4-Day Bhutan Tour of Paro and Thimphu from Kathmandu

• Fly to Paro, Bhutan, and enjoy the scenic view of the Himalayan range.
• Arrive at Paro International Airport in Bhutan, the land of the dragon, where your guide will greet you. To help your body acclimatize to the altitude, you will do very light sightseeing.
• Drive to Thimphu through Paro Valley.
• Along the way, do not miss the silvery Pa Chu (Paro River) meandering through the thickly forested ravine, as well as the Paro Dzong (fortress) and Ta Dzong (watchtower).
• In the afternoon, tour Tashicho Dzong, a beautiful fortress and monastery. It houses the Secretariat building, the King's Throne Room, and other government offices. It is also the summer residence of the chief abbot, or spiritual leader, Je-Khenpo.
• Visit the Handicrafts Emporium to see or buy a wide assortment of beautifully hand-woven and crafted products, including the famous traditional thangka paintings.
• Continue to Memorial Chorten, a beautiful stupa built in memory of Bhutan's third King. The paintings and statues inside the monument provide a deep insight into Buddhist philosophy.

Stay overnight at Hotel Riverview, Thimphu.

Meals: Lunch & Dinner

• Take a 15-minute guided walk to Memorial Chorten early in the morning.
• Later in the day, begin your sightseeing with a visit to Zilukha Nunnery on the outskirts of Thimphu. Seventy nuns live there and carry out their daily chores in the nunnery. The views from here are magnificent.
• Visit Changangkha Lhakhang.
• Head to the traditional paper factory, where you will learn how paper is made from the Daphne plant. The factory produces a unique type of paper called rice paper, which is said to last longer than normal paper.
• In the evening, drive past Trashichhoedzong, the "fortress of the glorious religion."

Overnight at the hotel, Thimphu.

• After breakfast, drive west via Dochula Pass at 3080 m to Paro. Weather permitting, you will enjoy views of the Bhutan Himalaya peaks rising above 7000 mts.
• Upon reaching Paro, visit Ta Dzong. Once a watchtower built to defend Rinpung Dzong during the inter-valley wars of the 17th century, Ta Dzong was inaugurated as Bhutan's National Museum in 1968.
• Walk down a hillside trail to visit Rinpung Dzong.

Overnight at the hotel in Paro.

• After an early breakfast at the hotel, drive to Paro Airport for your onward flight to Kathmandu. Enjoy a sensational take-off and a scenic Himalayan flight past Chomolhari, Bhutan's second-highest peak.