Bhutan Festival Tour -8 days

You will be picked up by your guide at the airport and then you have a short drive to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. On the way you will visit the historical Tamchhog Lhakhang. This is famous for its chain linked bridge, which was built in 1433. Once in Thimphu, you will visit the Tashi Choe Dzong. Dzongs are built in almost every district of Bhutan and were forts to defend attacks. This dzong was built in 1641. The driving distance from Paro to Thimphu is about 65kms/40 miles and takes about an hour. In Thimphu, you will stay in a centrally located 3 star hotel.

We will start the day by visiting the Kuensel Phodrang Buddha Stupa, which is one of the biggest buddha statue's in the world. This statue lies on a hill overlooking the Thimphu valley from the south and stands 51.5 meters/169 feet in height. Then we will visit the famous Thimphu Memorial Chorten, which was built in 1974. This is seen as the most iconic landmark of Thimphu and is an important place of worship for the local residents. Then we visit Simply Bhutan, a small museum that shows the life and history of Bhutanese life and culture. Later, we will visit the Tango Buddhist institute which was founded in the 12th century. It is the most prominent Buddhist learning institute of Bhutan. Many famous religious leaders known, as Je Khenpo, have gone through a nine year study course here.

Today you have a very scenic drive from Thimphu to Punakha valley. This beautiful drive goes along beautiful hills and rivers and via the famous Dochu La Pass. This is one of the high passes of Bhutan at 3100m and on clear days, you will see stunning panoramic views of the snow capped Himalaya Mountains. Before arriving to the Dochu La Pass, you will take a short hike to Chimi Lhakhang, which is known as the temple of fertility. The short hike is about 45 minutes thru farming villages. After Dochu La Pass, you will start to descend towards the Punakha valley. You will drive by the beautiful Pho Chhu river. You will cross the bridge on this river and enter to explore the Punakha Dzong. It is the most beautiful dzong in all of Bhutan and was first built in 1637. You will stay in a nice 3 star hotel while in Punakha.

Today you will spend a full day witness the Talo Tshechu Festival in Punakha. You will observe significant historical traditions and masked dances performed by the Buddhist monks. This day will be a major highlight of your time in Bhutan.

After breakfast, you will drive from Punakha to Paro. On the way, you'll visit the Motithang Takin Preserve and make stops to photograph traditional villages along the way. Takin is the national animal of Bhutan and is similar to a goat and an antelope. The full drive is about 4 hours. After arriving in Paro, you will visit the Kyichu Lhakhang. This is another temple built around the 7th century. In Paro, you will stay in a centrally located 3 star hotel.

Today you will trek up to the Taktsang, or Tiger's Nest Monastery. This is the most iconic temple in Bhutan and one of the most famous sites in the Himalaya. This was first built in the 17th century and is known as Tiger’s Nest from the legend of Guru Padmasamavana, which says he flew here on the back of a tigress. He also is said to have meditated here for three years, three months, three weeks and three days. This monastery lies directly on a side of a cliff 900m/2800 ft above the Paro valley. This hike takes about 2 hours to complete. The well-trodden trail goes through beautiful forests and has nice views of the valley. Afterwards, you will visit the Paro Dzong and the National Museum.

Your last full day in Bhutan will take you from Paro to the Che Le Pass, the highest road in Bhutan at 3988 m/13,084 feet. In clear weather, you can see the might Himalaya Mountain Range, including the peak of Jomolhari, elevation 7326m/24,035 feet. This pass offers some of the best mountain scenery in Bhutan. In the afternoon, you can walk the streets of Paro to do any last minute shopping. You will stay in a centrally located 3 star hotel in Paro.

This day you will be transported to the Paro Airport and depart Bhutan.