Grand cultural walking tour of Bhutan 14 nights/ 15 days
This tour covers a good portion of west and center Bhutan with plenty of time to view the country side as well as witness interesting cultural events.
Day
1: paro arrival and reception at the airport; drive to your hotel-tiger nest
lodge- briefing and introduction by your guide over dinner.
Day 2: paro: walking and sightseeing of drugyel
dzong ruins, paro rinpung dzong
national museum via the old nyme zampa bridge- the site where bertolucci filmed
the movie “little buddha”. after
returning to your hotel experience the traditional hot stone bath in the
evening .
Day
3 day hike to
jhakharpo monastery, late afternoon drive to thimphu
Day 4 Thimphu: Early morning, hike to old
Tango and Cheri
Monasteries; Afternoon visits to the Thimphu General
Post Office;
School of
Thanka Painting and Mask Making; Traditional crafts in Silver and gold;
Day 5. Thimphu: Morning walk to the Kings
Memorial Chorten and the Nunnery at Drupthob Thanthog monastery to attend their
puja Ceremonies, On the way visit the Traditional Medicine Hospital. Afternoon visit the local Handicrafts Center
and stroll in the capital Town of Thimphu or option: visit one of few Hair
Dressing Saloon and Meet the lady Hair Dressers. Ov Hotel.
Day 6. Thimphu/Punakha: Early morning drive over the 10,000 ft pass Of Dochula to view the stunning scenery of the Himalayan ranges; Descend to the old winter capital of Punakha; visit Wangdiphodrang Valley; overnight at Hotel Dragon Nest/Zangdopelri.
Day 7. Drive to Trongsa: visit the biggest
Dzong in Bhutan and the Seat of power in 19th century Bhutan; walk
to the Watch Tower Ta Dzong That once guarded the Dzong below. Overnight at Trongsa Lodge.
Day 8. Drive to beautiful Bumthang Valley-
the most sacred & religous Of all the valleys in Bhutan: In Jakar view the
Dzong known as the White Bird Dzong and drive to the Flaming Lake - Membartsho-
where the Sacred religious treasures were found in the 15th century
by Terton Pemalingpa the Treasure Finder and reincarnation of the emminent
Buddhist saint of India Guru Padmasambhava. On the way to Bumthang halt At
Chummey to witness the local folks weaving Yathra, a special Bhutanese woolen
material. Over night at Jakar lodge.
Day 9. Bumthang: excursions to the most
sacred religious places for The Buddhist of the Tantric-Mahayana Tradition;
namely Kurjey Lhakhang; Jampel Lhakhang; Thamshing and Kentshosum Lhakhangs.
Day 10. Bumthang/Nganglhakhang: Day excursion to Swan Valley called Nganlhakhang (An
easy walk following the river for 3 hrs- this being Part of the Bumthang
Cultural trek of 3 days) and return in the Afternoon after a picnic lunch.
Day 11.
Bumthang/Gangtey: Early morning drive to Gangtey valley . Overnight at Gangtey lodge. Late
afternoon walk through the valley to View the Black Necked Cranes that winter
over in Bhutan coming in from Tibet ( Late October - March), the endangered
species protected by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Day 12. Gangtey: Day excursion of Gangtey valley exploring the old Gangtey monastery and the farming villages that has changed little in This quiet valley at 10,000 ft altitude.
Day 13.
Gangtey/Wangdi/Thimphu: Drive to Thimphu via Wangdi; after lunch Stop at
Wangdi town continues over the pass to visit Simotkha Dzong.
Day 14.Thimphu- Paro: Day hike up to the Tiger’s Nest known as
Taktsang—one of the most spectacular and most sacred pilgrim sites To all
Buddhists. Guru Padmasambhava is
known to have flown on a Tigress to meditate on the cliffs—the tigress being
his consort the Divine Yeshe Tsogyel. A short visit to one of the farm house
and try Some Bhutanese yak butter
tea. Evening participate in a farewell
Folk dance after your dinner at your hotel.
Day 15. Transfer to Paro airport for onward journey.