BHUTAN
Phuentsholing | Thimphu | Paro Taktsang |Paro
7 Days / 6 Nights

Arrival / Exit: NJP/ IXB
New Jalpaiguri or Bagdogra Airport

TRIP FACTS
Max Sleeping Altitude : 2300m
Tour Grade                    : Easy
Tour Highlights            : Cultural Sights & Local by Land

Tentative Itinerary
2 Nights Stay in Phuentsholing
3 Nights Stay in Thimphu, Bhutan
1 Night Stay in Paro, Bhutan

DETAILIED ITINERARY
Day 01:
Arrival: Bhagdogra or NJP to Phuentsholing

Elevation  : 2,320m
Distance   : 150kms (4 to 5hrs, one way, approx)

As You Begin with your Majestic Journey, you will first arrive at NJP Railway Station or Bhagdogra Airport, where you will encounter the astounding allurement of the heavenly land. To guide your excitement, our driver will be waiting for your welcome at the airport who will further govern your transfer to Phuentsholing.

On arrival at Bhutan entry gate, the guide will be there to welcome you and take you to Immigration Office for entry process and do biometric ( you cannot tour Bhutan without the Route Permit). After Immigration formalities, proceed to the hotel for check in. Evening leisure around town. Overnight stay in Phuentsholing Hotel.

Day 02:
Phuentsholing – Thimphu

Elevation      : 2,320m
Distance       : 180km, Time: 7 hrs approx., one way

Today after your breakfast, proceed for tourist permit and you will drive to Thimphu. You can stop at some places, where you can take good pictures. You can have lunch on the way (optional, not included in the quote). On Arrival, check in at Hotel. Day at Leisure or you can have some shopping / leisure in the town.
Overnight Stay in Thimphu Hotel.

Day 03:
Thimphu Local Sightseeing

Visit Largest Buddha Statue.
Visit Buddha Dordenma Statue. It is a bronze statue gilded in gold. It is one of the largest Buddha Statue in the world, at a height of 51.5 metres (169 ft). The statue alone is being built at a cost of US$ 47 million by Aero sun Corporation of Nanjing, China, while the total cost of the Buddha Dordenma Project is well over US$ 100 million.

Visit Changangkha Lhakhang
The Lhakhang was built in the 12th Century on a site chosen by Lam PhajoDrugomZhigpo, who came from Ralung, Tibet. It is an old fortress-like temple perched on a ridge above Thimphu and it has a beautiful view of Thimphu from the courtyard. The main chapel houses a unique statue of the seated Avoloketeshvaras, the Buddha of Compassion.

Folk Heritage Museum
This museum was established in 2001 and provides visitors and tourists with fascinating insights into the Bhutanese material culture and way of life. The Folk Heritage Museum is set inside a three storied, 19th century traditional house. The museum gives you a glimpse of the traditional Bhutanese lifestyle, in addition to artifacts from rural households; it also displays an impressive collection of typical household objects, tools and equipment. The museum also organizes regular demonstrations of rural traditions, skills, habits and customs as well as hosting educational programs for children.

Takin Preserve
Which houses the national animal the Takin that is only found in Bhutan. This is an extremely rare member of the goat family. Found in herds in the very high altitudes (13,125ft and over). They live on a diet of grass and bamboo. It can weigh as much as 550 pounds.

Simply Bhutan
A living museum of rural life which provides visitors and tourists with fascinating insights into the Bhutanese material culture and way of life.

Visit Memorial Chorten
This stupa was built in 1974 by Her Majesty Ashi Phuntsho Choden Wangchuck in the memory of her son Bhutan’s late third King His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who is popularly regarded as the Father of Modern Bhutan.
Visit Tashichhoe Dzong
Tashichhoe Dzong, a fortress of the glorious religion. It was built in 1641 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and was reconstructed into present structure by the late King, His majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in the year 1962-1969. It houses the secretariat building, the throne room and the office of the king, and the central monk body. Evening leisure in the Town. Overnight stay in Thimphu Hotel.

Day 04:
Punakha Day Excursion

Elevation      : 1,350m
Distance       : 77km, Time: 3hrs.

After Breakfast drive to Punakha. On the way we will visit the following Places:

Visit Druk Wangyal Lhakhang
On the way visit Druk Wangyal Lhakhang as well 108 stupa. The Druk Wangyal Lhakhang, a temple in Dochula, offers an interesting example of traditional Buddhist culture meeting the 21st century. The Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck completed construction of this temple in 2008, in commemoration of Bhutanese casualties in the 2003 conflict with Assamese Militants.

Visit Chime Lhakhang.
Chime Lhakhang is a small 15th Century temple famous for its fertility endowments or rites due to the blessings of Lam Drukpa Kuenley. The temple sits on a hillock shaped, as only Drukpa Kuenley could describe it “like a woman’s breast”.

Visit PunakhaDzong.
Later visit Punakha Dzong (the Palace of Great Happiness) built in 1637 by the Zhabdrung. The Dzong is beautifully located in between the two rivers called Pho (male) and Mo (female) Chhu (river). It was the capital of Bhutan till 1955. The established of the Wangchuck Dynasty on 17th December, 1907 took place here and the first National Assembly was also held in the Dzong in 1953. Punakha Dzong continues to be the winter residence of the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) and the central monk body. Evening drive back to Thimphu. Overnight stay in Hotel in Thimphu.

Day 05:
Thimphu to Hike Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest)

After early breakfast we will drive from Thimphu to Paro towards a Point, where hike to Paro Taktshang starts. Taktsang Palphug Monastery more famous as Paro Taktsang is a Buddhist temple complex which clings to a cliff, 3120 meters above the sea level on the side of the upper Paro valley. The Taktsang Palphug Monastery is one of the most famous touristic destinations of the country and the cultural icon of Bhutan. Visiting the Paro Taktsang Monastery is an unforgettable experience thanks to its unique location and the views of surrounding majestic mountains and emerald green valleys. It is believed that in 8th century Spiritual Master (Guru Rinpoche) known as the second Buddha in Bhutan, have arrived here flying on the back of a tigress from Singye Dzong in Lhuntse and meditate in a cave for three month where Taktsang Monastery now stands.

Evening freely scrolls around town or you may relax in the traditional hot stone bath. Overnight Stay in Hotel at Paro.

Note: For a person, who is not able to hike to Tatksang, horse services are there but needs to pay horse charges by clients.

Day 06:
Paro Sightseeing to Phuentsholing
After breakfast, we will visit the following places in Paro:

Visit Paro Dzong.
This is also known as the “fortress of the heap of jewels”. It was built during the time of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1646 after the small Hungrel fortress built by Lam Drung Drung was offered to Zhabdrung. The approach to the Dzong is through a traditional cantilever bridge.

Visit National Museum.
National Museum was built as a watch tower. Unlike the rectangular shape of the Dzongs, Ta Dzong is conical, more like that of a European castle. Since 1967 the Dzong was re-established as the National Museum and holds a fascinating collection of art, relics, religious thangkha paintings and Bhutan’s exquisite postage stamps.

Visit Kichu Lhakhang.
This is one of the 108 temples built by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century to subdue the ogress that lay across the whole of the Himalayas. After that we will drive from Paro to Phuentsholing. On the way from Paro offers another chance to view the amazing Himalayan ranges. Stop along the way to take photos wherever you find the best spot for the photography. After that you will be driven back to Phuentsholing. You can stop at the good points to take photos and for lunch. In the evening you can have leisure in the Phuentsholing Town. Night stay at Phuentsholing.

Day 07:
Departure – Phuentsholing – Bhagdogra
After breakfast, drive from Phuentsholing to Bhagdogra airport drop for departure to onward destination.
End of our services

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