Paro – Transfer to Thimphu. On arrival, guests will be received at the airport by our representative who will drop you to Thimphu. Freshen up and visit following places /// Tashichodzong/// Memorial /// Chorten, /// Craft Bazar, /// Over night at Hotel in Thimphu.

Takin Reserve, /// Changangkha Lhakhang, /// Sangaygang (BBS Tower), /// Nunnery, ///Kuensel Phodrang (Buddha Statue), /// Takin Reserve, /// Jungshi Paper factory, ///Weaving Centre, ///Folk Heritage Museum, /// Textile Museum Overnight at hotel in Thimphu

Thimphu – Punakha After breakfast drive towards Punaka///DOCHULA PASS/// visit ; PunakhaDzong, /// Suspension bridge, Chimi Lhakhang /// (optional – you can also do white river rafting – cost not included in the package. Overnight at Hotel in Punakha.

Post a leisurely breakfast, Drive to Phobjikha, the valley of the Black Necked Cranes. This is the winter nesting grounds for the endangered Black Necked Cranes, they start arriving by October end and leave for the Tibetan plateau by February. The valley is believed to have been created by glaciers and is shaped like a bowl, hence the name ‘Phob’ meaning bowl. Once there stop at Gangtey monastery, a privately funded Buddhist college of Nyingmapa sect. It’s worth going in for a short visit to see the beautiful carvings inside. After that, take a trail that goes down the hill, it’s called the Gangtey Nature Trail and is a beautiful hike around the valley through lightly covered pine and juniper forests. This is also the closest you will come to the cranes (during winters) as it’s prohibited to go away from the trail and down to the marshes in the valley. Your car will pick you up at the end of the marshes in the valley to take you to your hotel. Overnight at a hotel/ guest house in Phobjikha

After breakfast, drive back towards Wangdue and then to Thimphu where you can have lunch or you can have it in Thimphu. Post lunch drive to Paro, on the way visit Tamchog Lhakhang: Tachog lhakhang is temple that is dedicated to the 13th century saint Thangthong Gyalpo, the iron bridge builder. This temple is located across the river about 15kms from the Paro towards Thimphu. In order to get to the temple one must cross an iron chain bridge, one of the few remaining of the many that Thangthong Gyalpo built. This is a private temple however tourists are allowed to visit if they are given permission. Crossing this very old bridge with its swaying and undulating movements can be quite an experience. The temple's location on the ridge and the high rocky barren hills which serve as its backdrop makes this a good location to take pictures. Ta Dzong (National Museum): The name Ta Dzong translates to ‘watch tower’ and it served the function of watch tower for the Paro Rinpung Dzong. Back in the day, similar look-out points were built for other dzongs (fortresses) to counter any approaching hostilities, for those were the days of frequent strife. These towers were specifically built high atop hills and other vantage points during the old days. Presently serving as the national museum (since late 60’s), it houses an array of antiquities such as ancient thangka (exquisite scroll painting), mural paintings and other forms of art done by great personalities of those days, original textiles of the kingdom which represent the culture that still flourishes, weapons & armour used back in the day, household objects typical to the Bhutanese people’s way of life back then and even now, and other natural and historical artifacts. Overnight at a hotel in Paro.

Paro, Tiger’s Nest hike/Overnight at a hotel in Paro.

Depart.