Mystical Bhutan tour – 6 Nights / 7 Days

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This short cultural tour is based mainly on western part of Bhutan. This tour is interesting for its coverage of many  iconic travel visiting points and is most frequently listed tour itinerary.

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Day 1

Arrive Paro and Drive to Thimphu, (60 km, 1 hour)

On arrival to Paro International Airport, you will be greeted by your personal Bhutanese guide and driver.  They will escort you to your car and drive to Thimphu, Capital of Bhutan. After check in to your room in hotel , lunch will be served at dinning room.

After lunch visit Memorial Chorten, a beautiful stupa like temple, where senior bhutanese citizens come to pray. Kuensel Phodrang has enormous statue of Buhhda that has panoramic view of Thimphu city below.

you can visit Post office in center of Town and buy a postage stamp with your own pictures on it and post it to your friends.

Along with your guide visit Trashichhodzong, fortress which also houses monk body in summer, administrative office and also has  throne room of the present King.

Dinner and overnight in Thimphu Hotel.

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Day 2

 Thimphu Sightseeing

Breakfast in morning and visit to Changangkha monastery. The 800 years old temple houses the Buddha of compassion, Chenrizeg ( Avaloktesvara ) .   Childrens born in Thimphu  valley are brought here for blessings.

Takin is national animal of Bhutan. Their Natural Habitat is above 3000 meters. You can visit Takin Reserve Centre in Mothithang and see live Takin.

Folk Heritage museum is worth a visit. Your guide will explain the traditions as you visit inside the traditional house converted to Museum.

Zorig Chusum, 13 arts and crafts school is situated  just behind the Museum and your guide will take you inside the class room where students learn the traditional skills.

Textile Museum is situated below Main Street in town. your guide will escort you there.

Vegetable market is also worth a visit to see the kinds of organic vegetables and other food stuffs consumed in the Himalayas.

Archery is national sport of Bhutan and you will easily come across a match happening around Thimphu Valley.

Evening stroll around Thimphu town, if you like.

Dinner in Restaurant in town and overnight at Thimphu Hotel.

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Day 3

Punakha Valley

Early morning after breakfast, drive to Punakha valley – old capital of Bhutan. En route take a moment to stop at Dochula Pass ( 11,000 ft ) to view of the snow capped mountain ranges. The highest unclimbed mountain on earth, mt. Gangkar Phuensum ( 7,570 Mts ), will be visible on clear sunny day. From this point the drive will be downwards until Lobesa valley.

Visit Chimmi Lhakhang – temple of the Divine madman Lama Drukpa Kuenley. The people around this place bring their first born child to get blessings and couples without child visit this temple to ask for boon.

The drive will be short distance to your hotel from Lobeysa.

After lunch visit the Punakha Dzong ( fortress ), where the first King of Bhutan was crowned in 1907. The beautiful Dzong of Punakha was built in 1637 – 38 and is one of the most majestic structure in Bhutanese architecture.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Punakha.

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Day 4 : 

Punakha sightseeing / River rafting.

Morning after breakfast drive up the valley to river bank for river rafting. The rafting is on mild flowing river and you will raft pass the Punakha fortress and under the beautiful cantilever bridge that connects the fortress across the river.

After lunch you can either hike upto beautiful Khamsum Yulley Namgyal chorten which is perched on small hilltop overlooking panoramic view of the valley below.

Or you can drive upto Talo Gompa. This monastery lies above Punakha valley. The drive up to the monastery is worth for its view of the whole valley below and one can feel the sense of actual rural bhutanese lifestyle of the people living here.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Punakha.

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Day 5 :

 Paro Sightseeing

Breakfast and drive to Paro. After crossing Dochula Pass, visit Simtokha Dzong, first fortress built in 1629. It now functions as institute for cultural language and has beautiful interior of  old statues and paintings.

In Paro visit national Museum,  a little lower lies enormous Paro Rimpung Dzong.  Built in 17th century on a strategic location, Rimpung Dzong defended the Valley from invaders.

From here walk down to river and cross cantilever bridge to your waiting car.

Visit Dumtse Lhakhang with very old paintings inside its dark corridor.

Further up lies Kyichu Temple.  Built in 7th century by Tibetan King Tsongtsen Gompo in order to subdue evil ogress that was terrorizing Himalayan regions.

Drugyel Dzong lies at the end of Paro valley. This fortress was originally built protect this route  from possible Tibetan raids.  It got burned down in 1951 and laid in ruins for many years.

Dinner in local restaurant in Paro Town and overnight at hotel.

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Day 6 :

Hike to Paro Taktsang

Early morning Hike to Paro Taktsang ( Tigers Nest ) . Built on sheer cliff, 900 meters above, Taktsang is sacred pilgrimage site to all Bhutanese.  In 8th century, Guru Rimpoche ( Guru Padmasambhava ) is said to have flown here on back of tigress and meditated for 3 years.  A pony can be hired, if necessary, till the cafeteria from where you will have to walk up again.  Lunch at cafeteria and walk down to your car.

If time permits drive up to Chelela Pass, 3880 meters above. It has scenic beauty with Ha valley on the other side.  Mt. jhomolhari  7,326 meters, Bhutans sacred mountain and second highest is visible along with blooming blue poppy ( national flower of Bhutan ) on right season.

Hot Stone Bath can be arranged on request.

Dinner and overnight at Hotel.

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Day 7

Exit Paro,Bhutan

After breakfast your guide and driver will reach you to Paro International Airport and assist you to board the plane.