Day
01 :
|
Fly from Kathmandu to
Paro. As you enter
Bhutan the plains come
to an abrupt end and the
mountains keep rising.
The silver river thread
the valleys, waterfall
plunge down the forested
mountains and to the
north the great
snowcapped peaks of the
inner himalayas rise up
in the sky. As you enter
Paro you will see the
Paro dzong and one of
the most fertile valleys
of Bhutan. Evening at
leisure, you can go
around the Paro town.
You stay overnight in a
hotel in Paro. |
Day
02 :
|
Drive from Paro to
Thimphu which takes
about two hours. After
breakfast you drive to
visit the old fort ruins
of the Drukgyal Dzong,
which offers a very
scenic drive of a
typical Bhutanese
landscape. The dzong was
destroyed by accidental
fire and left in ruins
as an evocative reminder
of the great victories
it was built to
commemorate. On a clear
day the Mt. Jhomolhari
(7314metres, 24000
feet), the sacred
summit, reaches skyward
beyond the Dzong.
Afterwards visit the Ta
Dzong (built in1656 and
renovated in 1968), an
ancient watchtower,
which now houses the
National Museum. This
unusual round building
is believed to be in the
shape of a conch shell.
The centerpiece of this
Museum is a complex
four-sided carving
depicting the history of
Buddhism and its
propagation. One side is
Sakyamuni and the great
teacher Atisha,
representing the Sakya
school. On the next lies
Geylup, a disciple of
Dalai Lama. Another is
Nyingma lineage, the
head is Guru Padmasanva,
and the final is Drukpa
Kagyu with the figure of
Vajra Dhara.
Below the museum is the
Paro Rimpung Dzong
(literally meaning "Heap
of Jewels", built in
1646 by Shabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal, the
centre of civil and
religious authority in
this valley. Here you
can see finest example
of Bhutanese
architecture enroute you
visit the near by Kichu
Lhakhang built in 659
A.D by the Tibetan king
Srongsen Gampo. This
Monastery is one of the
108 monasteries built
across the Himalayan
region by the Tibetan
King to subdue the
Demons that lay across
the Himalayan region.
The rest of the
monasteries lie in other
neighboring countries.
After that you proceed
to Thimphu, the capital
of Bhutan. Drive through
the Paro Valley, which
lies beneath Chomolhari
one of the Bhutan's
"Mountain of the
Goddess." The drive from
Paro to Thimphu is
spectacularly scenic. In
the spring season in
Bhutan, you will find
nature in a festive mood
with rushing turquoise
rivers which can be
heard from miles away
and mountains
transformed into Master
artist's palette of
brilliant vermilion,
yellows, purples, pink,
oranges and reds to
dazzle your senses. Wild
cherry, mountains plums,
cotton silk and forests
of rhododendron trees
bloom with astonishing
beauty and abundance
especially in spring.
Enjoy the magnificent
monasteries, stupas in
the valleys and the
mountains. Experience
the "Last Buddhist
Himalayan Kingdom" on
earth.
As you approach Thimphu
the Simtokha Dzong lies
enroute. After you reach
Thimphu you check in at
your hotel. You explore
the town in evening. |
Day
03 :
|
Drive from Thimphu to
Paro. You visit the
Memorial chorten built
in the memory of the
late King Jigme Dorji
Wangchuck, 15 century
Changangkha monastery
and drive further down
with good views of the
Thimphu valley. Next you
visit the National
Library where ancient
manuscripts are
preserved and visit the
Painting School where
traditional art is still
preserved. Here artists
are taught to paint
Thankas sacred Buddhist
scroll). You then go to
visit the Traditional
Medicine Institute where
the ancient healing arts
are still practiced and
Tashichhodzong, the main
secretariat building. It
is from here that the
King and other prominent
civil servants run the
country. The Head Abbot
and the central monastic
body also reside here
during the summer. Along
with these you go to
Handicrafts Emporium
where one can buy
Bhutanese textiles and
other Arts & Crafts
stores. Here you can buy
stunning Kiras that can
be used as bed covers or
wall hangings, jewelry
and much more. During
evening you drive to
Paro. You stay overnight
in a hotel in Paro. |
Itinerary
In 
