Landing in Paro valley is a perfect entry into this other world, with its transparent purity of the air and its absorbing serenity. Paro retains its bucolic nature in spite of the existence of development projects. Fields of brown or green depending on the season cover most of the valley floor while hamlets and isolated farms dot the landscape. On arrival, our visa is processed and we then pass through customs. Our Bhutanese guide meets us outside the customs enclosure for a one hour journey to the capital Thimphu, which is situated in a large valley traversed by the Wangchu River and overshadowed by high peaks. You may choose to rest or embark on visiting a few point of interest. Our day is for the sights of Thimphu, beginning at the Memorial Chorten, with its golden spires shining in the sun, its tinkling bells and an endless procession of elderly people circling around it. Erected by the royal grandmother Ashi Phutsho Chodoen in memory of her son the third king Jigme Dorje, it contains a fine collection of Buddhist statues and is a center of tantric Buddhism in all its complexity. Onward, we will visit Kuensel Phodrang, where the Buddha Dordenma resides, it is said to be one of the largest Buddha in the world, standing at 169 feet / 51.5 meters. You will see Thimphu city from a bird’s eye view. This evening, enjoy a walk up and down the high street lined with little shops of all descriptions. There is always a colorful gathering passing from ubiquitous monk bodies to Bhutanese businessmen, to nomadic farmers that come to trade supplies.

Today we will explore Thimphu according to your own interests. The following are options, although you don't need to include them all: Institute of 13 Arts and Crafts of Bhutan (Institute for Zorig Chusum). Opened in June 1997, the institute reflects Bhutan’s effort to provide opportunities for vocational training. Bamboo and wood crafts are especially popular in this region. School of Astrology. Pangri Zampa Lhakhang is one of the gems that you should certainly explore. . Bhutanese parents also visit this lhakhang for getting auspicious names and blessings for their newborns. Built in 16th century, Lhakhang consists of two temples which will be visible to you as soon as you enter the compound. Huge stone walls painted with white will make you look to the top. As you raise your eyes from the prayer wheels at the entrance to the heights of huge temple walls, you will be stunned seeing the beautiful combination of sheer scale with simplicity. Post Office. Philatelists will be interested in the museum attached to the post office. Five galleries trace the development of the Bhutanese postal system, from the earliest mail runners to Bhutan's idiosyncratic and highly collectible modern stamps. Most importantly, you can get your photo printed onto a Bhutanese Stamp and then mail it back home to your friends. Folk Heritage Museum. This museum gives you a glimpse into traditional Bhutanese life. It displays an impressive collection of typical household objects, tools, and equipment. There are regular demonstrations of rural traditions, skills, habits, and customs, as well as educational programs for children. Royal Textile Museum. This is the place to learn about Bhutan's living national art of thagzo (weaving). The ground floor focuses on royal ghos, including the wedding clothes worn by the fourth king and his four wives. The upper floor introduces the major weaving techniques, styles of local dress, and textiles made by women and men.

Leaving Thimphu, we start our journey into the countryside towards the Punakha valley, the winter capital of Bhutan. The drive ascends gradually to the Dochula pass over 10300 ft, with magnificent vistas of the Himalayan range. The Dochula Monastery also known as the Druk Wangyal Khangzang Chortens is a tribute to the service and leadership of His Majesty the king. The design inspired by the Queen is a unique cluster of 108 Chortens seen from all directions. The descent to Wangduephodrang is vibrant and colorful, with the fluttering prayer flags adding to a rich topography dotted by terrace farming and rivers flowing through. Option A: Later, we traverse the Punakha countryside walking through paddy fields to the Pana Village to see the `Chimi Lhakhang’ built by the great Lama Drukpa Kinley in 1400 to subdue local demons. The temple is a popular pilgrimage point for all Bhutanese and is specially revered by women for its fertility powers. Option B: After lunch, we see the historic Punakha Dzong sprawled at the confluence of the Phochu (male) and Mochu (female) rivers. It was built by Shabdrung Nawang in 1637 and serves as the winter residence of the head abbot, Je Khenpo and headquarters of the district administration.

Khamsum Yulley Namgyal monastery. After early breakfast, set out on a beautiful day hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal monastery. A 30-minute drive from the Punakha Dzong will bring you to the base of the hill on which this temple is built. From the car park, you have to cross a suspension bridge and walk through rice fields before you start climbing a moderately inclined trail surrounded by pine trees. It takes about 1 hour from the car park to hike up to the temple, and 30 minutes to hike down. Soak into the serene natural beauty of the area and participate in rite of lighting butter lamps in the temple. OR Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery and undertaking a short walk at Talo Village. Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery has one of the biggest bronze statues of Avalokiteshvara – a bodhisattva embodying infinite compassion – created entirely by local Bhutanese artisans. The temple complex also houses a permanent higher learning and meditation centre for nuns, for both religious training and life skills. Nobgang monastery, dating back to the 17th century, was built as the residence for Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, a Tibetan Buddhist lama. We will start your hike down from the temple, encompassing spectacular views of the valleys, mountains and Punakha Dzong. The hike will go through chir pine trees, passing the school, farms and farmhouses. You will come across an amazing tree (local people believe the tree is the walking stick of the ‘Divine Madman’, planted upside down) before you reach the finishing point Overnight: Punakha

Leaving Punakha, we start our journey towards Paro via Dochula Pass. We will cover a few point of interest before we checkin to the hotel. Paro Dzong. Also called Rinpung Dzong, the Fortress of a Heap of Jewels. Constructed in the early 15th century as a diminutive fort, it was presented to the religious and political authority of Shabdrung Ngawang, who developed it into a much more commanding fortress in 1646. This is, without a doubt, one of the kingdom’s finest examples of traditional Bhutanese architecture. Once, great catapults here flung stones at invading Tibetans. Today the Dzong houses a monastic school. Two hundred resident monks take meals in a communal room. Several interesting paintings here include an unusual Bhutanese interpretation of a mandala, a diagram of the cosmos. We return to our transport crossing the traditional wooden covered bridge called NYAMAI-ZAM which spans the Paro River. Earlier, in times of war, the bridge was removed each time to protect the Dzong! National Museum Ta dzong (watchtower), built in 1649 to protect the undefended dzong and renovated in 1968 to house the National Museum. The unusual round building is said to be in the shape of a conch shell, with 2.5m-thick walls. Displays include an impressive collection of thangkas, both ancient and modern, depicting Bhutan's important saints and teachers, as well as fearsome festival masks grouped according to their tsechu dances. There's a natural-history gallery with a 3D map of Bhutan, while the Heritage Gallery contains such oddities as an egg laid by a mule and a horse horn attributed to Guru Rinpoche, plus a few original iron links from the iron bridge at Tamchhog. An underground tunnel is said to lead from the watchtower to the water supply below. kyichu monastery. Kyichu Lhakhang is a Buddhist temple in Paro. It is one of the oldest monasteries in the country built in the 7th century by the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo.

After breakfast, we drive around 25 minutes to Ramthanka base for a hike to view one of Bhutan’s most revered pilgrimage sites in the Buddhist world, the Taktshang Lhakhang, popularly known as the “Tiger’s Nest” Monastery. The trek offers spectacular views of this sacred monastery perched precariously on a sheer rock face 3000 ft above the valley floor. Legend has it that Guru Rimpoche, father of Bhutan’s stream of Mahayana Buddhism arrived in the Paro valley more than a millennium ago on a back of a tigress. He meditated for 3 months in a cave which was converted into this monastery. The only sounds heard here are the murmurs of the wind, water and the chanting of monks. We begin our hike from the base to the cafeteria which will take us at least an hour and a half. From here it’s about an hour’s trek through some stunning landscape to reach the monastery. On our return, we stop by once more at the Cafeteria for lunch. Later, we begin our descent to Ramthanka base. The temple clinging at 3120 meters above the sea level on a vertical rocky cliff, Taktsang Monastery is a wonderful and impressive sight for visitors. Hiking Time: Approximately 2-3 hours walk one way uphill and return 2 hours Route: paths well maintain trails Difficulty: Easy to moderate Recommended: Sport shoes, Sun hat, camera, walking stick, sun glass, Umbrella if rain. Time permitting visit the following monasteries. Later on just try the local costume for photo opportunity. Note: Ponies are available at an additional cost - This facility is for uphill climb/journey only and not for descent.

In the morning our representatives from Trophel Tours & Treks will escort you to Paro International Airport and bid Good-bye and pleasant flight back home Tashi Delek! Hope you will visit us again!