CENTRAL BHUTAN TOURS

The flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular mountain flights in the world, with a constantly changing panorama of some of the highest mountains on earth. This beautiful valley is home to many of Bhutan’s oldest monasteries and temples, and the country’s only international airport. After being welcomed with “Khadar” (traditional scarf), BDA representative will provide you with the necessary assistance for completion of all immigration and customs formalities. You will enjoy an exquisite lunch experience before transfer by deluxe 4WD to Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu.
Your first visit will be Tachog Lhakhang (Tachong Temple). The 14th century temple is just located on the base of the mountain across the Pachu on Paro – Thimphu highway. Built by the great master level architect Thangtong Gyalpo, the temple houses some of the unique and precious statues. To get the temple, you may actually experience a thrill but nice walk over the iron chains that span over the Pa chu River.

1) Kuensel Phodrang (Commonly known as Buddha Point)
Kuensel Phodrang is widely known as the Palace ruins where the largest Buddha Dordenma in the country is sited on the hillock overlooking the Thimphu Valley. It is recommended to take a 20-30 minutes’ walk through Kuensel Phodrang Nature Park and enjoy the magnificent view of the Valley as well as the distant mountains.
2) Tashichhoe Dzong
A once glorious religious fortress built in 1641 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and was reconstructed into present structure by the late king and the central monk body. Tashichhoe Dzong serves also as the center of government and religion, site of the monarch’s throne room and seat of the Je Khenpo or Chief Abbot.
3) National Memorial Chorten (Stupa)
The National Memorial Chortan was constructed in memorial of the third King of Bhutan, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, in 1974. The King was generally regarded as the father of modern Bhutan and widely esteemed by the Bhutanese. “Chorten” in Bhutan literally refers to the “seat of faith” and Buddhists often call such monuments the “Mind of Buddha”.
Remainder of the day is at leisure to settle in, relax, enjoy the hotel facilities or if you wish undertake a small tour of downtown Thimphu.

Embark on your one-day Thimphu City Tour after breakfast and visit the following sites:
1) Folk Heritage Museum
The Folk Heritage Museum presents you the primitive living philosophy that is well preserved by the modern Bhutanese. Meanwhile, it provides you the architectural style back in 19th century.
2) Traditional Arts and Crafts Painting School
Visiting the painting school where students receive a six-year course on the 13 different traditional arts and crafts.
3) National Institute of Traditional Medicine
See the productive process of Bhutan’s traditional medicine, herbs mostly, and watch the medical practitioner training.
4) National Textile Museum
It is an amazing museum that keeps the traditional art of waving preserved and exhibits a good collection of ancient colored textile in various forms. You can find how the exquisite exhibits are waved by locals giving a spot operation with intricate tools.
5)Bhutan Postal Museum
Bhutan Postal Museum presents all the periodical achievements and evolutions that Bhutan has made in communication and postal system. Moreover, you can get the postage stamps with your own photos printed on them before pasting them on the postcards and send to your families and friends.
6) Craft Bazaar
A unique shopping site to get an in-depth knowledge of Bhutan cultures and buy the handcrafts with Bhutan characteristics that you are interested in. At this Bazaar, craftsman and artists from the country display and sell their handicrafts in some handicrafts store you can choose to visit.

After breakfast, travel from Thimphu to Punakha and Wangdue through the Dochula Pass (3,140 m). At Dochula Pass, enjoy the draw-dropping panoramic view of the majestic Himalaya Range and overlook the gorgeous flower-clustered valley below.
We will make a temporary stop at the amazing 108 chortens built by Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck (The Queen mother of Bhutan) for the safety and wellbeing of His Majesty (The king of Bhutan).
and then we will drive you onto Punakha, a place regarded as one of the most beautiful and significant regions in Bhutan culture and had once been the capital of Bhutan from 1637 to 1955 during which the 1st National Assembly was held there.
After lunch we will visit Metsina Village and makes a temporary stop to have the Devine Madman’s Monastery - Chhimi Lhakhang being sighted. The monastery has always been regarded as the fertility shrine by locals for a long time and you can receive an efficacious fertility blessing there.
Then visit the Punakha Dzong on the island of Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River) and appreciate the highest state of the wood crafts. Never miss the stunning evening views of Punakha and Wangdue valley after you have visited the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendup Lhakhang Nunnery in the evening.
Both Dinner and overnight at hotel in Punakha.

Set out in early morning after breakfast and travel to Bumthang through Trongsa. The drive takes you through the oak and pine trees deep into the dense forest and pass the Nobding Village. Get a fantastic panoramic view from the Pele La Pass (3,300 m).
Along the route, distant view of local settlements scattering far from the road gives you fresh and deep impression on Bhutan’s rural life. Meanwhile, the open green meadows with yaks and rhododendron ridden valley are worth ceasing your moving steps to enjoy in Chendebji Chorten (Stupa).
On arrival at Trongsa after lunch, you will take a temporary stop and visit Trongsa Dzong, the largest dzong fortress in Bhutan and built on a spur overlooking the gorge of the Mangde River.
Then you continue your travel to Bumthang by passing through Yotong La Pass (3,400 m). The route during this section takes you to the Yathra Waving Center at Zugney village where you can witness the locals waving Yathra, a name that refers to the colorful and woolen cloth with geometric design in Bhutanese. Then the bus takes you further to Bumthang Valley.
Check in the hotel and get ready for dinner
Stay overnight at hotel in Bumthang.

Set out in an early morning after breakfast and visiting the following sites: Tamshing Lhakhang, also known as the temple of Good message, is famous for its collections of printings which exemplify the region’s style. It is also well known for being one of the few institutions continuing the teachings of Pema Lingpa.
Then after the suspension bridge, you meet the “Body Imprint Temple” Kurjey Lhakhang. Not far from Kurjey Lhakhang sits the Jambay Lhakhang, a temple built by the King Songtsen Goempo of Tibet in the 7th century. With his effort in the propagation of Buddhism, the Tibet king had an ambitious plan to build a total of 108 temples in Tibet and Bhutan.
Continue your Bumthang tour and arrive at Jakar Dzong after about 10 minutes’ drive. With a circumference of more than 1,500 meters, the majestic Jakar Dzong is definitely a wonderful piece of architectural art in Bhutan. The name Jakar is derived from the word “Bjakhab”, meaning “The white bird”.
According to Jakar’s foundation myth, a bird signals the proper and auspicious location to found a monastery. Now, the fortress is served as an administrative center of the valley as well as the summer residence of Trongsa monks.
After lunch, visit the Dorjibi Waving Center which is located half an hour’s drive from Bumthang town. In Dorjibi, you may have an intensive feeling of Bhutan’s environmental awareness by witnessing the utmost use of available raw materials rather the natural resources.
Experience the primitive life of Bhutan locals and enjoy the traditional dinner at one of their houses in Bumthang valley. Feel free to mingle with them.
Stay overnight at hotel in Bumthang valley.

Travel approximately one hour to the remote but surprisingly lush Tang valley after breakfast. Tang valley is among the popular four valleys in Bumthang district. Residents in this valley prefer to raise sheep rather than other food crops for the soil here is inappropriate for cultivation. At higher elevations, locals raise yaks and lead a nomadic life.
Then visit the Ugyen Choling Heritage Museum which was built a century ago and once belonged to the Royal Family of Tang valley.
After the lunch served at a farmhouse, you enjoy the peaceful life in the Tang valley. In late afternoon, travel back to Bumthang. In the evening, stroll around the Bumthang Town and visit a few of handicraft stores.
Stay overnight at the hotel in Bumthang.

Travel to Wangdue/Punakha by passing through the Phobjikha valley. The bus will first make a temporary stop at Gangtey Monastery, a can’t-miss monastery of Nyingmapa school of Buddhism, after a dense forest. Then drive towards the Phobjikha valley which is one part of the beautiful Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park.
During the winter, a large flock of black-necked cranes, the endangered species, gather there to escape from the chilly weather. Besides, the forest covered mountains around the valley have been widely accepted as the most remote areas where only the rarely seen nomadic shepherds and yak herders can find the trails.
After lunch you have plenty of time exploring the Phobjikha valley and visiting the Black Necked Crane Center. Then continue your travel to Wangdue Phodrang, the capital of Wangdue Phodrang District.
Dinner will be served at the hotel in Wangdue/Punakha Region
Stay overnight at the hotel in Wangdue/Punakha Region.

Today after leisurely breakfast at the hotel, we drive back to Paro via Dochula Pass (115km, 3.5-hours drive). Lunch will be served at Dochula Cafeteria.
If you are interested, you can do a short easy hike to Tashigang Gonpa from Dochula Pass. This wonderful hiking takes you downhill through forests of Juniper, Hemlock, blue pine among many others. It offers a great opportunity to photograph nature and landscapes. You'll also come across different species of bird. The hike downhill takes about an hour to reach the Gonpa.
Tashigang Gonpa is a monastery located on top of a mountain below Dochula Pass. It was built in 1768 by the 12th Abbot of Bhutan, Je Kunga Jamtsho. The monastery houses priceless relics and several statues of past Abbots of Bhutan. Today, the monastery serves as a monastic school for dozens of monks. You'll have an opportunity to visit the monastery and get blessings. The driver will be waiting here at the monastery. From here, continue driving to Paro which will take about 2 hours.

Drive up to the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong, the glorious fortress and Buddhist monastery in ancient time. Then visit Kyichu Temple, one of the 108 temples built in 7th century by the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo
Then visit the majestic Rinpung Dzong (Fortress). Paro Rinpung Dzong is built to defend the valley against Tibetan invaders. However, it now serves as an administration center and school for monks and the traditional Cantilever Bridge, the oldest Bhutan Bridge is just under it.
Visit the National Museum and Dzongdrakha Temple after the well-prepared lunch. The national museum in Ta Dzong (The Watch Tower) houses a large number of valuable collections which will broaden your eyes with wonderful and rich Bhutanese culture and heritages. While the Dzongdrakha temples, also known as the mini - Taktsang, are built on the cliffs above Bondey village.
The walk there is not as strenuous as to Taktsang. Legend says one of the temples is built around a levitating monument. Folks built a stronger temple around this monument with the hope that the levitating monument does not fly away into the sky.
In the evening, you can choose to stay at your hotel or have a walk around the downtown and pay a visit to some handicraft stores.
Stay overnight at hotel in Paro.

Today after breakfast, you'll hike to the famous and one of the most sacred sites in Bhutan. Paro Taktsang or popularly known as "Tiger’s Nest" is built on the face of a sheer 800-meter rocky cliff in Paro. The round-trip hiking normally takes about 4-5 hours for most visitors. The history of Taktsang is associated with the visit of Guru Padmasambhava (known as Guru Rinpoche), the Indian saint who came to Bhutan and introduced Tantric Buddhism in the 8th century AD. It is believed that Guru Padmasambhava flew into the cave from Kurtoe Khenpajong in eastern Bhutan, riding on a tigress. It is not only considered as one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in Bhutan but also “a must-visit” place for tourists.
After hike You can spend some time exploring Paro town or head back to the hotel where you can relax and use their spa facilities.

After breakfast at the hotel and depending on your flight departure time, you'll be transferred to Paro International Airport for your onward journey.