The highlights of important places in Bhutan to unleash the timeless wonder of the Thunder Dragon Kingdom.
Bhutan tour of 5 nights’ 6 days covers most highlighted place that Bhutan has in offer. Get enthralled by the spectacular beauty of Bhutan to witness the local culture and tradition visiting age-old monasteries and temples that dated back to as early as 10th century. Witness the Majestic view of the world highest peak while flying towards the green valley of Paro. 6 days stay at Bhutan amazed you with the breathtaking natural sights, cultural richness and warm accommodation. Capture the incredible Paro’s landscape from the Ta-Dzong, a stunning view of Mt. Jhomolhari from ruins of Drukgyel, visit of Thimpu- the city for the colorful festivals, legendary monasteries and cultural sites; explore the sacred Taktsang Monastery, popularly known as “Tiger’s Nest” and many other historical and religious sites.
Outline Itinerary:
Day 01: Arrive Paro, drive to Thimphu (Meal: D):
Day 02: Full day sightseeing in Thimphu (Meal: BLD)
Day 03: Drive to Punakha via Dochula-La Pass (3140m/10360 ft.) (Distance: 75 Km, Drive: 3 Hours Meal: BLD)
Day 04: Drive to Paro (Distance: 125 Km, Drive: 4 Hours Meal: BLD)
Day 05: Excursion to Drukgyel Dzong and Taktsang Monastery- Tiger’s Nest. (Meal: BLD)
Day 06: Depart Paro (Meal: B)
Day 1: Arrive Paro, drive to Thimphu (Meal: D)+
Druk Air flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular of all mountain flights. Whether flying along the Himalayan range from Kathmandu or over the foothills, each flight is a mesmerizing feat and offers exciting descent into the Dragon Kingdom. On arrival at the airport, you should clear customs and immigration. Make sure that you should keep your copy of visa clearance letter nearby to take out whenever required. Outside of the terminal building, you will be received by our office representative from Bhutan to Pick-up you and transfer to Thimphu, the modern capital town of Bhutan. Meet the guide, who will brief you about the onwards tour in Bhutan. In the evening, you can stroll around the city at Thimpu. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 2: Full day sightseeing in Thimphu (Meal: BLD)+
After breakfast, meet guide for Thimphu visit. Today, you will be taken to Trashichhoe Dzong, the beautiful medieval fortress/monastery which houses most of the Government’s office and King’s Throne room. It is also the summer residence of Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot. Then, you will visit National Library which has vast collection of ancient Buddhist texts and manuscripts. Then, with short drive, you will reach at Arts & Crafts School which is famous for traditional Thangka paintings. Here, you will see students at work producing intricate design on cloth.
After lunch, you will visit Handicrafts Emporium which displays wide assortment of beautifully hand-woven and crafted products. Then, you will drive to Memorial Chorten, the stupa built in the memory of Bhutan’s Third King, who is popularly regarded as Father of modern Bhutan. The paintings and statues inside this monument provide a deep insight into Buddhist philosophy. After visit of heritage site in Thimpu, retrace back to Hotel for rest. Overnight at the hotel in Thimphu.
Day 3: Drive to Punakha via Dochula-La Pass (3140m/10360 ft.) (Distance: 75 Km, Drive: 3 Hours Meal: BLD)+
After breakfast, drive to Punakha with a short stop at Dochula-La pass. Dochula pass is located on the way to Punakha from Thimphu. The pass is a popular location among tourists as it offers a stunning 360 degree panoramic view of Himalayan mountain range. The view is especially scenic on clear, winter days with snowcapped mountains forming a majestic backdrop to the tranquility of the 108 Chortens gracing the mountain pass. If the sky is clear, stunning views of Peaks could be taken: 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 (7,497m), the highest peak in Bhutan.
From the Pass, you will descend through varied forest and finally enter into the Punakha, a highly cultivated Valley. You will visit Punakha Dzong, built strategically at the junction of Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to serve as the religious and administrative center of the region, Punakha Dzong has played an important role in Bhutan’s history. Damaged by four catastrophic fires and an earthquake, the Dzong has now been fully restored. After that, drive to Wangdue Phodrang, visiting Dzong and local market. The district of Wangdue Phodrang is famous for its bamboo products, slate and stone carvings. Sightseeing for a whole day, you will be taken to Hotel at Punakha for overnight stay.
Day 4: Drive to Paro (Distance: 125 Km, Drive: 4 Hours Meal: BLD)+
After breakfast, you will have a drive to Paro. On the way, visit Simtokha Dzong, the oldest fortress of the Kingdom built in 1627, it now houses the School for religious studies.
Afternoon in Paro, visit Ta Dzong, the National Museum of the Kingdom. Originally, built as Watch Tower; since 1967, it is serving as the National Museum of the country and holding fascinating collection of art, artifacts, Thangka paintings and Bhutan’s exquisite postage stamps. Spending some time here, you will have a walk down a hillside trail to visit Rinpung Dzong. Built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the first spiritual and temporal ruler of Bhutan. The Dzong houses the monastic body of Paro, the office of the Dzongda (district administrative head) and Thrimpon (judge) of Paro district. Overnight at the hotel in Paro.
Day 5: Excursion to Drukgyel Dzong and Taktsang Monastery- Tiger’s Nest. (Meal: BLD)+
After breakfast, drive towards north of Paro valley to ruins of Buddhist Monasteries and fortress, Drukgyel Dozng. This fort Bhutanese repelled several invasions by Tibetan armies. If weather is clear, you can view the stunning snowcapped Mt. Jhomalhari. Nearby, visit traditional Bhutanese Farm House which offers good insight into lifestyle of local people.
Then, take an excursion to Taktsang Monastery, the most famous of Bhutanese monasteries. It is said that Guru Rinpoche arrived here on the back of a tigress and meditated at this monastery hence it is called “Tiger’s Nest”. The excursion to monastery takes about 5 hours for round trip.
While return to Paro town, visit en-route Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest and most sacred shrines of the Kingdom. Overnight at the hotel in Paro.
Day 6: Depart Paro (Meal: B)+
After breakfast drive to the airport for flight to onward destination.
Visa
Except the citizens of Bangladesh, Maldives and India, require VISA to enter Bhutan. The VISA processing for Bhutan requires a readable color copy of passport via email that must have at least six month of validity from the date of exit from Bhutan. The file (Scan Copy) should be forwarded via email in JPEG or PDF format. The passport number and picture of the applicant should be visible in the e-document.
The application should be processed at least 10 days prior to the date of entry to Bhutan. The tourism council of Bhutan then issues a VISA clearance letter and fax or email it to the local travel agent. Please note that the VISA service is not offered in Bhutan, travelers have to buy full service package from the local tour operator. Travelers traveling by air are required to produce a printed VISA clearance copy at the time of check-in for Druk Air flight. People traveling by land to enter Bhutan via Phuentshoking or Samdrup Jonkhar are required to produce a VISA clearance letter at the immigration center. The actual VISA is stamped in your passport on your arrival in Bhutan.
Meals and Accommodation
While travelling to Bhutan, you will buy full service package. Here, you be serve all meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
If you are interested to taste food available in Bhutan then, Ema Datshi is best featured food of Bhutan. It is quite spicy and is cooked with a lot of cheese. Steamed rice with varieties of spicy curries are widely available in Bhutan. The restaurants in Bhutan serve Chinese, continental and Indian foods. Special menus listed with food items and cost is available in the restaurants. Tibetan dumplings aka momos is a well accounted food in Bhutan.
Hotels, we use in Bhutan is best standard (Government approved 3 star) with comfortable, clean and offered all the amenities required and meets the recent standardization policy set by the government. Upon suggestion, the hotel accommodation can be upgraded from 3 star to 5 star ranges hotels and resorts. The star rated hotels are located in the cities of western Bhutan like Thimphu, Paro, Punakha, Wangdue Phodrang etc. Most of the hotels in these cities are easily accessible and lies in the heart of the cities. The hotels and lodges are decorated with traditional Bhutanese arts and paintings.
Transportation
We use comfortable and well-maintained tourist vehicle based on group size. We ensure before leaving on a trip that our vehicle are double-checked properly. Your security is our main concern and you can be sure to have a safe trip with us.
Climate
The weather in Bhutan varies from place to place depending upon the altitude of the region. In general the weather is warm during summer; you might get little rainfall especially in the south of Bhutan. Spring and autumn are very pleasant with warm days and cool nights. Winter is usually cold in Bhutan with chilling mornings and evenings. The temperature level may go down even below zero. You may get warmth of the sun during the day in winter. Due to the vivid geographical condition of the kingdom Bhutan experiences subtropical climate.
Vaccinations
As vaccination requirements change frequently, we suggest you consult your doctor at least 2 months prior to the commencement of your trip. We recommend protection against malaria, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis and polio.
Insurance
Before joining the tour, we recommend you take out travel insurance. This should include adequate cover for baggage, medical expenses, cancellation, helicopter evacuation and emergency repatriation. If you do not have travel insurance, you must have a credit card with at least a US$5000 limit.
Personal expenses
We don’t pay for your personal expenses and recommend you to bring extra money to cover meals not included in the tour, extra activities, souvenirs, tips etc.
Currency
The currency of Bhutan is called Ngultrum with currency sign Nu.
There are several banks and money exchange centers in Bhutan that change your local currency to Ngultrum. The exchange rate may differ in times due to fluctuation in US dollars. The ngultrum does not exchange independently with other nations’ currencies but is interchangeable with the Indian rupee. Major debit and credit cards service is available in the major cities bit it is advised to carry ample cash and travel cheque for your convenience.
Communication
Most of the major towns and cities in Bhutan are equipped with basic communication facilities that include telephone, fax and internet service. Most of the bigger hotels provide email, internet and WiFi facilities within the hotel premises. You can also buy the Bhutanese cell phone service if you need it. If you want to send or receive a parcel then you can use Bhutan postal service which is commonly found in most of the places in the country. For express services people can use DHL or FedEx which are located in the capital city.
Clothing
While travelling to Bhutan, you need to be careful with your cloths and travel equipment. You need to know the season and weather condition before packing your things while traveling in Bhutan. The temperature and climatic condition varies in various regions of the country due to geographical condition and altitude differences. You therefore need to be very careful about selecting your dresses during your trip to the kingdom of Bhutan.
Meantime, Bhutan being a religious country following the proper dress etiquettes would be a good idea. You are advised to avoid shorts, skirts, tight clothing while visiting the religious sites like monasteries and temples. Any clothing that express vulgarity is strictly prohibited while traveling in the temples and monasteries. You are also advised to remove the sun caps if you are visiting temple of Dzongs.
Dos and Don’ts
Bhutan opened its territory for the international tourists only after 1947, when the government of Bhutan decided to promote the country through tourism. Bhutan is a religious country so there are many things that are considered taboos. The tourists visiting Bhutan should be aware about some basic dos and don’ts while traveling in Bhutan.
Dos
- Have a printed VISA clearance copy at the time of check-in for the flight to Bhutan
- Follow the proper dress etiquettes. Please make sure your dress code doesn’t harm the religious sentiments
- Be courteous to old people and treat then with respect
- Carry enough cash as many business do not accept credit cards
- Respond to the assigned tour guide and follow their instruction
- Do register your expensive personal belongings at customs as you need to show the proof of their existence while exiting the country.
- Do follow the traffic rules and regulations
Don’ts
- Avoid tight/skin revealing clothes while visiting religious sites as they might be considered vulgar
- Remove sun caps while visiting temples or Dzongs
- Avoid slangs while visiting religious sites
- Do not feed birds/animals while visiting natural sites
- Do not smoke anywhere you like. Look for the designated smoking zone
- Do not point finger at people or art.
What is included?
Airport pick up and trasnfer in Paro airport by private vehicle
All necessary travel permits
Guided sightseeing tour by English speaking local guide.
Accommodation on twin room basis based Gov. approved 3 star deluxe hotels
Monuments’ entrance fees as per the itinerary
Full Board Meal plan (Breakfast Lunch and Dinner), snaks and tea or coffee
All Gov and local taxes as applicable
Final Departure transfer to airport
What is not included?
Flight to Paro & Return ( You could fly to Paro from Kathmnadu, Culcutta, Delhi & Bangkok)
Insurance of any kind.
Additional cost due to natural calamity and unforeseen circumstance
Personal expenses such as drink, guide tips & etc.
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