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KINGDOM OF BHUTAN

 Phuenstsholing / Thimphu/Paro /Dochula Pass

6D 5N

Day 01 Bagdogra to phuentsholing (-)


Upon arrival at Bagdogra Airport, meet and greet our representative, pick up and drive to Phuentsholing, is the second largest town in Bhutan.


Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom in the Himalayas’ eastern edge, is known for its monasteries, fortresses or dzongs and dramatic landscapes that range from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys. In the High Himalayas, peaks such as 7,326m Jomolhari are popular trekking destinations. Paro Taktsang monastery also known as Tiger’s Nest, clings to cliffs above the forested Paro Valley. Transfer to hotel. Have dinner and Overnight in Phuentsholing.

Day 02 Phuentsholing to Thimphu (B)


After breakfast, check out and proceed to Thimphu, transfer to hotel, check in, refresh and relax. After a short relaxation, proceed for lunch and sightseeing in Thimphu. 


Visit the Tashichho Dzong is one of the most beautiful dzongs to have graced Bhutan, located beside the Wangchu River, it looks like an attractive painting out of a textbook. The impressive structure is in its full glory all throughout the spring season, when all the blossoms decorate the entire place. This serene palace also houses a monastery and temple. Currently, it also acts as the chief administrative building, housing the Bhutanese government. It also serves as the summer residence of His Holiness who also is the Chief Abbot of the Religious Body.


Next, visit the Memorial Stupa Thimphu, also known as the Thimphu Chorten, is a stupa (Dzongkha chöten, cheten) in Thimphu, located on Doeboom Lam in the southern-central part of the city, built in 1974 to honor the third Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (1928–1972), is a prominent landmark in the city with its golden spires and bells.


Later, visit the Changangkha Lhakhang is a 800-year old temple, constructed in the 12th-century in entrenched profoundly into the native culture and levies and is a crucial part of the local community. There are magnificent prayer bells in the outer region of the temple scripted with black and gold manuscripts. Along with two beautifully embedded gigantic prayer wheels adds to the appearance of the temple and it is one of the best places to visit in Thimpu.


The wonderful temple firms the statuette of thousand-armed Avalokitesvara and great holy scriptures. This beautiful temple is just 2.5km from the Thimphu clock tower. The temple offers a glorious view of the town straggle all over the place; the temple trail is also called the “back kora”. Have dinner and transfer to hotel. Overnight in Thimphu.

Day 03 Thimphu to Paro (B)


After breakfast, check out and proceed for the rest of the sightseeing in Thimphi.


Have lunch and visit the Buddha Dordenma or the Buddha viewpoint,  the largest Buddha measuring  51.5 meters in height and made of solid bronze,sits on one of the mountains in Thimphu known as Kunzangphodrang. Inside the Buddha are 125,000 smaller Bhuddha statues, 25,000 12 inch statues and 100,000 8 inch statues and the view of the valley of Thimphu.


The Folk Heritage Museum or a living museum is the National Folk Heritage Museum, popularly known as Phelchey Toenkhyim. Her Majesty, Queen Ashi Dorji Wangchuck, officially opened it on July 28, 2001 in Thimphu with the goal of preserving and protecting the traditional and moral qualities of indigenous Bhutanese culture. This 3 storey building does not consist of a single nail and is only made with timber and wood to maintain authenticity of the building was restored from the Wang Dynasty. 


There are 17th century household tools and farming equipment like noodle pressing tool, Leopard Skin Bags and Brokpa Yak-Hair Hat, Original Water Mill stone dating back to 150 years and native trees and plants planted around the building of National Folk Heritage Museum.


Handicraft stores in Bhutan, has developed it's identity and mastered on it's arts and crafts where the skills represent the tradition, culture and history of Bhutan. There are countless handicraft stores and shops available in the street of Paro and Thimphu which display some of the famous Authentic Bhutanese Craft Bazaar, National Handicraft Emporium, Lungta Handicrafts, Yak and Yeti Handicraft Shop, Choki Handicrafts and Handicraft of National Institute of Zorig Chusum.


Next, visit the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, 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. Students are well used to having visitors while they work and it's fine to take photos, and their work is sold at fair prices in the school showroom.


Finally, visit Thimphu's best museum is part of the  Bhutan Textile Museum or Royal Textile Academy which features a stunning display of ancient and modern textiles, and explores the rich traditions of Bhutan's national arts of thagzo (weaving) and tshemzo embroidery. The ground floor focuses on royal ghos, including the wedding clothes worn by the fourth king and his four wives. The upper floor introduces the major weaving techniques, styles of local dress and types of textiles made by women and men. (No photography is allowed).


The museum shop offers some interesting books and fine textiles. Across the courtyard is the Royal Textile Academy conservation centre, where you can watch a small group of weavers working their looms.


Drive to Paro, enroute at DochuLa Pass (3,100 meters), where on a clear day you can get spectacular views of the highest mountains of Bhutan.Visit the Druk Wangyal Chortens. After a photo break, drive to warm valley of Punakha. Drive to Paro River Point and visit the Taa Dzong. Have dinner and transfer to hotel. Overnight in Paro.

Day 04 Paro Local Sightseeing (B)


After breakfast, proceed for an excursion of the famous place called Taktsang Monastery (5hrs hike). Taktsang Monastery (Tiger Nest) is located at the top of about 800 meter cliff in Paro. It takes slightly more than an hour and a half to reach the monastery on foot from the nearest road point. Its history is associated with the visit of Guru Padmasambhava, the Indian saint who came to Bhutan in the 8th century AD. The cave was named Taktshang after Guru Rinpoche flew into the cave from KurtoeSingyeDzong in eastern Bhutan riding on a tigress. Have dinner and transfer to hotel. Overnight in Paro.

Day 05 Paro to Phuentsholing (B)


After breakfast, check out and proceed to visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest and most sacred shrines of the Bhutan Kingdom and Rinpung Dzong also known as Paro Dzong which has a long and fascinating history. Upon arrival, transfer to hote, check in and refresh. After a short relaxation proceed for sightseeing.


Start the tour with the Kyichu Lhakhang also called LHO Kyerchu, a majestic seventh-century temple revered as one of the most magnificent sites of worship in Bhutan, located in the town of Paro, known as one of the oldest in the nation, believed to have been a smaller structure when the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo erected this sacred building in the year 659, but a number of Buddhist saints and gurus added to the site until it became the spectacular temple it is today. Legend has it that the Second Buddha, Padmasambhava, was one of the important historical figures who paid pilgrimage to Kyichu Lhakhang in the eighth century, and that he hid treasure teachings around the temple.


Have lunch and continue your sightseeing, visit the Bhutan Gate, Phuentsholing, separates Bhutan from India. It flaunts the classical elements of traditional and a magnificent example of Bhutanese architecture, located at the Indo-Bhutan Border town Phuentsholing. The wooden work on the gate is absolutely mind-blowing.

The single entry border is the only land access into entering Bhutan and the border is between Jaigaon on the Indian side of West Bengal and Phuentsholing in the south-west of Bhutan.


Zangto Pelri Lhakhang, situated at the centre of Phuentsholing, a Buddhist Monastery and an exquisite example of ancient architecture of Bhutan, built-in 1990 by Dasho Aku Tongmi, who also composed the National Anthem of Bhutan, this beautiful structure houses several statues of Buddhist Gurus, many of which are as high as 4 metres. It also houses the eight life-size idols of different manifestations of Guru Rinpoche. A beautiful statue of Amitabha Buddha is placed on the topmost floor. There is a nice park upfront which has a huge ball fountain, a small pond and prayer wheels. Flaunting Bhutanese craftsmanship, this three-storied monastery is known for its fascinating paintings and attractive statues and the most popular tourist location in Phuentsholing. 


Karbandi Monastery, is one of the oldest Monasteries in Bhutan, also known as Karbandi Goemba, situated 400 metres above an astonishing valley surrounded by coniferous trees. It was built by Ashi Phuntsho Choedron, the Royal Grandmother in 1967, a religious shrine believed to bless infertile couples with children. After an Indian pilgrim couple visited the place to pray for a child, their prayers were answered. It has a garden adorned with colourful prayer flags. The Karbandi Monastery also has four large statues of Buddhist deities, and apart from this, the Monastery offers a breathtaking view of Phuentsholing valley. Best time to visit the place is late afternoons, as the sunset is mesmerising from the viewpoint.


Zangdo Pelri Temple is a religious and holy place of Bhutan that lies in the Phuntsholing town which represents the abode of the revered Guru Rinpochey.


The wall is enclosed with several paintings taken from the life of Buddha. On the second floor of the temple, you can find statues of Avalokiteshwaram, eight Bodhisattavas and Shubdrung Nawang Namgyal. Finally, on the top floor you can see the main statue of the Buddha Amitabha. Have dinner and transfer to hote. Overnight in  Phuentsholing.

Day 06 Departure to Bagdogra (B)


After breakfast, check out and transfer to Bagdogra airport for your onward destination.

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