Bhutan Tour 6Days

Your journey begins with the most spectacular of all mountain flights. You will fly over the southern hills, known as ‘dwars’, or gateways into the Himalayas as they rise from the plains until they meet the great snow-capped peaks of the inner Himalayas that rise up to the sky. On arrival at Paro airport and after completion of airport formalities, you will be met by your representative (Guide). Drive from Paro to Thimphu, the modern capital town of Bhutan.
Rest of the day at leisure or take a stroll through this lively town that reveals an interesting combination of tradition and modernity.

Bhutan has been a remote Himalayan kingdom with most of the population living in villages. Urbanisation began here in the early 1960s, when Thimphu was proclaimed as a national capital. Thimphu is a small bustling city in the heart of the Himalayas. Thimphu’s charm comes not only from its wealth of museums or places of historic interest, but also from the strong national character of its architectural style.

Today’s sightseeing includes:

The Folk Heritage Museum, a restored mid 19th century house which gives one insight into the average household & lifestyle in the region during that era. (Closed on Sat 1pm, Sun 1pm, Govt. Holidays)

Institute for Zorig Chusum (commonly known as the Painting School), where a six-year training course is given in the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan.  (Closed on Sat 1pm, Sun, Govt Holidays, Summer/winter break)

Thangtong Dewachen Nunnery; the only nunnery in the Capital it is popularly known as Zilukha Anim Dratshang. Located few minutes’ drive from the town. It was built in 1976 by Drubthob Rikey Jigdrel (the 16th emanation of Thangtong Gyalpo who built temples and iron chain bridges). You may interact with some 60 nuns who have devoted their life to spirituality and Buddhism.

Memorial Chorten: The building of this landmark was originally envisaged by Bhutan’s third king, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who had wanted to erect 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 peace. 

Weaving Centre, where you will be able to actually see the traditional weaving process and interact with the weavers.

Traditional Handmade Paper Factory, witness the process from start to finish. The paper is made from the barks of the black Daphne tree. The thicker paper is used for scriptures and the thinner ones are used for wrapping gifts and various other purposes.

Visit Dochula Pass, Chimi Lhakhang and Punakha Dzong

Dochula pass, located 30 km away from the capital, on the way to Punakha from Thimphu offers a 360-degree of beautiful panoramic view of Himalaya mountain range, especially on clear winter days. The 108 chortens that adorn the beauty of this place were built by Queen Mother to commemorate the Bhutanese soldiers who were killed when fighting the Indian rebels in 2003. The pass is also popular spiritual place for both locals and tourists because of an important temple that is located on the crest of Dochula pass.

Besides the spirituality of the place many Bhutanese families visit the pass during holidays and weekends to simply enjoy the scenery of the place with their pack lunch and hot tea. For tourists, the place is an ideal location to capture beautiful pictures of Himalaya mountain range provided the weather permits.

Chimi Lhakhang located near Lobesa; Punakha stands on a round hillock and is flanked by hundreds of prayer flags. Built in 1499, this monastery is dedicated to Lama Drukpa Kinley or ‘the Divine Madman’. An accomplished master of Mahamudra Buddhist Tradition, he is also known as the ‘Mad Saint’ for his unorthodox ways of teaching Buddhism by singing, humor and outrageous behavior, which amounted to being bizarre and strong sexual overtones and inclinations.

Drukpa Kinley is also a cultural icon in Bhutan around whom countless yarns, fictions, stories and legends have been spun. In founding the site it is said that Lama Kinley subdued a demon of Dochu La with his “magic thunderbolt of wisdom” and trapped it in a rock at the location close to where the chorten now stands. He is also the saint who advocated the use of phallus symbols as paintings on walls and as flying carved wooden phalluses on house tops at four corners of the eves. The monastery is the repository of the original wooden symbol of phallus that Kinley 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 beget children. The tradition at the monastery is to strike pilgrims on the head with a 10 inch (25 cm) wooden phallus (erect penis). Traditionally symbols of an erect penis in Bhutan have been intended to drive away the evil eye and malicious gossip.

The Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungtang Dechen Photrang Dzong (meaning ‘the palace of great happiness or bliss’) is the administrative centre of Punakha Dzongkhag in Punakha, Bhutan. Constructed by Zhabdrung (Zhabdrung) Ngawang Namgyal on the 8th day and 8th month of the Fire ox year in 1673, it is the second oldest and second largest Dzong in Bhutan and one of its most majestic structures. Punakha Dzong was the administrative centre and the seat of the Government of Bhutan until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu.

After breakfast proceed to Paro. On arrival to Paro valley we can have lunch and then visit the Paro Dzong and Paro Museum. Visit the auspicious Kyichu Lhakhang, a sacred monument pinning down the left foot of a treacherous ogress. This is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan dating back to the 7th century. Rest of the day at leisure or explore the town.

In the morning, take an excursion to Taktsang Monastery, also known as Tiger’s Nest. It is believed that Guru Rinpoche, founding father of the Bhutanese form of Mahayana Buddhism, arrived here on the back of a tigress and meditated at this monastery. The main structure was severely damaged by fire in 1998, but after many years of painstaking restoration work, the complex has now been fully restored to its former glory.
Then later towards evening, you will go on to visit a traditional Bhutanese farm house. You will see the architectural style of a traditional Bhutanese house.

After an early breakfast at the hotel, take your chartered flight to your ongoing destination.