Paro To Phuentsholing Tour – 7 Days

You will be welcomed by an amazing view of The Himalayas as you approach Bhutan. At the airport, you will be welcomed by a representative of Alpine Club of Himalaya. Once you have settled in our hotel, you will embark on your journey to Paro. In Paro, you will visit places such as the Dungste Lhakang, a 15th-century temple with the Ugyen Perli Palace visible through its fence, the Rinpung Dzong, a fortress-monastery, the national museum, and Kichu Lhakhang, the oldest Bhutanese temple. Overnight in Paro.

After breakfast, you will take a scenic hike for about 4-5 hours to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest), the most sacred monastery in Bhutan, built on steep cliff, offering you enchanting views of the Paro valley.Guru Padmasambhava who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan, is said to have meditated there for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th century. Lunch will be served at the restaurant located halfway up the mountain. You will then hike back down the valley and drive to Thimphu. Overnight in Thimphu.

In Thimphu, you will visit landmarks such as the National Memorial Chorten, the Drubthob Gonpa/Zilukha Nunnery, the majestic Tashi Chhoe Dzong (Fortress of Glorious Religion), the gigantic Buddha Dordenma Statue, the Takin Sanctuary, the National Library that houses ancient manuscripts, the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, the mini zoo, and many other prominent cultural heritage buildings. We may also visit the Textile Museum, the Handicraft Emporium, the traditional paper factory, and the majestic Tashichho Dzong. Some places are closed on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays), and thus we will explore the Weekend Market instead. Overnight in Thimphu.

After breakfast, we enjoy the drive to Dochula pass (3,100 meters) in Punakha, a mountain pass where 108 memorial chortens or stupas known as “Druk Wangyal Chortens” have been built by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, the eldest Queen Mother. To the east of the pass, the snow clad mountain peaks of the Himalayas are seen prominently and among them is the Mt. Masanggang at 7,158 metres (23,484 ft), which is the highest peak in Bhutan. We will drive down hill from the pass through a rhododendron garden, fir and hemlock forests, rice fields, and rivers, while enjoying the panoramic views of the Bhutan Himalayas. After lunch, we will visit Punakha Dzong, the second oldest and the second largest dzong in Bhutan built between 1637-1638. Overnight in Punakha.

In the morning, we explore the beautiful town of Wangdue Phodrang, one of the largest districts in Bhutan, which covers 4,308 sq km and ranges from 800-5800 m in altitude with extremely varied climatic conditions ranging from sub-tropical forests in the south to cool and snowy regions in the north. Wangdue Phodrang is well known for its rich tapestry of ancient Buddhist temples and monasteries, and their stone carvings. We will visit the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, a Buddhist monastery built in 1638 situated at the top of a hill. Then we drive through dense oak and rhododendron forests to Gangtey, a beautiful village surrounded by amazing snowcapped mountains. Situated atop a hill at an altitude of 2800m, the Gangtey Monastery, founded in 1613, is also known as Gangtey Sanga Choeling Goemba. It offers a stunning view of the Black Mountain ranges and the Phobjikha valley, winter home to the rare and endangered Black Necked Cranes that roost there during their annual migrations. The residents of the valley have garnered much acclaim for their conservation efforts to preserve the habitat of these beautiful birds. Every year the Black Necked Crane Festival is held in Phobjikha in order to protect and spread awareness of the cranes. We explore Phobjikha villages before driving back to Punakha for an overnight stay.

After an early breakfast, we drive to Phuentsholing, a town in southern Bhutan that borders with the Indian town of Jaigaon. Although it is the administrative seat of Chukha District of Bhutan, it is a rather quiet and peaceful town that thrives on its trade with Indian businesses. Lunch will be served en route in a local restaurant. The 7-hour drive is beautiful, and we will see some waterfalls along the way. Overnight in Phuentsholing.

After breakfast, you can either return to Paro Airport (175km/ 6 hours) or continue on a tour to Sikkim and Darjeeling.