Central Bhutan: Journey to the Buddhist Heartland

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by a representative from Bhutan Travel Adventures and then drive to Thimphu for an hour. Overnight in Thimphu.

Drive to Punakha for 2 ½ hours with a brief stop at Dochula Pass. If the weather is clear, you could enjoy a superb view of Bhutan's Himalayas from the pass. Upon arrival in Punakha, check in at the hotel first. Have lunch in Punakha town and visit the beautiful Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The dzong is situated between Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River), two famous rivers of Bhutan. Punakha was the old capital of Bhutan, and is the winter capital for the central monk body at present.

Afterward, visit a farmhouse in a typical village in Punakha to see how people live in rural Bhutan. You will be served some Bhutanese local wine, tea, and snacks at the farmhouse. Overnight at the hotel in Punakha.

The drive will take around 7 ½ hours. You will have lunch at Chendibji Restaurant or in Trongsa. Drive to Bumthang with a short stop at Chummey Yathra shop, the place where they weave woolen clothes. Overnight stay at the hotel in Bumthang.

The valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in the kingdom. It is also the religious heartland where many saints and masters meditated, leaving their imprints as sacred places of worship and pilgrimage. Tales of Padmasambhava dominate these holy shrines. In the morning, visit Jampa Lhakhang, which was built by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century to pin down the left knee of the ogress. And then visit Kurji Monastery where body imprints of Guru Rimpoche from the 8th century remain preserved upon a rock. Then a short hike to Tamzhing Monastery. If the weather is clear, you will enjoy the view of a green valley dotted with hundreds of temples, thousands of flags, and the beautiful Chamkhar River flowing through the valley. The valley is also called Mini Switzerland of Bhutan. After lunch, drive to visit Tang Member Tsho (Burning Lake), where Saint Pemalingpa had discovered several hidden treasures from the lake. Overnight in Bumthang.

The drive will take around 2 ½ hours to Trongsa. Check in at the hotel and have lunch. After lunch, visit Trongsa Dzong, which was the seat of successive Trongsa Penlops and the ancestral home of the kings. Overnight at the hotel in Trongsa.

After breakfast, drive towards Wangdue, which will take around 5 ½ hours. On the way, you will visit Gangtey Monastery founded in the 15th century. This is one of the Nyingmapa monasteries in the country, and it was renovated by His Holiness Gangtey Trulku Rimpoche and was consecrated only in November 2008. From the monastery, you can also have a view of the beautiful Phobjikha valley just below the monastery, which is a roosting place for the rarest Black Necked Cranes in winter. If you are here in winter, you could see the cranes and continue driving to Wangdi for an overnight stay.

Drive to Thimphu for 3 hours and check in at the hotel. Have lunch, and in the afternoon visit the mini zoo to see the Takins, which is our national animal. This is also an animal which is a rarest species. And visit the handicraft emporium and shops for your souvenir shopping. In the evening, take a stroll around the capital city to see the life of urban Bhutan.

Visit the School of Arts and Crafts, which was established to preserve and promote our age-old practices. The students here are taught 13 different traditional arts. You can also visit the Memorial Stupa, which was built in memory of our beloved 3rd King in 1974. Visit the Folk Heritage Museum to see the living house of olden days. Visit Zilukha Nunnery, one of the temples where the nuns live and study.

You can also visit the paper factory to see how Bhutanese traditional papers are made. If the group visit doesn't coincide with a festival time, we will host a cultural show in the evening for the group travelers. Overnight in Thimphu.

After breakfast, drive to Paro and check in at the hotel. And visit the National Museum, the museum which houses numerous collections of arts and artifacts. This museum has also been rated as one of the best museums in Asia. The building was originally built in the mid-17th century as a watchtower for the dzong below.

And then visit Kyichu Monastery dating back to the 7th century, and it's one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan. After that, visit Drugyel Dzong, which is a ruined fortress at present and was built in 1649 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. The dzong was actually built to commemorate the winning victory over the Tibetans in 1644. Overnight at the hotel in Paro.

The hike will take about 5 hours for a round trip with a lunch stop. It's an uphill hike. Taktsang Monastery is perched on the face of a cliff 800 meters above the Paro valley. It is a memorable spiritual journey. It was here that the great Tantric master, Guru Padmasambhava flew in from Tibet on the back of a flying tigress to propagate his teachings in Bhutan. Lunch at the cafeteria, or you will be served a catering lunch from a restaurant. Walk back downhill to your hotel. Take rest or drive to the town for your last-minute shopping. Overnight at the hotel.

Our guide and driver will drop you at the airport for your departure back home.

Tashi Delek and have a pleasant flight back home.