6 Night & 7Days
The Tiger’s Nest trek in Bhutan is more than just a hike; it’s a pilgrimage, a cultural immersion, and a journey into the heart of the Himalayas. Nestled precariously on a cliff face 3,000 meters above the Paro Valley, Paro Taktsang Monastery, or the Tiger’s Nest, has captivated travelers for centuries with its mystical beauty and spiritual significance.
Highlights
- Trekking to Tiger’s Nest monastery
- Dochula View Point which is the first stop after leaving Thimphu
- visit Chimi Lhakhang (Fertility Temple)
Once you arrive in Paro, you will be received by your Bhutan Maitreya Tusita Travel
representative who will transfer you to your hotel in Thimphu. Thimphu: Capital to the tiny
Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, Thimphu is one of the smallest capitals in the world. For most part
of its history, Bhutan has tried consciously to save its culture from the influences of the western
world. It is not that modernity has not reached this region, but is being introduced in a phased and
balanced manner that is unheard of at any place in the world. All these make Thimphu and other
parts of the country a unique destination. Upon arrival, proceed for check-in at your hotel. After
taking rest for some time take a tour of the town.Trashi Chhoe Dzong: Also called Fortress of the
Glorious Religion, it is situated north of the city on the west bank of the Wang Chhu. The Dzong
was the site of the lavish formal coronation of the fifth King in 2008 and hosts the city’s biggest
annual bash, the colorful tsechu festivities. National Library: Housing an extensive collection of
priceless Buddhist manuscripts. Spend rest of the evening at leisure.
Overnight in Thimphu Hotel
After breakfast, proceed for sightseeing. Buddha View Point: Another place from where you can
get a good overview of the Thimphu valley is from the Buddha Point (Kuensel Phodrang). You
can pay your obeisance and offer prayers to the Buddha Statue, the largest in the country and then
walk around and take a glimpse of the valley. Simtokha Dzong: The monastery was built in 1627
by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It houses the Institute for Language and Cultural Studies. The
carvings behind the prayer wheel in the courtyard are a major attraction of this temple. Memorial
Chorten: It is also known as the Thimphu Chorten, and is located on Doeboom Lam in the
southern-central part of the city near the main roundabout and Indian military hospital. Takin Mini
Zoo: The Takin is the national animal of Bhutan, and looks like a cross between a cow and a goat.
Legend has it that the animal was created by the great Buddhist yogi, Drupa Kunley, and it can be
found only in Bhutan and nearby areas. Visit National Institute for Zorig Chusum:This institute,
commonly known as ‘the painting school’, operates four- to six-year courses that provide instruction in Bhutan’s 13 traditional arts. Students specialise in painting (of both furniture and
thangkas – painted religious pictures, usually on canvas), woodcarving (masks, statues, bowls),
embroidery (hangings, boots, clothes) or statue-making (clay). In the evening free time to explore
Thimphu City.
Overnight in Thimphu Hotel
After having breakfast, check-out of the hotel and proceed to Punakha. On the way to Punakha
you will go through the Dochula Pass. Stop at Dochula View Point which is the first stop after
leaving Thimphu. About 45 minutes from Thimphu, it offers visitors their first glimpse of the
Himalayan range. The road to Punakha branches left and curls its way down to the relatively low
lands of the Punakha valley. On arrival, check-in at the hotel. Later, go for sightseeing. Punakha
Dzong: Majestically standing on an island between the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu
rivers, the city’s dzong is one of the most photogenic of all Bhutan’s ancient fortresses, and you
will see pictures of it hanging in hotels and restaurants throughout the country. The dzong is joined
to the mainland by an arched wooden bridge and contains many precious relics from the days when
successive kings reined the kingdom from this valley. In the evening, return to your hotel and
enjoy a comfortable overnight stay.
Overnight in Punakha
After breakfast this morning, check-out of the hotel and proceed to Paro. On the way visit Chimi
Lhakhang (Fertility Temple): Situated on a hillock in the centre of the valley below Metshina is
the yellow-roofed Chimi Lhakhang, built in 1499 by the cousin of Lama Drukpa Kunley in his
honour after he subdued the demoness of the nearby Dochu La with his ‘magic thunderbolt of
wisdom’. A wooden effigy of the lama’s thunderbolt is preserved in the lhakhang and childless
women go to the temple to receive blessings from the saint. It’s a pleasant 20-minute walk across
fields from the road at Sopsokha to the temple. You will cross an archery ground before making a
short climb to the temple. Upon arrival in Paro, check-in at the hotel. In the evening free time to
explore paro town.
Overnight in in Paro
Take a day walk to the ‘Tiger’s Nest’, the sacred Taktshang monastery which clings to the rock
face 900 metres above the valley floor. Guru Rinpoche is said to have flown to the site riding on a
tigress. He subsequently meditated here for three months. It is one of Bhutan’s most holy sites and
draws pilgrims not only from Bhutan but also from neighbouring Buddhist countries. You can
have lunch at the Taktshang cafeteria from where you get a spectacular view of the monastery. On
the way back you can visit the ruined Drukgyel Dzong (fortress of victory), constructed to
commemorate the victory over Tibetan invaders in 1644 and destroyed by a butter lamp fire in
1951. Nearby you can also visit the 7th century Kyichu Lhakhang, a temple of historical
significance and one of the most sacred shrines in Bhutan. If you are not able to Hike then you can
go for Chelela Pass drive.
Overnight in Paro
After having breakfast at the hotel visit Bhutan’s most impressive and well known Dzong, perhaps
the finest example of Bhutanese architecture you will see. Rinpung Dzong: It is a fortress monastery that serves both as a civil administrative center and as a monastic home for a community
of monks. Most dzongs were built in the mid-1600s to protect the inhabited valleys from invasion
by Tibet. The Paro Dzong was started in 1644 on the order of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the
unifier of modern day Bhutan. Unlike most of the Dzongs in Bhutan, it survived the massive 1897
earthquake mostly unscathed, though it was damaged by fire in 1907. National Museum of Paro:
Housed inside the revamped Ta-dzong building in Paro, National Museum of Bhutan is a cultural
museum that has put on display the antique items gathered from different parts of the country.
Spend the evening at leisure wandering around Paro town for some souvenir shopping and to get
a feel of the city.
Overnight in Paro Hotel
After breakfast this morning, you will be transferred to Paro Airport to board your flight