Bhutan Travel -8 days

Upon arrival at Paro airport, you will be received by your guide and drive to hotel. You will spend the afternoon exploring the beautiful Paro Dzong as well as the Druk Choeding temple. Afterwards, you can spend some time walking the streets of the quaint town of Paro.

In the early morning, you will begin by making the pleasant 2 or 3 hour hike to the famous Taktsang or Tiger's Nest Monastery. Along the way, you will get excellent views of one of the most iconic monastery's in the Himalaya. Afterwards, you will wander around the ruins of the ancient Drukgyel Dzong, which was built in 1649. On the way back to Paro, you will then visit Kyichu Lhakang, one of Bhutan's oldest and most beautiful Buddhist temples.

After breakfast, you will begin your day trip to the Haa Valley. Along the way, you will cross over the Cheli La Pass, which is the highest road pass in Bhutan at over 3800 meters. If you are interested, there is a 1 1/2 to 2 hour hike above the pass which offers great views of Mt. Jomolhari when the weather is clear. The Haa Valley, elevation 2670 meters, is very beautiful and is filled with nice Bhutanese-style homes across the rural countryside. In the late afternoon, you will return to Paro.

This day you will make the short drive from Paro the Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. Despite being a world capital, you can easily walk from one end of town to the other in less than half an hour! This pleasant town has several key sites to explore. The first place you will go to is located far above the town of Thimphu. The huge statue of Buddha Sakyamuni sits on a mountainside overlooking Thimphu. Next, you will explore Trashi Choe Dzong (fortress), which lies along the banks of the Wang Chhu River. You will also go to the National Memorial Chorten (stupa), which was built to honor the 3rd king of Bhutan in 1974. Each day, local Bhutanese come here to pray, meditate and spin Buddhist prayer wheels.

This day, you will continue driving east to Punakha. Along the way, you will cross over the 3140 meter pass of Do Chu La. If the weather is clear, you will be rewarded with a stunning panoramic view of the snow-covered Himalayas. In 2005, 108 chortens (stupas) were built to commemorate Bhutanese soldiers who perished. From the Dochu La, you will descend to the relatively low elevation region of Punakha. You will visit the 15th century Chimi Lhakang as well as Punakha Dzong. The dzong in Punakha is regarded as the most beautiful in Bhutan.

From Punakha, you will set out for the Pele La Pass, elevation 3420 meters. If the weather cooperates, you can see Mt. Jomolhari rising to 7314 meters in the distance. From the Pele La, you will continue on to the stunning valley of Gangtey (also known as Pobjikha). Before descending to the valley, you will cross over another pass, the Lowa La, where there are usually a small number of yaks herding. Gangtey is one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan. The valley is home to less than 5000 people and has plenty of fun hiking trails to take.

Your last full day in Bhutan will take you back to the capital town of Thimphu. You will arrive with plenty of time to wander the streets of this unique town one last time to pick up any last minute souvenirs.

In the morning, you will return to Paro to catch your international flight leaving Bhutan.