7D Abode of the Mountain God

Seat-in-coach tour (AG7): Daily departure from Paro with English speaking guide

Private tour (AG7): 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 who will your guide throughout your tour.  

Visit the Ta Dzong, built in the 17th century as a watchtower for the Paro Dzong. This dzong was converted into the National musuem in 1967 and is filled with antique thankha paintings, textiles, weapons and armor. Drive to see the Rinpung Dzong, built in 1645 to defend the valley against Tibetan invaders. The Dzong is now use as an administration center and school for monks. Drive to Thimphu , the capital of Bhutan. Walk to the Changangkha temple – temple of Chenrigzig known as Buddha of Compassion and offer butter lamps. Drive to see the Takin Zoo, which houses the national animal the Takin that is only found in Bhutan. Drive to BBS tower to get a view of the Thimphu valley at night. Dinner and overnight in Thimphu.
 

THIMPHU SIGHTSEEING – WANGDUE   (B/L/D)

DAY 2 Thimphu sightseeing includes a visit the National Library, a treasure trove of priceless Buddhist manuscripts. See the Traditional Painting School of Arts & Crafts, where children are taught centuries old craft. Tour the traditional medicine center where centuries old medicine and acupuncture is still practiced. Visit the National Folk Heritage Museum to get an insight into the typical Bhutanese way of life.   See the Textile Museum to get an understanding of the beautiful hand woven Bhutanese textiles.  

Drive to Punakha (70Km) via the Dochula pass (3140 m). An hour’s drive from Thimphu will take you to this pass (3140 m), where one can have a superb view of the Eastern Himalayas on a clear day. There is a powerful binocular telescope in the cafeteria. From west to east these are the different peaks with their elevation: 

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. Visit the Dho Jha Gha Lam Temple. Dinner and overnight in Wangdue.
 

WANGDUE  - TRONGSA – BUMTHANG    (B/L/D) 

DAY 3 Today drive to Trongsa via Pele la pass at an altitude of 3,150 metres, a wonderful opportunity for photographs. Commanding the Mangde Chu at an altitude of 2,200 metres,  Trongsa Dzong is the most impressive dzong in Bhutan. Built in 1644 by the Shabdrung, the dzong is an architectural masterpiece.                                                                                        

Drive to Bumthang, 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. 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.

Check into Hotel. Dinner and overnight in Bumthang.       
 

BUMTHANG SIGHTSEEING  (B/L/D)

DAY 4 Today, it’s a pilgrimage tour for you; your first stop is the Jambay Lhakhang, built in the 7th century by the King Songtsen Goempo of Tibet. In his effort to propagate Buddhism he had a plan to build a total of 108 temples in Tibet and neighboring kingdoms. 

Chakhar Lhakhang: Besides the main road, a short distance beyond Jambay Temple, is Chakhar (Iron Castle) Lhakhang. Although it is easy to mistake it for a house and drive right by, this is an interesting temple and is worth a short visit.

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 up the valley to Kurjey Lhakhang. Kurjey means, “Body imprint”. The temple to the right is the oldest and was built by Minjur Tempa in 1652. It was built around the cave in which Guru Rimpoche meditated and left his body imprint.  A few minutes walk from Kurjey cross over to the other side of the river over a small suspension bridge and visit Tamshing Lhakhang. This temple is also known as Tamshing Lhendrup Chholing (Temple of the Good Message). Visit to Jakar Dzong, “ castle of the white bird”. According to legend, when the lamas assembled in about 1549 to select a site for a monastery, a big white bird rose suddenly in the air and settled on a spur of a hill. This was interpreted as an important omen, and the hill was chosen as the site for a monastery and for Jakar Dzong. The fortress is now used as an administrative center of the valley and summer residence of Trongsa monks.

Take a walk around the beautiful landscape of the Bumthang valley. Dinner and overnight in Bumthang.
 

BUMTHANG – GANGTAY – WANGDUE (B/L/D)

DAY 5 After early breakfast, drive to Gangtey Gompa with picnic lunch en route. Visit Gangtey Gompa, which now houses one of the only Nyingmapa monastery in Bhutan. The valley is also the winter home to the rare black-necked cranes (Grus Nicorocolis), which migrate, from remote parts of Tibet, China and Siberia to winter in this valley. Drive to Wangdue for overnight stay. 
 

WANGDUE - PARO (B/L/D)

DAY 6 Morning: Morning: Walk to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten (50 minutes walk) – a temple built by the Queen Of Bhutan for peace and stability in this ever-changing world. 

Drive back to Paro passing through the idyllic countryside, dotted with villages and paddy fields, crossing rivers and natural forests to Paro. In the evening, visit a farmhouse and try our traditional drinks and snacks. 
 

PARO – DEPARTURE (B/-/-) 

DAY 7 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 at specified hotels in shared twin rooms, 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 for accommodations 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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