10 Days Discover Bhutan Travel Plan

Welcome to Bhutan and your first day in the magical Land of the Thunder Dragon! Upon arrival at Paro International Airport, just outside the arrival hall, you will be greeted by one of our guides. At more than 7,300 feet above sea level, you will need to acclimate to the high altitude. So, we will take it easy with a short drive to your hotel, enjoy a Bhutanese lunch, and then visit a few sights around the capital city of Thimphu.

We start our tour at:

• Motithang Takin Preserve
•  Buddha View Point.

After returning to town for dinner, you can wander through the shops, bars, and cafes of Thimphu.

• Centenary Farmers’ Market
• National Folk Heritage Museum
• National Folk Heritage Museum
• National Memorial Chorten
• Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory
• Simtokha Dzong
• Thimphu Tashichho Dzong

Today we travel to Punakha, the former capital of Bhutan until 1955.

• 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens
• Punakha Dzong
• Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten

Bumthang Valley is known as the heartland of Buddhism in Bhutan. In 746 AD, it is said that Guru Rinpoche arrived here to exorcise a demon from the king and then converted the people to Buddhism, restoring peace to the region. Guru Rinpoche stayed in the valley to build more than 40 temples.

• Tamzhing Goemba.
• Kurjey Lhakhang
• Jambay Lhakhang
• Jakar Dzong
• Thangbi Lhakhang

Bumthang Valley is known as the heartland of Buddhism in Bhutan. In 746 AD, it is said that Guru Rinpoche arrived here to exorcise a demon from the king and then converted the people to Buddhism, restoring peace to the region. Guru Rinpoche stayed in the valley to build more than 40 temples.

• Hike to Tamzhing Goemba.

On our way to Gangtey, we will pass through Trongsa, the ancestral home of the Wangchuck monarchy. Meaning new town, the first temple was built here in 1543. Traditionally, each king of Bhutan has held the position of Trongsa Penlop (governor) before wearing the Raven Crown.

Trongsa Dzong was built in 1644 and controlled by the Wangchuck dynasty until they became the rulers of Bhutan in 1907. Occupying the only road that connected eastern and western Bhutan, all trade was controlled by this dzong. Flourishing under the command of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, this massive structure with its high walls could shut down all trade between the east and west by closing its doors.

Today we travel to Phobjikha (Gangtey) Valley. Known as the winter home of the black-necked cranes (Grus nigricollis), you can see 600 of these elegant, shy birds that migrate here from Tibet between November and March. This bowl-shaped valley is also a wildlife preserve, so you might also see the other native animals to Bhutan, including muntjac, sambar, serow, or yak.

Gangtey Goemba is a 17th-century monastery that sits on a hill, overlooking the entire valley. An excellent example of Tibetan architecture, the prayer hall (tshokhang), features eight great pillars. In the 15th-century, the Buddhist saint Pema Lingpa foretold that a temple would be built there, so his teachings could be spread. In 1613, his grandson, and reincarnation of Pema Lingpa, fulfilled the prophecy by building a Nyingma temple at the location. Kuenzang Chholing, the long white building nearby, is where monks go to meditate for three years, three months, and three days.

We head back to scenic Paro Valley, home to many of Bhutan’s oldest monasteries and the country’s only airport. This mixture of old and new makes Paro an important part of Bhutan’s past, present, and future.

• Paro (Rinpung) Dzong
• Ta Dzong

We will take a two-hour hike to Taktsang Monastery, arguably one of the most photographed monasteries in Bhutan. Accessible only by foot, this sacred site was built precariously on the cliff’s edge, more than 10,000 feet above sea level. This is where Guru (Rinpoche) Padmasambhava, the father of Bhutan Buddhism, is said to have flown on the back of a tiger to meditate in a cave for three years. An exhilarating climb to the cafeteria is decorated with colorful prayer flags and provides breathtaking views of the Himalayas.

• Drukgyal Dzong
• Kyichu Lhakhang

We bid fond farewell to this beautiful Himalayan country and take an early flight back to Singapore. We hope by now you would have made some friends and also kept many photos and beautiful memories of Bhutan! And we look forward to seeing you again in this beautiful land of endless Enchantments! Tashi Delek!