Thimphu Festival - 7 Days

Flight to Bhutan offers spectacular views of the world’s highest mountains including Mount Everest. On arrival at Paro international airport, the HBT representative will receive you and transfer to Thimphu, approximately an hour’s drive. Upon arrival we will check into the hotel, after lunch, we will visit National Memorial Chorten, the stupa built in the memory of late 3rd king. Further, we will proceed to visit the National Textile Museum, Zhorig Chusum, a school where 13 different arts are practiced and learned. We will also hop into nearby Folk Heritage Museum and perhaps time to stroll the main street for some interesting Himalayan artifacts or textiles. Overnight in Thimphu. Altitude 2400m.

After breakfast, we will proceed to the festival site and witness the most interesting annual Thimphu (Tsechu) for the whole day. Festivals are preformed to honor Buddhist saint Guru Rimpoche who brought Buddhism in the country in the 7th century. Tse meaning date and chu meaning tenth are performed annually in all the districts coinciding with the tenth day of the Bhutanese calendar. Interesting and colorful mask dances are shown publicly in an open ground especially in the courtyard of the fortress, “The Dzong”, where all people gather to witness the dances. Witnessing the Tsechu is believed to accumulate the good deeds and help us to ride of the sins committed in the past. This is also a wonderful opportunity to click the Bhutanese in the best outfit with the most expensive garments and jewelry. Don’t miss to witness the unique festivals of Bhutan. Overnight in Thimphu.

In the morning we will visit the festival and in the afternoon drive north end of Paro valley and hike to Tango, a beautiful Buddhist temple that was recently converted into Buddhist college. Evening back to the hotel and explore the city deeper. Overnight in Thimphu.

We will checkout from the hotel and drive to Punakha over Dochula pass at 3050m. If the weather permits, we can enjoy a spectacular view of the highest mountains of Bhutan at a sight that stretches almost 180 degrees. After our packaged lunch we will visit Punakha Dzong (fortress) which houses the most elaborated temple in the country. One can also visit Souvenir making center and evening hike to Khamsum Yulay Namgyal Chorten, which will take about 45 mins to reach on the top, evening back to the hotel. Overnight in Punakha. Altitude 1350m.

After our leisurely breakfast, we will hike to Chimi Lhakhang, temple of fertility which is associates with religious arts of phallus and after descending back down from Dochula, we will follow our way back up the dramatic Wang Chu and Paro Chu river valleys, before crossing through Paro town towards the north end of the valley. Here, set in a pine forest, you will find the Amankora lodge and its spa. We take an opportunity for a quick stroll to the nearby ruins Dzong. Evenings enjoy the facility of aman soaking yourself into the culture, spa or perhaps enjoy the Bhutanese movies that aman provides. Overnight in Paro, altitude 2200m.

Early morning after our delicious breakfast drive to the north end of Paro valley and hike to Tiger Nest Temple. The hike to Tiger’s Nest will take most of our day. The temple is one of the most renowned temples in the Buddhist world one of the ten most visit sites before we die. This is a most revolted temple in the country that literally hangs on a granite cliff overlooking the Paro Valley at 900m above the valley. En-route visit Kichu Lhakhang, one from the 2 oldest Buddhist temples in the country, historic Drukgyal Dzong (Fortress) and Evening at leisure. Overnight in Paro.