Jambay Lakhang Drup

Day 01: Bangkok – Paro – Thimphu
The Druk Air flight into Paro is a befitting introduction to the spectacular beauty of our country. In clear weather, magnificent views of the world’s highest peaks, give way to the lush green Paro valley as you land. On the clear day you will have a wonderful view of the mountains of Nepal and Bhutan while you fly into Bhutan. Upon arrival you will be received by the representative, have lunch and then drive to Thimphu for an hour. In the evening you can explore the Thimphu city to see the life style of Bhutan’s capital city. Night halt in Thimphu.

Day 02: Thimphu sightseeing
Visit the school of Arts and Crafts which was established to preserve and promote our age old practice. The students here are taught 13 different traditional arts. You can also visit the Memorial stupa which was built in the memory of our beloved 3rd King in1974. Visit the Folk heritage museum to see the living house in olden days. Visit the mini zoo to see the Takins which is our national animal. This is an animal which is a rarest species. And visit the handicraft emporium and shops for your souvenir shopping.

After lunch drive for half an hour (12 km) towards north of Thimphu valley and then you will have to hike for almost 2 hours to and fro.

Tango Goemba (monastery): Lama Gyalwa Lhanampa founded the monastery in the 12th century. The present building was built in the 15th century by the Divine Mad Man “Drukpa Kuenly”. In 1616 Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel visited Tango Goemba and meditated in a cave nearby. Today Tango is the residence of an important young Trulku (reincarnate lama) who is recognized as the 17th reincarnation of highly respected forth Desi, Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye, whose previous reincarnation passed away in 1830. Also at present the monastery serves as the prestigious Buddhist University for the monks of our state religion. You will also see some birds around this vicinity. Drive back and overnight at the same hotel in the city.

Day 03: Thimphu – Punakha
Drive to Punakha for 2 ½ hours with short stop at Dochula pass. If the weather is clear, you could have a superb view of the Bhutan’s Himalayas from the pass. Upon arrival in Punakha, check in at the hotel first. And have lunch in Punakha town and visit beautiful Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The dzong is situated between Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River) two famous rivers of Bhutan. Punakha was the old capital of Bhutan, and winter capital for the chief abbot and central monk body at present. After wards visit a farm house in one of a typical village in Punakha, to see how people live in rural Bhutan busy with their different farm works. You will be served some Bhutanese local wine, tea and snacks and enjoy conversation at the farm house. Overnight in Punakha.

Day 04: Punakha – Bumthang
The drive will take around 7 ½ hours. You will have lunch at Chendibji Restaurant or in Trongsa. You can stop to see and take picture of Chendipji Stupa, built in Syambunath style of Nepal. Drive to Bumthang with short stop at Chummey Yathra shop, the place where they weave the woolen clothes out of sheep wool. Overnight stay in Bumthang.

Day 05: Bumthang sightseeing & Naked festival dance at mid night
The valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in the kingdom. It is also the religious heartland where many saints and masters meditated leaving their imprints as sacred places of worship and pilgrimage Tales of Padmasambhava dominate these holy shrines. In the morning visit, Jampa Lhakhang which was built by Tibetan King Songtshen Gempo in the 7th century to pin down the left Knee of the ogress. And then visit Kurji monastery were body imprints of Guru Rimpoche from the 8th century remains preserved upon a rock. Then short hike to Tamzhing Monastery. If the weather is clear, you will enjoy the view of green valley, dotted with hundreds temples, thousand flags and beautiful chamkhar river flow through the valley. The valley is also called mini Switzerland of Bhutan. After Lunch, drive to visit Tang Member Tsho (Burning Lake), Saint Pemalingpa had discovered several hidden treasure from the Lake.

After dinner you will go and witness the naked mask dance performed by the locals in Bumthang around mid night. This festival dance is the most unique of all the festivals in Bhutan. The naked dance is performed several hundred years ago for blessing good harvest and to upheld peace and prosperity in Bumthang valley. Night halt at the same hotel in Bumthang.

Day 06: Attend Jampey Lhakhang Festival
Today you can attend Jampey Lhakhang Festival with local folks

Day 07: Bumthang – Trongsa
The drive will take around 2 ½ hours to Trongsa. And check in at the hotel and have lunch. After lunch visit Trongsa Dzong, this was the seat of successive Trongsa Penlop and ancestral home of the kings. Visit the new museum of Monarch above the dzong. The museum has varied collections of our kings belongings and fine description of our Bhutanese iconography.

In the evening, you can drive for an hour round trip toward Kuenga Rabten palace which was used by our previous kings as their winter palace. En-route you can take a walk and see birds that are not so common in the other areas of your visit. And this is one of the ideal places for the birders. Overnight in Trongsa.

Day 08: Trongsa – Wangdue via Gangtey
After breakfast drive towards Wangdi, which will take around 5 ½ hours. On the way you will visit Gangtey monastery founded in the 15th century. This is one of the Nyingmapa monasteries in the country, and it was renovated consecrated only in November 2008. From the monastery you can also have a view of beautiful Phobjikha valley just below the monastery, which is a roosting place for the rarest Black Necked Cranes only in winter. So you will see the cranes in the valley. And continue drive to Wangdi for the overnight stay.

Day 09: Wangdue – Paro
Drive to Paro will take around 3 ½ hours. On the way, you will have a short hike to Chhmi Lhakhang Temple, founded by the Divine Mad Man. The temple is known as the temple of fertility as the childless woman can be conceived after they are blessed from this temple. And then continue your drive towards Paro. In the evening you will go and see an old farm house, and then you can have a compliment Hot Stone Bath at the farm house. Hot Stone Bath a traditional way of taking bath and for body healing purposes as the stone will contain some minerals in it. Overnight stay at the hotel in Paro.

Day 10: Paro sightseeing
In the morning visit the National Museum which is been rated as one of the historical museums in Asia. The museum has many old art and artifacts collections. Afterwards, visit Kyichu monastery dating back to the 7th Century. This is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan built by Tibetan king Songtshen Gempo to pin down the ogress.

After lunch drive for 30 minutes to visit Drugyel dzong which is a ruin fortress at present and it was built in 1649 by Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel. The dzong was actually built to commemorate the winning victory over the Tibetans in 1644. Overnight in Paro.

Day 11: Paro Tiger’s nest hike
The hike will take about 5 hours for a round trip with lunch stop. It’s an uphill hike. Taktsang monastery is perched on the face of a cliff 800 Mts, above the Paro valley. It is a memorable spiritual journey. It was here that the great Tantric master, Guru Padmasambhava flew in from Tibet on the back of a flying tigress to propagate his teachings in Bhutan. Lunch at the cafeteria or you will be served catering lunch from a restaurant. Walk back down hill to your hotel. Take rest or drive to the town for your last minute shopping. Overnight at the same hotel in Paro.

Day 12: Paro – Bangkok flight departure
Our guide and driver will drop you at the airport to bid you good bye for your departure back home.

Tashi Delek and have a pleasant flight