## BHUTAN - 10 Days Last Shangri-La on Earth
### TOUR OVERVIEW / HIGHLIGHT
Travel back in time and take a journey that few people have had the opportunity to experience. Druk Yul, Bhutan’s official name, is known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon with a rich cultural heritage that has largely remained hidden until its recent emergence onto the world stage. Discover the country’s breathtaking natural beauty, meet and mingle with our Bhutanese friends as you embrace the philosophy of a nation that is guided by the principles of ‘Gross National Happiness’. With endless hiking and biking trails, ancient traditions still intact and impressive architectural marvels to explore, there is something for every traveler to Bhutan.
### WHAT TO EXPECT?
#### DAY 01: ARRIVAL - PARO / THIMPHU
Welcome to Bhutan!
Upon arrival in Paro, your journey begins with a one-hour drive to Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital. At an altitude of 2,200 meters, Thimphu lies in a steep valley and is the only city in the world without a single traffic light.
If energy levels allow, visit the 52-meter Buddha Dordenma statue in Thimphu. Step inside and discover the 125,000 smaller Buddhas. You can opt for a gentle hike to Changangkha Lhakhang to walk off your jetlag.
*Meals: Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 02: THIMPHU
After breakfast, head out with your guide for a day of touring around the valley.
Visit local sites including the Simply Bhutan Museum, Zorig Chusom (The National Institute for 13 Arts and Crafts) and the National Textile Museum before strolling through town to visit local artisan shops. Join Thimphu residents for koras, circumambulations, at the Memorial Chorten.
End the day at Tashichho Dzong, Thimphu’s impressive fortress housing the throne room and offices of His Majesty the King as well as the head of the country’s religious order.
*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 03: THIMPHU / PUNAKHA
Begin your travels to Punakha with a stop at the iconic Dochula Pass, which on clear days offers stunning views of the Himalayan range. Take a moment to pause during your journey for circumambulations of the 108 hillside chortens.
Descend from the pass into lush, subtropical Punakha valley with its charming farmhouses and terraced rice fields.
From the bridge you can opt to indulge in late afternoon pomegranate martinis riverside in a rice field with the impressive dzong as a backdrop.
*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 04: PUNAKHA
Hike across the valley to a monastery to join the young novice monks for a traditional monastic breakfast.
Afterwards, spend some time engaging with them and the chief abbot to learn more about their daily lives.
On the way back to the lodge stop off at a farmhouse to sample homemade ara (Bhutanese moonshine).
In the afternoon, cross the country’s longest suspension bridge on foot before visiting Punakha Dzong, one of the Kingdom’s most impressive. Located at the junction of the Pho Chhu (father) and Mo Chhu (mother) rivers, the dzong’s majestic structure stands six stories high.
*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 05: PUNAKHA
Your day starts with a gentle bike ride alongside the river or a hike from the riverbank to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, a temple built by Queen Mother Ashi Tshering Yangdon to bring peace to the world.
Continue by car to Talo Nobgang village, the village in which the four Queen Mothers grew up, to visit a meditation center for nuns and Nobgang Monastery. You can also choose to bike part of the way to Talo village.
Visit Chimi Lhakhang, a fertility temple to learn about Drukpa Kinley, the revered ‘Divine Madman’ of Buddhist ‘crazy wisdom.’ The adjacent village is renowned for its graphic phallus paintings on its homes and shops in honor of the saint.
*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 06: PUNAKHA / GANGTEY
Transiting from Punakha to Gangtey, your route climbs through the bamboo and oak forests of Nobding Valley, eventually leading you to Lawa La Pass.
Over lunch, revel in the views from the cantilevered ‘Birdwatching Bridge,’ drawing the eye across the wetlands sprinkled with tiny monasteries and temples.
Explore the valley by bike or on foot with a visit to the Black-necked Crane Visitor Centre dedicated to protecting Thrung Trung Karmo, located directly below our lodge. The valley is the winter residence for approximately 400 of these cranes who migrate from Tibet.
After, bike or hike from the valley through local villages and farmland on the way to our buckwheat hut, where you can enjoy a picnic lunch with mesmerizing views of the valley.
Return to the lodge by bike or on foot, stopping along the way at Khewang Lhakhang on the valley floor to see the temple’s unique Buddha statues and original painted walls.
*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 07: GANGTEY
This morning head out for one of the Kingdom’s classic hikes, the Loma Longtey trail, which begins at Pele La Pass and winds through a small village where the yak herders put up their camps during winter. The trail carries you up to Kayche La Pass at 3,700 meters, where stunning views of Phobjikha Valley and Gangtey Village await. Enjoy a picnic lunch along the way.
Pay an afternoon visit to Gangtey Village to explore the quaint shops of this one-street town and visit the 16th century golden topped Gangtey Goemba at the head of the valley. The monastery encompasses a school, meditation facilities, and quarters for monks, and is home to the mind reincarnation of Pema Lingpa, one of the region's important Buddhist treasure ‘discoverers’.
Return to the lodge and sample a few of our crafted cocktails at sunset on the stone terrace, warmed by a blazing firepit.
*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 08: GANGTEY / PARO
This morning re-trace your steps to Paro on the East-West Highway.
On your descent into Thimphu, stop at Simtokha Dzong, the first of its kind in the Kingdom, and a serene stop-off point along your route. After, visit the three stupas at Chuzom Bridge featuring distinct Bhutanese, Tibetan, and Nepali style architecture.
Rinpung Dzong greets you on your arrival into Paro town. Visit the fortress before crossing Nyamai Zampa, a traditional cantilevered bridge. Stop at the Paro National Museum, displaying a collection of fascinating Bhutanese relics.
Challenge your guide and driver to an onsite game of archery, Bhutan’s national sport, before spending the remainder of the day at leisure.
*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 09: PARO
One of the most significant monasteries in Bhutan, a hike to Taktsang Goemba, better known as Tiger’s Nest, is an iconic pilgrimage for visitors to the Kingdom. Your guide will delight you with stories of Guru Rinpoche, an 8th century Tibetan saint who arrived on the spot where the monastery is located on the back of a flying tigress, bringing Buddhism to the region. Enjoy a picnic lunch along the way.
Along the way before Paro town, visit Kyichu Lhakhang, a 7th-century temple nearby with two magical orange trees that bear fruit throughout the year.
*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 10: PARO - DEPARTURE
There’s still time for a last taste of Bhutan before heading to the airport for your flight home. Safe travels!
*Meals: Breakfast*
### ACCOMMODATION WE LOVE:
Thimphu: 1. Amankora Thimphu Lodge 2. Six Senses Thimphu
Punakha: 1. Amankora Punakha Lodge 2. Six Senses Punakha
Gangtey: 1. Amankora Gangtey Lodge 2. Six Senses Gangtey
Paro: 1. Amankora Paro Lodge 2. Six Senses Paro