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Shangrila Bhutan Cultural Tour
(11 Nights 12 Days)

Dzongkhags covered: Paro, Thimphu, Wangdue, Punakha, Haa Valley

Duration: 11 Nights 12 Days
High Season- March, April, May, September, October & November
Low Season- January, February, June, July, August & December

Itinerary Outline:

Shangrila Bhutan Tour Trip Facts:

This itinerary combines the main valleys of Western Bhutan. Your adventure begins once you board the Druk Air flight to Paro. You will experience breathtaking views of the Himalayan Peaks including sacred Jhomolhari and Mt. Jichu Drakey in Bhutan. On some flights you will see Mt. Everest and Kanchenjunga, the No. 1 & No. 3 respectively of the Himalayas. You will explore the Valleys of Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Wangduephodrang, Phobjikha and Haa. You will visit the valley of the endangered Black-Necked Cranes, Hike to the Choki Traditional Art School where they train poor disadvantaged children in learning our rich traditional arts and crafts. Also, visit Haa valley which was opened to tourists only since 2002 and go to ancient monasteries and Dzongs, hike through lush green valleys and villages with many opportunities to interact with the locals and conclude your visit to Bhutan with a hike to the magical ridge-top Tiger's Nest (Lair) of Taktsang Monastery.

Detailed Itinerary

Day One: Arrive Paro

During your flight to Paro, you will experience awe-inspiring views of the Himalayan Peaks. On arrival at Paro International Airport you will be received by our representative. Visit Tag (pronounced 'Taa') Dzong (top right), built in the 17th century as a watch tower for Paro Rinpung Dzong (top). This Dzong was later converted into the National Museum in 1967, and is filled with antique thangkha paintings, textiles, weapons and armour. Also visit the Rinpung Dzong, built in the 17th century to defend the valley against Tibetan invaders. It is now used as an administrative centre and home of the monastic community here. Kyichu Lhakhang, the oldest monastery of the Kingdom is another place of interest. Overnight at Hotel.

Day Two: Paro- Hike to Taktsang, the Tigers Lair

Hike to the famous Tiger’s Lair ‘Taktsang Lhakhang’ seen left. Clinging to a black rock face 900 metres above the valley floor, the Tiger’s Lair above the valley floor nestles Taktsang Lhakhang, one of the holiest and most beautiful sites of Bhutan. Taktsang, the Tiger's Lair, acquires its name from the legend of its founding, when in the 8th Century Guru Rinpoche, widely revered as the second Buddha, arrived from Tibet flying across the mountains on the back of a Tigress. He meditated at the site for three months, from where he used the religious cycle of the Kagye to subjugate the Eight Categories of Evil Spirits, and thus converted the region to Buddhism. The hike to the Monastery is a gradual climb through the quiet approach path winds through lush meadow, oak and rhododendron forests, past quaint hamlets, fluttering prayer flags and rotating prayer wheels. The hike takes you about 4-5 hours from the car park. Mules/horses will be avilable to those who would prefer not to walk. Tonight we gather for our farewell dinner. Total Hiking Time: About 3 Hours. Overnight in Paro.

Day Three: Paro to Thimphu- Sightseeing Thimphu

We head out through a relaxing countryside of terraced rice fields interspersed with rhododendron and pine forests as we make an hour’s drive to Thimphu, the tiny capital at 7,600 feet (3216 metres above sea level). En route, we see our first examples of Bhutan’s remarkable traditional architecture, one of the country’s unique cultural treasures. Even the most remote village farmhouses are handcrafted using the same ancient methods used to create Bhutan’s religious fortresses called "Dzongs". Afternoon, we visit the Tashichhodzong. This ‘Fortress of the Glorious Religion’ houses the Throne Room of His Majesty the (Fifth) King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the Main Secretariat Building and the Central Monk Body. Its courtyard is open to visitors during the off-office hours (on weekends and weekdays after 4 pm during winter and 5 pm in the summer. Overnight at your Three Star Hotel.

About Thimphu:
Thimphu was a wooded farming valley until 1961, when it became Bhutan's official national capital (previously it was Punakha). Even today, it still only has minimal roads and no traffic lights. The massive Tashichhodzong, about 700 years old, was carefully revamped in the 1960s by the late Third King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, to house the Royal and main government offices. It is also the summer residence of the Je Khenpo, Bhutan’s Chief Abbot who is equal in rank with the King. Thimphu is home to the Bhutanese Royal Family, the Royal Government and to several foreign missions and development projects. Bhutan’s only golf course, a nine-hole circuit, is situated next to the magnificent Tashichhodzong. The Third King was the main architect of modern Bhutan. He died in 1972 and was succeeded by his son, His Majesty the (Fourth) King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who was 17 years old at the time.

Day Four: Thimphu Sightseeing

The Tashichhodzong- the ‘Fortress of the Glorious Religion’ was built without the use of a single iron nail

Full day sightseeing in Thimphu. At the heart of Thimphu visit the Third King's Memorial Chorten (Stupa) built in 1974 where you will find many devotees circumambulating the Chorten. You will also visit the Changangkha Lhakhang ('Lhakhang' means Temple), the Jungshi Paper factory where they make traditional Bhutanese paper, the National Library that houses the world’s largest book, ancient Buddhist texts and manuscripts, a Painting School famous for traditional thangkhas (thangkha is a religious painting) and the Folk Heritage Museum founded by Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck. The museum is one of a kind that portrays the lifestyle of a genteel family in Thimphu valley in the olden days. Visit the Choki Handicrafts shop where Bhutanese textiles and other handicrafts are displayed and can be purchased. The shop is closely linked to the Choki Traditional Art School- many of the goods are produced in the school itself and all proceeds go towards the upkeep of the school and the provision of tuition for the students. Overnight at Hotel.

Day Five: Thimphu to Phobjikha valley (Wangdue) via Dochula Pass

We head out of town on a spectacular 5 hours drive to Phobjikha valley crossing the Dochula Pass at 3100 metres from where you can see the 108 beautiful Chortens (below) built by Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck. From this pass on a clear day, you can have a superb view of the highest peaks in Bhutan. After a hot cup of tea at a cafe atop the pass and time to savour the mountain views, we continue our drive to Phobjikha Valley.

We hike in the beautiful environment of the Phobjikha Valley and visit a farm house. It is a glacial valley on the western slopes of the Black Mountains. The only Nyingmapa (a sect of Buddhism) monastery, Gangtey Goenba sits prominently on a hilltop. The valley is a designated conservation area and borders on the Black Mountain National Park. Because of the large flock of Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis) here that migrate for the winter from Tibet, it is one of the most important wildlife preserves in the country.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN)’s Crane Observation Education Centre was established in Phobjikha Valley in 1996 by the Bhutanese government with assistance from the World Wildlife Fund. The Centre studies the conservation needs of the valley and holds workshops for farmers and students. Here you can use the Centre’s powerful binoculars to observe the cranes in the valley and also get information about the cranes. The rare and endangered Black-Necked Crane occupies a special place in Bhutanese hearts and folklore. Its arrival every autumn from Tibet inspires songs and dances- it usually heralds the end of the harvesting season and signals to the villagers that the time has come to pack up and go to the warmer lower valleys since Phobjikha valley is snowed in during the winter months. The world’s entire population of about 5000 Black-Necked cranes (see one preening above) breed in Tibet and Ladakh. They winter in south-central Tibet and Bhutan. Overnight at lodge.

Day Six: Phobjikha to Punakha

Morning sightseeing around Phobjikha valley. Visit the Carpet Weaving Centre, the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN)’s Crane Observation & Education Centre and visit the Gangtey Goemba (Monastery.) We continue our drive to the Punakha Valley. Enr oute stop at Wangduephodrang and visit the once beautiful Wangduephodrang Dzong built in 1638 now in ruins having been razed by fire in 2012 awaiting renovation, a beautiful example of Bhutanese architecture. A half-hour walk through mustard fields brings us to Chimi Lhakhang, a monastery and fertility temple dedicated to Lama Drukpa Kuenley, a Tibetan Buddhist Saint known popularly as ‘the Divine Madman’. He is considered a folk hero in Bhutan for his unconventional ways. Drukpa Kuenley originally built a chorten on the site in the 14th century. The temple flanked by nearly 100 tall prayer flags sits atop a picturesque hill and has long been a pilgrimage site for childless couples from all over the world. Overnight at Hotel.

Day Seven: Khamsum Yuley Namgay Chorten / Punakha Dzong

Morning drive to Nezigang village and hike to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten, a shrine built by Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck, in 1999. The shrine is perched high on a hill on the opposite bank of the Mo Chhu (female river) offering superb views of Punakha valley. The hike is a gradual ascent through cultivated rice fields and little hamlets. In the afternoon, we visit the Punakha Dzong (picture on the welcome page of this Bhutan Rebirth website and, above at dusk), built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It stands majestically at the junction of the two rivers- Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu (the Male and Female rivers). The Punakha Dzong is an architectural wonder and has played a prominent role in the civil and religious life of the Kingdom. The Dzong had been destroyed four times by fire, earthquake and flood. The Dzong has now been fully restored to its original splendour. The official name of 'Druk Pungthang Dechenphodrang' translates as “the Palace of Great Happiness’; Overnight At Hotel.

About Punakha: Punakha, is located in a low sub tropical valley about 4100 feet and was the capital of Bhutan until 1955. It is still the winter home of the Chief Abbot today. The warmer climate in Punakha allows for the production of two rice crops each year along with oranges, mangos, and bananas. In Punakha, we may see people from the remote village of Laya. The Layaps, as they are known, are yak herders who make the three or four day walk to Punakha from their high-altitude villages in northwest Bhutan. Women of Laya wear conical bamboo hats with a centre spike of bamboo, and Layap men wear black woolen coats.

Day Eight: Punakha - Thimphu

Drive back from Punakha to Thimphu crossing over Dochula pass. After a hot cup of coffee at the Dochula Cafe again, continue our drive to Thimphu . Stroll around Thimphu town and do some shopping. Possibly visit the National Emporium. Go for a ride to Kuenselphodrang Nature Park with the large sitting Buddha overlooking Thimphu. Overnight at Hotel.

Day Nine: Thimphu- Day Hikes

Drive 13 km north of Thimphu to Dodena. A one hour hike this morning brings us up to Tango Monastery (as seen right), a monastic school and retreat built in the 15th century. The Monastery is the residence of the Druk Desi Gyaltsen Tenzin Rabgye, a young Lama who is the reincarnation of the 16th century monk who founded Tango (Tango means horse’s head; the Monastery is named for a rock formation on the mountain it is built on). Tango’s inner courtyard is beautifully painted in bright colours, with lovely views stretching across the Thimphu Valley. We descend and head by road to the Begana Bridge for a two-hour hike on a fairly level trail through the beautiful riverside village of Kabesa. En route we stop to visit the Choki Traditional Art School (CTAS), the only charitable art school in the Kingdom which gives opportunity to economically disadvantaged students from different parts of Bhutan. Students of Choki Traditional Art School graduate with traditional arts and crafts skills which they can put to use to earn a good living back in their home village. A presentation by the Principal will be organised followed by lunch at the school. After lunch there will be a campus tour and visit to the classrooms where the guests can interact with the students. Overnight at hotel.

Day Ten: Thimphu to Haa Valley

Morning drive from Thimphu to Haa valley.

About Haa Valley: Haa Valley is set at an altitude of about 9,000 feet in Western Bhutan. Haa valley opened to outsiders only in 2002. The Haa region is pristine and holds a wealth of traditional culture. For many centuries it was the centre of trade between Western Bhutan and the Chumbi Valley of Tibet. The mountain-ringed valley is dotted with fields of millet, barley, potatoes, and wheat. Its farmhouses are beautiful and richly adorned with traditional painted motifs. Three prominent hills dot the valley and are believed by the locals to be the physical manifestations of three very important Buddhist saints. The left-hand hill represents Manjushri (the God of Wisdom who holds the flaming sword that cuts the knot of ignorance), the middle one is Chenrizig (the Buddha of Compassion, of which the Dalai Lama is the human incarnation), and the right-hand hill is Chana Dorji (the Protector God of Bhutan). Collectively they are known as Rigsum (three hills).

After lunch at our lodge, we visit Lhakhang Karpo, the “Temple of the White Dove”, a Monastery believed to have been built in the 8th century by the Tibetan King, Songtsen Gampo, after he sent two doves (one black and one white) to find a sacred place to build a monastery. Another legend tells how the local nomads erected the temples in a single day- hence the name of the valley, Haa, meaning ‘sudden’. The Lhakhang Karpo houses around 120 monks and is one of the oldest buildings in Bhutan. Visit the Haa dzong situated in the centre of the valley. Overnight at Lodge in Haa.

Day Eleven: Haa to Paro valley

The 2 hours winding road from Haa to Paro ascends through pastureland past grazing yaks before reaching the 3,900 metres Chelela Pass (left) one of the Highest Road Passes in Bhutan. Four kilometres below the pass towards Paro valley at a turn-off is a herders’ camp marked by prayer flags. From here hiking trails lead up for 45 minutes to Kila Goemba, a nunnery, established as a meditation site in the 9th century and reputedly the oldest nunnery in Bhutan. The hike to the nunnery is truly rewarding with a superb view of the Himalayan Mountains and Paro valley. Driving down into Paro Valley, the scenery transforms from sub-alpine pasture brilliant with wildflowers, to lush forests of blue pine, cypress, larch, fir and rhododendron. Stroll around Paro town for shopping. Traditional Bhutanese dinner and overnight at Hotel in Paro.

Day Twelve: Depart from Paro.

After breakfast, we transfer to Paro Airport for onward journey and it's Goodbye...for now....

Note: For Clients travelling in peak seasons and Festival time, it is necessary to book the Tour at least 2 1/2 months in advance. Festivals held in autumn and spring are peak time for tourists and without early reservation it can be difficult to confirm flights and hotels.

These package cultural tours have been designed based on past experiences of visitors to Bhutan and how they felt about various programs. The tours are such that you can gain the maximum out of this experience without exhausting you. The tours can be taken anytime throughout the year. However, these readymade itineraries may not be convenient for some visitors. That is why we would be very happy to, together with you, design a new itinerary to fit all criteria and interests as desired by you. Please write to us with your special interests and/or requirements at bhutanrebirth@gmail.com.

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