Black-Necked Crane Festival Tour

Arrive at Paro (2,280 meters): You will be received by the Representative from Byways Tours and Travels at the airport and drive to Thimphu.

After lunch, visit the tallest statue of Buddha . Visit Takin Preserve center where you will have the chance to see our National Animal Takin followed by nunnery and the School of Thirteen Arts and Crafts which is famous for carving and freehand art, in this school you will find the students whose aptitude is more artistic than academic, lunch will be served in one of the tourist restaurant in middle of the city. After lunch visit authentic Bhutanese craft market. In the evening, stroll through Thimphu city for shopping. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Thimphu -- Punakha (1,250 meters): (76 km, 2.5 hours by road). After breakfast, drive to Punakha valley via Dochula Pass (3,140 meters). We stop for a while at Dochula pass and if the weather in the distance is clear, you will have the chance to see all the higher Himalayan ranges from there.

When you reach Punakha valley, visit Chimi Lhakhang which is also known as the “Temple of Fertility” built by Lama Drukpa Kuenley who is popularly known as “The Divine Madman” in the 15th century. Following this, visit Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and is situated between Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River). For many years until the time of the second king, it served as the capital of Bhutan. The construction of the Dzong was foretold by Guru Rinpoche who visited this place in the 8th century, who predicted that, a person named Namgyal will arrive at a hill that looks like a sleeping elephant. There was a smaller building here called Dzong Chu (Small Dzong) that housed a statue of Buddha. It is said that Zhabdrung when he visited this place he met a Bhutanese architect called Zowe Palep, so ordered the architect, Zowe Palep, to sleep in front of the statue, while Palep was sleeping; the Zhabdrung took him in his dreams to Zangtopelri (Paradise) and showed him the palace of Guru Rinpoche. From his vision, the architect conceived the design for the new Dzong, which in keeping with the tradition, was never committed to paper. The Dzong was named Druk Pungthang Dechen Phodrang which means “Palace of Great Happiness”. The war materials captured during the battle with Tibetans are preserved here. Punakha is still the winter residence of Chief Abbot (Je-Khenpo) and King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk convened the First National Assembly here in 1952. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Punakha –Phubjikha Valley (2,900 meters) - Punakha: Today you can have early breakfast and drive to Phubjikha valley which takes around 2.5 hours by road. In Phobjikha valley, witness Black-Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Gompa. Gyaltse Pema Thinley, the grandson and mind reincarnation of Pema Lingpa founded the Temple in 1613, and Tenzin Legpai Dhendup, the second re-incarnation, built the temple. after witnessing the festival for about 2 hours, you can enjoy an optional a beautiful hike which starts from gangtey goamba and ends at the bottom of the valley (takes 45 minutes) it’s easy and beautiful hike then visit black necked crane center from where you will have the chance to see the crane through telescoped, on top of that there are two injured crane kept just near the center. Black Necked Crane are the rare species bird, and are the winter visitor in few places of Bhutan and they fly back to Tibetan plateau in summer. Lunch will be servedd at the same valley and drive back to Punakha. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Punakha -- Thimphu (2,350 meters): After breakfast, drive to Thimphu. After lunch visit weekend market and witness archery match if you are interested,. In the evening, visit Tashichho Dzong (Fortress of the Glorious Religion), built in 1641 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and reconstructed in 1961 by the Third King Jigme Dorji Wang chuck, who is also known as the Father of Modern Bhutan. Evening stroll through Thimphu city. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Thimphu --Paro (2,280 meters): After breakfast, visit the National Library, which holds a vast collection of ancient Buddhist manuscripts followed by a visit to Folk Heritage Museum.

After lunch, Drive to Paro and, visit the Ta Dzong, an ancient watchtower, which was built in 1656 and renovated in 1968 and converted into a National Museum of Bhutan, then visit Rimpung Dzong (Paro Dzong) built in 1646 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The Dzong presently houses administrative offices of Paro District and Monastery. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Paro Sightseeing (2,280 meters): After breakfast, an excursion to Tiger’s Nest Monastery. Total distance 7.4 km (4.5 miles) round trip, and takes approximately 5 hours round trip. Elevation at the starting point of the hike 2,600 meters and elevation at tiger’s nest is 3,100 meters above sea level.

A short drive of around 25 minutes from the main town of Paro takes you to Satsam Chorten, the trail climbs through beautiful pine forest, many of the trees festooned with Spanish moss, and an occasional grove of fluttering prayer flags. We stop for a rest and have tea with cookies at Taktsang cafeteria and then walk a short distance until we see, clearly and seemingly within reach, Tiger’s Nest monastery. The history dates back to the 8th century when Guru Rinpoche, a tantric master flew to this place on the back of a flying tiger, said to be his favorite Tibetan consort known as Khandro Yeshey Chogyal and meditated in a cave nearby, The temple itself was built in the 17th century by the Penlop (governor) of Paro Gyaltse Tenzin Rbgey; this incredible monastery clings to the edge of a sheer rocky cliff that plunges 600 meters into the valley below.

After lunch, visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest Buddhist temples, which was built in 659 AD by a Tibetan king Tshongchen Gyampo. In evening stroll through the charming town of Paro for your final shopping. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Departure: ( 2,280 meters): Early in the morning, drive to Paro Airport for your departure. Farewell!