11D On the Wings of the Dragon

Seat-in-coach tour (WD11):  Daily departure from Paro with English speaking guide

Private tour (WD11): Daily departure from Paro with a guide in the language of your choice (surcharges may apply)
 

PARO – THIMPHU  (-/L/D)

DAY 1 The flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular of all mountain flights. One can see the Mt. Everest, Mt. Kanchanjunga, Mt. Makalu and other peaks in Bhutan such as Mt. Chomolhari, Mt. Jichu Drakay, and Mt.Tsherimgang. The green wall of hills known as the doors, or gateways into Bhutan from the plains climbs continually higher as down the forested mountainsides, and to the north, the great snowcapped peaks of the inner Himalayas rise up to the sky. You will be received by the representative of Diethelm Travel Bhutan.  

Drive to Thimphu and check into hotel. Drive to BBS Tower to see Thimphu valley by night.
 

THIMPHU  SIGHTSEEING  (B/L/D)

DAY 2 Visit the National Library, a treasure trove of priceless Buddhist manuscripts. Visit Changangkha temple, which is the temple of Chenrizig or Compassionate Buddha. See the Traditional Incense and Paper Factory. See the Traditional Painting School of Arts & Crafts where children are taught centuries old craft, and   the National Folk Heritage Museum to get an insight into the typical Bhutanese way of life. 

Walk to see the National Memorial Chorten built in honor of the Late King of Bhutan. Tour the National Library, a treasure trove of priceless Buddhist manuscripts. Drive to see the Takin Zoo, which houses the national animal the Takin that is only found in Bhutan. Visit the National Textile Museum, which houses the woven textiles from the different regions of Bhutan. See the Bhutan Post known for its world famous stamps.

Tour Tashichho Dzong, its history is very old, dating back to the 13th century, which houses His Majesty’s Throne Room and home to the Monk Body. Free time to stroll and mingle with the people. Try a good local restaurant for dinner. 
 

THIMPHU  - PUNAKHA   (B/L/D) 

DAY 3 Drive to Punakha (70Km) via the Dochula pass. An hour’s drive from Thimphu will take you to this pass (3050mts) where one can have a superb view of the Eastern Himalayas on a clear day. Drive onto Punakha, the old capital of Bhutan and presently the winter residence of the central monk body. After lunch, visit the Punakha Dzong, located on the island of the Pho – Chu (male) river and the Mochu (female) river. Hike to Chimi Lhakhang, temple of the divine Madman Lama Drukpa Kuenley where couples unable to have siblings come here to pray. 
 

PUNAKHA  – TRONGSA  (B/L/D) 

DAY 4 Wangduephodrang Dzong stands strategically built on a promontory overlooking the junction of the Sunkosh and Tangmachu rivers. This dzong is the strategic gateway to central and eastern Bhutan, and was built by Shabdrung in 1638. Drive upwards to the Pele La Pass, crossing the Black Mountains, which divide western and central Bhutan. It is a wonderful opportunity to take photographs. Pass through rich rhododendron and magnolias and yak settlements. Cross the Nikarchu Bridge to enter the Trongsa regions. 

Have picnic lunch enroute to Trongsa. Visit the beautiful Trongsa Dzong built in 1648, the ancestral home of the Royal Family. Both the second and third King ruled the country from this ancient seat.  All four Kings held the post of Trongsa Penlop (honorary governor) prior to being crowned as King. Tour Ta Dzong, the watchtower that once guarded Trongsa Dzong from internal rebellion, stands impressively and provides visitors an insight into historical significance of Trongsa in Bhutan's history. 
 

TRONGSA - BUMTHANG   (B/L/D)

DAY 5 Transfer to Bumthang, which is approx two-hour drive. 

This is one of the most spectacular valleys in Bhutan and also the heartland of Buddhism. Here the great teachers meditated and left in their wake many sacred grounds. The Guru and his lineage of Tertons, treasure finders, have led to the sprouting of many temples in the valley. 

In the afternoon, visit Yatha Weaving Center a cooperative of the National Women Association of Bhutan where the women of the region sell their textiles and Yatha specialty. Visit the Honey and Cheese farm. 
 

BUMTHANG SIGHTSEEING      (B/L/D)

DAY 6 Visit the Jakar Dzong, built in the 17th century during the time of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal – 1st Religious and Political King of Bhutan. The fortress is now used as an administration center of Bumthang valley. Visit Jambay Lhakhang: This monastery was built in the 7th century of Tibetan King Songtsen Gembo, believed to be the reincarnation of the Buddha of Compassion. It is one of the 108 monasteries built by him to subdue evil spirits in the Himalayan region. 

Drive to see Tamshing temple, which was founded in 1501 by Terton Pema Lingpa, the re-incarnation of Guru Padmasambhava. The monastery has very interesting religious paintings like 11000 Buddhas and 21 Taras (female form of Boddhisatava). The temple was restored at the end of the 19th century.

Visit Kurjey Lhakhang: This temple is located above Jambay Lhakhang and consists of three temples. The one on the right was built in 1652 on the rock face where Guru meditated in the 8th century. The second temple is built on the site of a cave containing a rock with the imprint of Guru’s body and is considered the most holy. The present Royal Queen Mother recently built the third temple. These three temples are surrounded by 108 chhorten wall symbolic of each joint of the human body.   

An hour and a half’s walk from the north of Kurjey Lhakhang leads to Tangbi Goemba monastery. Founded by Shamar Rimpoche of Karma Religious School in 1470 stands in the middle of a wide fertile plateau overlooking the river. Enjoy a picnic lunch.  
 

URA DAY EXCURSION (B/L/D)

DAY 7 Ura valley is a one and a half hour drive from Bumthang. One drives through forests and large sheep pastures fro about 20 km. Enroute cross Ura la (3600 m pass) with a magnificent view of Mt. Gangkar Puensum. Closely cluttered houses are the charestistics of the villages in Ura, which is a unique feature in the country. Above Ura village a new temple was inaugurated in 1986 dedicated to Guru Rimpoche and contains paintings of the cycle of his teachings. Drive back to Bumthang for overnight.
 

BUMTHANG – WANGDUE   (B/L/D)

DAY 8 Transfer to Wangdue. There will be plenty of stops for you to take photographs along the way. Have lunch in Trongsa. Check into hotel. 
 

DAY EXCURSION TO SEE OMTEKHA OR LIMUKHA VILLAGE - PARO  (B/L/D) 

DAY 9 After breakfast drive to see a western Bhutanese village and see the way of life of the people. 

Around noon, drive to Paro for the evening. Stop enroute to take photos and for tea, coffee and snacks.
 

PARO SIGHTSEEING  (B/L/D)

DAY 10 Visit the Ta Dzong rated as one of the finest natural Museum in South Asia, and is filled with antique thanka paintings, textiles, weapons and Armour. Drive to see the Rinpung Dzong, built in 1645 to defend the valley against Tibetan invaders. The Dzong is now used as an administration center and school for monks.

Visit Kyichu temple one of the 108 temples built in the 7th century by the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo. The story goes that a giant demoness lay across the whole area of Tibet and the Himalayas and was preventing the spread of Buddhism. To overcome her, King Songtsen Gampo decided to build 108 temples, which would be placed on all the points of her body. Of these 108 temples, 12 were built in accordance with precise plans. Thus, it happened that in about the year AD 638 the temple of Jokhang in Lhasa was built over the very heart of the demoness.     

After Lunch, hike up to the Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s nest). The climb up to the viewpoint will take approx. 3hours. Enjoy the stunning view of the monastery, where Guru Padmasambhava flew on the back of a tiger and landed there in the 8th century, and meditated for three months. The monastery was later built in this holy place in 1684. 

In the evening, Farewell dinner: Visit a farm house and try our traditional drinks and snacks.
 

PARO – DESTINATION  (B/-/-) 

DAY 11 Morning your guide will escort you to the airport for your flight onwards.   
 

Our package tour prices are inclusive of transfers and tours by air conditioned car/ van/ coach with English-speaking guide on seat-in-coach departures (for private tours other language guides are available on request), entrance fees, meals as specified in the program (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner), accommodation in twin shared rooms at indicated hotels, service charges and BST (Bhutan Sales Tax), airfare Bangkok - Paro - Bangkok incl. airport tax in Bhutan.

Not included are visa fee (USD 20.00 payable upon arrival), international airport departure tax in Bangkok, other meals than mentioned in the program, surcharges during festival seasons, optional tours, and expenditures of a personal nature.

Note: Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on road conditions and availability of rooms. 

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