BHUTAN Glimpse

Day 01: Arrive Paro Fly into the Himalayas with Druk Air, Bhutan’s National Carrier.  The green wall of hills known as Duars, or gateways, into Bhutan from the plains of India rise ever higher as the plane flies north towards the Tibet border.  Silvery rivers rush along the valleys; waterfalls plunge down forested mountainsides, and to the north, the great snowcapped peaks of the inner Himalayas rise up to the heavens.  Farmhouses dot the hillsides on either side of the plane.

As the aircraft enters the Paro valley, look down and you will see Paro Dzong on the hillside overlooking the Paro Chu (river), with Ta Dzong, formerly a watchtower and now the National Museum, above it. Representatives from Bhutan Majestic Travel will escort, who will be with you throughout your visit, will be waiting for you at Paro airport.  After completion of airport formalities, you will drive through the lovely Paro valley to your hotel.

After lunch visit Ta Dzong, originally built as a watchtower, which now houses Bhutan’s National Museum. The extensive collection includes antique Thangkha paintings, textiles, weapons & armor, household objects and a rich assortment of natural and historic artifacts. Then walk down the trail to visit Rinpung Dzong (“fortress of the heap of jewels”), which has a long and fascinating history.  Along the wooden galleries lining the inner courtyard are fine wall paintings illustrating Buddhist lore, such as the legend of the four friends, the old man of long life, the wheel of life, scenes from the life of Milarepa, Mount Sumeru and other cosmic mandalas. Overnight in Hotel.

Day  02: Hike to Taktsang or Tiger’s Nest

Drive for 15kms and reach the base of Famous Tiger’s Nest “TAKTSANG” Monastery and hike up which would take Two Hours up and approximately One Hour down. Stop at Taktsang Tea House “Cafeteria” for refreshment of Tea & Coffee and on your return back from monastery you will have your Lunch here.

Taktsang is at 2900mts. Hike for another half an hour and you reach the Great and Magnificent Taktsang where you will be greets by the monks who live there and Special Bhutanese Butter Tea will be served with Snacks.

Visit the most important monastery were the Guru Rimpoche was flying on a Flaming Tigress from Singye Dzong in Eastern Bhutan to here and meditated for Three Months and flourishment of Buddhism in Paro started from 8^th Century.

Walk down to the Tea House for Vegetarian Lunch.

After Lunch walk down hill and drive to the Ruined Fortress the Drukgyal Dzong meaning Bhutanese Victory Fortress built in 1649 by great fortress builder and also the man who unified Bhutan in 17^th Century.

On the drive back to Paro visit the Bhutan’s oldest monastery the Kyichu Lhakhang, built in 659AD by Tibetan King Songtsen Goenpo in order to subdue the Orgress in Tiber, he built 108 Stupas in Twenty Hours of time of which two are here in Bhutan, the one built on Left Knee is the Kyichu Monastery and next built on Left Toe is in Bumthang and it is called Jambay Lhakhang. The main deity inside the Monastery is the Buddha Maiteria which is commonly known as Future Buddha or referred as Jow Jamba the same in Jokhang in Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day 03: Thimphu – Paro After breakfast, drive to Thimphu, The Capital City. The Capital City without any Traffic Lights and the populations stands at 100,000. Sightseeing in Thimphu valley, including visits to the following: the National Library, housing an extensive collection of priceless Buddhist manuscripts; the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, where Bhutan’s famed traditional herbal medicines are compounded and dispensed; the Institute for Zorig Chusum (commonly known as the Painting School) where students undergo a six-year training course in Bhutan’s 13 traditional arts and crafts and visit to the Motithang Takin Preserve Area to check out Takin, Bhutan's National Animal with head of a Goat and Body of a Cow. After lunch, visit Tashicho Dzong, “the fortress of the glorious religion”.  This is the center of government and religion, site of the monarch’s throne room and seat of the Je Khenpo or Chief Abbot.  Built in 1641 by the political and religious unifier of Bhutan, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, it was reconstructed in the 1960s in traditional Bhutanese manner, without nails or architectural plans.  Also visit the National Memorial Chorten, continuously circumambulated by the faithful, murmuring mantras and spinning their prayer wheels.  Construction of this landmark was the idea of Bhutan’s third king, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (“the father of modern Bhutan”) who had wished to erect a monument to world peace and prosperity.  Completed in 1974 after his untimely death, it serves both as a memorial to the Late King and as a monument to peace. Then, visit the government-run Handicrafts Emporium and local crafts shops, to browse through examples of Bhutan’s fine traditional arts.  Here you can buy hand-woven textiles, Thangkha paintings, masks, ceramics, slate and woodcarvings, jewelry, and other interesting items made from local materials.  Overnight in Thimphu.

Day 04: Depart Paro Drive to Paro International Airport to catch onward flight.