5 Days 4 Nights Mystical Bhutan Experience Itinerary

Kingdom of Bhutan 5 Days 4 Nights Magical Bhutan

Day 1: Paro – Thimphu

Elevation 2,320m | Weather in Thimphu

Welcome to Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Touching down at Paro International Airport, you will be greeted by your guide upon exiting the arrival hall. Today, we will take it easy to acclimatise to the altitude. Drive to Thimphu, check in to the hotel and lets have your first taste of Bhutanese cuisine .

Sangaygang -Drive about 15 minutes from the main city to a hillock where the Bhutan Broad Casting Tower is stationed. From there you can relish the beautiful scene of the whole of Thimphu City. On the way up or down from the hillock, you can also see Takin the national animal of Bhutan. It is a place where many Bhutanese frequent, especially on

Buddha Point -at Kuensel Phodrang will also be open to tourists once it is completed. The 169 feet bronze statue of Buddha Dordenma , Vajra Throne Buddha symbolising indestructibility will be completed soon. The Buddha statue itself is competed awaiting paintings, but visitors can drive up to the Buddha point and view the tallest statue of Lord Buddha. The view of Thimphu valley from the Buddha point is spectacular and beautiful, especially at night.

Centennial Farmer's Market – Visit the centennial Farmer’s Market to experience the bustling market place during the weekends. Farmers from all over the country bring their produce here to sell for a good price.

Zorig Chhusum – School of 13 Traditional Arts and Crafts of Bhutan. See the traditional stone carving, wood crafts and other traditional crafts. You can also see them being made using traditional tools

Textile Museum - witnesses the art of traditional weaving.

Thimphu Dzong - the largest Dzong, is also the seat of the office of the King of Bhutan.

National Memorial Chorten - which was built in honor of the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk.

Hotels in Thimphu

Taj Tashi Thimphu

Terma Linca Resort

Day 2: Thimphu to Punakha

Elevation 1,300m | Weather in Punakha

Dochula Pass - at 3,050m, this beautiful pass with its 108 Bhutanese stupas was built by Her Majesty The Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck to commemorate victory over the Indian militants and to liberate the souls of the lives lost.

Punakha Dzong - Built in 1637, the dzong continues to be the winter home for the clergy, headed by the Chief Abbott, the Je Khenpo. It is a stunning example of Bhutanese architecture, sitting at the fork of two rivers, portraying the image of a medieval city from a distance. The dzong was destroyed by fire and glacial floods over the years but has been carefully restored and is, today, a fine example of Bhutanese craftsmanship.

Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten - A 30-minute drive from the Punakha Dzongwill bring you to the base of the hill on which this temple is built. From the car park, you have to cross a suspension bridge and walk through rice fields before you start climbing a moderately inclined trail surrounded by pine trees. It takes about 1 hour from the car park to hike up to the temple, and 30 minutes to hike down. During the summer, the walk could be a bit muddy, so be prepared. A hiking pole is recommended.

Hotel – Meri Puensum Hotel / Zangtopelri

Day 3: Punakha to Paro

Elevation 2,280m | Weather in Paro

Before we head to Paro, we will make a visit to Chhimi Lhakhang - A 20 minutes walk across terraced fields through the village of Sopsokha from the roadside to the small temple located on a hillock in the centre of the valley below Metshina. Ngawang Chogyel built the temple in 15th century after the 'Divine Madman' Drukpa Kuenlay built a small chorten there. It is a pilgrim site for barren women.

Paro Valley - The beautiful valley is home to many of Bhutan's old monasteries and temples. The country's only Airport is in Paro. The valley is also home to mount Chomolhari (7,300 meters) situated at the northern end of the valley whose glacier water forms the Pachu flowing through the valley. The following are some of the prominent places to visit in Paro.

Paro Dzong - also known as Rinpung Dzong, this 15th century massive fortress/monastery, is also the administrative center of the dzonkhag.

Drukgyal Dzong - A morning drive, north of Paro valley brings us to the ruins of Drukgyal Dzong. Built in 1647 by the great Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, father and unifier of medieval Bhutan, the Dzong was destroyed by an accidental fire and left in ruins as an evocative reminder of the great victories it was built to commemorate.Explore the ramparts and relive the memories of a glorious past.

Drive time 4 hours 30 minutes

Hotels in Paro

Tenzinling Hotel

Olathang Hotel

Day 4: Paro

Elevation 2,280m | Weather in Paro

Taktsang Monastery - A one hour hike to the cafeteria is also a vantage view whereby you can enjoy the stunning view of the monastery. Prayer flags adorn the clifts and this is also where Guru Padmasambhava landed on the back of a tigress in the 8th century.

Snack at Taktsang while enjoying the view of the Monastery above and the view of the valley below

Kyichu Lhakhang - After a sumptuous local lunch, we will retrace our steps to visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.

Hotels in Paro

Tenzinling Hotel

Olathang Hotel

Day 5: Paro to Bangkok We bid farewell to the magical kingdom in the sky and head back to Bankok via Paro Airport

Facts & Figures Population 675,000 Time Zone GMT +6 Currency Ngultrum (Nu) Country Dial Code +975 Languages Dzongkah, English Airport Paro Airport (PBH) 45 min to capital, Thimphu Airline Druk Air (KB) From Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata & Kathmandu. Visa Yes, except Indian Nationalities Visitors 27,635 in Yr2008 Notes Voted happiest country in Asia by Business Week in 2006. Annual visitors, about 25,000 a year. Tony Leung and Carina Lau held their wedding in Paro in July 2008.

Package Includes: Return airfare KTM-PHB-KTM by Druk Airlines. Airport taxes. All accommodation on twin share basis or all camping equipments. All meals in Bhutan are provided. English speaking guide. Transportation (4WD) with experienced driver. All entrances fees to Dzongs, museums and places of interest. Bhutan Visa fee, tariff & surcharges.

Package Excludes: Travel Insurance Beverages and any expenditure of personal nature.

Please Note This itinerary is intended as a guide only. Local conditions and weather may necessitate variations to the program and can affect the availability of views and panoramas described. Be aware that all times stated are approximate, and may vary with individual and group fitness.

Travel to Bhutan Druk Asia handles the whole booking process on behalf of our guests, including Druk Air flights and visa applications (included in the package) but it is advisable to book well in advance to secure accommodation and seats on Bhutan’s national airline - Druk Air.

Please read this document in conjunction with your confirmation letter and pre-departure information.

For more information on Druk Asia, including the full range of itineraries (including overnight camping treks) and services (including tailor making, groups and the hosting of special events) we offer, please refer to the website http://www.DrukAsia.com or email info @DrukAsia.com