Thimphu Festival Tour - 8 days

Upon your arrival in Paro Internation Airport, Paro, you will be greeted by the views of the Bhutanese Mountains and welcomed by our representatives. After leaving the international terminal, you will head to your hotel and get to taste delicious Bhutanese cuisine.

Soon after, your guide will take you on short cultural sightseeing to Rinpung Dzong, popularized as "Fortress of the Heap of Jewels." It is the current monastic body of the western region and houses 14 shrines and chapels and fine paintings of the past. Take a short downhill stroll, and cross a wooden bridge to your car waiting to take you to Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in the country. Explore the intimate inner courtyard, the 7th-century statue of Shakyamuni, and the 5m-high statue of Guru Rinpoche. The evening is yours to get to know the people in Paro and explore the rich Bhutanese culture up close.

 Overnight stay in Paro.   

Early in the morning, you will depart for Haa Valley. Drive through the Chele La Pass (3,810m / 12,500ft), one of the highest passes in Bhutan with its panoramic views. The pass is filled with Buddhist prayer flags and offers stunning views of mountains like Mt. Jumolhari and Tsherimgang mountains in the distance.

 An hour's drive downhill passing through thick pine and oak forest, will take you to the Haa valley, famous for its lush greenery and enthralling beauty. There are famous medieval temples and monasteries like the White temple and the Black temple in the foothills of the Meri Puensum mountains. You can engage in some hiking activities on the Haa Chu riverside. 

Overnight stay in Haa.

After your morning breakfast, depart for Thimpu, the country's capital. Passing through beautiful villages and the lush green pine forests, you will experience a pleasurable ride with many optional stops on the way to explore and to click photos. One such stop is the Dobji Dzong. Finally, the road joins the main road at Chuzom, and you will reach Thimpu soon after. 

After you arrive in Thimphu, have lunch, then attend the Thimphu festival with the locals and people of nearby villages. The dances with beautiful techniques and unique attire have their religious importance. People of all age groups and fellow tourists came together to witness this spectacle. It is a good opportunity to mingle with the locals of Thimphu. For the rest of the evening, you can take a stroll around the Thimpu markets and observe the lifestyle of the locals.

 Overnight stay in Thimphu.

You will be driven to the Tendrel Thang near Tashichho dzong early in the morning to witness the Thimphu festival. The Thimphu Tshechu is the biggest festival held in Bhutan, observed for 3 days with rituals, prayers, and dances performed to invoke the gods. This festival is mainly celebrated to honor Guru Rinpoche, the human manifestation of Padmasambhava known as "The Second Buddha." It is held on the 10th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar of Bhutan.

You will witness the monks perform stylized dances with colorful attire and masks to impress the gods. These dances often signify the life of Guru Rinpoche and have strong historical and religious meanings behind them.

The Tendrel Thang (festival ground in front of Tashichho dzong) will be occupied by thousands of people gathering to witness the cultural dances, socialize, and receive blessings. You will have a great opportunity to socialize and witness Bhutanese culture here. 

Overnight stay in Thimphu.

After having breakfast in the morning, visit the National Memorial Chorten built in 1972 A.D. to honor the late third King Jigme. You will then head to Buddha Dordenma, a 50 m-high golden statue of Shakyamuni.

Next, take a scenic drive to Punakha via the Dochula Pass (3,150m), where the views of the mountains are astounding. After passing by lush rhododendron and hemlock forests on a downhill drive and traversing rice fields, you will finally reach Punakha. You will head to the Punakha Dzong, one of the oldest dzongs in Bhutan, between two rivers. After exploring the majestic structure of the Bhutanese government's previous seat and Bhutan's administrative body, you will call it a night.

Overnight stay in Punakha.

Today, you will return to Paro via the Dochula Pass, famous for Druk Wangyal Chortens, 108 chortens built by Queen Mother.

En route, make a stop at Lobesa, and take a hike through vast rice fields up to the Chimi Lhakhang Temple, a fertility temple built in honor of Drukpa Kuenly, the "Divine Madman." After exploring the place with its rich history, you will continue the drive up to the Lamperi Botanical Garden, consisting of various native plants like fir, hemlock, and rhododendron. It is also famous for boating in Barisho Lake and its treehouses. Take a nature walk around the area and get refreshed. Then, continue on the drive until you finally reach Paro.

Overnight stay in Paro.

Today is very exciting as you will visit the Taktsang Monastery, one of the most famous sites in Bhutan. Legend states that Guru Rinpoche had landed in the Pel Phuk cave in Thulo Phuk on a tigress' back and meditated there. Later on, a monastery was constructed surrounding the cave, and the monastery was called the "Tiger's Nest Monastery."

The monastery is located on a cliffside height of 3,180 m. You will hike with an ascent of 900m on steep slopes and ascents, but the view of the vistas below is worth the sweat.

You will observe a lot of prayer wheels and flags, ancient writing, paintings, chortens, and shrines within the vicinity of the monastery. After exploring the structure for some time, take a hike back to Paro.

Today is your last day in Bhutan. After breakfast, take a stroll in the streets of Paro and buy souvenirs like Bhutanese handicrafts and woven goods.

Overnight stay in Paro.

We will escort you to the international terminal and bid farewell to our representatives in hopes that you will plan another tour with us in the future to Bhutan and perhaps Nepal.