6 Days Classic Thimphu-Paro and Taktsang Ghoempa Tour

Paro arrival by the royal Bhutan airline, the Drukair flight. Your tour guide is ready to wait for you before picking you up and driving you from Paro airport to the down town city.

Check in the hotel and embark on your Bhutan tour by visit the following sites in Paro

1) Farm houses
Farm houses give you the first impression on Bhutan’s primitive and characteristic way of living. Try striking up a conversation with them and enjoy a well-prepare Bhutanese meal which is ritualistically served in a Bhutan way.

2) Kyichu Temple
Kyichu Temple is one of the 108 temples built in 7th century by the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo

3) Rinpung Dzong
Paro Rinpung Dzong is a fortress built in 1645 to defend against the Tibet invaders. The Dzong now is serving as an administrative center and school for monks and the traditional Cantilever Bridge, the oldest Bhutan Bridge is just under it.

After dinner, you can choose to take a stroll around the Paro town or visit Bhutanese handicraft stores.

Stay overnight at hotel in Paro

Distance: 54 km
Driving time: 1 hour

On the way, the route will first take you to Chunzom, the confluence of Pachu and Wangchu Rivers. Both of the two rivers are the cradle of Bhutan’s civilizations and flow through Paro and Thimphu valley respectively.

Then pay a visit to 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.

After crossing the river, the bus is ready to take you to Thimphu valley and pay the visit to the following sites:

1) 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.

2) 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.

3) 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.

4) 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.

After the well-served lunch, the bus will take you to the base camp of Tango Monastery which lies north of the Thimphu city. Starting from the base camp you follow the route in dense oak and pine tree dominated forest to the monastery, along which the red rhododendron flowers are in their full blossom and the fresh air drives away all the tiredness you suffer.

As the religious site, Tango Monastery is eminent for its home of the highly revered Buddhist monks who once brought the Drukpa Kagyupa school of Buddhism to Bhutan. Tango Monastery is well located so you can enjoy a spectacular view from it, peace and serenity mostly.

After you have visited the monastery, you start the return trip back to Thimphu.

Stay overnight at the hotel in Thimphu

Distance: 71 km
Driving time: 2.5 hrs

You begin today’s travel in the early morning after breakfast. The drive will take you to the Dochula Pass (3,140 m) where you can enjoy the draw-dropping panoramic view of the majestic Bhutan Himalaya Range and the flower-clustered flowers below.

After crossing the Pass, the bus 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).

Visit Druk Wangyal Lhakhang which was built by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck (The Queen Mother of Bhutan) as a tribute to His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth king of Bhutan. This monastery is built also in memory of his heroic deed of leading the Bhutan army to fight against the Indian militants who had once occupied the land of Bhutan.

In Druk Wangyal Lhakhang, you can also find amazing murals depicting big events regarding the former kings in Bhutan.

Then travel 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.

Stop for lunch at Metsina village and then pay a visit to the Devine Madman’s Monastery - Chhimi Lhakhang. 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.

After the lunch served at the Dochula Pass, the bus 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.

In upper Punakha valley, it is highly recommended to take an hour hike to the beautiful Bhutan characteristic Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Lhakhang (Temple) which was built by Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck (The Queen Mother of Bhutan) for peace and stability in the hilltop. You may also feel excited by the breathtaking views from there.

Stay overnight in hotel at Punakha

Distance: 71 km
Driving time: 2.5 hrs

After breakfast, drive to Thimphu and enjoy a well-served lunch. Then visit the following sites:

1) Takin Preserve
Visit the Takin Preserve and get a closer look at the housed national animal Takin that is only found in Bhutan. These endangered species are found in herds at a very high altitude of approximately 4,000 m and can be weighed as much as 550 pounds.

2) 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.

3) Tashichhoe Dzong
A once glorious religious fortress built in 1641 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and was reconstructed into the 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.

4) National Memorial Chorten (Stupa)
The National Memorial Chorten 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”.

5) 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.

Have dinner and stay overnight at hotel in Thimphu

Distance: 54 km
Driving Time: 1 hour Drive to Paro in early morning after breakfast, and then embark on the hike to Taktsang Ghoempa.

Climb up to the viewpoint (1.5 hr) to enjoy the stunning view of the monastery clinging to the side of the sheer vertical cliff.

After a temporary refreshment stop at the view point (3,140 m), you continue to ascend higher to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery (1 hr) and get a closer look of this miraculous monastery. Take an overlook to find amazing sceneries underneath.

The principal Lhakhang (monastery) of the present monastic complex dates from 1692. Taktsang was damaged severely by fire in 1998 but has now been fully restored to its former glory.

Visit a farm house in Paro valley and experience the lifestyle of a farmer in Bhutan. Try a traditional Bhutan hot stone bathing and have dinner in Paro.

Today, our tour guide will transfer you to Paro International Airport for your next destination. Tour service end.