Bhutan Paro Festival Tour

Max. Altitude: 1,300m
Overnight at Hotel (Kathmandu)
Meals Included: Dinner
Highlights: Explore Thamel, Ason, and Garden of Dream

After your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Kathmandu, our office representatives will escort you to the hotel. We will assist you in the check-in process and after that, you can take shower and rest for a while.

In leisure time, you can stroll around the nearby places to add more memories to your trip. You can walk around the bustling Thamel and Ason. Thamel is the main hub of tourism where there are several shops of ancient arts and architecture. You can observe the market of Nepalese products and if you wish, you can buy them too as the price is reasonable.

Also, Ason is a famous Nepalese market where clothing, electronics, stationery, etc. items are sold mostly. You can also taste Nepalese spicy street foods in Ason at an affordable price. If time allows us, then we will even visit the Garden of Dream which is in central Kathmandu. This place is famous for couples and has a serene and green environment.

After the exploration of nearby places, you will be served cultural Nepalese dishes. If possible, you will also get a chance to enjoy Nepalese programs. Also, to make your trip more exciting, don't forget to chat with locals of Kathmandu by practicing some Nepali words
 

Max. Altitude: 1,300m
Overnight at Hotel (Kathmandu)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Highlights: Pasupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath & Kathmandu Durbar Square

Today is the important day of our Nepal tour where we will explore the 4 major UNESCO Listed World Heritage Sites of Nepal.

We will start our journey early in the morning by visiting one of the major sacred Hindu temples, Pasupatinath Temple. It lies on the bank of the Bagmati River and God Shiva is worshipped in this temple. Several small and big statues of God and goddess around the area of this temple will help you to calm your soul and mind.
From Pashupatinath Temple, we will head towards Boudhanath Stupa. This stupa is a famous Buddhist shrine that has been home to Tibetan refugees. It is the largest stupa in the world which is 131ft. in height. It is designed in mandala style and was built in the 5th century.

We will also visit Swayambhunath Stupa which is an important religious site for both Hindus and Buddhists. From the top of this stupa, you can see the beautiful view of Kathmandu city and its surroundings. Also, the flapping prayer flags, murals, Mani walls, Buddha statues, etc. make its surroundings more religious.
After exploring the Hindus and Buddhist sites, we will head towards Kathmandu Durbar Square which is also known as Hanuman Dhoka Palace. This place was ruled by Newari Mallas between the 12th and 18th centuries. We will visit Taleju Temple, Kumari Goddess Temple, Kal Bhairav, Jagannath Temple, King Pratap Malla statue, etc. inside the premises of this durbar square.
 

Flight Duration: 1 hour
Max. Altitude: 2,200m (Paro)
Accommodation: Hotel (Paro)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Highlights: Scenic Flight, Exploring Ta Dzong, Kyichu Lhakhang, and Rinpung Dzong

In the morning, our representative will pick you from the hotel and drop you at the airport for the scenic flight to Paro from Kathmandu. This short flight will offer you splendid views of the giant peaks of Bhutan such as Mt. Jumolhari, also known as the 'bridge of Kanchenjunga' and Mt. Jichu Drake. After the descent of the plane, you will start to witness the approaching Paro Valley, lush forests, temples, monasteries, etc. After the plane lands, our Bhutan guide will escort you to the hotel.

After having lunch and resting for a while, we will start to explore the Paro Valley with the help of a guide. First of all, we will visit Ta Dzong which used to be a watchtower during the 17th century. Now, this tower building has been renovated into a National Museum. We can observe the ancient Buddhist arts and architecture of Bhutan, bronze statues, special symbols of Bhutanese warriors, etc. inside the museum.

From Ta Dzong, we will head towards Kyichu Lhakhang which is the oldest temple in Bhutan. It is home to the eight-year-old Buddha statue of Sakyamuni which is surrounded by vibrant flowers, fields, and hills.

We will also visit Paro Rinpung Dzong which is also known as Heap of Jewels fort. It was built by Zabdrung Ngawang Namgyal who is believed to be the founder of Bhutan. Now, it has been renovated into administrative offices and a monastery.
 

Max. Altitude: 2,200m (Paro)
Accommodation: Hotel (Paro)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Highlights: Paro Festival Tour

Today, we will observe the Paro Festival in this city. We will stroll around the city and experience the happiness, excitement, and rituals of the Paro Tshechu Festival. Paro Festival being the divine and important festival of Buddhists is celebrated in every city of Bhutan. Local people dressed in traditional dresses, and pilgrims prayed to the Paro Dzong to receive blessings.

We can listen to the haunting sounds of flutes and cymbals and see monks and people dressed in brocade costumes to perform the folk dances. These costumes and dances have remained constant for thousands of years. It is believed that if any changes are made to costumes and dances then Bhutan will be in trouble. Some of the dances that we will be observing in the Paro festival are Heroes, Novel Man and Ladies Lenham, Cremation Grounds, Stag, Hounds, Terrifying Deities, etc.

Along with dances, folk songs are also sung to celebrate this day. Local people drink locally produced alcohol and butter tea. For the full day, we will also gather with the Bhutanese people and follow their rituals with the Great Spirit. In the evening, we will also walk around the oldest bridge of Bhutan - the Rinpung Bridge. 
 

Driving Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes (55km)
Max. Altitude: 2,334m (Thimphu)
Accommodation: Hotel (Thimphu)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Highlights: Visiting King's Memorial Chorten, National Library, Buddha Dordenma, Folk Heritage Museum, School of Arts and Crafts, and Tashichho Dzong, etc.

After exploring the major sights of Paro valley and the Paro festival, we will drive to Thimphu. After reaching Thimpu, we will visit King's Memorial Chorten with Greater Himalaya's guide. It was built in the memory of Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, the third Bhutanese King.

From here, we will drive towards the hilltop of Buddha Dordenma which is a popular tourist destination in Bhutan. On the top of the hill, a 169 ft. giant metal statue of Buddha is placed which has 1,25,0000 miniature statues in its bronze body.
Afterward, we will visit Tashichho Dzong which is the headquarters of the royal government of Bhutan. This fortress houses the secretariat government and the throne room of the king.

Similarly, we will also explore Changangkhalhakhang which is one of the oldest temples of Bhutan built in the 12th century. Besides this, we will also explore the National Library, Folk Heritage Museum, and School of Arts and Crafts which will provide a deep insight into Bhutan history and a panoramic view of the ancient things being preserved in the museum.
In the evening, we will walk around Clock Tower Square and visit the local markets. We will also interact with the local people and learn about their lifestyles.
 

Driving Duration: 2.5 Hours (80km)
Max. Altitude: 1,350 (Punakha)
Overnight at Punakha (Hotel)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Highlights: Scenic drive, Crossing DochuLa Pass, Visiting Punakha Dzong, Wangdu Phodrang Dzong, Chimi Lhakhang, etc.

From Thimphu, we will drive to Punakha by crossing the DochuLa Pass (3,050m) and riding through forests filled with pine and hemlock. Throughout the journey, you can witness the panorama of the huge Himalayas.

In the morning, we will start our exploration of Punakha which used to be the capital of Bhutan. We will visit the popular Punakha Dzong which is located between Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu Rivers. It is believed to be the most beautiful dzong among the other 21 dzongs of Bhutan. The surrounding of this dzong is beautiful in spring when it is surrounded by blooming lilac Jacaranda trees.

Next, we will head towards Wangdu Phodrang Dzong from where the Punakha valley is clearly seen. It is located on the ridge so you can also enjoy the short hiking to the Rinchangang valley. It also holds one of the important statues from history and was the second capital city during the past days.

Further, we will drive to Chimi Lhakhang which was built in 1499 by the Lama Drukpa Kunley - 'Divine Madman'. It is believed that childless women can have a child by visiting this temple and receiving a blessing from the saint. Also, don't miss the Punakha festival if you are visiting Bhutan Tour around mid-February.
 

Driving Duration: 4-5 Hours
Max. Altitude: 2,200m (Paro)
Overnight at Paro (Hotel)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Highlights: Enjoying scenic drive to Paro

Today, we will drive back to Paro from Punakha by enjoying the scenic ride. We will rest for the whole day and prepare for the next day hiking to a higher altitude.
 

Hiking Duration: 3-4 Hours
Max. Altitude: 3,120m 
Overnight at Paro (Hotel)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Highlights: Hiking to Taktsang Monastery

Today, we will hike to Taktsang Monastery which is the landmark of Paro Valley and the holy temple of Bhutan. It is situated at the cliffs of Paro Valley at 3,120m.
It is believed that Guru Padmasambhava, also known as the Second Buddha, flew here on the back of a tigress and meditated for three months inside the caves on the cliff of Paro Valley. From this cliffside, you can see the stunning views of the Paro Valley.

First, we will drive up to the starting point of the hike and begin our hike to Taktsang. We have to walk uphill all the way. You can also hire a pony ride halfway off the trail. From halfway, you need to cover the remaining distance by the feet. It takes around 3 hours and 30 minutes to reach the top of the monastery. We will hike through the dense lush forests filled with pine trees.

The view from the top of the monastery is stunning which will wash away all our tiring climb. We will capture the moments with this monastery in photos and videos. After spending quality time on a rocky cliff, we will walk down to the highway and drive back to the hotel.
 

Meals Included: Breakfast

This is the last day of the Bhutan Paro Festival Tour. We will bid goodbye and our office representatives will drop you at the Paro airport for a flight to your home country. We hope that you will visit Nepal, Bhutan, and other destinations in the future and give us a chance to serve you again in the coming days. Happy Journey!!!