Day 01: Arrival In Paro And Transfer To Thimphu
Welcome to Bhutan, the mystic Himalayan kingdom. As you land at Paro Airport, the IHPL tour representative will meet and assists you for a comfortable transfer to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. The one and a half-hour scenic drive will take you to a culturally rich metropolis. Upon reaching Thimphu, check-in at the pre-booked hotel. The rest of the day is free to spend at leisure. There are endless attractions in Thimphu and you can enjoy many things on your own here. Take a walk in the nearby areas to experience the Bhutanese culture or relish traditional cuisine in a restaurant.
In Thimphu, you can experience both harmonious traditions and a modern lifestyle. There are shopping centers, continental restaurants, nightclubs, internet cafes, ATMs, and foreign stock exchanges in Thimpu. But the traditional values are carefully preserved amidst the signs of modernization in the museums, monasteries, traditional markets, and everyday lifestyle.
Even a few years ago, traffic congestion was an unknown term in Bhutan. The city of 100,000 inhabitants Thimphu still goes without any traffic signal. Policemen stand in decorated booths and control the traffic with fabulous hand movements.
The capital city is the commercial hub and the center of Government administration of Bhutan. It is also home to famous Buddhist sites such as Memorial Chorten, Cheri Monastery, Tango Monastery, etc. The massive fortress and monastery Tashichho Dzong is a spectacular treat to the eyes. It is the Government seat of Bhutan since 1952 and is now acting as the King’s office, secretariat, and office of other ministries. The prime attraction of Tashichho Dzong is the gold-leaf roofs that make it really outstanding.
You can also visit the local markets like ABC Bazar to explore traditional products. If your Bhutan tour includes a Sunday, then you must explore the weekend market in Thimphu. You can purchase fresh produces while interacting with the locals.
Overnight stay in the Hotel in Thimphu.
Day 02: Thimphu Sightseeing And Transfer To Paro
On day 2 of the Bhutan tour package, you set to leave for sightseeing in Thimphu. The highlights of the day are the Institute of Zorig Chusum, National Library, and Textile and Folk Heritage Museum. The Institute of Zorig Chusum trains students to perform 13 types of traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan. The course spans 6 years. National Library is a repository of beautiful Buddhist manuscripts and the Textile and Folk Heritage Museum is famous for the exhibition of Bhutanese culture and traditions.
In the afternoon, you stop for lunch at one of the best food stalls in Thimphu. Post lunch, start to explore other highlights of Bhutan, like King’s Memorial Chorten, Government Handicrafts Emporium, etc. You can browse through a wide variety of traditional art-forms, jewelry, textile, thangka painting, and much more in the Government Handicrafts Emporium.
Chorten Memorial is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Bhutan. The milky white edifice is a revered Buddhist shrine. It has a golden pinnacle and the house is dedicated to the third king of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. Chorten Memorial is inhabited by people who hymn chants and spin prayer wheels.
After the day’s excursion in Thimphu, start your journey to Paro in the evening. Upon reaching Paro, check-in at the hotel and take rest.
Overnight stay in the Hotel in Thimphu.
Day 03: Paro Sightseeing
After a refreshing breakfast, you get to explore Paro. Paro is recognized as the most beautiful place in Bhutan. The city offers nature at its best amid a peaceful environment. The contrast of traditional wooden and concrete structures adds a special charm all across the valley.
The wide and verdant Paro Valley is known as the historic center of Bhutan spotted by many historical and cultural landmarks. Some of the best attractions in Paro are Ta Dzong, Rinpung Dzong, etc. Ta Dzong, also known as the National Museum is a conch shaped fortress located on the bank of River Mangde. Former a watch-tower and now a museum, Ta Dzong exhibits antique and traditional artifacts, paintings, weapons, etc.
Below the Ta Dzong is located Paro Dzong, also known as Rinpung Dzong that means the fortress of the heap of jewels. It is embellished with vibrant paintings depicting different tales of Bhutan. Constructed in 1644, Rinpung Dzong is the administrative seat of the district of Paro.
In the afternoon, you stop for lunch and continue sightseeing in Paro by heading to Drukgyel Dzong. This UNESCO world heritage site is a ruined fortress that narrates a dark tale of the warriors who fought with Tibetan invaders. En route, you drive past Chomolhari and visit Kyichu Lhakhang Temple. This is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Bhutan built in the 7th century. The surreal beauty of the place attracts the travelers.
If time and energy permits, you can also visit the places like the Taktsang Monastery and the Cheri Lang monastery. The Takstang’s Monastery, also known as Tiger’s Nest located at a height of 3,120 meters offers great trekking opportunity in Bhutan. It is believed that Guru Rinpoche has landed here on the back of a tiger that gave the place the name Tiger’s Nest.
Stay overnight in the hotel in Paro.
Day 04: Departure From Paro
This is the last day of your 4 days Bhutan tour. After breakfast, you check out from the hotel and get an assisted transfer to the airport to catch the flight for your onward journey.
TOUR ENDS..!!
