Cultural Tour Kingdom in the Clouds - 5 Days
Shangri-la may be a tired cliché today, but if
there is one place on earth that deserves such
an epithet it may well be Bhutan. Like many of
the lesser satellite principal ties surrounding
Tibet, Bhutan has often had to fight for its
spiritual and economic independence against
powerful, aggressive neighbors. This has
inculcated a strong sense of pride and cultural
awareness among Bhutan’s people, and today it is
the only country in the world that embraces
Tantric Buddhism as its state religion.
Few countries can claim such a rich traditional
heritage, and Bhutan is surely unique in that
ancient customs and values continue to inform
the daily life of both government and people at
almost every level. This is largely due to the
enlightened efforts of the king- Jigme Singye
Wangchuk- and a few other key figures. |
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Day 01 :
Arrive Paro
The flight to Paro crosses the Himalayan
Mountains, affording spectacular views of the
awesome peaks, including the sacred Jumolhari
and Jichu Drake peaks in Bhutan. If you arrive
via Kathmandu, you will see breathtaking views
of Mount Everest and Mount Kanchenjunga. On
arrival at Paro airport, you will undergo some
immigration and custom formalities. Then you
will be received by our representative and
transferred to Thimphu. Thimphu is the capital
city of Bhutan with unusual mixture of modern
development alongside ancient traditions. You
will arrive Thimphu, after 2 hours of
interesting drive. Check into hotel on arrival.
In the evening stroll freely in the town.
Overnight: Hotel in Thimphu.
Day 02 :
Thimphu-Punakha
After breakfast you will visit the King's
Memorial Chorten (built in memory of the third
King of Bhutan who reigned from 1952-1972),
Changgangkha Monastery. From there you will
visit the nunnery temple, the National Library
(which houses ancient manuscripts), National
Institute of Traditional Medicine where you can
see brand of Himalayan medicines. After lunch,
drive to Punakha across Dochula pass with a stop
en route for tea at Dochu La (3,100 meters),
where on a clear day you can get spectacular
views of the Himalayas. After tea continue
driving downhill to Punakha among the moist
forest of rhododendron, alder, cypress, hemlock
and fir. Punakha the former capital of Bhutan is
a large valley adorned by 2 male and female
rivers with a majestic Dzong or fortress in
between. Check into hotel on arrival. Overnight:
Hotel in Punakha.
Day 03 :
Punakha-Wangdiphodrang-Paro
Morning visit Punakha Dzong, which is one of the
most beautiful Dzongs in Bhutan built in 1637.
Then drive to Wangdiphodrang. In the 17th
Century, Wangdiphodrang played a critical role
in unifying western, central and southern
Bhutanese districts. On the way you will stop at
Metshina Village and take a 20-minute walk
through the rice fields to Chimi Lakhang, which
is a fertility temple, dedicated to Devine
Madman. Arrive Wangdiphodrang and visit the
typical Bhutanese town, which is on the highway
before entering central Bhutan. After lunch
drive to Paro across Dochula Pass. Arrive Paro
and check into hotel. Overnight: Hotel in Paro.
Day 04 : Paro
After breakfast hike to Taktsang (Tiger's Nest)
Monastery, the most famous monastery in Bhutan.
Guru Rinpoche, a great spiritual master, is said
to be have flown on the back of a tigress from
Singye Dzong in eastern Bhutan to meditate in a
cave where Taktsang Monastery now stands. It is
perched on the edge of a steep cliff, about 900
meters above Paro Valley. The hike through a
pine forest to reach the viewpoint to the
monastery makes for a nice half-day excursion.
Hike back to Paro. In the evening explore a
village in Paro and visit a farmhouse to
experience a life of villagers in Bhutan. If you
wish you can also have a traditional Bhutanese
dinner with “ara” a locally produced wine, which
is made up of a brewery of rice or wheat.
Overnight: Hotel in Paro.
Day 05 : Paro depart
Drive to the airport for flight to onward
destination.
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Facts
of the Trek
Itinerary
of Cultural Tour Kingdom in the Clouds in Detail
