Detail Itinerary

• 1 Arrival at Paro
  As the plane banks over the mountain slopes, the Paro Valley greet you with luminous paddies rippling in the breeze and tiny houses sprinkled on the bank of the meandering river. The air is crystal clear, light translucent and on horizon, snowcapped mountains frame the idyllic like painting. It does not matter how many times you land in Paro, the bucolic valley unfolds like a dream.

   After visa formalities and collection of baggage, you will meet our representative from Journey to Discover Bhutan.

  Afternoon

  Visit Paro Dzong built in 1646, which houses the administrative center of the Paro district and religious institute for monks. The Paro Dzong may be familiar to people who watched Bertolucci’s film “The Little Buddha” walk down to the coach crossing over the traditional wooden covered bridge called “Nymezampa” which spans over the Paro river.

  Over Night Leisure at Hotel
• 2 Paro - Punakha
  • Dochu-la & Thinleygang Walk
  • 4½ Hours Walking & Hiking
  • Options: Royal Monastic Route: 4.3 Miles (1,300’ elevation loss)
  • Valley View Route: 6.1 Miles (400’ loss)

  Drive to Punakha over a Dochu-la ( 3030m) pass is one of the most beautiful drive in country and the pass is dotted my 108 Stupas with many colorful flags.

  If you are lucky, relish breathtaking views that encompass several snowcapped Himalayan peaks, including Gangkar Puensum, Bhutan's highest at 24,740 feet. After stopping for tea at Dochu La, we continue to the trailhead at Thinleygang. Descend through pine forests, past rice paddies and over streams on bridges built by locals. The monastic body once used the trail that parallels our route to travel between
• 3 Punakha
  • 1 Hour drive to Sirigang
  • 30 Minutes Chorten Nebu & Sirigang Valley Route
  • 6.1 Miles (1,400' elevation gain)

  This morning we visit Punakha Dzong, which sits at the confluence of the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu (Mother and Father Rivers). Appearing to have been ripped from the pages of National Geographic , the 17th‐century dzong has served as the winter capital of Bhutan for more than 300 years and is the site of the annual Punakha Serda festival.

  Our Bhutanese guide leads us on a tour, which includes the incredible meditation hall, and points out recent restoration of areas damaged by fires, a flood and an earthquake. The fort hosted the 2008 coronation of the fifth king and celebrations commemorating the country's transition to democracy. After driving to Sirigang, hike up to 700‐year‐old Chorten Nebu (The Old Temple), which serves as a monastic school housing about 24 young monks. Our visit helps us gain insight into traditional Bhutanese life, as Chorten Nebu is representative of monasteries that lie far from the main roads.

  We stop for a packed lunch under an old oak tree outside the chorten , where our guide reveals more about the customs, history and religion of Bhutan. Back on the trail, drop from the ridge into the valley toward the Rong Chhu. After crossing the river, make a gradual descent through an agricultural valley dotted with farms and rice paddies.

  Enjoy the riverside scenery during the shuttle ride back to the hotel, where there's time to relax before we rejoin our local guide for a culture and history
• 4 Punakha - Thimphu
  • Drive to Po Chhu 30 Minutes
  • Po Chhu Route 4.8 Miles (400' elevation gain)
  • Rafting on the Po Chhu River 2 Hours Drive to Thimphu.

  After breakfastdrive along the Po Chhu for a hike on a scenic trail to our rafting put‐in spot. In the hands of expert river runners we navigate small but thrilling rapids, all the while enjoying spectacular views of the Punakha Valley and Punakha Dzong. Keep an eye out for some of the brightly colored birds found in this area, such as the minivet, red‐headed trogon or rare white‐bellied heron. We pull off at a sandy beach that leads to Damchen Resort, where we have lunch.

  After rafting we drive to Thimphu, home to just under 100,000 people and perhaps the world's only capital city without traffic lights.

  Though it is in the midst of rapid growth and modernization, much of the city's infrastructure hasn't caught up. For example, the 5 modern multistoried buildings under construction are being built behind large bamboo (no steel yet) scaffolding.

  Packaged goods are also relatively new to Bhutan, and even finding a convenient trash to dispose of the packaging can be a challenge. Over Night Leisure at Hotel
• 5 Thimphu
  • Drive to Dodina 45 Minutes
  • Tango Goemba Route 2 Miles
  • (800' elevation gain) Shuttle to Thimpu 30 Minutes

  We start our day with a shuttle past embassies, the parliament building and the royal palace toward the far end of the valley for the start of our hike up to Tango Goemba. Built in 1688 on a site that has held religious significance since the 12th century, the monastery serves as the highest center of Buddhist learning in Bhutan—almost every Je Khenpo (religious head) in the country has completed their 9‐year training program here. It's a steep climb up, but Tango Goemba provides a beautiful perspective on the rural outskirts of the Thimphu Valley.

  After descending from the monastery picnic lunch will be served near the riverside.

  Afternoon: Free time for relax or shopping
• 6 Thimphu - Paro
  • Drive to Kuensel Phordang ( Big Buddha Point) 30 Minutes
  • Walking with Buddha Route 1.9 Miles (400' elevation gain)
  • Shuttle to Thimphu Ridgeline 30 Minutes
  • Thimphu Ridgeline Route 4.1 Miles (600') Drive to Paro 1½ Hours

  The day began with short hike to the Buddha Dordenma, a giant golden statue towering above the Wang Chhu. At 169 feet tall, it's one of the largest Buddha statues in the world and houses an astonishing 125,000 smaller figures inside. Watch as the morning sunshine illuminates the gilded exterior then turn your gaze to relish sweeping views of the valley below.

  After visiting the statue, we hop in the van and head to the ridgeline for a beautiful walk above Thimphu. Set out along the trail to a small monastery housing impressive 17th‐century religious art painted directly on its walls, continue hiking higher up the hillside through a tranquil pine forest. If the skies are clear, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the snowcapped Himalayan foothills. Then make your way down the trail as thousands of colorful prayer flags flap in the wind above you.

  Nestled beneath a rainbow of flags, a picnic lunch with panoramic views of the valley below and the surrounding peaks. Rest your legs in the shuttle to Paro, where we stop to explore town before continuing on to our home for the next two nights.

  Over Night Leisure at Hotel
• 7 Paro
  • Shuttle to Taktshang 30 Minutes
  • Walking & Hiking Options: Taktshang Teahouse Route: 3.3 Miles (1,700’ elevation gain)
  • Taktshang Monastery Route: 6.1 Miles (2,200’)

  After starting the day with a hearty breakfast, we shuttle to Taktshang for a hike to one of Bhutan's most sacred places and an important pilgrimage destination: the Taktshang (Tiger's Nest) Monastery. Partly damaged by fire in 1998, the cliffside monastery was built atop the cave where Guru Rinpoche, father of Mahayana Buddhism, meditated for three months after arriving in the Paro Valley on the back of a legendary tigress.

  Locals often display handicrafts for sale along the route to the monastery—evidence of individual enterprise rarely seen until the past few years. Begin with an immediate ascent, following the trail high above the valley and passing through forests and by large prayer wheels turned by a stream.

  Continue hiking up a steep portion of the path to a ridge where prayer flags rustle in the wind. Just beyond, at 9,200 feet, is the Taktshang teahouse, where we stop for a hot drink and striking views of the monastery across Bthe valley. The scene seemingly belongs to a bygone era—it's only when a cell phone rings that you realize it's the 21st century! We break for lunch at a ridgetop teahouse, which affords phenomenal vistas of the Paro Valley. Depending on your energy level you can shuttle from here or tackle the remaining portion of the trail to Taktshang Monastery.

  After our visit, descend by foot to the valley to catch the shuttle back to Zhiwa Ling. If you're still feeling energetic, take a short shuttle to the fortress of Drukgyel Dzong, built in the mid‐17th century to protect the valley from further invasions, and then devastated by fire three centuries later. It's a short but steep climb to the dzong, whose ruins emanate a mystical aura.

  Tonight we celebrate our sojourn with a farewell dinner. You may decide to partake in a nightcap beside the hotel bar's stone fireplace, or turn in early to get a good night's sleep before our morning departure.
• 8 Departure
  Depart for your onward flight.