Classic Tour of Bhutan
Bhutan

On a clear day the flight to Paro is sensational with views of the Himalaya to the north. Upon arrival our guide will receive you at the airport and drive you through the hamlets of Paro along the riverside to Thimphu the capital city of Bhutan. You will immediately notice the unique architecture and Bhutanese lifestyle with many people wearing traditional clothes (men wear the ‘Gho’ and women ‘Kira’).

The drive from Paro to Thimphu takes about one hour, on reaching Thimphu you will check into the hotel. Depending on your arrival time and how you feel after your long journey, if you wish in the afternoon you can explore some of the sights of Thimphu.

You can discuss with your guide where you would like to visit in and around Thimphu. There are several places to see and the most popular are the Thimphu Dzong, Takin sanctuary (Takin is the national animal of Bhutan with the head of a goat and body of a bull), folk heritage museum, the textile weaving center and the Institute of Arts and Crafts.

Today we leave for Punakha which is the old winter capital of Bhutan. En route we drive over the Dochu La pass at an altitude of 3,050m known as one of the finest viewpoints of Eastern Himalaya. On a clear day you can see the peaks Masangang, Tsendagang, Terigang and Gangkar Punsum (the highest unclimbed mountain in the world). On arrival to Dochu La you can get out of the car to admire the view and walk around the 108 chortens marking the summit of the pass. We then descend through beautiful forest into the Punakha Valley at an altitude of 1,350m.

Before reaching Punakha we visit Chimi Lhakang also known as the fertility temple of Bhutan. Lama Drukpa Kunley, who was a highly unorthodox Buddhist saint, deeds form the basis of many local legends blesses the monastery. The temple is fondly regarded by local families as a potent fertility shrine. It takes about 20 minutes to walk across rice fields to reach the temple.

On the way to your hotel we drive past Punakha Dzong, this is an impressive building and is located at the confluence of the Pho Chhu (father) and Mo Chhu (mother) rivers in the Punakha valley. If we have time we will visit the Dzong if not we will certainly go tomorrow. This dzong is the second largest in Bhutan and was constructed by Ngawang Namgyal, 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, in 1637-38 so it is also the second oldest.

There are a number of options for more places to explore in Punakha valley. For a good view of the valley you can walk up to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal chorten perched on a hill above Mo Chhu river. It takes about 45 minutes to walk up to the chorten after crossing the suspension bridge over the river.

Drive to the beautiful Phobjikha valley, this place is home to the endangered Black-necked cranes that migrate every year to this valley in winter. Phobjika valley is accessible by road and after crossing Lawala Pass at 3,360m the road descends to Phobjika valley at an altitude of 2,900m. Phojikha is often called Gangtey after the name of the monastery in this valley.

Phobjikha is located on the north western edge of Jigme Singye Wangchuk National Park and is protected due to its ecological significance and rich natural heritage. Phobjikha valley has the largest wetland in Bhutan and is habitat to about 300 Black-necked cranes that migrate in winter from their breeding grounds in Tibet. On arrival to Phobjkha we suggest you walk along the Gangtey Nature Trail with views onto the wetlands where you will hopefully see Black-necked cranes in their roosting grounds. At end of the nature trail you will meet up with your transport for the drive up to the Black-necked cranes visitor centre.

The valley is a good place for day hikes as it offers numerous places to walk through villages. Or just relax in the stunning hotel located with a wonderful view of the valley.

Today we drive to Trongsa for lunch with the road taking us over two passes and the small town of Wangdue. From Nobding the road ascends sharply to Pele La pass at 3,300m before descending through pastureland at Sephu where we reach the historical Chendebji Chorten. The road has lots of bends, beautiful waterfalls and thick forest cover on the way and this part of the ride offers good view of the south Trongsa Valley and stunning views of the Trongsa Dzong. We will visit the Trongsa Dzong and the museum

After lunch we drive onto Bumthang and en route we will pass villages and cross the Yutong La Pass at 3,400m before descending into the beautiful Bumthang Valley. Bumthang is known as the Switzerland of Bhutan. In the 1980’s several Swiss from the NGO Helvetas came to Bumthang to develop the forestry industry in Bumthang, Bumthang also looks like the Swiss alps in many ways with the traditional farmhouses and milking cows

There is lots to do in Bumthang valley you can visit the Swiss farm, the Jambay Lhakhang monastery, Tamshing Monastery  and the Kurgye Monastery, one of the most holy sites for Buddhists. Many royal family and high ranking lamas have their funeral in this monastery premises. There are several walking trails around the valley or you can be driven to the main sites.

From Bumthang we drive over Yotong La and to Tongsa, from here the road climbs to Pele La and descends to Punakha where we spend the night.

[Depending on availability and time of year there is an option of flying from Bumthang to Paro, please get in touch with us for further information].

After breakfast there is a long climb to Dochu La where there is superb view of the Himalayas including Gangkar Punsum, from the pass the road descends to Thimphu. We continue our drive for a further hour to Paro.

After breakfast we will organise an optional walk up to the Taktsang monastery known as the “Tiger’s Nest”. It takes about 3 to 4 hours to walk through pine forest and up to the monastery perched on a cliff overlooking the valley. Lunch will be served in the viewpoint cafeteria.

We will also arrange sightseeing where we visit Kichu monastery which is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan built in the 7th century by the Tibetan King Songsten Genpo who built 108 monasteries around the region. Also visit the Drugyal Dzong at the end of the valley.

Transfers to Paro airport for flights back home.