Your adventure starts from the moment you breathe in the fresh air as you descend the stairs of the plane, your hassle-free smooth check-out at Immigrations and finally seeing your smiling tour guide and driver at the Airport gate.

Depending on the time of your flight, either have your lunch in Paro town or a quick coffee and snacks before driving on to Thimphu for an hour. From the town drive on to your Amankora Lodge where your personal butler will make sure you are comfortably checked in and well rested. If you are up for it, you can go for a quick stroll in town and enjoy a local brew at a pub with some live musical performances by local bands.

The Memorial Chorten located in the heart of the Thimphu city is a favorite spiritual hangout and a great interactive place for tourists and Bhutanese. The 3 storied stupa houses some very prominent statues of Buddhist saints, figures and relics and therefore considered very auspicious for conducting rituals and ceremonies. The main statue of the ‘Wish-fulfilling Buddha’ inside the Chorten is said to grant wishes for the earnest and honest hearted! Everyday from dawn till dusk the young and old circumambulate the Stupa, with the elderly spending their whole day chanting prayers, sharing their packed lunches, turning the huge prayer wheels and spending time with their friends. They look forward to sharing smiles and a few words with visiting tourists and the Memorial Chorten is an interactive place for tourists wanting to mingle with the locals and exchange stories.

Buddha Dordenma

Overlooking the quaint Thimphu city is one of the largest Buddha Dordenma Statue in the world. The statue is 51.5 meters in height, made of bronze and glided in gold making it one of a kind. Popularly known as the Buddha Point, the place is a favorite among devotees who comes from all corners of Bhutan to pay their respects. Like any other religious sites or monasteries in Bhutan, the building of the gigantic statue was also prophesied. The first prophecy was made by Guru Padmasambhava in the 8th century and in the 20th century by Yogi Sonam Zangpo, that a Buddha statue will be built in this region for the World Peace and Happiness.

Every Dzong in Bhutan houses the district administrative offices and the Local Monastic Body, however the importance of the Tashi Chho Dzong is that it houses the office of the King, the Throne room and the Central Monastic Body. Tashi Chho Dzong or the Fortress of the Glorious Religion is located along the banks of the Thimphu river and is one of the most prominent and spectacular attraction in the valley. Though travelers are restricted to enter the offices or the Royal office, however a walk along the beautiful flower garden, glimpse of the architectural structures and visiting some of the auspicious temples is well worth the visit. Also, since the visiting hours are after 5 pm this is also the perfect time to watch the intimate ceremony of lowering the flag and the majestic march of the policemen as they march the flag off to the interior offices.

The 1 ½ hour Wangdi Tse Dzong Hike is a leisurely leg stretching exercise with spectacular bird’s eye view of the Valley.

Bhutan Postal Museum

Bhutan is popular with stamp collectors for its beautiful and varied stamps and the Bhutan Postal Museum located in the heart of Thimphu town lives up to its reputation through the display of ancient and unique stamps. The first postage stamps in Bhutan were issued in 1962 around the same time the motorable roads were opened and prior to that there were official mail runners literally running through the valleys and mountains delivering mail. The Museum provides a glimpse on the history and evolution of communication systems in Bhutan, amazing stories of legendary mail runners and for tourists an interesting experience of custom making your own stamps with your photos. You can use these personalized stamps to send postcards to your family and friends around the world

Centenary Farmers Market

If you want to mingle with the Bhutanese people and jostle with local farmers amongst the aroma of organic fruits and vegetables, the Centenary Farmers Market is the place to be. Smiling tourists watch in awe as locals bargain with the vendors and you can even stock up on your organic fruits for the coming days. The market is one of the busiest place in the valley with farmers from all corners of Bhutan selling their organic produce. A stroll through the market will give the travelers an insight into the food habits and cuisines of Bhutan. One ingredient that is widely seen in the market is the dried and fresh green chilies which is the most essential ingredient in all the Bhutanese dishes. Photographs are allowed and travelers can also exchange a few words with some vendors who speaks English.

Inside the Dzong there are many temples depicting stories of important Buddhist saints, and aside from many important religious scriptures and artifacts the Dzong houses the Thongdrel, a huge 20x20 meter wide applique (ornamental needlework in silk) of Guru Padmasambhava (the patron saint of Buddhism in Bhutan), his two spiritual consorts, his eight manifestations, few more Buddhist saints and lastly of the image of Lam Ngawang Rabgay who constructed this masterpiece of a Thongdrel. This Thongdrel is displayed once a year and only for a few hours before sunrise as the rays of the sun are not supposed to fall on the Thongdrel. Thongdrel literally translates to ‘liberation by sight’ and is believed that one is purged of sins just by gazing at it. The Thongdrel is displayed on the last day of the Paro Festival which is a major tourist attraction event in Bhutan.

The National Museum located above the Rinpung Dzong was previously a watch tower (Ta Dzong) built in 1649 to guard the valley from numerous Tibetan invasions. Built in the shape of a conch shell the tower was converted to a Museum in 1968, was severely damaged by three major earthquakes, the recent being in 2011 and renovated and reopened in all its former architectural glory in June 2020 as the National Museum. The Museum has on display numerous unique sets of religious and historical artifacts that narrate the traditional heritage and culture of Bhutan. The artifacts include festival masks, fine arts, paintings, textiles from all over Bhutan, collection of stamps, preserved specimens of exotic animals and many antique collections. A visit to the Museum will familiarize a visitor to the ancient culture and traditions of Bhutan and discover the beauty, mystery, myths and legends that makes Bhutan a hidden gem of a country.

If you are up for a short hike then the leisurely trail from the Museum to Zuri Dzong is a moderate one and half hour hike with birds eye view of the Paro valley and its colorful houses and paddy fields.

Locally known as Taktsang Goemba, the Tiger’s Nest Monastery is one of the most sacred and revered holy site in the Buddhist arena akin to Mecca of Saudi Arabia, St. Peter’s Basilica of the Vatican City, The Wailing Wall of Jerusalem, Kashi Vishwanath Temple of India and many more. Located on a steep cliff high above the Paro valley at an altitude of 3,120 meters above the sea level, the Tiger’s Nest is an architectural and engineering feat baffling visitors with its spiritual ambience and extraordinary history. Legend holds that Guru Rinpoche, the saint who introduced Buddhism in Bhutan in the 7th Century, flew on a tigress back from Singye Dzong in Eastern Bhutan to the current site at Taktsang. Guru Rinpoche then subdued the demons and meditated for 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days and 3 hours thus sanctifying the site as one of the most holiest and religious. Over the centuries many great saints, yogis and lamas visited the site for meditation and blessings.

You can enjoy your BBQ lunch at the base of the Monastery. Experience a traditional hot-stone bath and a one hour holistic massage that will refresh your aching body and rejuvenate you for another dinner and night in town, or you can enjoy a peaceful dinner and evening at your Lodge.

Depart from Paro Airport