We have put together this 12 day tour to enable you to visit Bhutan in comfort and experience first-hand this very spectacular country and the reason why so many westerners are inspired by its beauty and its people.

Your adventure begins with several days exploring Kathmandu, staying in the exquisite heritage-style, Dwarika’s Hotel, after which you fly to Bhutan to explore the Paro, Thimpu and Punakha Valleys. You visit ancient monasteries and hike to the magical ridge top “tigers nest” of Taksang Monastery. The trip will also enable you to see first hand the wonderful work of the Choki Traditional Arts School whom we sponsor in Bhutan.

The trip is available on a private basis to suit your own dates and may be modified if required to make it slightly longer or shorter. Modifications will affect the cost.

The price for this itinerary is as follows: US $ 2975.00 per person travelling based on of 2 persons in the group on a sharing basis US $ 615.00 single supplement

ITINERARY

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu Upon arrival you will be met and assisted by Steve Webster and transferred to award winning Dwarika’s Hotel which is located 5 minutes from the airport and 15 minutes from the tourist district of Thamel. Upon arrival a briefing about Kathmandu and your forthcoming trip will be conducted in which maps and other general information will be distributed. This will also offer you the ideal opportunity to ask any last minute questions that you may have. Day 02: Kathmandu A half day sightseeing tour will also be arranged. In hidden corners of fabled Kathmandu, the ancient past lingers on in a maze of narrow streets crowded with turmeric sellers, small golden temples, wandering cows, and traditional workshops. Our half day exploration takes us to places such as in to the old part of the Kathmandu City and to the 2000 year old Bhoudanath Stupa. About Kathmandu: Once a traditional medieval city of breathtaking Newari architecture, Kathmandu is now fully grown into an urban capital with a population of half-million people. Nevertheless, it has not lost its magic, especially in the ancient, narrow streets and in countless temples and shrines where Buddhist and Hindu iconography mix in fantastic ways. Bodha is a 1,400-year-old stupa that attracts pilgrims from across Buddhist Asia. At Bodha, we see pilgrims circling the stupa to make a kora, turning the stupa's giant prayer wheels as they go. With new monasteries sprouting up all around it, Bodha is rapidly becoming a world center of Tibetan Buddhist study. Swayambu is an ancient Buddhist temple with commanding views of the valley. We make a steep climb of 300 steps to reach this stupa. Swayambu was established as a shrine around 500 BC and by the 13th century AD, had become an important center of Buddhist learning. Its eyes, painted on four cardinal points, keep watch over the Kathmandu Valley. Pashupatinath, with its triple-roofed temple, burning ghats, and wandering sadhus (holy men) along the sacred Bagmati, is one of four major sites of Shiva worship on the subcontinent. Its temples and ghats are set along the Bagmati because the waters of this river eventually river flow south to join the mighty Ganges, holy river of India. Entrance to Pashupatinath's inner temple precinct is for Hindus only, but from the outside, we are able to see the huge structure of Nandi, the bull, and a smaller statue of Hanuman. Overnight at Dwarika’s Hotel. Day 03: Kathmandu- Paro, Bhutan Transferred to the airport for the flight to Paro, Bhutan.During this flight, you will experience breathtaking views of Mount Everest, Kanchanjunga and other Himalayan Peaks including sacred Chomolhari and Mt. Jichu Drake in Bhutan. On arrival at Paro International Airport you will be received by a representative of Boonserm Tours & Travels. Drive on to Thimphu which is a pleasant 2 hour drive. Overnight at Hotel in Thimphu. Day 04: Thimphu- Punakha Head out of town on a spectacular drive towards Thimphu and onward over the Dochu La Pass to Punakha. At 10,200 feet, the Dochu La is the highest mountain pass in Bhutan, with fluttering prayer flags and more than 100 chortens (stupas) dedicated to Bhutan's continued peace and happiness. On a clear day the pass offers great views of the Bhutanese Himalayas. After a stop for hot tea at a café atop the pass, we descend toward the Punakha Valley. Visit the Punakha Dzong built in 1637 at the confluence of the Mo Chu and Po Chu (the Mother and Father rivers). The Punakha Dzong is an architectural wonder and seat of the head abbot of Bhutan, and has survived six fires, two glacial lake bursts, and an earthquake. Overnight at Zangtho Pelri or Meri Puensum Lodge in Punakha, former winter capital of Bhutan. Punakha: The winter capital was established in this location in part because Punakha is a warm valley with a relatively low altitude of 4,100 feet, allowing for the production of two rice crops each year, along with oranges, mangos, and bananas. In Punakha, you may see people from the remote village of Laya. The Layap, as they are known, are yak herders who make the three- or four-day walk to Punakha from their high-altitude villages in northwest Bhutan. Women of Laya wear conical bamboo hats with a center spike of bamboo, and Laya’s men wear black woolen coats. Day 05: Punakha – Wangdi - Punakha This morning drive to the village of Wangdi. En route, enjoy a half-hour walk through mustard fields to Chimi Lhakhang (lhakhang means temple), a monastery and fertility temple dedicated to Lama Drukpa Kuenley, a Tibetan Buddhist saint known popularly as “the divine madman” and considered a folk hero in Bhutan for his unconventional ways. Drukpa Kuenley originally built a chorten on the site in the 14th century. The temple, flanked by nearly 100 tall prayer flags atop a picturesque hill, has long been a pilgrimage site for childless couples. Visit Wangdi’s ancient dzong, the Wangdi Phrodang, and the town itself. Overnight at Zangtho Pelri or Meri Puensum Lodge in Punakha. Day 06: Punakha-Thimpu A morning drive brings us to Thimphu, where you visit the National Library, with its ancient manuscripts, and the Arts and Crafts School, where children are trained in traditional Bhutanese painting, sculpture, and woodcarving. At Thimphu’s Folk Heritage Museum, founded by Her Majesty the Queen Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, you see traditional utensils used in farming, cooking, religious ritual and everyday life, and learn about Bhutanese folklore and legends. Overnight at the Druk or Dragon Roots Hotel located in the centre of town. Thimphu: Thimphu was a wooded farming valley until 1961, when it became Bhutan's official national capital. Even today, it still only has a few streets and no traffic lights. The massive Tashicho Dzong, about 700 years old, was carefully revamped in the 1960s by the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk to house the royal and main government offices. It is also the summer residence of the Je Khempo, Bhutan’s chief abbot. King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk was the main architect of modern Bhutan. He died in 1972 and was succeeded by his son, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, who was age 17 at the time. Day 07: Thimphu Morning hike to Chowki Traditional Arts School with packed lunch. Meet the students and enjoy a briefing about the School by the Principle. Afternoon at leisure or visit the Choki Handicrafts shop where Bhutanese textiles and other handicrafts are displayed and can be purchased. The shop is closely linked to Choki Traditional Art School– many goods are produced in the school itself and all proceeds go towards the upkeep of the school and the provision of free tuition for the students. Overnight at the Druk or Dragon Roots Hotel located in the centre of town. Day 08: Thimpu - Paro Drive back to Paro App. 65 Km (2 hours). Afternoon sightseeing of Paro, visit the Ta-Dzong built in the 17th century, as the watch tower to defend Paro Dzong below. This Dzong was later converted into the National Museum in 1968, and is filled with antique thankha paintings, textiles, weapons and armour. Take a leisurely walk down to Rinpung Dzong, built in 17th century to defend the valley, against the Tibetan invaders. The dzong is now used as an administration centre and School for Monks. Overnight at Hotel in Paro. Day 09: Paro – visit Taksang Monastery Drive to the foot of the Taksang Monastery and begin hike up through pine forests festooned with Spanish moss to reach to the striking monastic retreat of Taktsang, the “Tiger's Nest,” built into a sheer cliff face about 2,700 feet above the Paro Valley. It is the most famous temple in Bhutan. Padmasambhava (Guru Rimpoche), the great 8th century Buddhist saint and teacher, is thought to have landed at this spot after flying over the mountains from Tibet on the back of a tigress, thus bringing the teachings of Buddhism to Bhutan. The primary temple was built around Padmasambhava's meditation cave in 1684. Enjoy lunch en route at a teahouse midway with fantastic views of the monastery. Those who opt out of the hike may instead visit Kyichu Lhakahang, one of the oldest and most sacred shrines of Bhutan. Kyichu Lhakhang is composed of twin temples—the first built by Buddhist Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century and the second by the Queen Mother of Bhutan in 1968. Overnight at Hotel in Paro. Day 10: Paro-Kathmandu Drive to Paro Airport and take the stunning flight back to Kathmandu. On arrival met and transferred to Dwarika’s Hotel. Overnight at Dwarika’s Hotel. Day 11: Day in Kathmandu Today enjoy a leisurely lunch at the exclusive Shivapuri Heights Cottage in the hills just north of Kathmandu. Overnight at the Dwarika’s Hotel. Day 12: International flight Transfer to the International airport for your final departure from Kathmandu.

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