Bumthang Valley Trek

Your guide will meet you at your hotel in the morning to begin your city tour of Kathmandu. You will visit the Boudhanath temple, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal, Pashupatinath, a Hindu pilgrimage site, and possibly view cremation ceremonies along the banks of the Bagmati River and continue drive to Patan Durbar Square to take in ancient Nepalese architecture and end your tour after a lunch. Then, you will visit the Patan museum. Overnight in Kathmandu.

After breakfast you will be transferred to Tribhuvan International Airport for the flight to Paro. After completing the visa formalities at the Paro airport you will be received by our Bhutan ‘s representative and transferred to the hotel . While driving through the picturesque Paro valley with its quaint clusters of hamlets amid terraced paddy elds you
will see by the sight of white-domed peak of the sacred Mt. Jhomolhari that looms overhead. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the town of Paro and its markets. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

After breakfast we will drive to Drugyel dzong, the ruined Fort (destroyed by fire in 1950.). From here we enjoy the view of sacred Mt. Chomolhari on a clear day. After lunch we drive to Ta Dzong, former Watch Tower which now houses the National Museum and then walk down passing close by the Paro Dzong, crossing the Bhutanese typical wooden roofed bridge to Paro. After a short stroll in town we drive back to hotel for overnight dinner and stay.

Today we spend half a day hiking to Taktsang, the Tiger’s Nest. This magical monastery clings to a vertical granite cliff 4000 ft. above the Paro valley floor. Legend says that Guru Padmasambhava flew here on the back of a tigress .The hike to Taktsang Monastery takes about 4 hours. We take lunch at the Taktsang Cafeteria. After lunch we walk down to Paro and drive through the winding road beside the Paro Chu (Chu means river or water) downstream to its confluence with the Wang-Chu then up the valley to Thimphu capital (2hrs). Dinner and overnight in hotel.

After breakfast we will drive for sightseeing tour of the Thimphu valley that includes the Nunnery, National Library, Painting School and Handicraft Emporium and then drive back for lunch. After lunch we continue our sightseeing tour of Memorial Chorten (Stupa) of His Late Majesty the 3rd King of Bhutan. We will visit Simthokha Dzong, the first fort built by Shabdrung who unified the kingdom in the 17th century, now it houses the school for study of National Language – Dzongkha. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

After breakfast we will drive to Punakha via Dochu-La-Pass (3100 m. Then we will continue our drive towards Punakha where we visit Chimi Lhakhang – The Temple of Fertility built in the 15th century. Also, we will visit Punakha Dzong. Dinner and overnight at Punakha

After breakfast we will drive to Wangue Phodrang(4,300 ft.), visiting Dzong & local market. This place is known for Bamboo products, Slate & Stone carving. Then we will drive further down and cross Pele-La-Pass (11.120 ft.), which is a traditional boundary between east & west Bhutan. There is an abrupt change in vegetation, with mountain forest
replaced by high altitude dwarf bamboo. We stop en route at Chendbji Chorten and drive further to visit Trongsa Dzong – it was the seat of power over central & eastern Bhutan. Finally we arrive at Bumthang after crossing over the Yutong-La-Pass (11,155 ft.). Dinner and overnight at Bumthang.

Bumthang is the general name given to combination of four valleys – Chumey, Choekhor, Tang & Ura. These valleys produce honey, cheese, apples & yathra (woolen colourful material). After breakfast we will visit Jambey Lhakhang, Kurje , Tamshing and Kunchosum monasteries. Besides, we will visit the Jakar Dzong & Mebar Tsho (Lake of Burning
Fire). Back to hotel. Dinner and overnight at Bumthang.

The trek route follows along the Chamkharchu (Bumthang river). You will stop at Tangbi Monastery for a lunch. After sometime, you will enter the “Swan valley” known as Ngang valley with its Ngang Lhakhang (the Swan Temple) at the center of the valley. Dinner and overnight at camp

Today we make a gradual climb to Phephe La (pass) at an altitude of 11000 ft, which is the highest point of the trek. The trail from the pass takes you through one of the most beautiful forests of the region. Along the way you can see the view of the Ugyencholing Palace. Overnight at camp at an altitude of 9000 ft.

After breakfast we follow the trail to the Tang Chu, another trout-filled river. On the bank of the river we visit Tang Rimpoche’s Lhakhang. The trek will pass the Mebar Tsho (Flaming Lake). From Bumthang, you will be picked up by our transport and driven to Bumthang.

From Bumthang we drive to Wangdiphodrang, following our original route. This will give us an opportunity to see things we missed along the way.

En route you will visit Wangdi Dzong, built by the Shabdrung in 1636. After lunch we will continue our journey and again we stop on the way and visit Tamchoe Monastery built in 15th century by Thangtong Gyalpo (Iron chain builders). If you are interested, you may visit the local handcraft shops to buy some souvenirs for your relatives and friends back home.

After the spectacular flight back to Kathmandu the rest of the day you are free to relax in Kathmandu or to go shopping