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Billionaire Singapore found that the top three things that luxury travel segment guests are looking for while on holiday are cultural experiences, food and drink, and experiencing local life and people. Bhutan, one of the least-visited countries in the world and home to a wealth of natural and cultural discoveries made it to the list of five destinations that are trending with Asian travellers for 2023, based on a luxury survey.
Short hikes, Packed lunches and snacks wherever required
Monumental Fees
Bhutan Tourism Development Fee
VISA processing Fee
Price Excludes
International Air fare
Refreshments and bottled drinks and alcohol
Tips/gratuities
Cost arising out of Flight Cancellation/road blockades/ landslides and events beyond our control
Expenses of personal nature and any other expenses not mentioned in the above cost
Tour variants, extensions and combinations
Overnight in Phobjikha valley (+1 day): Add an extra day to your itinerary so that you can spend more time in the stunning Phobjikha valley, home to the illustrious Gangtey monastery. The Black Neck Crane, considered by the villagers to be a sacred bird, uses the valley as a roosting location in the winter.
Tshechu festival (+1 night): If we prepare well, we can arrange for you to experience the yearly Tshechu festival in a castle or monastery. Bhutan hosts a number of events, so we can absolutely adjust your visit plans to coincide. To book airplane tickets and hotel bookings, we simply need to start making plans well in advance (ideally more than six months beforehand).
Itinerary
Day 1Arrival, drive to Thimphu
Arriving by air at the Paro airport, then taking a drive to Thimphu; or, if arriving by land, coming across the border from India in Phuentsholing or Jaigaon, then taking a full-day trip to Thimphu. When you first meet with our guide, you’ll receive a Buddhist rosary with 108 beads to aid with your meditation. In Buddhism, 108 is a sacred number. Visit the temple of “Iron Bridge Builder” Thangtong Gyalpo and take in the traditional bridge constructed with old iron chains at Tachog Lhakhang. Visit the Tashicho Dzong, the castle that houses the king’s and government’s offices, depending on your arrival time. Visit the other sites if time permits.
Day 2Thimphu, night halt at Tango monastery
Drive to Buddha Dordenma, the enormous statue of the Buddha that overlooks the valley, early in the morning. See the Memorial Chorten, which is constantly crowded with worshippers. You can socialize with the local seniors who come here to worship, study, bow down, and circle the temple throughout the day. Afterward, go to Changankha Lhakhang, one of the most ancient Buddhist temples in the Thimphu Valley, where parents bring their children for blessing. We will request a lama to bless the lungdhar (prayer flags) before hoisting them the following day.
Drive farther north of the Thimphu valley after lunch to Tango monastery, a center for advanced Buddhist study. We’ll arrive at the monastery after an about 30- to 45-minute hike. You will learn about Buddhism from a skilled monk teacher here. Investigate the monastery and learn about the monks’ way of life. You will spend this night in a monastery guest house where you will have the chance to eat with monks and observe their daily activities. You can also meditate in one of the many chapels of the monasteries or in the lovely open areas. Please be aware that the monastery guest house only provides very modest lodging standards, including a common bathroom and no shower facilities. If this is not convenient for you, you must utilize a hotel in the nearby town.
Day 3Thimphu-Wangdue/Punakha
You will bid your monk hosts farewell in the morning and make your way back to your car from the heavenly heights of the monastery. Before beginning our ascent to cross the 3100 m-high Dochu-la. we will first travel through the town of Thimphu. The breathtaking view of the snow-covered peaks heading towards the Tibetan border is visible here in clear weather. The enormous Buddhist stupa made up of 108 lesser stupas serves as the pass’s identifying feature. We will pause (weather allowed) to take in the breathtaking scenery and to hoist prayer flags that we bought the day before. Travelers and pilgrims frequently undertake this customary rite to please regional deities in potentially hazardous locations (mountain passes, bridges, etc.) in order to bring good fortune and the well-being of all sentient beings. The written prayers on the fabric are blessing the surroundings by swaying in the breeze. We shall begin a protracted descend from the pass in the vicinity of 1400 meters to subtropical Wangdue.
You will go to the “Palace of Great Happiness,” Punakha Dzong, in the afternoon. It was once the king’s winter residence, but today it serves as the seat of the municipality’s administration and a significant monastery. Rest and hotel accommodations.
Day 4Punakha-Wangdue/Punakha
To receive blessings for a long life, make the morning drive to the nunnery of Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang. The ceremony, which nuns will conduct especially for our group, will take around an hour. The nuns will next participate in a Q&A session where they will answer your questions regarding the role of women in Buddhist practice and other subjects. Nuns speak fluent English, and the nunnery itself is in a beautiful location. After bidding farewell to the nuns, we’ll drive to Lobesa village and walk through the rural community’s paddy fields to reach the Chhimmy lhakhang temple, which is dedicated to the unconventional saint Drukpa Kunley, also known as the “Divine Madman,” who taught Buddhism by singing, indulging in alcohol, and engaging in scandalous sexual antics. Take the Dochu-la pass once again on your way back to Paro. Wander through the crowded streets of vibrant Paro.
Day 5Paro
The highlight of the journey is the hike to Taktsang Gomba (Tiger’s Nest). Although the hike sounds challenging, it is really rewarding. If you’re not feeling very strong, you can only climb halfway to the cafeteria, which has a wonderful perspective of the area. Depending on the weather, your physical condition, and your preferences, you might think about going on a hike in the morning or early afternoon. After your hike, pay a visit to one of Bhutan’s two oldest temples, the immaculate Kyichu Lhakhang. Visit Paro dzong (Rinpung dzong), the castle-monastery where the scenes for Bernardo Bertolucci’s Little Buddha were filmed, if time permits. A farewell meal in a typical Bhutanese household includes a performance of mask dancing. Mask dances, or Chham, are religiously significant acts that portray the virtues of Buddhist saints or convey the core of their teachings.
Day 6Departure
If you have the chance, you should visit the Drugyel Dzong castle ruins, which are currently being renovated. From here, in clear weather, you can see the holy Jomolhari mountain’s summit. You can either take a flight out of Paro or drive six hours to the land at the border in Phuentsholing.
Land Paro and drive to Thimphu Explore Thimphu Thimphu-Phobjikha/Gangtey Witness Black Necked Crane festival Phobjikha/Gangtey-Bumthang Bumthang local sightseeing Bumthang-Punakha Excursion […]
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