Himalayan Bhutan Tour Detailed Itinerary as follows:
Day 1, Arrival in Paro – Thimphu (L/D)
Arrival time here will depend upon your flight to Bhutan. Please note that Druk Air flight timings may change! The best way to reconfirm is to call their local office before your departure. Please arrive in time for the departure flight to Paro, Bhutan (PBH). Please note that you have to produce VISA copy upon arrival. There are no fees and photos needed for the VISA. Upon arrival in Bhutan, clear Immigration, customs and then meet our representatives and be transferred to Thimphu, the capital city.
After lunch in Thimphu, you will proceed to visit the Tashichoe Dzong and Folk Heritage Museum.
Overnight stay in Thimphu hotel.
Day 2, Thimphu (B/L/D)
After breakfast, visit the Takin Preserve, drive up to the Sangaygang View Point and then drive back to visit the Zhilukha Nunnery, National Memorial Chorten, Textile Museum and Centennial Market in Thimphu.
Then, transfer to the hotel and stroll around the Thimphu city in the evening to see other sights of Thimphu as per the available time.
Overnight stay in Thimphu hotel.
Day 3, Thimphu – Punakha (B/L/D)
Drive east to Punakha which will take about 3 hours. En-route, we will stop for panoramic views of the Himalayan Range from the Dochula Pass (El. 3,050 m). Just before arriving at Punakha, we will take a short walk to Chimi Lhakhang (No-dog temple) through the rice fields and hamlets for about an hour. There will be some time in the evening to go for a self guided walk from your hotel to nearby places.
Overnight in Punakha, hotel.
Day 4, Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang (B/L/D)
Drive to the idyllic countryside north of Punakha and start a gradual hiking ascent through cultivated fields and little hamlets to the Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten, a shrine recently built by the Royal family. The shrine is an amazingly elaborate structure with rainbow images of Guru Rinpoche and superb views of Punakha valley. The hike uphill takes about ½ hr and after return, instead of driving back we follow the ancient riverside trail, through farm houses and arrive near Punakha Dzong. This walk back from Khamsum to Punakha Dzong is expected to take more than 2hrs depending on the weather conditions. Visit impressive Punakha Dzong, an architectural masterpiece, located on the confluence of Pho and Mo Chu rivers. Lunch will be either picnic or late lunch at Punakha. Visit township and free evening for stroll around.
Overnight in Punakha, Hotel.
Day 5, Punakha – Phobjikha
The road follows the Punatsangchu River crossing Wangdue Phodrang Dzong towards east. The drive will take about 4 hours to reach Phobjikha valley, where the Black Neck cranes can be seen in plenty at this glacial valley. After a short visit to the Gangtey Goemba, take an easy walk through a village, a pine forest and across the valley which can be refreshing and peaceful.
Overnight in Phobjikha Valley.
Day, Phobjikha – Paro (B/L/D)
Drive 185 kms, same way back to Paro following the Wangchu River and later reach the Pa-chu River. Today is more flexible and time would be given, depending upon to your interests. Later in the afternoon, visit the Rinpung Dzong, which houses the district administrative office and monastic body. After the Dzong, drive north till the end of road to check out the ruins of Drugyel Dzong, for spectacular views of the Mt. Jhomolhari (7,314 m) during a clear day.
Day 7, Paro (Day Excursions to Taktsang) (B/L/D).
Start early! As we will have now covered more grounds on foot and well acclimated, too. We hope to take a bit beyond what regular tourist generally cover; that is a hike to Taktsang and also to see some of the temples higher-up; Zangdopelri and Ugyen Tsemo. This special hike beyond Taktsang will provide a rare view of the Taktsang Monastery and the valley.
Walk back to Paro. Overnight in Paro, hotel.
Day 8, Departure (B).
There are two ways for our exit; by road from Phuentsholing (border town to India) and by flight to Paro (PBH). If you tour starts in the Northern part of India, you will drive to Bhutan and return back on flight. Or else, you will fly to Paro International Airport and back to next destination by road.
Bon Voyage!!!
Important notes on Itinerary:
Although we will do our best to adhere to the itinerary and it's schedule, this itinerary should be considered as an approximate indication of the schedule and scope of activities, and trip routing, rather than an inflexible schedule of events. It is likely that there will be changes in the itinerary in terms of anything from the exact hotel used, to the villages we may stop in for the night. Tour Guide and our crew will do everything to ensure that you are inconvenienced as little as possible.
Please note that monasteries and temples are not tourism institutions but a place of worship for the locals. Please dress properly and respect the local cultures. Some monasteries and temples may also remain closed for visitors and certainly the inner sanctuaries of these temples remain reserved for serious worships. Our guide will try their best to get you inside but we cannot guarantee some of the visits.