Journey To Druk_Yul (7 Days)
Day 1 : Bagdogra – Phuntsholing
The representative of Bhutan Takin Trails will receive the visitors from Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri and drive you to Phuntsholing, the border town of Bhutan. The journey is through the West Bengal tea plantations and small towns which takes about 3 hours. Overnight in hotel.
Day 2: Phuntsholing – Thimphu
After breakfast visit Kharbandi Monastery and continue the journey to Thimphu with lunch stop at Bunakha. Then after lunch you cross Chapcha-la 2,525 m. The journey is initially through the dense forest of sub-tropical and through the conifer forest of temperate zone, from typical southern Bhutanese Nepalese houses to typical Bhutanese houses. Overnight in hotel.
Day 3: Thimphu –Sightseeing
After breakfast drive for sightseeing of the Thimphu valley. Visit the Memorial Chorten built in memory of the Late King, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the Father of Modern Bhutan. Then visit the National Library, Zelukha Nunnery and Simtokha Dzong, which now houses the school for national language, Dzongkha. After lunch make a visit to Handicraft Emporium and after that you can stroll in the town. Overnight in Hotel.
Day 4: Thimphu – Punakha – Thimphu
After breakfast, full day excursion to Punakha the ancient capital of Bhutan where visitors are allowed to enter the Dzong if the Je Khenpo (chief Abbot) and the central monk body is in Thimphu in their summer residence. Lunch will be served at Wangdiphodrang. On the way back to Thimphu halt for sightseeing at Dochula pass, alt. 3,080 m from where you can see the beautiful Himalayan mountain range. Drive back to Thimphu. Overnight in hotel.
Day 5: Thimphu – Paro
After breakfast witness the cultural show for an hour or so, performed by the Royal Dance Troupe and drive to Thimphu city for last day of shopping of souvenirs. Lunch at hotel. After lunch drive to the Paro valley following the Thimphu river till Confluence where the Paro river meets the Thimphu river. Then drive up the winding road to Paro. The drive takes about 2 hours. Overnight in hotel.
Day 6: Paro – Sightseeing
Morning, drive to Paro for sightseeing of the valley. Drives through the winding road northwest up the Pa Chu to Drugyel Dzong, the ruined Fort (destroyed by fire in 1950.) which once defended this valley from the Tibetan invasion. From here one can have the view of sacred Mt. Jhomolhari on clear days. On the way back make a visit to a typical Bhutanese farmhouse and stop for a view of Taktsang (tiger’s nest) Monastery which clings on the sheer drop of rock face where the saint Guru Padma-sambhava landed on the flying tiger and mediated there. After lunch drive to Ta Dzong former Watch Tower which now houses the National Museum and then walk down passing close by the Paro Dzong, crossing the Bhutanese typical wooden roofed bridge to Paro town. After a short stroll in town drive back to hotel for the night halt.
Day 7: Paro – departure by Druk-air
Early breakfast then drive to the airport for departure.