Blended Drukyul Multi-Sporting trip to Bhutan (Bike, Hike, Raft, Trek and Tour) This is a moderate adventure with easy to moderate trek graded at 3+ Most tours in Bhutan are confined to one adventure activity. This trip combines several short day hikes, 3 days of moderate trekking with 2 Small Group Journeys nights of camping, a short white water rafting experience in class II & III river rapids and mountain biking in the countryside (both off and on road). Along your journey, take the opportunity to visit Bhutan’s most beautiful temples, monasteries, farm houses, meet with local people, allowing you an insight into the culture and lifestyle of the Bhutanese. Option to stay one night in farm house guest house is also provided. BRIEF ITINERARY Nov. 16 – Dec 2, 2006 Attend Nalakhar Festival Day 1: Arrive inParo (L/D) Dec. 2- 18 Arrive in Paro by flight from Bangkok, Kolkata, Kathmandu or Delhi. Attend the National Day Celebration Depending on the arrival times of each trip, you will be provided a Feb. 22 – Mar. 10, 2007 familiarization tour and visit some sights in Paro too. You will also have With Punakha Festival (s) some free time to rest and recover from your travels. Overnight in Mar. 31 – Apr. 16, 2007 hotel. Gangtey Palace, Olathang or similar. Upgrades to Uma Resort, With Paro Tsechu Festival Aman or Zhiwaling will be available. Sept 17 – Oct. 03 Day 2: Hike to Taktsang (B/L/D) With Thimphu & Thangbi Mani Festivals Full day is set aside for a hike to the famous Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery. Depending on your interests, you can hike just till the view Guaranteed Departure point or explore the entire area. Besides the Takstang monastery, there Max. Group size 9pax are several other view points, retreat houses and temples in the area that some people find them even more interesting. Depending on what you do, you may be walking 3 -6 hours. Lunch is served at Takstang. Return Cost Per Person: US$ 3860 to Paro for overnight and dinner. Single room supplement: 400 Cost of hiring Bikes: 280 (or bring your own bikes Day 3: Excursion to Haa Valley From Paro (2300 meters) drive uphill to Chelila Pass (3800m). Take a Druk Air round trip fares including taxes: short hike to secluded Kila Gompa Nunnery, which has some 50-60 From Bangkok: 770 nuns residing. Their home/shelters are built on the seemingly sheer Calcutta or Kathmandu: 430 precipice. Return to road head and ride you bikes downhill (25km) to From Delhi 685 Haa Valley (2700m). Haa was recently opened for tourists and Plus international airfares. although there is not much of monuments to see, the valley is beautiful with some large villages of traditional houses. After riding in Haa, which has very little traffic, you can ride uphill to Chele la pass (challenging 2300 ft climb within 25kms or so). The vehicle will follow the last rider and provide necessary support. Return to Paro for overnight. (During your stay in Paro, one evening will dedicated to visiting Rinphung Dzong –fortress/monastery) Day 4: Paro –Thimphu In the morning, ride your bike from the hotel to Ta Dzong (an ancient watch tower), which houses the national museum. After visiting the museum, ride your bikes into some of the local villages and also visit Kyichu temple along the way. After lunch transfer to Thimphu by vehicle, which takes about 2 hours. Free evening to rest or do some walks around. Overnight in hotel. Day 5: Sightseeing in Thimphu. Visit all the interesting tourist sites in and around Thimphu which may include Memorial Chorten, Nunnery at Zilukha, Sangaygang view point, see Takin at the mini zoo and visit Indigenous hospital. 1 The traditional painting school is open for visit when the school is in session. Visit Textile museum and also the museum that displays the folk heritage. There are some handicrafts workshops where you can see the production of crafts and items that are also used by Bhutanese. During the weekend in Thimphu (Friday though Sunday), you can visit a very colorful and large open market. You Includes: may also see the traditional game of archery being played at the nearby grounds. A traditional dinner and dinks will be hosted by - Accommodation with all meals in Bhutan Wind Horse during one of your evening in Thimphu. - Best tourist hotels and lodges - All transfers and sightseeing with Day 6: Drive to Punakha entrance fees Cross over 3100 meters Dochula Pass and descend into warm - English Speaking Wind Horse local subtropical valley of Punakha/Wangdi (Alt. 1400 meters). From the pass you can get great view of snow-capped mountain chain Guide. including Bhutan’s highest mountain Gangkhar Phuensum. This - Bhutan Visa fees and processing afternoon, do a short walk to visit Chimi Lhakhang temple and in the evening, you can take a self guided walks to nearby villages - Departure taxes from Bhutan from your hotel. - Druk Air ticket booking and delivery Day 7: River Rafting and walks in Punakha valley - Back-up transport depending on the In the morning, drive to the idyllic countryside north of Punakha group size for transporting bikes Dzong and trek for about 40 minutes uphill to visit Khamsum Yuelley temple, perched high on the ridge. The temple although - All taxes and tourism fees new, has beautiful and incredibly complex Buddhist paintings. Return downhill and drive to visit Punakha Dzong. This Dzong Dost Not Include: (fortress/monastery) on the confluence of Pho and Mo rivers is - International Airfares one of the finest Bhutanese architecture in the Kingdom. After lunch, transfer to rafting point and raft down the Pho Chu River - Travel Insurance for approx. 2 hours (experience not required). - Personal expenses such as drinks, Day 8: Trongsa alcohol, laundry, telephone calls etc A short distance south of Punakha is another little town of - tips and gratuities (optional) Wangdiphodrang with interesting rows of shops. Stop for while and continue drive across Pele la pass (3400m) to Trongsa (4 hours - All other costs that is not mentioned in drive). Several stops will be made along the way at villages and the Includes section view points to take pictures. Upon arrival in Trongsa, visit one of the largest and most impressive Dzongs in the country. There is a watch tower above the town area that is interesting to see. In the evening, you may driven south to see Kunga Rabten or taken for a walk around Trongsa. Overnight in Trongsa Day 9: On the way to Jakar. Jakar in Bumthang district is about 2 ½ hours drive from Trongsa. Climb up to Youtong la pass and descend into Chumey, first of the four valleys in Bumthang. Visit Domkhar, walk to Prakar village and monastery and also stop at the Yathra weaving center. Continue drive to Jakar and in the evening spend some time taking walks to visit Jakar Dzong and the town area. Overnight in Lodge. Day 10: Ride Bikes in Jakar. Jakar and the surrounding is a great place to ride your bicycle because there are so many places to go and visit, often not accessible by vehicle. In the morning you will ride with the guide to visit the sites in Jakar and in the afternoon you can ride about freely or with the guide. During your sightseeing, we will cover Kurjey Lhakhang temple complex, Jampay Lhakhang, Tamshing Gompa, Chakar and Swiss factory area. Day 11: Excursion to Tang valley by bicycle. Return to Jakar. This morning, ride your bicycle for about 10 Km. on the paved road going to eastern Bhutan and then turn-off left to the unpaved road going to Tang valley. The ride is uphill for about 3-4Km and gradual and plain most of the way for next 15Km or so. En-route, there are several sites to see; Membartso Pool, Tang Rimchochen temple and school town. 2 Next, we embark 45 minutes hike uphill though small villages and light forests to the hilltop ridge where 19th century Ugyen Choling manor is located. Until recently it was a private residence and now it is converted to research –museum, offering fascinating insight into aristocratic life. Return downhill and ride your bicycle back to Jakar. Day 12: Drive to Phobjikha (Gangtey) Retrace you drive as far as Pele la pass and then turn off into wide glacial valley of Phobjikha (5-6 hours drive). Phobjikha is part of an important wildlife conservation zone within the Black Mountains National Park. Besides being the natural habitat for several wildlife, it is an important nesting ground for the black-necked cranes that migrate from Central Asia (from Oct till Mar). Gangtey of Gangteng Sanghak Choling is the name of the village and the monastery on the hilltop overlooking the valley. In the evening ride your bikes in the valley. Overnight in Guest House. Day 13: Trek to Gogona (approx. 15km. 5-6hours) Start your trek from the trailhead near your guest house (2,830m). Walk uphill through the fields, pine forests and meadows for about 2 hours. Then the trail zigzags more steeply through mixed forests of juniper, bamboo, rhododendron, magnolia and approach Tsela La pass (3,440m). The descent is gradual and takes 2-3 hours to Gogona village (3,100m). The people of Gogona are originally nomads and they speak the language called Bjopkha (language of nomads). Overnight in Tents. Day 14: Trek to Khotokha (approx. 16km.7 hours) Climb up gradually through a large meadow and forests of mixed conifers, rhododendron as the trail ascends the thickly forested Shobjula pass (3,400m). After the pass, the trail descends through thick forests, known to have many birdlife.