Itinerary
Day 01: Arrive Paro
(Elevation: 2,250m)
Representatives of SNG Tours will receive you from the airport.
Transfer to hotel.
Overnight in Hotel at Paro
Day 02: Paro (Excursion)
Hike to the Tiger’s Nest.
Built amazingly on a cliff, it brings pride to the Bhutanese about the work of their ancestors. It is said that Guru Rimpoche arrived here on the back of a tigress and Meditated at this monastery and hence it is called ‘Tiger’s Nest’.
Visit Drugyal Dzong.
This Dzong, with a delightful village nestling at its foot, was built in 1646 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to commemorate his victory over the Tibetan invasions. “Druk” Means the land of the thunder dragon or the land of dragon people; “Gyel” means Victory. The dzong caught fire in 1951 and now it only remains as ruin.
Leisure in the Town.
Overnight in Hotel at Paro
Day 03: Paro to Thimphu
(Elevation: 2,320m, Distance: 65km, Time: 1.2 hr)
Morning visit Dungtse Lhakhang.
The temple is notable as it is in the form of a chorten, very rare in Bhutan. It is located on the edge of a hill between the Paro valley and the Dopshari valley, across the bridge from Paro. The Buddhist iconography depicted in the Chorten is considered a unique repository of the Drukpa Kagyu School.
Visit Kyichu Lhakhang.
This is one of the 108 temples built by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century to subdue the ogress that lay across the whole of the Himalayas.
Visit Paro Dzong.
This is also known as the “fortress of the heap of jewels”. It was built during the time of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1646 after the small Hungrel fortress built by Lam Drung Drung was offered to Zhabdrung. The approach to the Dzong is through a traditional cantilever bridge.
Visit National Museum.
National Museum was built as a watch tower. Unlike the rectangular shape of the Dzongs, Ta Dzong is conical, more like that of a European castle. Since 1967 the Dzong was re-established as the National Museum and holds a fascinating collection of art, relics, religious thangkha paintings and Bhutan’s exquisite postage stamps.
After lunch visit Semtokha Dzong.
It was built in 1629 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It is the oldest fortress of The Kingdom and now houses the School for Buddhist studies. The site is said to have been chosen to guard over a demoness that had vanished into the rock nearby, hence the name Semtokha (‘sinmo’ meaning demoness and ‘do’ meaning stone).
Visit Memorial Chorten.
This stupa was built in 1974 by Her Majesty Ashi Phuntsho Choden Wangchuck in the memory of her son Bhutan’s late third King His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who is popularly regarded as the Father of Modern Bhutan.
Overnight in Thimphu Hotel
Day 04: Thimphu (sightseeing)
Visit Largest Buddha Statue.
Visit Buddha Dordenma Statue. It is a bronze statue gilded in gold. It is one of the largest Buddha Statue in the world, at a height of 51.5 metres (169 ft). The statue alone is being built at a cost of US$ 47 million by Aero sun Corporation of Nanjing, China, while the total cost of the Buddha Dordenma Project is well over US$ 100 million.
Visit National Library.
Visit the National Library, established in 1967. Among the highly prized collections, there is a book reported to be the heaviest in the world, weighing 59 kilograms (130 lb), known as “Bhutan Visual Odyssey Across the Last Himalayan Kingdom”.
Visit Changangkha Lhakhang.
The Lhakhang was built in the 12th Century on a site chosen by Lam Phajo Drugom Zhigpo, who came from Ralung, Tibet. It is an old fortress-like temple perched on a ridge above Thimphu and it has a beautiful view of Thimphu from the courtyard. The main chapel houses a unique statue of the seated Avoloketeshvaras, the Buddha of Compassion.
Visit Painting School.
“Zorig Chusum” means the Thirteen Crafts. To preserve our invaluable heritage and promote arts in Bhutan, the Royal Government initiated this institute in1971. Students are taught painting, calligraphy, embroidery, wood carving, sculpture, etc. They also learn to understand the traditional meaning and spiritual values enshrined in Buddhist art.
Visit Textile Museum.
With the opening of Textile Museum, under the patronage of His Majesty the Queen Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck, Bhutanese textiles have reached new heights as one of the most visible traditional crafts and as a distinctly Bhutanese Art form. The textile museum has opened its exhibition on six major themes: warp pattern weaves, weft pattern weaves, role of textiles in religion, achievements in textile arts, textiles from indigenous fibres and the royal collection.
Overnight in Thimphu Hotel
Day 05: Thimphu to Punakha
(Elevation: 1,350m, Distance: 174km, Time: 3 hrs)
On the way visit Druk Wangyal Lhakhang as well 108 stupas. The Druk Wangyal Lhakhang, a temple in Dochula, offers an interesting example of traditional Buddhist culture meeting the 21st The Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck completed construction of this temple in 2008, in commemoration of Bhutanese casualities in the 2003 conflict with Assamese Militants.
Visit Chime Lhakhang.
Chime Lhakhang is a small 15th Century temple famous for its fertility endowments or rites due to the blessings of Lam Drukpa Kuenley. The temple sits on a hillock shaped, as only Drukpa Kuenley could described it “like a woman’s breast “.
Visit Punakha Dzong.
Later visit Punakha Dzong (the Palace of Great Happiness) built in 1637 by the Zhabdrung. The Dzong is beautifully located in between the two rivers called Pho (male) and Mo (female) Chhu (river). It was the capital of Bhutan till 1955. The establishment of the Wangchuck Dynasty on 17th December, 1907 took place here and the first National Assembly was also held in the Dzong in 1953. Punakha Dzong continues to be the winter residence of the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) and the central monk body.
Overnight in Punakha Hotel
Day 06: Punakha to Phobjikha
(Elevation: 3,000m, Distance: 71km, Time: 3 hrs)
Morning sees the ruin Dzong of Wangdue.
Wangdue Phodrang Dzong was founded by the Zhabdrung in 1639. It is situated
n a hill with a commanding view of the valley. It is believed that the protective Deity, Yeshi Gampo told Zhabdrung Rimpoche that if he built a Dzong on the ridge he would be able to bring the whole country under his power.
Visit Gangtey Goempa Monastery.
Gangtey Goempa Monastery was built in the 17th Century. The construction of the Goempa was prophesied by Terton (Treasure revealer) Pema Lingpa.
Visit the Black-necked crane centre.
A few kilometers past the Goempa, on the valley floor is the village of Phobjikha. This is the winter home of black necked cranes that migrate from the arid plains in the north to pass their winter in milder and lower climate.
Overnight in Phobjikha Hotel
Day 07: Phobjikha to Thimphu
(Distance: 135km, Time: 5 hrs)
For the whole day you will be in the vehicle driving back to Thimphu
You will have supper with the President/Representative of SNG Tours & Treks and bidding farewell to the Guest(s). Hold night in Thimphu at Hotel.
Day 08: Thimphu to Paro (Departure)
Early morning transfer to Paro