Bhutan Grand Cultural Tour

Your guide meets you at the airport. The drive to Thimphu follows the Paro river down to Chuzom, where three roads meet, and turns up the Thimphu valley. After lunch we visit the Buddha Dordenma and Changangkha Lhakhang, then leave you to rest.

We start at the National Memorial Chorten in the morning, when it is busiest, then visit the National Institute for Zorig Chusum and the National Postal Museum. After lunch come the Takin Preserve, the Sangaygang viewpoint and Tashichho Dzong.

We cross Dochu La in the morning and reach Punakha for lunch. In the afternoon we visit Punakha Dzong and then drive a few minutes upstream to walk across the suspension bridge, about 160 m from bank to bank.

We walk out to Chimi Lhakhang while the morning is cool, then take the road south and east into the hills. Phobjikha opens out suddenly after a long climb through forest. We visit Gangtey Goenpa and the Crane Information Centre, and walk part of the valley trail before dusk.

We climb out of Phobjikha and over Pele La into central Bhutan. The road passes Chendebji Chorten and then contours round the Mangde Chhu gorge, with Trongsa Dzong in sight on the far side for most of an hour.

We visit the dzong and the Ta Dzong museum, have lunch in Trongsa, and cross Yotong La into Bumthang. In the Chumey valley we stop at a workshop where yathra, the patterned woollen cloth of Bumthang, is woven.

A day on foot and by short drives in the Chokhor valley. Jambay Lhakhang is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan. Kurjey Lhakhang, a little further up the valley, is where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated and left the print of his body in the rock. Across the river is Tamshing Lhakhang, where you can try on the chain-mail coat made by its founder, Pema Lingpa, and walk round the shrine in it as pilgrims do.

We end at Jakar Dzong, the castle of the white bird, above the town.

The road into Tang leaves the highway east of Jakar. Our first stop is Mebar Tsho, the Burning Lake, a deep pool in a gorge where Pema Lingpa is said to have dived for hidden treasures with a lamp that stayed alight. Pilgrims leave butter lamps and prayer flags along the rocks.

At the head of the valley we walk up to Ogyen Choling, a manor house that is now a museum, with rooms laid out as the household used them. We have lunch there or by the river and drive back in the afternoon.

We take the short flight to Paro. After lunch we visit the National Museum and Rinpung Dzong, and you have the late afternoon free in town.

The trail to Taktsang climbs through pine forest to the monastery at 3,120 m. We take it slowly, with a stop at the teahouse, and visit the temples inside. After lunch we see Kyichu Lhakhang and have tea with a farming family.

We drive you to the airport after breakfast and stay until you are checked in.