Bhutan was overheard by the people as the so-called last Shangrila on the earth. We rather call Bhutan as the Buddhism flourishing country in a world where the esoteric teachings are spreading far and wide by the great spiritual masters. Its people are also mostly the practitioners of Mahayana/ Vajrayana Buddhism. Bhutan is a home to several sacred places, temples, monasteries and fortresses which gives the perfect place to do the prayers, offerings and meditations. Besides, you all will get the privileges to see the nature, culture and cuisine of this small Country. Apart from that its ecosystem is also home to rare and endangered species of flora and fauna, making this last Buddhism flourishing country spellbindingly beautiful place to receive different forms of blessings.
Activities: Tours & Sightseeing
Duration: 9 Nights 10 Days
Season: Almost all season except monsoon (June, July and August)
Day 01: Arrival in Paro
Altitude: Around 2250m/7425 ft
On arrival at Paro International Airport, the representatives of the company will receive you and transfer you to the Hotel by Cars/Buses. Take it easy today as you must be tired because of long hours of flight and relax completely. Prepare well for the hike to Tiger’s Nest.You will be experiencing something which was never experienced before in your life.
Overnight: Paro
Day 02: Hike to Tiger’s Nest (Taktshang)
Altitude: 3100m/10230 ft
After breakfast, cars or buses will drop you to the basement of the excursion to view spectacular and the most famous Taktshang monastery. You can climb up to the monastery through beautiful pine forests, many of the trees with the beautiful hanging of mosses (also called Old man’s beard) and pass through an occasional grove of fluttering prayer flags. Stop at Taktshang Cafeteria for a stunning view of the monastery and break for tea/coffee as well. Then after some time resume your hike and continue until you see clearly within reach of the monastery. It is believed that in 8th century, Guru Rinpoche, the tantric mystic flew here on the back of a tigress from Singye Dzong in Kurtoe to Taktshang to subjugate demons and all evil spirits obstructing to flourish Buddhism and blessed them as the protector of the doctrine. It is also believed Guru Rinpoche has meditated here for three months and took his last manifestation in the form of Guru Dorje Drakpo (fierce thunderbolt) during subjugation.
Overnight: Paro
Day 03: Paro to Thimphu
Altitude: 2400m/ 7920 ft
Distance: 65 km/ 39 miles
Drive: 1 Hour
After breakfast, day starts with fire offering rituals ( ཞི་བའི་སྦྱིན་སྲེག) and after rituals, visit legendary Kyichu Lhakhang. It is believed that it was built in the year 659 by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. When he married the Chinese princesses Wencheng in 641, her dowry included the Jowo Shakyamuni, a priceless statue of the Buddha as a size of a small baby. As the statue was transported via Lhasa, it became struck in the mud and no one could remove it. The princess divined that the obstruction was being caused by a huge supine demoness, laying on her back. In order to pin down the ogress to the earth forever and to convert Tibetan people to Buddhism. It is believed that he had established 108 temples in a single day. Later in the evening drive to Thimphu, the Capital City of Bhutan.
Overnight: Thimphu
Day 04:Thimphu to Punakha
Altitude: 1350m/ 4455 ft
Distance: 76 km/ 45.6 miles
Drive: 2 ½ Hours
After breakfast drive through Dochula Pass, which is at the elevation 3140m above the sea level. If the weather is sky blue clear, you can enjoy a scenic view of the highest unclimbed mountain in the world in Bhutan and Himalayan ranges almost stretched 180 degrees. At Dochula Pass, we are going to make mountain smoke offering (རི་བོ་བསང་མཆོད). Then, you can break for tea for some time and resume your way to Punakha via sub-tropical Forest. Afternoon, take a short hike to Chimi Lhakhang (known as temple of No Dog), which was built in 1499 by the cousin of Lama Drukpa Kuenley (Divine Madman) in his honour after he subdued the demoness of the Dochula with his ‘magic thunderbolt of wisdom’.
Overnight: Punakha
Day 05: Punakha to Bumthang
Altitude: 2650m/ 8745 ft
Distance: 214 km/ 128.4 miles
Drive: 8 Hours
After breakfast, drive the whole day to Bumthang with several pit stops on the way and in the meantime you will enjoy the scenic view and topography of Bhutan.
Overnight: Bumthang
Day 06: Bumthang Sightseeing
On the first day in Bumthang, visit Jampa Lhakhang (Temple of Maitreya Buddha) which has the same legendary history as that of Kyichu Lhakhang in Paro. Then take a tour to Chakhar Lhakhang (Temple of Iron Castle). It is the site of the palace of the Indian King Sendha Gyab, better known as the Sindhu Raja, King who first invited Guru Rinpoche to Bumthang. The current temple was built in the 14th century by the Terton Dorje Lingpa. Later, further take a way to Kurjey Temple. The temple complex is named after the body imprint left by Guru Rinpoche in the 8th century after taming the local deity and turning him into the protector deity of Bumthang valley. In these temples, you all would get privilege to do the rites of sacramental offering/ganachakra offering (ཚོགས་འཁོར་བསྐོར་གནང་རྒྱུ).
Overnight: Bumthang
Day 07: Bumthang Sightseeing
In the morning, after breakfast, drive to the famous Ugyen Choling Palace which is around 33 km away from the main road. Ugyen Choling is the 16th century naktshang (country manor), built by Tsokye Dorje, the one-time governor of Trongsa and a descendent of the Terton (treasure discoverer) Dorji Lingpa. The family that owns Ugyen Choling has turned the complex into a museum to preserve its legacy and provide a place for religious studies, research and solitude. These traditional living quarters are recreated to exhibit the realistic atmosphere of the ancient lifestyles and living style of the people. En route, visit to Tang Rimochen which was built by Terton ( treasure revealer) Pema Lingpa to mark a sacred place where Guru Rinpoche meditated. The original name ‘Tag Rimochen’ ( an impression of tiger’s stripes) is derived from the yellow stripes that appear on the rock cliff behind the temple. There are handprints and footprints of Guru Rinpoche and his consort Yeshe Tshogyal.
Overnight: Bumthang
Day 08: Bumthang to Trongsa
Altitude: 1900m/ 6270 ft
Distance: 68 km/ 40.8 miles
Drive: 2 ½ Hours
In morning, after breakfast, drive to the sacred place of Green Tara (Choeday Pung monastery) in Chumey, which was recently renovated and repaired by Zhitrul Choni Rangshar Rinpoche popularly known as Tang Rinpoche here in Bhutan and now it serves as one of the main monasteries here in Bhutan for Rinpoche. In the monastery, the monks perform the sacred dances of Warrior King which are displayed to the public once every two years. This is the place to sit down and do meditation on your own for a day.
Overnight: Trongsa
Day 09: Trongsa to Paro
Distance: 290 km /174 miles
Drive: 10 Hours
In the morning, after early breakfast, retrace your way back to Paro for the whole day with several pit stops on the way and in the meantime enjoy the scenic view and topography of Bhutan in your return as well.
Overnight: Paro
Day 10: Departure
After breakfast drive to the Airport for your onward destination. Our team will bid you farewell from the Paro International Airport.
