th century, it was a daunting enterprise of the first Tibetan Buddhist missionary King Songsten Gampo who is reported to have built 108 temples in and around the Himalayan region of Tibet and Bhutan to propagate the diamond teachings of Guru Padmasambhava or the ‘Lotus born’, the epithet he is more popularly with, in the Buddhist worlds.
Time permitting; your guide will take you on a visit to the Drukgyel Dzong at the northern end of the Paro valley. This citadel of the great victory of the Bhutanese over the joint coalition of the Mongolian and Tibetan armies, the Drukgyel Dzong (the word literally translates as the victory of the Dragons) has received numerous mention in travel journals including a grand picture feature by the National Geographic society. 
 

Duration: 7-8Hours (Including sightseeing, lunch stop and drive)

Overnight @Hotel

“It is said that even if you have seen all of Bhutan but have overlooked the visit to the Tiger’s nest, it implies that you have not visited Bhutan at all”. The above observation, made by a visitor after her first visit to Bhutan is  indicative of itself, the importance of the Taktsang not just in socio- cultural dimensions, but more importantly, as a must-see attraction that Bhutan has to offer as an experience of a hermit kingdom. The very first view of the Tiger’s nest seeming to append out of the granite rock face will intimidate some of you: Remember that the anticipation is worse than the actuality! The trail which has a lot of switchbacks is wide enough to let packs of ponies pass by, but be advised to keep to the right side to avoid mules and ponies edge you out of the path. It is about an hour’s walk to get the glimpse of a homely inn where you may get a sense of satisfaction as you regale yourself with tea and snacks and the first wholesome view of the Tiger’s nest. Continuing the walk for the next 45 minutes brings you to the first view point, the spot designated by a huge stupa-shaped river rock which has become a foreground subject for numerous photographic enthusiasts who take pictures of it with the Tiger’s nest in the background. There are a lot of flat stones to secure your footing as you descend down some 450 steps and pass a stupa, another stupa, and a butter lamp offering altar till you reach a waterfall, an area sanctified by a lot of wish fulfilling string of prayer flags. You will see your efforts paid off as you  trudge up the entrance to the Tiger’s nest and take a very well earned breather before you are escorted into the temples by your guide. Lunch will be served at the ‘cafeteria’ after which it is the last 45 min way down to the car park. For those who seem to be fazed by this virtual talk up the Taktsang, there are two options: your guide will always make sure to inform you about the alternative of riding a pony up, or better still, encourage you to walk up at your own pace till the inn from where you can have a vicarious delight of actually being up at the Tiger’s nest.

Duration: 7-8Hours (Inclusive of hike, sightseeing and short drive)
 

Overnight @ Hotel

Your last day here in Bhutan, your guide and driver will escort you to the Airport and bid you fare well to the destination of your choice.
 

Please Note:  Please be informed that the above itinerary is just a guideline. Local conditions and weather may necessitate variations to the program and can affect the availability of views and panoramas described. We tailor your day to day programme as per your special requests and individual fitness level.