Day 01: Arrival in IXB/NJP to Phuentsholing (4 hrs drive)
Depending on your flight/train arrival time, it will take about 4 hours to reach Phuentsholing. The drive will pass through crowded Siliguri town over Tista river into various tea gardens finally emerging into foothills of Bhutan. The journey will be hectic and long, recommended to book the flight arriving before 3pm at Bagdogra if possible. After arriving in Phuentsholing, check into the hotel and relax. Phuentsholing- Phuentsholing is the border point for any goods and services entry/exit into Bhutan. Phuentsholing lies opposite the Indian town of Jaigon and cross-border trade has resulted in a thriving local economy. Zangto Pelri Lhakhang: It is a small temple located in the heart of the Phuntsholing town. The temple’s soothing premises also serve as park, a good place to relax for both local and tourist. Elderly citizens come to circumambulate around the temple. Overnight in Phuentsholing, altitude 300m
Day 02: Phuentsholing to Thimphu (5 hrs drive)
Complete the immigration formalities before starting the journey to Thimphu, the immigration office gets open at 9AM. The feeling of exhausted and crowded in Phuentsholing comes to the end after half an hour drive uphill, you will start feeling fresh and enjoy the scenic beauty of the nature. The journey will pass through some of the most beautiful broad leaves forest to temperate alpine zone, villages, towns, water fall, hills and mountains until we reach Thimphu, creating the history for you. Roadside Stops: Leg stretch break for having tea/coffee, using restroom and taking photographs at scenic places like waterfalls, landscapes, and villages. Chuzom- Meeting point of two rivers (Thimphu & Paro) this is tri junction of highway leading to Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing into three directions. Enjoy the lovely picture of beautiful portrait of our King and Queen placed at chuzom which is so welcoming to all who visits Bhutan. Overnight in Thimphu, altitude 2400m
Day 03: Thimphu Sightseeing
Thimphu- This bustling little city is the main centre of commerce, religion and government in the country. Thimphu is the most modern city with an abundance of restaurants, internet cafes, nightclubs and shopping centers. However it still retains its cultural identity and values amidst the signs of modernization, often referred as world only city without traffic lights. Buddha Dordenma- The Buddha Dordenma is located at a top of the hill in Kuensel Phodrang Nature Park and overlooks the southern entrance to Thimphu valley. The Buddha Dordenma is a gigantic 51.5-meter tall statue, making it one of the largest statues of Buddha in the world. Arts and Crafts Vocational School- Arts and Craft School is where student learn 13 different techniques to master in Bhutanese Arts. Some of the skills required eight years to graduate. You can see live carving, painting, sculpture etc. You are allowed to take the pictures/make video. Products made by students are on display at the showroom for sales as well. The school is closed in July and December to February, beside their exams and events. Folk Heritage Museum-This museum was established in 2001 and provides visitors with fascinating insights into the Bhutanese material culture and way of life, especially the life of Bhutanese in remote parts of Bhutan. Authentic Bhutanese Crafts Bazaar- Bhutan’s first ever craft bazaar showcases wide range of authentic Bhutan-made arts and craft products with reasonable price range. Handicraft Emporium- Realizing the importance of socio-economic growth, handicraft emporium was set up with the command of His Majesty 3rd King, this was the first step to showcase the authentic Bhutanese handicraft products in Bhutan. You can still find some of the fine products available here at reasonable cost. Witnessing Archery Match- Archery is the national game of Bhutan, it is amazing to see Bhutanese archers hitting target from a distance of 145 meters range. Bhutan has top archers on some categories on Olympic games. Weekend Market/Centenary Farmers Market– An interesting well organized permanent set of stalls built for vegetable vendors across the country. It is open from Wednesday to Monday and closed on Tuesdays. One can find wide range of local vegetables and fruits. Other side of the river is place for indigenous goods and handicrafts section, where locally produced goods, including religious objects, cloth, baskets and hats etc from various minority groups are sold here. These shops are open from Friday to Sunday only. Clock Tower Square- Situated in the heart of town, Clock Tower Square is a popular venue for open ground events such as cultural festivals, concerts, fund- raising events, live shows and trade fairs. The place is bounded by shops, cafes, souvenir shops and restaurants, making it one of the main attractions in the Thimphu town. Overnight in Thimphu
Day 04: Thimphu to Punakha (2 hrs drive)
Start the most scenic drive to Punakha from Thimphu over dochula pass which takes about two hours. After the break at Dochula, the road descends into Wangdue and Punakha taking us to one of the warmest places of Bhutan. Dochula Pass- The pass is at a popular location as it offers a stunning 180 degree panoramic view of the Great Himalayan mountain ranges. The view is especially scenic and very clear on winter days with snowcapped mountains forming a majestic backdrop to the tranquility of the 108 chortens gracing the mountain pass. Lamperi Botanical Park- The park has many varieties of plants, herbs, birds and animals. This park is one of the must visit place for birds and nature lovers. You may enjoy the hot packed lunch here if you had planned picnic. Punakha Dzong- Built in 1637 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the Dzong was named Druk Pungthang Dechen Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness). Punakha is still the winter residence of Je-Khenpo religious head of Bhutan. King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck convened the first National Assembly here in 1952. This is one of the finest and must see Dzongs of Bhutan. The Dzong stands in between meeting point of two rivers, Phochu and Mochu making the most photogenic Dzongs of Bhutan. Punakha Suspension Bridge- Punakha suspension bridge is considered one of the longest of its kind in Bhutan. The bridge connects the dzong with the villages Shengana, Samdingkha and Wangkha on the other bank of the Po Chhu river. In these small villages, locals sell their wares in tiny, traditional shops. Visitors can stop here for a quick and authentic view of true Bhutan. The suspension bridge is only about 15 minutes’ walk from Punakha Dzong. Overnight in Punakha, altitude 1350m
Day 05: Punakha to Phobjikha (3 hrs drive)s
The road to Phobjikha passes through old town of Wangdue taking us through the black mountain region into Gangtey. The drive also passes through some of the most beautiful forests, water fall, hills, river and villages and Pelela pass before stepping into Phobjikha. Enjoy the most scenic and adventurous drive today.
Gangtey Gompa- The temple built over hill top, headed by Gangtey Tulku the reincarnation of Pema Lingpa. Annual festival of Gangtey is performed in the temple courtyard every year. This is also the place for black necked crane’s festival held every year on 11-Nov, coinciding with His Majesty’s Fourth King’s Birthday. Gangtey Nature Trail- It is a short and relatively easy trek with several beautiful villages and monasteries en route. It offers beautiful views of the country with mostly gentle, forested slopes. All-time best trail and it takes approx. 2 hours, the trails ends at the road next to Khewang Lhakhang. Black Necked Crane Information Centre- This place is run by the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) and has an observation room with high-power telescopes and good scope for spotting the famous Black Necked Cranes which migrates to the region during winter. It also displays information about the history of the region. Overnight in Phobjikha, altitude 2900m
Day 06: Phobjikha to Paro (5 hrs drive)
As we say good bye to the Asian Switzerland, we will retrace the journey back to Thimphu crossing over Pelela, Wangdue, Dochula, up until Chuzom and further to Paro. The entire stretch of drive will refresh your mind and give you second chance to enjoy the great snowcapped mountain views of the Himalayas. Riverside Visit- visit to riverside to enjoy the crystal clear river and group video/photo is must in Paro. Our guides will take you to the best place to enjoy at beautiful river banks of Paro. Paro Airport Bird’s Eye View Point- The Paro international airport is among the top 10 most stunning and challenging airports in the world. The view point offers an exquisite view of the Paro valley. Rinpung Dzong- ‘Fortress on a Heap of Jewels’, is ranked one of the best Bhutanese architecture. The massive buttressed walls that tower over the town are visible throughout the valley, particularly when landing at Paro Airport. The Dzong also offers administrative seat of the district of Paro. The Dzong was built in 1644 under the order of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. National Museum of Paro- Perched above Paro Dzong it was watchtower built in 1649 to protect the undefended Paro Dzong located below, renovated in 1968 to house the National Museum. Today this museum houses the best collections of all time historical items making worth for a visit. Paro Town- Tiny Paro town actually can offer lot more, there are many authentic handicraft shops, readily available Bhutan made products, grocery and imported garment shops beside having many small restaurants around. Overnight in Paro, altitude 2200m
Day 07: Paro Sightseeing
This picturesque region in the kingdom is covered in fertile rice fields and has a beautiful, crystalline river meandering down the valley. Paro has more of historical sites, high-end tourist resort and many souvenir shops for shopping including world famous Takstang. Taktsang/Tiger’s Nest Temple– is Bhutan’s most iconic landmark and religious Buddhist site in the world. The name Taktsang translates to “The Tiger’s Nest”. The temple is one of the holiest sites in Bhutan which clings impossibly to a sheer cliff face 900 meters above the valley. Although good trekkers can make it to the top in two hours, most of the guests take whole day to complete the hike. Outdoor Activities- Nicely made and well maintained activity place attached to whole sell Buddha statue store, offers wearing Bhutanese dress, playing archery and darts for guests visiting Bhutan. The center is maintained and operated by our vendor and its free of cost for all Client First Holidays guests. Overnight in Paro
Day 08: Chele La Pass & Transfer from Paro to Phuentsholing (5 hrs drive)
We recommend you to start early, you will have enough time on the roads to enjoy the immense beautiful of nature and landscape for the best photography. After the breakfast, drive to Chele la Pass. Chele La Pass: The height of Chele La is 13084 ft (3988m) making one of the highest vantage points in Bhutan from which you can marvel at commanding spectacular views of the snowcapped Mountain Jomolhari (7326 meters) from the Chelela Pass. Then drive back to Phuentsholing. Phuentsholing is also good for buying inexpensive Bhutanese souvenirs and agro products for your relatives back home.
Prepare yourself to exit from Bhutan. Phuentsholing is also good for buying inexpensive Bhutanese souvenirs and agro products for your relatives back home. Prepare yourself to exit from Bhutan. Roadside Stops: Leg stretch break for having tea/coffee, using restroom and taking photographs at scenic places like waterfalls, landscapes, and villages. Kharbandi Gompa (based on your interest)- Monastery is built by Royal Grandmother in 1967. It is located on a picturesque hill overlooking the whole Phuentsholing town and beyond Torsa River far into distant till the sight disappears into a mountain. The site serves as an idle place to take photos with the town and the mountains acting as a perfect background. Overnight in Phuentsholing.
Day 09: Phuentsholing to Bagdogra Airport (4 Hrs drive)
Departure from the Kingdom of Bhutan. Drop from Phuentsholing to Bagdogra Airport (4 Hrs drive). END OF THE TOUR.
