When you arrive at Paro International Airport, you will be met by your tour guide just outside the arrival hall. At 7,333 ft. above sea level, you will likely notice the effect of the high altitude, so we will give you time to acclimatise as we take a short drive to Thimphu and check into your hotel. In Thimphu, you will visit the National Memorial Chorten, built in honour of the 3^rd King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the Thimphu Dzong, the seat of the office of the King of Bhutan, the Motithang Takin Reserve, home to the national animal of Bhutan. Thereafter, you will visit the Buddha Dordenma Statue which is the largest sitting statue of Buddha in the world. You can also enjoy the night walking around Thimphu Town after dinner.

On the 2^nd day in Thimphu, you will visit the National Textile Museum, where you will learn about the bright and beautifully designed fabrics worn by the Bhutanese people. Thereafter, you will visit Zorig Chosum, the institute of Arts and Crafts and the National Folk Heritage Museum, dedicated to preserving Bhutanese folk arts. You will end the day with a visit to Simtokha Dzong which was built in 1629 and was the first fortress of its kind in Bhutan.

You will drive through Dochula Pass, a popular tourist spot that provides stunning views of the Himalayas. There are 108 chortens, that were built by the Queen Mother of Bhutan Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, in memory of the Bhutanese soldiers killed in a 2003 battle with Assamese insurgents from India. You will witness the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong. Built in 1638, Wangdue Dzong is dramatically perched on the spur of a hill and overlooks the confluence of the Tsang Chhu and Dang Chhu Rivers.

Phobjikha (Gangtey) Valley is known as the winter home of the black necked canes (Grus Nigicollis). You can see 600 of these elegant birds that migrate here from Tibet between November and March. 

Gangtey Goemba is a 17^th century monastery that sits on a hill, overlooking the entire valley. An excellent example of Tibetan architecture, the payer hall (tshokhang), features eight great pillars. In the 15^th century, the Buddhist saint Pema Lingpa foretold that a temple woulb be built there, so his teachings could be spread. In 1613, his grandson, a reincarnation of Pema Lingpa, fulfilled the prophecy by building a Nyingma temple at the location. Kuenzang Chholing, the long white building nearby, is where monks go to meditate for three years, three months and three days.

Chimmi Lhakhang: A 20 minutes’ walk across terraced fields through the village of Sopsokha from the roadside to the small temple located on a hillock in the centre of the valley below Metshina. Ngawang Chogyel built the temple in 15th century after the ’divine Madman’ Drukpa Kuenlay built a small chorten there. It is a pilgrim site for barren women.

In Punakha, you will visit the Punakha Dzong which was built in 1637 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, to serve as the religious and administrative seat of the region. You will also visit the Pho Chhu suspension bridge, which is 160 metres long and gives breath-taking views of the Punakha Dzong and the Pho Chhu valley

Khamsum Yulley Namgyel Choten–  This temple was built by the Queen Mother of the King, Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck, to bring universal peace in the world. The best of the spiritual art works ae painted on the inner walls.

Paro Valley – The beautiful valley is home to many of Bhutan’s old monasteries and temples. The country’s only Airport is in Paro. The valley is also home to mount Chomolhari (7,300 meters) situated at the northern end of the valley whose glacier water forms the Pachu flowing through the valley. The following are some of the prominent places to visit in Paro. Paro Dzong – Also known as Rinpung Dzong, this 15th century massive fortress/monastery, is also the administrative center of the dzonkhag. Ta Dzong – Built as a watch tower the Ta Dzong, it was converted into the National Museum in 1968. The museum boasts antique Thangka, textiles, weapons and armour, household objects and rich assortment of natural and historic artifacts.

Taktsang Monastery– A one hour hike to the cafeteria is also a vantage view whereby you can enjoy the stunning view of the monastery. Payer flags adorn the cliffs and this is also where Guru Padmasambhava landed on the back of a tigress in the 8^th century.

Kyichu Lhakhang– After lunch, we will retrace our steps to visit the Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan.