Bhutan Weaving Tour

Day01: Arrive to Paro – Transfer to Thimphu

The flight into Paro is a befitting introduction to the spectacular beauty of our country. In clear weather, magnificent views of the world’s highest peaks like Gangkar Puensum, give way to the lush green Paro valley as you land. Your Bhutanese guide and driver from Authentic Bhutan Tours will warmly welcome & greet you on arrival, who will remain with you all through out your journey across Bhutan.  Then we will drive to Thimphu. Lunch will be served at Thimphu. After lunch we will visit to Memorial Chhorten – built in 1974 in the memory of third king late Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, and the temple inside gives good examples of tantric Buddhist and its philosophy and then we will visit to Big Buddha Statue – this gigantic statue of Shakyamuni measures in at a height of 51.5 meters, making it one of the largest statues of Buddha in the world. Evening stroll around Thimphu town. Dinner and overnight stay at Thimphu Hotel.

Day02: Thimphu Stay

After enjoying the breakfast at hotel, we will do sightseeing in Thimphu City.. Visit to Post office, to make your own stamp and send to your loved ones.. Traditional Bhutanese Paper- to see the traditional methods to produce the authentic Bhutanese Paper known as Deh-sho), Weaving center, you will see here our young girls and women weaving so interestingly. Lunch will be served at one of the Restaurant at Thimphu.
After lunch, we will continue with our sightseeing and visit to Drupthop Dewachen Nunnery, this nunnery was founded in 1976 by Rikey Jadrel, who is considered an emanation of Thangtong Gyalpo and then Takin zoo, to see the national animal of Bhutan. Evening visit to Trachichho Dzong, it is an architectural delight and houses the throne room, and the office of His Majesty the king and the ministries of home affairs and finance. Then stroll and explore around Thimphu town and do some shopping in Bhutan.
Dinner and over night stay at one of the hotel in Thimphu.

Day03: Thimphu – Punakha

After our breakfast, we will drive to Punakha/Wangdi. The road climbs steeply through forests of pine, hemlock spruce and rhododendrons. At Dochula Pass (3150m) you will have a breathtaking panoramic view of the Eastern Himalayan Mountain ranges on clear days. The pass is adorned with 108 small stupas and many kinds of prayer flags. Then the road descends through lush forests to the fertile valley of Punakha & Wangdi Phodrang. On reaching Lobesa, we will visit Chhimi Lhakhang, which is located at a hilltop. The temple is known as ‘the temple of fertility’.  Lunch will be served here at Lobesa, one of the restaurants. At Punakha, visit the most beautiful dzongs in Bhutan, Punakha Dzong. After this, we will drive till the view point of Khamsum Yule Namgyle Chhorten, passing the beautiful rural landscape. Evening at leisure. Dinner and over night stay at Hotel Punakha

Day04: Punakha – Bumthang

After breakfast at hotel, we will drive to Bumthang over Pelela Pass and Yontongla pass. Lunch will be served on the way. At Chendebiji, we will stop to see the Chendebji Chhorten – The Chorten is patterned after Swayambhunath in Kathmandu and was built in the 19th century by Lama Sidha, from Tibet, to cover the remains of an evil spirit that was killed at this spot. On reaching Trongsa, visit to the Tower of Trongsa, Religion and Power in Bhutan. The Tower of Trongsa is a museum in which aspects of Bhutanese culture and history are explained by beautifully objects, while for others it is as scared place of encounter with the gods. Then continue the journey to Bumthang through the hairpin bends with the dense forest of rhododendron, conifers, alder and oak crossing Yotong La, 3425m. The road then comes out into a wide-open cultivated valley – which is the Chumey Valley, the first of Bumthnag’s four valleys. From here the road goes on straight until we see Jakar Dzong and then drops into bends before straightening out again in the main valley at Chamkhar. The drive will take about 2hours and 30minutes.Dinner and overnight stay at  Bumthang Bhutanese Farmhouse.

Day05: Bumthang Halt

In the morning we will do natural coloring and dying and get first hand information about weaving culture in Bhutan. You can bring some clothes like handkerchief or T-shirt if you want to do some natural coloring and dying.
In the afternoon, we will do sightseeing in Bumthang. We will visit to Kurjey Lhakhang, is named after the body print of Guru Rinpoche which is preserved in a cave inside the oldest of the three buildings, Tamshing Lhakhang – which was established by Terton Pema Lingpa in 1501 and is the most important Nyingma Goenba in the country. Then we will drive to Tang valley and see the most scared lake in Bhutan, Mebar Tsho (Burning lake). In the evening on our way back to Farmhouse, we will visit to Jambay Lhakhang. Dinner and overnight stay at Bhutanese farm house and we will relax in traditional hot stone bath.

Day06: Bumthang – Phobjikha

Today after the breakfast at hotel or Farmhouse (if stay at farmhouse) we will drive to off beaten track of Phobjikha Valley. It is a glacial valley and is the winter home of the black-necked cranes. This valley is a designated conservation area and borders Black Mountain National Park. Lunch will be served on the way. On reaching Gangtey, visit to Gantey Goenpa Lhakhang, the most important temple in Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism in Bhutan. After this we will go Gangtey Natural Trail hike. This hike is one of the easiest hike in Bhutan through pine forest and open meadow. It offers panoramic and stunning view of the valley. Dinner and overnight stay at Phobjikha Valey Hotel.

Day07: Phobjikha – Paro

After the breakfast at hotel, drive back to Paro. The road descents to Wangdi Valey and the road climbs steeply through forests of pine, hemlock spruce and rhododendrons. At Dochula Pass (3150m) you will have a breathtaking panoramic view of the Eastern Himalayan Mountain ranges on clear days. The pass is adorned with 108 small stupas and many kinds of prayer flags. Lunch will be served at Dochula Café or on the way. Continue the journey to Paro. On the way we will visit to Tachho Gang Lhakhang crossing over the iron chain bridge. On reaching Paro, we will stroll around Paro town, for some shopping. Dinner and overnight stay at Paro Hotel.

Day 08: Paro Stay

After the breakfast we will drive till the Ramthangka, where the hike to one of the Bhutan’s most dramatic monuments, the Tiger’s Nest (Taktshang Monaster). We will use pony till the Taktshang cafeteria. From cafeteria, we have to hike up to monastery about 1hr 30minutes. Even from the cafeteria, we can see the spectacular views of this most scared monastery in the Buddhism world. Some of you, if you cannot hike from cafeteria, we can sit and enjoy the view of the monastery, which is perched on the rocks, 900m above the valley floor. Our lunch will be served here at cafeteria. On our way back to hotel, we will visit to Kyichu Lhakhang, it is one of the two most sacred and the oldest temples in Bhutan, built in 7th century by Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo (the 33rd Tibetan king, who is also the manifestation of avoloketeshivara, commonly known to Bhutanese as Chenrize). Evening stroll around the Paro vally, the valley of surpassing Beauty.
Dinner and over night stay at Paro hotel. Le Meridian

Day09: Paro – Paro International Airport 

After our breakfast, we will drive to Paro International Airport for your onward flight. Our guide and driver will bid you farewell here at the airport. We wish you a very safe and pleasant flight for your onward destinations.