Thimphu Chorten (Memorial Chorten)

Proceed to the counter and complete immigration. Your guide will be waiting at the arrival gate and will welcome you. Proceed to Thimphu. The drive will take about 1hr 15 min. Check into the hotel and leave the luggage and proceed to explore Thimphu – Bhutan's capital and one of its only cities, with the only flyover in the country, the only traffic island in the country and with a population of 120,000.

Changangkha Lhakhang

The following are all gentle suggestions and you may pick what you'd like to see/do in Thimphu in two days: a) National Memorial Chorten (a beautiful temple built by the 3rd Queen Mother to commemorate her husband) – Entry Fee-Rs. 500/Head b) Changankha Lhakhang (a monastery where the Bhutanese go to name their children) c) National Institute of Zurig Chusum (a government entity where the youth are given skill training to preserve the arts and culture of Bhutan) - Entry Fee-Rs. 100/Head d) Takin Reserve (where Bhutan's national animal, the Takin, with the head of a goat and body of a cow, can be seen) - Entry Fee-Rs. 300/Head e) Post Office (one can get personalised stamps made here) f) CSI Market (an organic good store that has a variety of products made by women SHGs; highly recommended) g) Buddha Statue – Dodernma (no entry fee)

Csi Market

You may go to a Karaoke bar in the evening, where you can sing English or Hindi songs. Food is not served in these bars. It is perfectly safe to go to them. Dinner at guest discretion. Overnight in Thimphu.

After an early breakfast, we drive you 16 kms outside Thimphu to a place called Dodena. From here, you undertake a mild hike to a monastery called Tango, which is also a centre for Buddhist learning. We call this the hidden monastery as you cannot see it from the base and not until you're nearly all the way up. The hike will take about 1.5 hours up and an hour down. It is very mild and useful in acclimatizing you for the rest of your stay in Bhutan.

Thimphu

After this, we can organize a picnic lunch by a riverside. The lunch served here will be catered based on your meal preferences - snacks like sandwiches etc. or a proper Bhutanese/Indian/Combination meal. Chilling a bottle of wine in the ice-cold water of the river and then drinking it with lunch, surrounded by nothing but peace and quiet, is one of the finest experiences we can offer you in Thimphu. Please note that the picnic lunch will be at an extra charge and to be paid directly. Guests are free to do sightseeing after, or rest in the hotel. Dinner at guest discretion. Overnight in Thimphu.

Dochula Pass

After breakfast, check out and head to Punakha. It is the old capital of Bhutan. If the breakfast is had early, then guests could stop at a fortress called the Simtokha Dzong (one of the oldest in Bhutan). This is famous because it houses the statue of Zhabdrung, the unifier of Bhutan. Next stop would be the Dochu-La, a high-altitude pass with stunning views of the snowcapped peaks (subject to weather conditions), where 108 chortens have been constructed. This is a good bio and tea break.

Royal Botanical Garden

You could take a trail called the Royal Botanical Trail from Dochu-La. It takes about 45 minutes of easy downhill hiking immersed in a pristine natural environment that features a wide variety of rhododendron, magnolia, oak and birch trees. Clear streams tumble down the hillside and bursts of melodious birdsong ring through the forest. A highlight of the Royal Botanical Trail is that 28 of 46 different species of rhododendron line the trail. The car will pick you at the end of the trail. The trail ends at a botanical park called Lamperi. Reach Punakha and check in to the hotel. Dinner at guest discretion. Overnight in Punakha.

Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten

After breakfast, start your day with a short hike (about an hour) to Khamsum Yulley Chorten. The trek eventually passes from steep path along the lush green paddy fields. You can come across a big prayer wheel which chants mantras when paddy fields end. The trail narrows down from here and ascends over the hill steeply through the lush green pine trees. A large Bodhi tree welcomes the visitors with two big prayer wheels at the chorten and shelter.

Punakha Dzong

Over the course of the day you can enjoy river rafting at Po Chu river. White water rafting is a new delight for thrill seekers, and it's quickly becoming a cult among people who want to feel the rush of adrenaline. Lunch near riverside can be arranged. (At your own cost) In the evening, visit Punakha Dzong (Entry Fee – Rs. 500/head). This is the grandest fortress in Bhutan and the place where the King is coronated. If time permits, end the day with a walk across Bhutan’s longest suspension bridge. The bridge connects two villages and it is amazing to see how school children, the young and the old, and even cattle, use this bridge to cross the river. Overnight in Punakha.

Gangtey Monastery

After an early breakfast, head to Gangtey - home to the ancient glacial valley called Phobjikha and the gateway to Central Bhutan. You'll see the most spectacular vistas during the drive. After lunch, visit the Gangtey Monastery (we call this the prettiest monastery in Bhutan). You can undertake a beautiful trail called the Gangtey Nature Trail. This is a 4 km forest trail at the end of which you’ll get the most spectacular view of Phobjikha valley - an ancient glacial valley untouched by humans. The trail is downhill for about 500 metres and then at ground level. Dinner at guest discretion. Overnight in Gangtey.

Chimi Lhakhang Temple

After an early breakfast, check out of the hotel and visit the famous fertility temple of Bhutan – Chime Lhakhang. (Entry Fee – Rs. 500/head). The temple was built for the Divine Madman, a monk whose symbol, the phallus, is painted all over the homes in the villages around it, and has an interesting legacy. This temple is located at an elevation and a slow, meandering, unhurried walk to the top will take about 15 minutes. After visiting Chime Lhakhang, leave for Paro. The drive time is about 4 hours.

Paro Taktsang

Reach Paro, check in to hotel and undertake local sightseeing in Paro. You can visit the oldest monastery in Bhutan called Kichyu Lhakhang. (Entry fee/head is Rs. 500/-), the newly renovated Drugyel Dzong with a Tara temple, National Museum and Paro Dzong (Entry fee/head is Rs. 500/-). You may also want to visit the stupa like unique monastery called Dungtse, the one that has no lights inside and have a relaxed evening roaming the main street or explore Bhutan's only microbrewery - their Red Rice beer is worth sampling. The brewery is located a stone’s throw from your hotel. Dinner at guest discretion. Overnight in Paro.

Haa Valley

After breakfast, head to Haa valley for a day trip. This is the most pristine valley in Bhutan and opened to tourists in 2008. The drive will take 2 hours, one way. Enroute you will cross Bhutan's highest motorable mountain pass, Chele-La, located at 3988 mts above sea level. On a clear day, you can see Bhutan's second highest peak, Mt Jomolhari from this location. Fun fact: Bhutan does not allow mountaineering as they consider all peaks to be sacred. Mt.Jomolhari is snowcapped and has never been scaled.

Paro

At Haa, we will organise lunch at a homestay with a Bhutanese family. Choice of meats and level of spice in the food will be taken into consideration. This is one of the finest ways to understand the Bhutanese way of life. Evening free to roam the main street and go shopping. Overnight in Paro.

Paro Taktsang

Hike up to Bhutan's most iconic monastery, the Tiger's Nest. It is best to leave hotel around 7:00 AM, since drive to the base of the monastery will take about 30 mins. The hotel will give packed breakfast as per choice (parathas, sandwiches etc.) Entry to Tiger's Nest is Rs.1000 per head. The hike to Tiger's Nest will take about 3 hours up and about 2 hours down. Guests will be constrained to have lunch at the mid-way cafeteria. Their buffet lunch comprises rice, dal, veggies, noodles, tea/coffee etc.

Paro

In the evening, we would recommend taking the famous hot stone bath at a Bhutanese home. This invigorating bath is taken in a wooden tub where riverbed stones heated on an open fire are dunked into the tub at one end. The water, replete with minerals of the stones is said to have curative and healing properties. You may even dine with the family after the bath (prior information required) or evening free to roam the main street. Overnight in Paro.

Paro District

After your breakfast, departure from Paro with fond memories of a cherished trip.