10 Days West Bhutan Sightseeing Tour with Bumdrak Trek

Highlights: Visit Tachogang Lhakhang, and Tashichho Dzong and National Memorial Chorten in Thimphu.

Upon your arrival at Paro International Airport by Druk Air, your local guide and driver will meet you at the arriving hall of the airport. And they will have a brief introduction about themselves. Then, you will be transferred to Thimphu (2,350m), the capital city of Bhutan. Covering a total distance of nearly 54 kilometers, it will take you about 1 hour to get to Thimphu from Paro (2,250m).

On the way to Thimphu, you will pay a visit to Tachogang Lhakhang. It was founded by Thankthong Gyelpo after he experienced a vision of Guru Rimpochhe, Amitaba and Avalokiteshvara near site. The caretakers today are said to be descendants of Thangtong Gyelpo. Inside the temple one can see the master’s relics, including his walking stick.

After arriving at Thimphu, your guide will help you check in the hotel. And you can have a brief rest at your hotel if you need. Later, you will visit National Memorial Chorten, which was built in memorial of King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who is also known as the "father of modern Bhutan."

Next, you can visit Tashichho Dzong, the eminent fortress where the national government and central monastic body are located. In addition, here sits the summer residence of Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot of Bhutan.

Stay overnight in Thimphu.

Thimphu National Memorial Chorten

Highlights: Visit National Folk Heritage Museum, Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory, Simtokha Dzong, and Motithang Takin Preserve in Thimphu.

Today’s tour will first bring you to the National Folk Heritage Museum. It dedicates itself to connecting people with the rich Bhutanese folk heritage and rural history through exhibits, demonstrations, educational programs and documentation of Bhutanese rural life. The museum will strive to disseminate the rich cultural heritage across generations by preserving it in different forms.

Next, you will head to visit Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory. The factor is located approximately 1 kilometer from Thimphu city, and uses the bark of two tree species (the Daphne tree, and Dhekap tree) in the manufacture of traditional paper. You can observe the entire process of producing handmade paper using ancient traditional methods that have been practiced for generations. Besides, you are able to try your hand at this ancient craft and make some paper of your own as a souvenir.

Later, you will drive to upper Motithang in Thimphu to visit Motithang Takin Preserve, a wildlife reserve area for takin (Budorcas taxicolor), the national animal of Bhutan. It's worthwhile taking the time to see these oddball mammals here.

You will end today’s sightseeing after visiting Simtokha Dzong. It was built by Zhabdrung to consolidate his domain and subdue the demon in 1629. Nowadays, it is often said to be the first dzong built in Bhutan.

Stay overnight in Thimphu.

Visit the Takin Preserve

Highlights: Cross Dochula Pass and explore Probjikha valley and Gangtey Monastery.

After breakfast, you will start your journey to Gangtey (2,890m). The distance between Thimphu and Gangtey is about 135 kilometers, which will take you 6 hours. On the way, you will have an excellent opportunity to enjoy a panoramic view of the solemn Bhutan Himalaya Ranges and even take photos at the impressive collection of 108 chortens at Dochula Pass (3,140m).

Gangtey, also called Phobjikha, is one of the most beautiful destinations in Bhutan. It is also the winter home to a group of globally endangered black-necked cranes that arrive every year from the Tibetan Plateau.

Upon your arrival, you will first visit Gangtey Monastery, generally known as Gangtey Goenpa. Situated atop a hill at an altitude of 2800m, the monastery offers a stunning view of Phobjikha valley. Besides, it is the winter home to the rare Black Necked Cranes of Bhutan. 

Stay overnight in Gangtey.

Gangtey Monastery

Highlights: Visit superb Punakha Dzong and Chimi Lhakhang in Punakha.

Today, you will say farewell to the charming Gangtey valley. About a 3-hour drive will bring you to Punakha. Upon your arrival at Punakha, you will head to visit the Punakha Dzong. Standing by the riverside of Pho Chu and Mo Chu, Punakha Dzong is one of the most impressive buildings and one of the top favorite attractions in Bhutan. More importantly, the rectangular shape fortress is also an honorable treasury where preserves numerous Buddhist relics and historical legacies.

After witnessing the superb Punakha Dzong, you will continue to visit Chimi Lhakhang, also known as Chime Monastery, is a beautiful Buddhist monastery located in the Punakha District of Bhutan. It stands on a small round hillock close to the village of Lobesa and was built in 1499 by the 14th Drukpa hierarch, Ngawang Choegyel.

Stay overnight in Punakha.

Visit Punakha Dzong

Highlights: Visit Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten and Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang.

On today’s schedule, you will first pay a visit to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, built by the Queen Mother of the 5th King to bring peace and harmony for all living beings. It sits on a ridge above Punakha Valley, where you will have a fascinating view of the countryside below. 2 hours round trip walk through rice fields are required to visit the chorten.

In the afternoon, after 2 hours drive from Punakha Valley, you will arrive Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang, including a double storied temple and a nunnery complex. The complex houses a permanent higher learning and meditation centre of nuns. Skills such as tailoring, embroidery, statue making and thangka painting can also be trained here.

Stay overnight in Punakha.

Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Lhakhang

Highlights: Hike to Kila Goenpa or visit Lhakhang Karpo.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will drive to Haa and hike to Kila Nunnery. You are going to descend for the two-hour hike through dense rhododendron forest, possibly sighting shaggy yaks, to Kila Goenpa, an ancient nunnery nestled in a craggy patch on the mountainside below. Kila Goenpa is a serene retreat for 32 Anims (Buddhist nuns) who lead an undisturbed life of religious studies, prayer and meditation.

Or you can drive to Haa and pay a visit to Lhakhang Karpo, also known as White Temple, which is one of the oldest temples around. As per the legend King Songtsen Gampo released a black and white pigeon in order to build temples. The white pigeon landed on the mountains of Chenrizi of towering Rigsum. On the other hand, a black pigeon landed on the north - that is Lhakhang Nagpo. Both of the temples are much revered.

Stay overnight in Haa.

Visit Lhakhang Karpo

Highlights: Drive back to Paro and visit Ta Dzong, Paro Rinpung Dzong and Drukgyel Dzong.

After breakfast, you will drive back to Paro. Upon arrival, you will visit Bhutan National Museum - Ta Dzong. The museum houses a large number of valuable collections. A visit to the National Museum will deepen your understanding of this country in a whole and broaden your eyes with numerous pieces of Bhutan treasures.

Next, you will head to explore Paro Rinpung Dzong, also named as Paro Dzong, a fortress once built to defend the valley from invasions. However, it now serves as an administration center and school for monks.

Later, driving to the north of Paro valley, it will bring you to the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong. It was built in 1647 by the great Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, father, and unifier of medieval Bhutan. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by an accidental fire and left in ruins as an evocative reminder of the great victories. Nowadays, Drukgyel Dzong becomes a popular attraction in Paro, Bhutan.

In the evening, you can freely explore Paro to experience its unique lifestyle here.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Visit Paro Rinpung Dzong

Highlights: Visit Sang Choekhor Lhakhang, Chhoe Tse Lhakhang and Bumdrak Monastery en route of the trekking.

Today, you will get an early start from the village of Sang Choekhor (2,900m), where you will meet the team for the trek. The actual trek starts from here, and heads first to Bumdrak, the place where 100,000 dakini footprints can be found.

Before leaving Sang Choekhor, we will visit the small Sang Choekhor Lhakhang, the local Buddhist College, after which we will take the trail up through the blue pines of the hillsides to the shady forested ridge above, which opens out onto a clearing festooned with prayer flags. The views from the clearing look down onto both the Paro and Do Chhu Valleys and are spectacular.

A few hours walk from the clearing and we will pass by the often-closed Chhoe Tse Lhakhang (3,650m), a small temple that nestles on the side of the mountain. The trail is up and down for the entire walk, with the last stretch climbing steeply to the temple, where you get some commanding views out over Paro and to the north to the mountains of the Himalayas.

The final climb through ruined buildings and fluttering prayer flags takes around 20 minutes, after which we will drop back into the dense ancient forests of pine, juniper, and rhododendron, coming out 40 minutes later onto a vast open meadow scattered with sacred chortens and adorned with colorful prayer flags.

On the side of the meadow lies the Cave of a Hundred Thousand Prayers, which lies under the Bumdrak Monastery (3,900m), and after lunch we will explore this delightful meditation site and the monastery above. The campsite for the night lies just below the monastery, at around 3,800 meters, and offers some great views of the mountains as the sun drops over them.

Stay overnight in Bumdrak Campsite.

Paro Bumdrak Trek

Highlights: Visit the amazing Tiger’s Nest Monastery along the way.

After a delicious breakfast, we will start our trek to the city of Paro, passing by and visiting the amazing Taktsang Monastery along the way. After leaving the Bumdrak Monastery camp, we will descend for around two hours towards the city in the valley below. On the descent, the path snakes its way down the side of the mountain, finally reaching the gardens of Sangtopelri (heaven on Earth), at around 3,000 meters, from where you can peer down on the roofs of the Taktsang Monastery (3,155m), if you are brave enough to go to the edge.

After another hour of descent, we will finally reach the gates of the Taktsang Monastery, perched against the face of the cliff on a narrow ledge that hardly seems wide enough to build on. After a descent from the gates past a beautiful waterfall and up some carved steps in the rock of the cliffs, we pass into the Tiger’s Nest Monastery itself.

Lunch is served as a hot picnic lunch, and after eating and exploring this amazing feat of construction, and the legends of the meditation caves of Guru Rinpoche and his journey to Bhutan on the back of a flying tigress, we will continue our descent to the valley below, where our car will take us back to Paro.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Tiger’s Nest Monastery

After breakfast, your guide will meet you at the hotel and transfer you to Paro International Airport for your next destination.

The tour services end.