Bhutan Tour 5Days

Today in time connect flight for Paro. The flight into Bhutan takes you close to the great Himalayas, offering dazzling scenic views of some of world’s highest glacial peaks. As you enter Paro valley, you will sweep past forested hills with the silvery Pa Chu (Paro river) meandering down the valley below. Paro Dzong (fortress) and Ta Dzong (watchtower) on the hills above the town will be a fine sight. Arrive Paro airport upon arrival our Excel’s representative will meet you at Paro airport, and after completion of arrival formalities you will be transferred to Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu, an exciting blend of tradition and modernity.

Today’s full day of sightseeing in Thimphu valley includes visits to:
National Library, which holds a vast collection of Buddhist texts and manuscripts, some dating back several hundred years, as well as modern academic books mainly on Himalayan culture and religion;
Institute for Zorig Chusum (commonly known as the Painting School) where students undertake a six-year course on the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan;
National Institute of Traditional Medicine (outside only), where the medicinal herbs abundant in the kingdom are compounded and dispensed, and traditional medical practitioners are trained;
National Memorial Chorten: The building of this landmark was envisaged by the third king, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, as a monument to world peace and prosperity. Completed in 1974 after his untimely death, it is both a memorial to the Late King (“the father of modern Bhutan”) and a monument to world peace. The paintings and statues inside the monument provide a deep insight into Buddhist philosophy;
Tashichhodzong: (Visit after 5 pm only) this impressive fortress/monastery houses the secretariat building, the throne room of His Majesty, the King and various government offices. It is also the summer residence of the Chief Abbot and central monk body;

The valley of Paro contains a wealth of attractions. In the morning, visit Ta Dzong. Once a watchtower, built to defend Rinpung Dzong during inter-valley wars of the 17th century, Ta Dzong was inaugurated as Bhutan’s National Museum in 1968. Afterwards, walk down a hillside trail to visit Rinpung Dzong, which has a long and fascinating history.
After lunch, drive ups the valley to view the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong, 18 km. from Paro town on the north side of the valley. It was from here that the Bhutanese repelled several invading Tibetan armies during the 17th century. Also visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest and most sacred shrines of the kingdom.
In the evening, visit a traditional farmhouse for an opportunity to interact with a local family and learn something of their lifestyle. Later on, take an evening stroll along the main street, and perhaps visit a few handicrafts shops, or take refreshments at a local café or bar.

Drive an hour to Paro and enjoy the last day with a great hike. Every walking guest find this trip little challenging because of the elevation gain and the dramatic walks through the gorge. We start the day with a 30 minutes drive to the starting point of Taktsang hike. Start the uphill walk slowly so that you can get use to with the altitude, which is 600-700 meters above the valley floor. In an hour’s time we should get to the cafeteria, which is like 3 kms. Have refreshment here and enjoy a scenic hike for another 3 kms uphill till the temple. We walk uphill till for half the journey and then fairly easy till the last view point. From here we will walk down the gorge and up till the temple. Visit the temple and come back to the cafeteria for lunch. This will take around 2-3 hours and if you think you need a horse ride up the hill, please let your guide know well in advance. We would have done an average of 12kms for all the up and down walks.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport to connect flight for Delhi.