Day
01: Arrival / Paro
Paro / Thimpu (Private drive 2 hours approx)
Morning
transfer to the airport to board your flight to Paro via Thimpu
On
arrival at Paro airport, clear immigration and clear customs.
Meeting and assistance upon arrival and drive to Thimpu. An hour an
a half drive from Paro through spectacular mountain landscape brings
you to Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan and the seat of the monarchy.
We would have an opportunity to get off our bus and walk through the
incredible countryside as well as interact with the extremely
friendly locals.
Situated at an altitude of 7,500ft,
overlooking the valley of River Wangchu, Thimpu with a population of
20,000 is a delightful city with traditional architecture. Some of
the sights of Thimpu include The Memorial Chorten (Stupa), Tashichoe
Dzong the fortress of auspicious religion and the seat of the
government, Changlimithang area and the extremely colourful weekly
market and the archery grounds next to it to see the national sport
of archery. From the view points one can have spectacular views of
the Thimpu City. The Simtoka Dzong (1627) houses a university
teaching Bhutanese language - Dzonkha. Initially built as a
monastery, the Dzong has sparkling white walls. The Monastery,
located in the 3-storied central tower is richly painted with
various colourful Buddhist symbols. Exquisitely carved statues of
Buddha and the eight principal bodhisattvas adorn the wall.
The
River View Hotel at Thimpu is a conventional modern hotel with nice
and comfortable rooms along with attached western style toilets,
running hot an cold water and a shop. The food here is nice and the
service very friendly.
Overnight at The Thimpu River
View Hotel
Day 02: Thimpu
Today,
besides exploring some of the sites of this capital city, we would
also have time to visit extremely colourful local bazaars, where
traders and farmers from far and near arrive to sell their produce
and wares.
We would also have the opportunity to witness
the traditional sport of Bhutan, Archery, which is a national
passion with men of all age group in Bhutan. It is fascinating to
see the amazing skills as well as the fervour with which the game is
played.
Overnight at River View Hotel
Day
03: Thimpu / Punakha / Wangdi
The drive from Thimpu to
Punakha is spectacular. You make a gradual climb to a pass over
12000ft and then gradually descend to 5000ft at Punakha. The views
of the snow capped Himalayan ranges from the pass are stupendous.
The prayer flags add a rich colour to the pass. Punakha is an
absolutely incredible place with valleys and terrace farming on
mountains on either side and a river flowing through the valley.
Punakha
is a paradise for people who love nature walks as well as for the
bird lovers. The 17th century Punakha Dzong which besides containing
many religious and ritual artefacts, also shelters the embalmed body
of its maker. Punakha also has many other fascinating smaller
monasteries as well as tombs of former rulers. The rivers Mo-chu and
Pho-chu meet here to form the Santoshi River.
Punakha
offers excellent opportunities for scenic walks through incredible
landscape; infact the entire area speaks of picture postcard
scenery. After our tour of Punakha, we drive just 15 KM's outside of
town to the new resort at Wangdi.
Overnight at The
Kichu Wangdi Resort
Day 04: Wangdi /
Gangtey Valley / Wangdi
This
morning we visit the nearby Gangtey Valley, which is considered one
of the most scenic in all of Bhutan. Imagine finding a wide and flat
valley without obstructing trees in the valley is a rare experience.
This valley is also home to the rare black necked crane who migrate
from central Asian plateaus to escape the harsh winters. We will
explore the Gangtey Valley as well as Wangdi for the day.
Overnight
at The Kichu Wangdi Resort
Day 05:
Wangdi / Paro
Following breakfast we drive with packed
lunches to Paro. The journey is special as we punctuate it with
visits to tribal homes, terrace fields, interaction with families
etc. This is surely to provide you greater insights into this
fascinating Kingdom. The kingdom of Bhutan is probably the only
protected Himalayan paradise that is still thriving in its natural
Splendour. The government's policy of limited tourism will ensure
the Dragon Kingdom to remain as an exclusive destination for a long
time. From the thick alpine forests to the cultured and friendly
people, this pristine country exudes the colour, life and jest,
typified by the yells from the zealous archers.
We arrive
at Paro by mid - afternoon. Nestled in this valley is the Kichu
Resort - an ethnic resort. Here the essence of Bhutanese
hospitality, warm smiles and friendly service await you. 37 cosy
rooms with ethnic decor make Kichu Resort the perfect destination
for the pleasure and leisure seekers.
The delectable
cuisine range from delicious Bhutanese to Continental to Chinese. A
sprawling estate of 5 acres with manicured lawns, delightful local
flowers and an adjoining 5oo-meter riverbank, makes Kichu Resort a
luxurious home in nature. There are also seemingly endless
possibilities of Nature walks.
Overnight at Kichu
Resort
Day 06: Paro
Today, we proceed on a
tour of Paro Valley. The gateway to the entire kingdom's treasures
is the quaint Paro valley. From the moment you alight a blissful
feeling envelops you. Ancient forts with its white washed walls and
the imposing Mt. ` Chomolhari as a backdrop will transport you back
into time. The Drugyel Dzong fortress and the ancient Taktsang
monastery of hermits, which hangs on impossible cliffs, are some of
the fascinating historical places to visit in Paro.
Overnight:
Kichu Resort
Day 07: Paro / Departure
Transfer to the airport to board your onward flight to
Delhi