Itinerary

1. Day 1: Tour From Paro to Thimphu

   • Meet the tour guide and the driver waiting outside the Paro airport. (Kindly approach the airport 2 hrs before the flight departure. You will need to present the Bhutan visa at the time of boarding. We will send you a copy of your Bhutan visa clearance before you depart from home through email, fax etc. Please note only ‘two’ commercial planes fly in and out of Bhutan. Normally, these flights fly in from Bangkok, Delhi, Nepal and Singapore. Upon arrival at the airport immigration, you will need to present your visa copy once again for the final visa seal on your passport.)
   • Start the tour once you exit the airport. Our first stop is the Ta-dzong (watch tower), built during the 17th century to safeguard the Rinpung Dzong below. It was converted into a museum in 1968, with a collection of fine art, paintings and large bronze vessels, textiles, artefacts, jewellery, history about the kings, and galleries of stuffed animals, birds and butterflies of Bhutan. The mask hall is a very popular room with a series of masks collected from all over the country.
   • Visit Dungtse Lhakhang, one of the few temples that don’t have any light, as the ancient murals might get destroyed by the rays of light over a period of time.
   • Drive to Thimphu (1 hr); en route, a stopover for a 10 min walk down to the 15th century ‘Iron Bridge’ at the Tachog Lhakhang. It is a privately owned temple by the descendants of Drubthob Thangthong Gyelpo, so you might want to check with your guide before making a visit to make sure they are open. Upon arrival, admire the capital city with more than 80,000 residents and the only capital in the world, next to Pyongyang, that doesn’t have traffic lights.
   • See the National Memorial Stupa, erected in memory of the 3rd king of Bhutan, who died in early 1974. Over the years, it has become a pious landmark for residents and Buddhist pilgrims.

   Overnight at Thimphu, Khang residency, Dorji elements or similar.

   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

   Paro - Thimphu (1 hr drive, 65km/43miles)

2. Day 2: Explore the Highlights of Thimphu

   • Have breakfast at the hotel, and explore the Himalayan valleys by visiting the Thimphu weekend markets, Buddha point, Takin Preserve at Motithang, Drubthob Nunnery, and Tashichoedzong.
   • Drive, approximately 45 mins, to the ‘108 stupas at Dochula’ (3150m/10080ft). The scenic pass offers visitors a panoramic view of the Eastern Himalayas on a clear day, including the highest peaks such as Mt. Gankhar Phuensum (7570m/24224ft) and Mt. Jumolhari (7326m/23443ft).
   • Go to Druk Wangyel Lhakang. The temple and stupas are dedicated to commemorating the victory over the armed gunmen who were causing a serious threat to the sovereignty as well as the serene tranquillity of the nation, which was untouched for many centuries.
   • Retrace your way back to Paro (1.45 min drive), visit farmhouses and experience the Bhutanese way of living.

   (Optional) A traditional hot stone bath can be arranged with prior notice at a supplement of $25 (check revised rates) per person. It is an art of natural healing that is believed to cure arthritis, muscle and joint pains, and relieve fatigue. An indigenous remedy practised for centuries and is still considered a useful aid.

   Overnight at Paro, hotel Drukchen/hotel Olathang or similar.

   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

3. Day 3: Hike the Legendary Tiger’s nest

   • Hike to the Tiger’s Nest. If possible, try to leave the hotel at around 07:30 am. It takes about 15-20 mins to drive to the base camp. 
   • Follow a natural unpaved foot trail covered with pines, holly, Spanish mosses, rhododendron etc. You might also encounter many birds and wild animals such as the ‘grey languor’. The trails can be divided into two sections; the first half, mostly out in the sun, takes about an hour till the tea house, which offers a stunning view of the Taktsang. It looks as if glued to the face of the rocks above you. You may take a short breather here, use the washrooms or have a hot cup of tea/coffee. There will be no proper washrooms after this, so it’s probably the best stop. At this point, one may decide whether to go further uphill to the monastery for about 1 hour or return with a few snapshots of the monastery. Lunch is served at the tea house with majestic views of Taktsang above and the Paro valley at the bottom. If you decide to go further, the second half of the trail continues up the ridge for another hour. But this time, the trail remains hidden by the forests, so it will not be as hot as the first half.
   • Reach the pinnacle point where the monastery seems to be standing just below your feet. From here, we have more than seven hundred steps with proper handrails for support until we finally reach the Taktsang. The monastery is closed for lunch (1-2 pm) and is perched some 2,880ft/900m up on a sheer cliff overlooking the valley. It is said to be where the legendary Indian saint, Guru Padmasambhava, flew from Tibet on the back of a tigress to defeat demons obstructing the spread of Buddhism in Bhutan.

   (Optional) Ponies are available for a ride at an extra cost of $20 per person. Please remember that these ponies would not go as far as the tea house and cannot be used for the ride downhill.

   Overnight at Paro, at hotel Drukchen/hotel Olathang.

   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

   (4hrs hiking, Alt.3140m/10098ft)

4. Day 4: Departure from Paro

   • Transfer to the airport by our representative for the flight back home.

   Meals: Breakfast only