Total cost: INR – 1, 54,520 Per person: INR – 25,753

Outline Itinerary

Day 01: Drive to Thimphu from Phuentsholing

Day 02: Thimphu sightseeing & drive towards Punakha.

Day 03: Punakha Sightseeing and drive to Phobjikha

Day 04: Drive to Paro and sightseeing

Day 05: Departure

Detail Itinerary;

Day 01: Drive to Thimphu

Guest arrival at Phuentsholing and meet with the guide and transfer to Thimphu.

Sightseeing:

• National Memorial Choerten: This monument was built in 1974 in the memory of the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.

• Tashichho Dzong: Meaning “fortress of the glorious religion”. Was initially erected in 1641 andrebuilt by King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in the 1960s. It is one of the largest dzongs in Bhutan. The Dzong houses the throne room and office of His Majesty and is the seat of government and religious affairs in the kingdom. The northern portion of the dzong has the summer residence of the central monastic body and His Holiness the Je Khenpo (chief abot)

• Changangkha lhakhang

Overnight at Thimphu Hotel

Day 02: Thimphu sightseeing & drive towards Punakha

After breakfast visit the following places in Thimphu.

• Buddha Dordenma Statue/ Buddha point: This massive statue of Shakyamuni measures in at a height of 51.5 meters, making it one of the largest statues of Buddha in the world. The statue is madeof bronze and is gilded in gold. 125,000 smaller Buddha statues have been placed within the Buddha Dordenma statue, 100,000 8 inch tall and 25,000 12 inch tall statues respectively. Each of these thousands of Buddhas has also been cast in bronze and gilded. The throne that the Buddha Dordenma sits upon is a large meditation hall. The Buddha Dordenma is located at top a hill in Kuenselphodrang Nature Park and overlooks the Southern entrance to Thimphu Valley. The statuefulfills an ancient prophecy dating back to the 8th century A.D that was discovered by Terton Pema Lingpa (Religious Treasure Discoverer) and is said to emanate an aura of peace and happiness to the entire world.
• Takin Preserve Centre: It is just located in Thimphu above Mothithang. The Takin is the nationalanimal of Bhutan, and looks like a cross between a cow and a goat. Legend has it that the animal was created by the great Buddhist yogi, Drukpa Kuenley, and it can be found only in Bhutan and nearby areas. Taxonomists place the animal in a category of its own as it is not similar enough to any other animal to fit established categories.
• En- route visit Dochu-la pass (3,088m/ 10,130 ft) stopping briefly here to take the view and admirethe chorten, mani wall, and prayer flags which decorate the highest point on the road. If sky is clear, the following peaks can be seen from this pass (left to right): Masagang (7,158m), Tsendagang (6,960m), Terigang (7,060m), Jejegangphugang (7,158 m ), Kangphugang (7,170 m ), Zongphugang

(7, 060 m ), a table mountain that dominates the isolated region of Lunana – finally Gangkar puensum, the highest peak in Bhutan at 7,497m.

Overnight at Punakha Hotel

Day 03: Punakha Sightseeing and drive to Phobjikha

• Punakha Dzong: is the second oldest dzong in Bhutan and was built in 1637. It is strategically located at the junction of the Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu River (Female River). The dzong is still the winter residence for the central monk body and every year His Holiness the Je Khenpo and the central monastic body move to Punakha in winter and Thimphu in summer.The dzong houses some very sacred religious objects such as the “Ranjung Kharsapani” which is considered one of the most sacred relics in Bhutan. It was brought to Bhutan by Zhabdrung and caused many invasions by the Tibetans in olden times. The dzong also has the embalmed body of Zhabdrung preserved in the Machen Lhakhang and is closed to all people except His Majesty and His holiness the Je Khenpo. There is also a set of 108 volumes of the Kanjur (words of Lord Buddha) written fully in gold. Historically, this dzong is important because it is the place from where monarchy started in Bhutan. The first king was coronated in this Dzong. Enjoy some rafting, white river rafting in Phochu and mochu.
  • Chimi Lhakhang: known to the English speaking world as The Fertility Temple, is a Buddhist monastery, in the Punakha District of Bhutan,

idyllically placed on a rotund hill. The temple was built over half a century ago by NgawangChoegyel, the 14th Drukpa hierarch. The stupa, meditation hall, was constructed by the “Divine Madman,” the eccentric Yogi and saint Drukpa Kunley, who blessed the entire grounds. The monastery is renowned throughout Bhutan as a fertility inducing magnet, pledging that all who wish to conceive will find guidance at the temple.

Thousands pilgrimage to The Fertility Temple in the hopes of having a

child, as well as receiving a wang, blessing, from the saint with the „magic thunderbolt of wisdom.‟ Couples with new-borns often visit the temple so that a local lama, Buddhist teacher, can bestow a resounding forename on the child, whilst eager travellers can approach lamas for their unique Bhutanese name and especial meaning. Myth and folklore cloak Chimi Lhakhang and its maverick saint, Drukpa Kunley. He preached Buddhism is an unconventional manner, by way of song, comedy, and shocking sensual connotations. Legend has it that the Yogi buried a dog-like demoness under rotund earth, shaped in the female form, that now stands under the Stupa floor. He actively encouraged phallus symbols to be used throughout the design of the temple in paintings and carvings. To this day, the monastery safeguards the original wooden phallus symbol, imbedded with a silver handle, from Tibet, that is used to bless visitors and pilgrims. Overnight at Phobjikha Hotel

Day 04: Drive to Paro and sightseeing

After breakfast proceed for the following sightseeing

• Tamchog Lhakhgang: En-route visit to Tachog Lhakhang located on the way to Paro. Drupthob Thangtong Gyalpo , the man who built the iron chain bridges in Bhutan in the late 1300s, and is saidto have built 108 of these bridges around Tibet and Bhutan. Many of them are still in use today, showing how strong and durable the bridges are.
• Visit the National Museum, the first of its kind which has a collection from natural history toreligious paintings. Visit 17 century Paro Dzong (Fortress) on foot and continue walking through the oldest wooden bridge still in use, Visit Dungtse Lhakhang the oldest Lhakhang in Paro. Overnight: Paro | Altitude: 2200m Day 04: Paro sightseeing after having breakfast drive towards Paro and visit following monuments
• Taktshang or Tiger‟s Nest, which is 2 hours up hills walking from the road point. “Tiger‟s Nest” isone of the most famous places to visit in Bhutan and one of the holiest sites in Bhutan. It is perchedon a steep granite cliff at 2950 metres overlooking northern paro valley. The place is especially venerated because of its association with Guru Rimpoche and is believed that more merit is gained if we meditate even for a minute in Tasktshang than many months in other places. The main temple was built in 1692 and the temple was badly damaged by fire several times with the most recent one being in 1998.
• Kyichu Lhakhang: Consists of twin temples and the older one is one of the 108 temples built by King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet in 659 AD. This temple is deeply venerated for its antiquity and the role it plays in Bhutan History. The construction of this temple and Jampa Lhakhang in Bumthang marked Bhutan

for the first time on Buddhist map. The temple contains one of the most sacred statues of the country – the jowo which is the image of Buddha at 8years and is similar to the one which is present in theJokhang temple in the Potola Palace in Lhasa, in Tibet. . Evening scroll Paro town and visit some handicraft shops.

Overnight at Paro hotel.

Day 05: Phuentsholing sightseeing and Departure.

End of the Tour.

Transportation and Travel situation in Bhutan

Ground transportation is by private vehicles based on the number of travelers. We provide clean Airconditioning and heater in vehicles. Expect bad roads with uphill and narrow tracks too, travel time might delay due to weather too.

Place	Hotel	Star
Thimphu	Amodhara	3*
Paro	Bhutan Mandala Resort	3*
Punakha	Hotel Vara	3*
Phobjikha	Dewachen Hotel	3*

Transportaion: Toyota Hiace Bus

The above rates includes and excludes following services Excludes:

• Monument or sightseeing fees
• Lunch Cost

Services Include:

• SDF of INR 1200 per person for Adult
• 3 star hotel (Breakfast and Dinner)
• Experienced English speaking Tour Guide
• Private transportation within Bhutan as per the itinerary

Thank you.

Explore Bhutan with Druk Ride Tours