Bhutan’s Valley Of Happiness

On reaching at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, meet View Nepal staff and then transfer to your hotels around Kathmandu city. After rest assemble for briefing regarding your trip to Bhutan and in Nepal with welcome dinner.

In Kathmandu after breakfast join in our interesting tour at places of interest, as Kathmandu is full of historical and cultural places, with many World Heritage Sites which includes ancient temples, monasteries, royal palace and courtyards, afternoon free for individual activities and preparations for Bhutan trip.

As per Bhutan flight time informed on briefing, transfer to Kathmandu international airport for an hour flight to Paro in Bhutan, in Paro airport after immigration and visa formalities received by our Bhutanese guide for the drive to hotel in Paro, with afternoon free for leisure walks around streets and market of Paro.

Tour begins after breakfast where our guide will take you for an hour climb to Bhutan’s famous old Taksang Monastery “The Tiger's Nest”. Actually a place for meditation and retreats of monks and priests, located in a overhanging rock cliff with views of Paro and mountains, from here short drive to 17th centaury Ta-Dzong, later converted into the National Museum in 1967 with afternoon free for stroll around Paro market.

After breakfast a scenic short drive to Thimphu Bhutan capital, an interesting ride of two hours through lovely countryside dotted with farm villages of typical Buddhist culture villages. On reaching Thimphu transfer to respective hotels, a modern city of Bhutan the one and only city in this world without traffic lights, all the traffic controlled by traffic police with a whistle. After lunch our native guide will take you on a tour around Thimphu’s memorial stupas, indigenous hospital, where traditional medicine is still practiced and traditional painting school.

Our next cultural adventure begins with morning visit around Thimphu traditional Hand Made Paper Mill, School of Arts and Crafts where students learns 13 different ways of arts used predominantly in Bhutan. Here visit Folk Heritage Museum, National Library and Traditional Institute of Medicine. Drive to the Zilukha nunnery where you can interact with nuns. After lunch a short and wonderful drive to Punakha via Dochu-la pass at 3,200 m, with wonderful views of Bhutan’s highest mountains Chomolhari / Jumolhari including other peaks. Walk around 108 stupas then continue drive to warm semi tropical valley at Punakha, on arrival hike to the temple of Chimi Lakhang, the temple of fertility associated with religious art of phallus.

Morning our Bhutanese guides leads you for a short hike of little less than 2 hours to reach at Tashigang Hongtso Monastery, located on the rim pristine forest area with views of Hongtso, Tashigang towns and village. Explore the surrounding buildings with pilgrims practicing meditation in peaceful environment. The monastery houses about 40 orphans here learn languages, religious and general education from the monks an interesting tour of the Gompa (monastery). From here a nice drive to the top at Dochu-la for views of Himalayan peaks, including unclimbed peak Gangkhar Puensum at 7570 m /24,836 ft. After a lovely day drive back to Punakha Valley, this is a warm semi-tropical valley believed to be carved by Mo Chhu and the Po Chhu (Mother and Father River), arriving at the lodge with short interesting walk to Royal Botanical.

Morning starts with scenic drive to Trongsa leading past Wangdi province includes short tour of of Wangdi Dzong (Fortress), which was destroyed by fire recently. Our journey continues to Trongsa crossing over Pelela Pass at 3m300 m which forms the part of Black Mountain range that divides the country from east and west. On reaching Trongsa transfer in a nice local hotel with afternoon short walk around Trongsa town and market place.

After breakfast with time for tour around Trongsa town, visit of Trongsa Dzong (Fortress), former royal resident with unique watchtower which houses a newly converted museum after a nice tour drive to Yotong La pass at 3,425m and on drive with short stop at weaving place, beside the road where "Yatha" (wool weaving) is done. The valley of Bumthang is famous for its fine wool products from here continue drive to Jakar on arrival transfer into a nice local lodge or guesthouse.

This morning tour of Jampay Lakhang, one of Bhutans first two Buddhist temples built then visit Kurjey lakhang Temple, where royals are cremated from here over a bridge to Parar and Tamshing villages. This fine interesting day completes with a walk passing a Swiss farm.

After a marvelous time at Punakha, morning drive leads to remote isolated valley of Happiness at Phobjikha. The valley a protected sanctuary for endangered rare Black Necked Cranes migrate Bhutanese soil every winter (early Nov to end of February). Along the drive with scenic views of mountains and then on reaching Gangtey at Phobjikha valley visit famous old Gompa (monastery), the one and only Buddhism of Ningma-pa sects monastery which is the largest in west Bhutan. This beautiful valley of happiness around Phobjikha where trek around Bhutan Himalaya starts.

Today a long but interesting drive back to Paro offers more scenic views of countryside and mountains, after a great long drive reaching Paro with time for a stroll around old Paro town with local handicrafts stores.

Depending upon the flight time to Kathmandu or connecting other Indian cities, our guide transfer you to Paro international airport for the flight back to Kathmandu, or flight to Delhi and respective destinations. For those flying back to Nepal on reaching Kathmandu airport View Nepal Treks staff transfer you back to hotel.

As per the flight for home countries with fond memories of Bhutan’s Valley of Happiness tour, our staff transfers you to Kathmandu international airport for your final departure homeward bound or to next port of call.