Smile, Breathe & Walk – The Land of Happiness

Kuzu-zam-pola and welcome to Bhutan. The flight to Bhutan is one of the most beautiful mountain flights in the world. Your Bhutanese guide and driver will welcome you at the Paro Airport. They will take you for a lunch and sightseeing around Paro valley, including the Ta Dzong Museum and Ringpung Dzong. In the afternoon you will enjoy your 2 hours drive to Thimphu along the Pachhu (river) and the Wangchu (river). You will get to see school students, traditional houses and farm lands. Night halt at tourist class hotel in Thimphu, before dinner your guide will share the necessary information about your tour and Bhutanese etiquette.

Thimphu is the capital city of Bhutan, located on the western region. It is the centre of Government, Buddhist religion and Commerce. In the morning, you will take an hour walk up to Tango Monastery at the head of the valley. After Lunch your tour will include some of the following, depending on opening times and interest: visit to the Buddha Dordenma Statue, Tashi Chho Dzong, 13 types of Bhutanese arts and crafts and take a walk around the Takin Zoo or Thimphu town. If your visit coincides with the weekend you can visit the farmers’ market, where they sell their organic agriculture products and can also interact with them freely. Night halt at tourist class hotel in Thimphu.

The morning drive is one of the best experiences; we will drive up to Dochula pass which is 3,140 meters above sea level with sweeping views of the Himalayan range, Druk Wangyal chortens and the countryside. You will also get a time to take an easy walk across the rice paddies to Chimmi Lhakhang, a fertility temple of a saint Drukpa Kuenley, the Divine Madman. The temple sits on a hill top surrounded by rice fields and Bhutanese traditional houses, and it is a pilgrimage site for many locals and tourists. Most childless couples visit the temple for blessing. Night halt at tourist class hotel in Punakha.

We have a full day to explore scenic Punakha valley, it starts with a morning hike to Khamsum Yueley Namgyal Chorten built by the Royal Family. The Chorten is perched high on the hill with a great view and the walk along the river side is simply amazing. You will walk through the rice fields, farm houses and will interact with the locals of Yabesa village. After a guided picnic lunch or lunch at a local restaurant, you will visit the Wangdue-phodrang town and the Dzong, located on a spur at the confluence of two rivers. The day finishes with an afternoon leisurely walk in Punakha. Punakha was the old capital of Bhutan and the Dzong is situated at the confluence of the Mo Chu and Pho Chu. It is the winter residence for the monks. It was here in 1907 that Bhutan’s first king was crowned and many historical events took place, the Dzong is a breathtaking example of traditional architecture. Night halt at tourist class hotel in Punakha.

The drive from Punakha to Thimphu to Paro valley is going to be exciting; beside the spectacular scenery along the highway you will visit the oldest fortress, the Simtokha Dzong, where the students study Buddhist language and culture. After lunch, if time permits you will take a walk to Tamchog lhakhang, crossing the iron bridge and a leisurely stroll in Paro town, an opportunity to visit souvenirs and handicraft stores. Night halt at tourist class hotel in Paro.

One of the most amazing hikes is to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, locally known as Taktsang Goemba. It is about two hours hike uphill and the 8th century monastery of Guru Rimpoche is built on a face of a cliff which is 900 meters above the village floor. You will enjoy the walk through the pine trees and the spectacular view of the monastery from the view point. After a sumptuous local lunch we go on to visit the Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan. Night halt at tourist class hotel in Paro.

After breakfast your guide and driver will drive you to the airport and bid farewell. By now you might have made many Bhutanese friends and have good memories of Bhutan. We look forward to seeing you again, there are many magical places to walk and explore and festivals to attend in this land of happiness. Ka-drin-chey la and Tashi Delek.