8 Days Punakha Winter Trek

Highlight: Visit Paro landmarks including Ta Dzong Museum and Kyichu Lhakhang.

Upon your arrival in Paro by Druk Air, Bhutan’s national carrier, you will be picked up by your tour guide at the airport and then escorted to the hotel. After a short rest, you will go to tour the Paro city.

This first landmark in Paro you will visit is the Ta Dzong Museum, the national museum located on the hill behind the Paro Dzong. It houses many fine arts, religious relics, handicrafts, as well as textiles, jewelry etc., offering a great orientation into Bhutan’s historical, cultural, and religious past. Then head to visit the Kyichu Lhakhang, which is one of 108 temples constructed by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo. Built in a manner similar to the Jokhang in Lhasa, Tibet, the temple has the great golden image of Buddha Shakyamuni.

In the later afternoon, we will drive to Thimphu, following the Pachu River. It is a short drive of about 1.5 hours.

Stay overnight in Thimphu. 

Paro including Ta Dzong Museum

Highlight: Explore Thimphu’s cultural wonders like National Memorial Chorten, National Textile Museum and Traditional Paper Making Factory etc.

Today, you will enjoy a sightseeing tour around Thimphu. You will first visit the National Memorial Chorten, constructed in memorial of the third King of Bhutan, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, in 1974. The King was generally regarded as the father of modern Bhutan and widely esteemed by the Bhutanese. Then head to National Textile Museum, which keeps the traditional art of waving preserved and exhibits a good collection of ancient colored textile in various forms. keeps the traditional art of waving preserved and exhibits a good collection of ancient colored textile in various forms.

After lunch, you will visit the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, to see the productive process of Bhutan’s traditional medicine, herbs mostly, and watch the medical practitioner training. Next, go to Traditional Paper Making Factory, which originated from the old tradition in the 8th century, Bhutan papermaking has been well preserved and listed as the valuable national heritage of Bhutanese culture.

Stay overnight in Thimphu. 

Thimphu National Memorial Chorten

(Trek Distance: 15km; Time: 5-6 hours; Camp Altitude: 3360m)

In the morning, you will take a drive from Thimphu to Chamina. You can enjoy the view of the unspoiled forests and flora along the way. Then, you will pass the Dechenchholing Palace and Pangri Zampa Lhakhang(temple) where the royal members and Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel once lived in. Our drive continues to the target destination of Chamina.

From Chamina the three-day Pubakha Winter Trek begins. You can see Phajoding Gompa at the top of a hill. Continue climbing, you will pass Sinchula pass (3,400m), from where you may have the chance to see Phajoding monastery if the weather is clear. Then you head downhill to the Dopshipang campsite in a wide turf. Along the way there is beautiful landscape with various plants and forests.

Camping at Dopshipang.

Dochu La Pass

(Trek Distance: 18km; Time: 7-8 hours; Camp Altitude: 2700m)

Today you trek downhill first through the villages and forests to Chorten Ningpo. The rice fields are lush in summer and golden in autumn. You will also see various local vegetables and fruits in different season.

In the Center of Chorten Ningpo village is your campsite. There is the Chorten Ningpo Sherdag next to the campsite which is worth visiting if you arrive early.

Camping at Chorten Ningpo.

Chorten Ningpo

(Trek Distance: 5km; Time: 1 hour)

Our day begins with a light trek through the village to the motor road. This walk takes around one hour. We will then take the drive to Punakha.

Stay overnight in Punakha.

Punakha Dzong

Higlights: Visit Punakha Dzong, the most beautiful Dzong in Bhutan, and Chhimi Lhakhang.

After breakfast, you will visit the most majestic dzongs in Bhutan – the Punakha Dzong. The construction has 6 stories with a tower at the center and is well maintained after all these years. You can enjoy interesting architecture, beautiful paintings during the tour. The Dzong is located on the confluence of two rivers, the Pho Chhu (Male) and Mo Chhu (Female), which converge in the valley.

You can hike to Chhimi Lhakhang, the temple of fertility, on the way to Lobesa. This temple is built on a round hillock with a golden spire.

In the evening we arrive at Paro. You can stroll around the town to experience local life and culture.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Chhimi Lhakhang

Highlight: Enjoy the wonderful trekking to Tiger’s Nest.

After enjoying your breakfast, we will drive to Paro (2200m). You can hike to Taktshang Lhakhang (Tiger’s Nest Monastery), which stands at the cliffside of the upper Paro valley. During March and April, Tsechu will be held in the valley sometimes, you can enjoy the dance of the Black Hat monks if lucky. On our way down the hill, you can take a tour at the Jowo Temple of Kyichu built by the Tibetan Emperor in the 7th century, which is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Trek to Tiger's Nest Monastery in winter

Your tour guide will transfer you to Paro International Airport for your next destination. Tour service end.