Druk Vistas - Explore Bhutan Package

( 11 Days / 10 Nights ) - Tour Package

Travel Packages Druk Vistas - Explore Bhutan Package

Destination Covered

Thimphu - Paro - Punakha - Wangdue - Trongsa - Phobjikha - Bumthang

Package Cost : 2440.00 USD

Package Tour Detail

To travellers searching for the mythical Eden, this tiny green jewel in the eastern Himalayas represents the earth\\\'s last Shangri-La. To others, it is one of the world\\\'s pristine spiritual retreats tucked away in a tiny landlocked zone of tranquility.

Indeed, Bhutan offers everything that a tourist in the quest of happiness, beauty and peace could only dream of.

Quite uniquely, the elements of Bhutan\\\'s natural splendour and Buddhist culture converge and intertwine with one another throughout its varied terrain. In a landscape that abounds in panoramic views, it is normal to see mountains, rivers, valleys and forests dotted with a myriad of spiritual symbols–most commonly in the form of Chortens (stupas) rising from the hillsides, or prayer flags fluttering in the breeze, and prayer wheels, turned by the rushing waters of mountain streams, standing like sentinels at the entrance of most monasteries.

Voted as one of the happiest countries in the world, this is a land whose people are fiercely independent and proud of their ancient traditions. Religious festivals andpilgrimages imbue the spirit of the Bhutanese with piety, joy and happiness all through the year.

Welcome to Bhutan, the abode of the Gods where people have been living in close harmony with nature for hundreds of years. Welcome to a country that has given the world the term \\\'Gross National Happiness as an indicator of national well-being. Welcome to a nation that believes in balancing its economic development with cultural growth and ecological conservation.

Get an up, close and personal experience of the Land of the Thunder Dragon through \\\'DRUK VISTAS - Glimpses of Bhutan\\\' tour packages.

We at JIGTSUEN Bhutan Tours and Travel treat every tourist as our honoured guest in our sacred land. Our endeavor is to make every visit to Bhutan a memorable and complete experience that rejuvenates the body, heals the spirit and uplifts the mind.

Day Wise Breakup

Day 1 - Arrival at Paro Airport

Please ensure that you (and the members of your group) reach the Boarding Airport at least 02 hours prior to the departure time of the flight. If given a seating choice, request for seats on the left side of the aircraft to enjoy the spectacular view of the Himalayan Ranges.

On a clear day, you will have an opportunity to view the majestic Mt. Everest, K2 and other Himalayan Peaks. As the Aircraft enters the Paro Valley, you will see the Paro Dzong, on the hillside overlooking Paro Chu (River), and the Ta Dzong, formerly a watch tower and now the National Museum.

On arrival at Paro, a traditional welcome awaits you with a "Khadar" (a kind of scarf) that will be wrapped around your neck. You will then meet your guide/escort for the entire trip. Once you have collected your bags, he will escort you to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.

The road runs down through the Valley to the entrance to the valley at Chuzom, the meeting point of the rivers Paro and Thimphu. Three Chortens, each built in a different style, mark the confluence of the two rivers.

Shortly before reaching Chuzom, you will see on your left Tschogang Lhakhang, 'the temple of the excellent horse'. It is a private temple, built in the 15th century, following a visitation from Balaha (the excellent horse), a manifestation of Chenrezig, the compassionate Buddha. The road, which passes along a narrow valley with high, rocky cliffs on the left, opens out into a flat farmland towards the approach to Thimphu.

Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel and relax for a while. If you are feeling fine, you could also drive down to the city center and just walk around a bit to get the feel of the place. Dinner will be served in the hotel. Stay overnight at Hotel Galingkha or a similar hotel in Thimphu.

Day 2 - Thimphu

Start your day with breakfast at the hotel and then proceed for a full day tour of Thimphu City.

Begin with a tour of the Chorten Memorial Built in memory of the late King; Also, visit the handicrafts Centre School of Fine Arts (Thangka Painting and Other Traditional Arts) where the traditional arts are being revived by the government. Later, visit the Indigenous Medicine Hospital, where herbal medicine, acupuncture and the ancient art of healing (that was passed down from Tibet) is still being practised today.

Return to the hotel for lunch.

In the afternoon, visit the Folk Heritage and Textile museums; then drive up to the Kuenselphodrang to view the Thimphu valley and also see the tallest Buddha statue under construction. Around early evening, visit the Tashichhodzong, seat of the Royal Government and Central Monastic Body, which was rebuilt in the early 1960s after a fire destroyed most of the building. The amazing thing about this building is that it was built without a single drawing or a single nail!

Dinner will be served in the hotel. Stay overnight at Hotel Galingkha or a similar hotel in Thimphu.

Day 3 - Thimphu - Dochula Pass - Gangtey

Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel resort and then take a scenic drive on the mountain route to Gangtey Valley, passing through Dochula Pass.

At Dochula Pass (altitude: 10,000 feet) a large Chorten and a forest of prayer flags will greet you. On a clear day, you can view an endless chain of Himalayan Peaks such as Gangar Punsum (24,000 ft), the highest Unclimbed Peak in the world, Ganchenta, Teri Gang, and Table Mountain among others (all above 20,000 ft). From there you will descend 5,000 ft through temperate forests coloured with Rhododendrons and Magnolias down to the semitropical zone of oranges, banana and cactuses.

Upon arrival in Gangtey, check-in at the hotel and proceed for hot lunch. Relax for an hour or so and then visit the beautiful Gangtey Gompa, the only Nyingmapa Monastery in western Bhutan. Walk back to the hotel through a village.

Dinner will be served in the hotel. Stay overnight at Hotel Dewachen or a similar hotel in Gangtey.

Day 4 - Gangtey - Pelela - Bumthang

Start the day with an early breakfast and drive out to Bumthang. The road to this resort begins its climb up to the Pelela Pass. Just before the pass you may, on a clear day, see the high range of the Himalayas, particularly the peak of Jhomolhari (23,685 ft) to the west. After you descend from the pass, the road enters Trongsa District where it follows the river along a narrow, enclosed valley for about 10 kilometres.

On the right hand side is the picturesque village of Chendebji, which can be reached by an ancient bridge roofed with bamboo matting.

A great, whitewashed stone Chorten appears at a bend in the road. Chendebji Chorten is built in Nepali style, with eyes painted at the four cardinal points. It was built during the first half of the 18th century by a lama named Shida, in order to nail into the ground a demon that had been terrorising the inhabitants of this valley. On the left side, the Queen Mother constructed a Chorten in Bhutanese style in 1982.

From Chendebji to Trongsa, the road emerges from a gorge and follows the Mangde River valley, as it turns and heads straight for Trongsa. The landscape is dramatic and the road is hewn into the side of the rock with a sheer drop on the other. 20 kilometres before reaching the bottom of the valley, you will see Trongsa Dzong, considered as Bhutan's most impressive Dzong.

Built in 1647 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the architectural masterpiece includes countless courtyards, passageways and corridors, in addition to the 23 temples inside the Dzong. Drive further for more than 2 hours (a distance of 68 kilometers) to pass through Trongsa town just beneath the Ta Dzong or watchtower. This road then rises rapidly through a series of hairpin bends. The view of Trongsa and the Dzong is marvellous on this side of the valley as well.

Enjoy lunch at a beautiful spot on this day too.

At a distance of 29 kilometers from Trongsa is the Yotong La Pass (11,155 feet). This place now has a dense forest of conifers, which stretches as far as the eye can see. After covering13 kilometers on the road, one reaches Chumey valley, the first of Bumthang's four valleys.

Bumthang is different from all the valleys in Bhutan. Besides offering vast panoramic expanses, Bumthang has numerous beautiful and important Buddhist monasteries and pilgrimage sites.

Since Day 4 starts early, we would give you enough time to take rest and relax in this Beautiful resort. Dinner will be served in the hotel.

Stay overnight at Swiss Guest House or a similar hotel in Bumthang.

Day 5 - Bumthang - Jakar Valley

After breakfast, visit the beautiful Bumthang Valley. One could spend months exploring this fascinating place. Almost every little valley or a hill has a story to tell—of interesting myths and legends about Kings, Buddhist masters and serpents. Bumthang is especially speckled with religious relics left behind by the famous Guru Rinpoche, and his reincarnation, the Treasure Finder, Terton Pemalingpa who is known to have found there sacred Treasures or Buddhist Texts after diving into a lake (Membartsho Lake/Pool) with a lighted lamp on his head. Today, this small fresh water lake is a sacred pilgrimage place for Bhutanese. On any day, bright multicolored prayer flags surround the place and on auspicious days people go and offer butter lamps on the lake.

Stay overnight at the Swiss Guest House or a similar accommodation in Bumthang.

Day 6 - Bumthang - Punakha

We will start early in the morning to drive down to Punakha, the former capital of Bhutan.

On the way to Punakha, we will take you to the Bumthang Matha, where you can take a look (and also purchase) rich woollen plaid textiles dyed with natural colours. The Matha is also known for the Yatas, a thick woollen cloth with bright patterns often made into warm jackets and scarves.

Check-in and relax. Dinner will be served in the hotel.

Stay overnight at Punatsangchhu Cottage & Similar, Punakha.

Day 7 - Punakha

Enjoy your breakfast at leisure since DAY 6 is usually a long day in the car. Leave the hotel to proceed to Wangdue. Arrive there by 0830 hours and then walk around the local market area and visit the Wangdiphodrang Dzong.

Proceed to hotel for lunch. Later, go to visit the Punakha Dzong, the winter residence of the Je Khenpo and the monks of Tashichhodzong. The Dzong is situated at the confluence of two mighty glacial rivers, the Mo Chu and Pa Chu, which descend from the lofty heights of the Himalayas.

Enjoy your evening tea in a local restaurant. If you feel fine, you could even hike to Chhimi Lhakhang situated on a small plateau. It is a popular pilgrim site built by the famous "Divine Madman" Drukpa Kuenley. This place is generally visited by infertile women who wish to bear children.

Stay overnight at Punatsangchhu Cottage or a similar accommodation at Punakha.

Day 8 - Punakha - Paro Via Thimphu

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and then proceed to Paro stopping enroute at Thimphu for lunch.

In the evening if you like, you could walk around the town or just stay indoors.

Dinner will be served in the hotel.
Stay overnight at Hotel Tashi Namgay or a similar hotel at Paro.

Day 9 - Paro

After breakfast, we will take you on a hike to the famous Taktsang Monastery (The Tiger's Nest). For people unaccustomed to the altitude, it takes about three hours at an average walking speed to reach the monastery. Onroute stop at teahouse for a refreshing drink and enjoy an excellent view of the Tiger's Nest. The path may at times appear to be steep and dangerous, but rest assured, there is no danger whatever of falling off.

Taktsang monastery is one of the most venerated pilgrim sites of the Himalayan world and it contains 13 holy places. Legend has it that in the 8th century, Guru Rinpoche flew to Taktsang on the back of a tigress from Khenpajong in the region of Kurteop.

It is said that Guru Rinpoche meditated for three months in a cave at Taktsang and later converted the people living in the Paro valley to Buddhism.

The trek up and down Taktsang could take less than half a day. After the visit to the monastery, we will head back to the hotel for lunch. You can use the afternoon to stroll in the town or relax in the hotel (after the trip to Taktsang).

Stay overnight at Hotel Tashi Namgay or a similar hotel in Paro.

Day 10 - Paro

After breakfast, visit the Ta Dzong, originally built as a watchtower, which now houses the National Museum. The extensive collection included antique Thangka paintings, textiles, weapons & armour, household objects and a rich assortment of natural and historic artifacts. Later visit the Paro Dzong, also called Rinpung Dzong - or the Fortress of a Mountain of Jewels. This place is now the seat of administration and an institute for monks.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant in Paro town. In the afternoon, proceed to northern part of the valley to see the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong, once a strategic post to withhold invading Tibetan forces from the north.

Dinner will be served in the hotel.

Stay overnight at Hotel Tashi Namgay or a similar accommodation at Paro.

Day 11 - Depart Paro

"TASHI DELEK" (the Bhutanese way to say good bye)

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and then proceed to the airport to board Druk Air flight and depart from Bhutan.

Package Includes