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Quintessential Bhutan
For the first time visitor, this journey provides a glimpse of quintessential Bhutan as you visit the modern capital city of Thimphu, the fertile valleys of Punakha and Paro - home to the impressionable Taktsang Monastery.
HIGHLIGHTS
Stay in local and luxurious lodges
Discover the fertile greens of Punakha and enjoy picnics
Ascend the famed Tiger's Nest - Taktsang Monastery
Enjoy a spontaneous style of sightseeing and discovering
ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVE PARO / THIMPHU
Arrive into Paro Airport and be met and transfer to your private vehicle and drive 1.5hrs to the capital city of Thimphu. Visit sites like the Memorial Chorten, built in memory of Third King of Bhutan His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, who died in 1972. Visit the Changangkha Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in the Thimphu Valley. Worth a visit too is the Centenary Farmers Market and craft bazaar. We will also see the unique Takin - the national animal of Bhutan.
Overnight: Terma Linca Resort & Spa, Thimphu
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
DAY 2: THIMPHU / PUNAKHA
After breakfast, we drive to Punakha. The road climbs to Dochu La Pass, located 3,050m above sea level and marked by a large array of prayer flags and 108 chortens. On a clear day, the pass offers a panoramic view of the Bhutan Himalayas. Enjoy a picnic lunch in a peaceful setting by a natural gorge before arriving into Punakha where we visit the Punakha Dzong, built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the unifier of Bhutan. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure enjoying the spectacular scenery.
Overnight: Dhensa Boutique Resort, Punakha
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 3: PUNAKHA
Today, we will visit the famous Chimi Lhakhang where thousands of locals pray for fertility blessings and also to seek protection for their children. Spend some time admiring the green padi fields and terraces nearby. Thereafter, we visit the Khamsun Yuelley Namgyel Chorten, perched high on a hill on the opposite bank of the Mo Chhu River. (The hike up requires some fitness and is a good exercise to prepare for the eventual Tiger's Nest hike)
Overnight: Dhensa Boutique Resort, Punakha
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 4: PUNAKHA / PARO
After breakfast, we visit the hill-top nunnery, Sangchen Dorji Lhundrup Chholing before making our return via the Dochu La Pass again. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant in Thimphu before arriving back into Paro. Visit the 17th Century Paro Dzong and spend some time visiting Paro Town. Continue to the Zhiwa Ling for check in - a Unique Lodges of the World by National Geographic.
Overnight: Zhiwa Ling, Paro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 5: PARO (INTO THE TIGER'S NEST)
Early rise as we make our way to the foothills of the Taktsang Monastery. Recommended is a hike up (we do not suggest pony rides) which takes about 1.5hrs to reach the mid point. Take a rest before continuing another hour's hike to the lookout point beside the monastery. Be in awe of the Taktsang Monastery which translates to "Tiger's Lair or Nest" where Guru Rinpoche was said to have flown to the site of the monastery on the back of a tigress. Enjoy some time thereafter for a picnic lunch and then descend down (estimated 2hrs). Return back to Paro where you have the rest of the day recovering or enjoy a massage to soothe the muscles.
Overnight: Zhiwa Ling, Paro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 6: DEPART PARO
After breakfast, be transferred to Paro Airport for your onward journey.
Meals: Breakfast
HOTELS
Nestled in a private oasis of panoramic tranquility lies an elegant stretch of Bhutanese architectural gems strung together to exemplify the spirit of Terma Linca. Framed by lush paddy fields and snow-fed waters of the Wangchhu, Terma Linca is situated merely 5km away from the urban expanse of Thimphu.
Dhensa Boutique Resort is a boutique property, located in the heart of Bhutan's verdant and lush Punakha Valley. Flanked by thick pine forests, it overlooks the Punakha River and is surrounded by several walking and trekking trails. Opened in March 2014, the resort invites you to revive your senses, and to immerse yourself in the peace and beauty of nature at its most brilliant. Dhensa Punakha marries contemporary design with the ancient and alluring ways of this Himalayan Kingdom.
Nestled in the hills outside Paro, Zhiwa Ling is an architectural gem that unites Bhutanese culture and heritage with 21st Century comforts. Its main lodge and cottages - each hand decorated with intricate carvings - are set in a lush landscape of weeping willows and fruit trees. This is the first five-star Bhutanese-owned hotel, and its 45 beautifully appointed suites look out over the emerald foothills of the Himalayas.
