Bhutan Delights

Trip Itinerary

Day 01: Fly to Paro & drive to Thimphu (drive time: approx. 1 hour)

• At the Paro International Airport, one of our representatives will receive you and escort you to the hotel in Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan
  • The drive takes you through the winding road with lots of beautiful hamlets
• Visit Simtokha Dzong on the way to Thimphu and The Folk Heritage Museum & National library of Bhutan in Thimphu
• Overnight at hotel

Simtokha Dzong: According to a legend, this dzong was constructed to subdue an evil spirit that was harassing the people in the region and to guard the place. Hence, Simtokha translates as ‘Atop a Demon’. Simtokha is believed to be the first dzong built in Bhutan and is the gateway to Thimphu Valley.

The Folk Heritage Museum: It is the first structure to incorporate both monastic and administrative facilities. Since 1961 it has been the home of the Rigney School for Dzongkha and monastic studies. The Dzong’s antique murals are renowned for their historic and artistic value and the frescoes and images are among the finest in the country. To showcase the authenticity of the country, the museum preserves a rural setting with paddy, wheat and millet fields, a traditional water-mill with mill stones more than 150 years old, traditional style kitchen gardens with vegetables that were grown over the past 100 years and the famous traditional hot stone bath.

The National Library of Bhutan is a four-storied eight-cornered traditional building, which looks like the central tower temple of a Bhutanese Dzong. It was initially housed and established in 1967 within the central tower of Tashichho Dzong. Later, due to its growing collection, it was moved to its current location and inaugurated in 1984. The building that initially had a small collection of precious texts now holds an archive responsible for collecting and preserving important past, present and future documents on Bhutan for future generations. The library also has a representative collection of English and western language books mainly related to the Himalayas, Bhutan and Buddhism.

Day 02: Thimphu City tour

• After breakfast, visit Memorial Chorten
• Later drive to Tashichho Dzong
  • Tashichho Dzong is open during weekdays after office hours (5pm onwards) and from 9am to 5pm on weekends
• Overnight at hotel

The Memorial Chorten, also known as the Thimphu Chorten is a large Tibetan-style Buddhist Monastery with golden spires and bells. It is a popular landmark and one of the most visible religious structures in Thimphu. The chorten is richly carved and contains statues and a shrine dedicated to the king.

Tashichho Dzong is an impressive building also known as ‘the fortress of the Dharma Raja’. It has traditionally been the seat of the Druk Desi, the head of Bhutan’s civil government.

Day 03: Drive to Gangtey, en-route visit Dochula pass & Wangdue Dzong (drive time: approx. 6 hours)

• After an early breakfast, drive to Gangtey, a beautiful place situated at an altitude of 3000m
  • From Gangtey, one can closely view the picturesque black mountain ranges
• Visit Dochula pass & Wangdue Dzong on the way
• Upon reaching Gangtey, transfer to the hotel
• Rest of the day will be at leisure
• Overnight at hotel

On the way to Punakha from Thimphu, the Dochula Pass offers a 360-degree of beautiful panoramic view of the Himalayan Mountain range, especially on clear winter days. There are 108 chortens that adorn this beautiful chorten were built by Queen Mother to commemorate the Bhutanese soldiers who were killed when fighting the Indian rebels in 2003.

Built in 1639, the Wangdi Dzong is the dzong of Wangdue Phodrang, which held a powerful position during the pre-monarchy days. Perched in a ridge overlooking the Punatsangchu and Dangchu rivers, this monument dominates the whole town of Wangdue Phodrang. The cultural wonders of the area also lie in the villages of Wangdi.

Day 04: Drive to Punakha (drive time: approx. 3 hours)

• Visit Dochula pass & Wangdue Dzong
• Drive back and overnight at hotel

Chimi Lakhang, flanked with hundreds of prayer flags, sits on a round hillock near Punakha. The monastery is the source of the original wooden symbol of phallus that Kunley brought from Tibet. This wooden phallus is decorated with a silver handle and is used to bless people who visit the monastery on pilgrimage, particularly women seeking blessings to produce children. Traditionally, symbols of an erect penis in Bhutan are considered to drive away the evil eye and malicious gossip.

The majestic Punakha Dzong is also known as ‘the palace of great happiness or bliss’ and is the second largest dzong in Bhutan. It is a six-storied structure with a scenic mountainous backdrop. The dzong was constructed as ‘an embodiment of Buddhist values. The first King of modern Bhutan was crowned in Punakha Dzong and in 2011, the wedding of the 5th King was held in this fortress.

Day 05: Drive back to Paro (drive time: 4.5 – 5 hours)

• Visit the National Museum and Paro Dzong
• Return back and overnight at hotel

The National Museum of Bhutan is a unique circular building also known as Ta-dzong which is an ancient watchtower above the Paro Dzong. The building houses 3000+ works of the finest specimens of Bhutanese art, including masterpieces of bronze statues and paintings gathered from different parts of the country with cultural heritage of more than 1500 years.

Paro Dzong is the finest example of Bhutanese architecture and is one of the most popular and well known dzongs in Bhutan. It is the administrative seat of the district of Paro.

Day 06: Paro Town tour                      

• Hike to Taktsang Monastery and later visit Drukgyel Dzong and Kyichu Lhakhang
• Overnight at hotel

Perched on the side of a vertical cliff at 3000 m altitude north of Paro, the beautiful Taktsang Monastery also known as the ‘Tiger’s Nest’ is the most famous and an unofficial symbol of Bhutan. Taktsang Monastery is a pilgrimage site for both tourists and locals. The journey up to the monastery is filled with spiritual bliss. An hour hike up to a small wooden teahouse called Cafeteria provides a close view of the monastery. A further and a rather challenging hike leads you to the glorious Taktsang Monastery.

The Drukgyel Dzong was originally built as one of the four principal Dra Dzongs (defense fortress). It was built in 1649 to commemorate the victory of the Bhutanese over the allied Tibet-Mongol forces. Drukgyel means ‘the fortress of victory’. The Dzong sits on a trail that leads to the Paro Valley from Tibet. It was once a major trade route between Bhutan and the Tibetan town of Phari.

Located close to the Paro Airport, the Kyichu Lhakhang is an important Himalayan Buddhist Temple. Built in the 7th century, this is one of Bhutan’s oldest religious sites. The temple is one of 108 built by Tibetan emperor Songtsen Gampo to subdue a demoness who prevented the spread of Buddhism. Temples were built across the Himalayas to pin her body down. Kyichu Lhakhang pins down her left foot and Jamba Lhakhang in Bumthang her left knee.

Day 07: Departure to Kathmandu

• Pick-up for departure transfer from the hotel and leave for airport