Bhutan Thimphu Festival

Bhutan Thimphu Festival Tour

Join the colourful Thimphu Festival Tour. Visit Bhutan at the time of Thimphu Tsechu the grandest festivals in Bhutan. The Thimphu Festival is a religious festival where masked dances are performed to instruct the onlookers in the ways of Dharma. These are also occasions where Bhutanese people dress in their finest ethnic costumes. During the Thimphu Festival Tour you can witness various religious masked dances performed in the courtyards of the Dzong of the area. Our special festival tours visit Bhutan during the famous and colourful Thimphu Festival.

Day 1: Arrival Paro International Airport.
During the journey to Paro, one will experience from the left hand side of the plane, breath taking view of Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga and other famous Himalayan peaks, including the sacred Chomolhari and Mount Jichu Drake in Bhutan. On the arrival at Paro International Airport, The representative, your tour guide will receive you and escort you to the hotel. After a brief rest at the hotel and tea/coffee, drive to the National Museum (Ta-Dzong). This was actually the Watch Tower of Paro Rinpung Dzong. It was converted to the National Museum in 1968. Visit the Paro Rinpung Dzong. This massive fortress is located on a hill top above the Pachu (Paro River) of Paro Valley. You have to walk about 15 minutes by crossing an ancient wooden bridge built in typical Bhutanese architect. The Dzong houses the District Administration Office and the District Monk Body. It was built in 1645 A.D. Lunch at Hotel. After Lunch Visit Kyichu Lhakhang (Lhakhang means Monastery). Kyichu Lhakhang was built in 659 A.D. by King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet. It is considered one of the holiest places in Bhutan as it marks the advent of Buddhism in the country. It is one of the 108 such temples built by him for spreading Buddhism in this region. Drive to the Paro village town and explore the town. Altitude of Paro is 2260m.
Overnight: Hotel in Paro.

Day 2: Paro – Paro
Drive for 15kms and reach the base of Famous Tiger’s Nest “TAKTSANG” Monastery and hike up which would take Two Hours up and approximately One Hour down. Stop at Taktsang Tea House “Cafeteria” for refreshment of Tea & Coffee. Taktsang is at 2900mts. Hike for another half an hour and you reach the Great and Magnificent Taktsang where you will be greets by the monks who live there and Special Bhutanese Butter Tea will be served with Snacks. Visit the most important monastery were the Guru Rimpoche was flying on a Flamming Tigress from Singye Dzong in Eastern Bhutan to here and meditated for Three Months and flourishment of Buddhism in Paro started from 8th Century. Walk down hill and drive to Drugyal Dzong and on the way enjoys the view of the Taktsang Monastery, also known as “Tiger’s Nest temple”. Near the Drugyal Dzong, if the sky is clear we can see the Mt. Chomolhari on the background.
Overnight: Hotel in Paro.

Thimphu is the Capital City of Bhutan but for the Buddhist Monk body moves to Punakha in Winter and their Summer Capital District is Thimphu but Winter s Punakha because it is cold in Thimphu during winter and Punakha is just perfect at 1300mts

Day 3: Paro – Thimphu
The drive to Thimphu will take roughly Two Hours. Thimphu is the capital city of Bhutan since from 1974. Punakha used to the capital city of Bhutan before that.
For the first one hour you will follow the Pa-Chu (Paro River) and reach Chuzom where the Thimphu River meets the Paro River and forms Wang-Chu (Chu means Water, River or Stream). Chuzom is a four direction motor road junction where one road leads to Thimphu, one to Phuentsholing the border town to India, one to Haa valley and one where you drove from Paro. It will take another One hour from here to Capital city, Thimphu. Check in the Hotel and after short rest visit National Memorial Stupa, built in 1874 by Royal Queen Mother and dedicated to the father of Modern Bhutan, the Late His Majesty the Third King of Bhutan. The Memorial Stupa, built in 1974 by Royal Queen Mother and dedicated to the Father of Modern Bhutan, The Third King of Bhutan. This Tibetan & Bhutanese Architecture mixed Stupa has got three different sects of Buddhism such as Gongdu on the Top floor, Drukpa Kagyud on Middle with Second Buddha figure facing the Sun Rise and on the Ground Floor it is the Phurba.

Day 4: Thimphu – Thimphu
Full Day Thimphu Festival
Overnight: Hotel in Thimphu

Day 5: Thimphu – Thimphu
Full Day Thimphu Festival
Overnight: Hotel in Thimphu

Day 6: Thimphu - Thimphu
AM Thimphu Festival, Lunch in Town, after lunch drive to BBS Tower to get the magnificent picture and view of Thimphu and you can also see our Queens Palaces. Visit to Thimphu Mini Zoo where you can see our National Animal “TAKIN” which has a head of a goat and body of a cow, believed to be made by great Devine Madman in the 16th Century. Visit national Library, School of Thirteen Arts and Crafts, National institute of Traditional Medicines.
Overnight: Hotel in Thimphu.

Day 7: Thimphu – Punakha
After breakfast drive to Winter Capital for the Monastic Body, Punakha at 1300m.
One hour drive reach you to Dochula Pass at 3150mts where you can see and enjoy the Eastern Himalayas in a Panoramic View and best picture time for group of Bhutanese Style of Stupas, as there are 108 Stupas built by Her Majesty for the well being of the Nation and Love Live His Majesty. It descends to Punakha and Wangdue at 1300mts which will take another two hours. Visit Historic and one of the most beautiful Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Great Zhabdrung Rimpoche who unified Bhutan in 17th Century.
Overnight: Hotel in Punakha

Day 8: Punakha - Punakha
After breakfast walk to the famous Devine Madman’s Monastery The Chhimi Lhakhang “No Dog Monastery” built in 1499. Today it is very popular because couples who are married for so many years and don’t have childrens but always desired go there and get blessed from the wodden Phallus and in another Nine months the wife gets pregnant. We will visit the monastery and meditate and picnic lunch will be served outside the monastery in a lush green ground. After Lunch drive to Punakha and visit the beautiful and legendary Khamsum Yuley Namgyal Monastery built by Her Majesty the Queen mother of our Crown Prince.
Overnight: Hotel in Punakha

Day 9: Punakha – Paro
After breakfast drive to Paro. Lunch at Thimphu. Afterlunch further drive to Paro
Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day 10: Depart Bhutan.

After breakfast drive to Paro International Airport to board.

Thank You very much for visiting Bhutan with us and we look forward in hearing and re-organizing same Pilgrimage Tour for you, your family members and Friends!!!

Bhutan Paro Festival Itinerary

Bhutan Paro Festival Tour

Be a part of only a few westerners who have enjoyed the fascinating Tsechu festivals of Bhutan. The Tsechus are Buddhist religious festivals where masked dances depicting the events from the life of Padmasambhava, the eighth century Nyingmapa Buddhist teacher, are staged. The dances are performed by trained monks wearing ornate costumes and impressive masks.

Day 1: Arrival Paro International Airport.

During the journey to Paro, one will experience from the left hand side of the plane, breath taking view of Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga and other famous Himalayan peaks, including the sacred Chomolhari and Mount Jichu Drake in Bhutan. On the arrival at Paro International Airport, The representative, your tour guide will receive you and escort you to the hotel. After a brief rest at the hotel and tea/coffee. Drive to the National Museum (Ta-Dzong). This was actually the Watch Tower of Paro Rinpung Dzong. It was converted to the National Museum in 1968. Visit the Paro Rinpung Dzong. This massive fortress is located on a hill top above the Pachu (Paro River) of Paro Valley. You have to walk about 15 minutes by crossing an ancient wooden bridge built in typical Bhutanese architect. The Dzong houses the District Administration Office and the District Monk Body. It was built in 1645 A.D. Lunch at Hotel. After Lunch Visit Kyichu Lhakhang (Lhakhang means Monastery). Kyichu Lhakhang was built in 659 A.D. by King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet. It is considered one of the holiest places in Bhutan as it marks the advent of Buddhism in the country. It is one of the 108 such temples built by him for spreading Buddhism in this region. Drive to the Paro village town and explore the town. Altitude of Paro is 2260m.
Overnight: Hotel in Paro.

Day 2: Paro – Paro
Full Day Paro Festival
Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day 3: Paro – Paro
Full Day Paro Festival
Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day 4: Paro – Paro
After breakfast drive for 15kms and reach the base of Famous Tiger’s Nest “TAKTSANG” Monastery and hike up which would take Two Hours up and approximately One Hour down. Stop at Taktsang Tea House “Cafeteria” for refreshment of Tea & Coffee. Taktsang is at 2900mts. Hike for another half an hour and you reach the Great and Magnificent Taktsang where you will be greets by the monks who live there and Special Bhutanese Butter Tea will be served with Snacks. Visit the most important monastery were the Guru Rimpoche was flying on a Flamming Tigress from Singye Dzong in Eastern Bhutan to here and meditated for Three Months and flourishment of Buddhism in Paro started from 8th Century. Walk down hill and drive to Drugyal Dzong and on the way enjoys the view of the Taktsang Monastery, also known as “Tiger’s Nest temple”. Near the Drugyal Dzong, if the sky is clear we can see the Mt. Chomolhari on the background.
PM Visit Festival
Overnight: Hotel in Paro.

Thimphu is the Capital City of Bhutan but for the Buddhist Monk body moves to Punakha in Winter and their Summer Capital District is Thimphu but Winter s Punakha because it is cold in Thimphu during winter and Punakha is just perfect at 1300mts

Day 5: Paro – Thimphu
The drive to Thimphu will take roughly Two Hours. Thimphu is the capital city of Bhutan since from 1974. Punakha used to the capital city of Bhutan before that.
For the first one hour you will follow the Pa-Chu (Paro River) and reach Chuzom where the Thimphu River meets the Paro River and forms Wang-Chu (Chu means Water, River or Stream). Chuzom is a four direction motor road junction where one road leads to Thimphu, one to Phuentsholing the border town to India, one to Haa valley and one where you drove from Paro. It will take another One hour from here to Capital city, Thimphu. Check in the Hotel and after short rest visit National Memorial Stupa, built in 1874 by Royal Queen Mother and dedicated to the father of Modern Bhutan, the Late His Majesty the Third King of Bhutan. The Memorial Stupa, built in 1974 by Royal Queen Mother and dedicated to the Father of Modern Bhutan, The Third King of Bhutan. This Tibetan & Bhutanese Architecture mixed Stupa has got three different sects of Buddhism such as Gongdu on the Top floor, Drukpa Kagyud on Middle with Second Buddha figure facing the Sun Rise and on the Ground Floor it is the Phurba.

Day 6: Thimphu - Thimphu
Visit the Post Office with Money exchange as the bank is next door. Lunch in Town, after lunch drive to BBS Tower to get the magnificent picture and view of Thimphu and you can also see our Queens Palaces. Visit to Thimphu Mini Zoo where you can see our National Animal “TAKIN” which has a head of a goat and body of a cow, believed to be made by great Devine Madman in the 16th Century. Visit national Library, School of Thirteen Arts and Crafts, National institute of Traditional Medicines. Visit to Thimphu Tashi Cho Dzong, the office of the King and the Throne Room and also the Summer Capital of Monastic Body lead by His Holiness the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) who spend six months here during summer and move to Punakha for winter for another six months.
Overnight: Hotel in Thimphu.

Day 7: Thimphu – Punakha
After breakfast drive to Winter Capital for the Monastic Body, Punakha at 1300m.
One hour drive reach you to Dochula Pass at 3150mts where you can see and enjoy the Eastern Himalayas in a Panoramic View and best picture time for group of Bhutanese Style of Stupas, as there are 108 Stupas built by Her Majesty for the well being of the Nation and Love Live His Majesty. It descends to Punakha and Wangdue at 1300mts which will take another two hours. Visit Historic and one of the most beautiful Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Great Zhabdrung Rimpoche who unified Bhutan in 17th Century.
Overnight: Hotel in Punakha

Day 8: Punakha – Punakha
After breakfast walk to the famous Devine Madman’s Monastery The Chhimi Lhakhang “No Dog Monastery” built in 1499. Today it is very popular because couples who are married for so many years and don’t have childrens but always desired go there and get blessed from the wodden Phallus and in another Nine months the wife gets pregnant. We will visit the monastery and meditate and picnic lunch will be served outside the monastery in a lush green ground. After Lunch drive to Punakha and visit the beautiful and legendary Khamsum Yuley Namgyal Monastery built by Her Majesty the Queen mother of our Crown Prince.
Overnight: Hotel in Punakha

Day 9: Punakha – Paro
Drive to Paro, lunch stop at Thimphu. After lunch further drive to Paro
Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day 10: Depart Bhutan.

After breakfast drive to Paro International Airport to board.

Thank You very much for visiting Bhutan with us and we look forward in hearing and re-organizing same Pilgrimage Tour for you, your family members and Friends!!!

Bhutan Observed World AIDS Day

As the nation observed World AIDS Day yesterday in Zhemgang, health officials said that harmful practices in the village like ear and nose piercing with the same sharpened bamboo sticks, using the same scissors to cut hair, and the same razor blade to cut skin and suck out blood to cure headaches need to be done away with.

“Despite a multi-sectoral task force functioning in the dzongkhag, all sections of people, including students and civil servants, don’t have clear knowledge on HIV/AIDS,” said the public health director Dr Ugyen Dophu, after the question-answer session, where students and the public of Zhemgang asked various basic questions on HIV/AIDS. “Ignorance is a big challenge in Zhemgang dzongkhag.”

Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck, told the gathering of about 900 people that December 1 is the day observed to show compassion to all HIV positive patients and commit to prevent the disease. “It’s not important to know who is infected with HIV/AIDs, but what’s important is to know how to protect from infection,” she said, adding that those infected should not spread it to others.

Of the 33 million people infected with HIV/AIDS around the world, 185 are in Bhutan.

According to Dr Ugyen Dophu, anti retroviral drugs (ARD), given to HIV/AIDS patients, are only available in the three referral hospitals of Gelephu, Mongar and Thimphu. “When HIV positive people come for the CD4 count (a CD4 count below 200 indicates serious immune damage), their blood is sent to any of the referral hospitals,” he said. “The patient has to go to the referral hospital in the initial phase, but the hospital decides whether he needs ARD or not.”

Referral hospitals send patients, along with medicines, to the hospital that is nearer to the patient’s place of residence. “The health staff in the locality will have to advise the patients monthly as the drug is very toxic,” Dr Ugyen Dophu explained. “With limited budget, the government can’t spread anti retroviral drugs to every district hospital, but training the health staff would be best for good access.”

The UN resident coordinator, Ms Claire Van der Vaeren said that the UN is committed to support the government in halting the HIV epidemic, by working together and making changes together. “It means change from exclusion to inclusion, from indifference to responsibility and from fear to hope.”

Chimi Lhadon, 40, from Tali village, told Kuensel that, in her village, the moment people talk about an HIV/AIDS patient, they directly link it to people of loose morals. “Today I knew that AIDS can also be incidentally transmitted through blood route,” the mother of four said, adding that she will go and advise her children to be careful.

Zhemgang dzongkhag has about eight HIV/AIDS patients.

Source: Kuenselonline

His Majesty the King granted kidu to 681 earthquakeaffected households

Assuring every necessary support to victims of natural disasters, His Majesty the King granted kidu to 681 earthquakeaffected households yesterday morning in Tongshang gewog, Trashiyangtse.

This also includes three households in Tongshang whose homes were gutted by fire.

Speaking to the victims, His Majesty said that Bhutan is different from the rest of the world, because the people and the government share a strong bond of unity and brotherhood. “Thus, we share our joys as well as our sorrows. In this way we’re very lucky, we are a very lucky society,” said His Majesty.

His Majesty said that the eople in the villages are very hardworking and deserving of kidu. The kidu money would be well used to rebuild newer homes and livelihood.

“You (the villagers) are a major portion of our population. Moreover, you are the foundation of our country. It is therefore, very important for you to invest the money (kidu) to build better homes to last for many generations,” His Majesty said.

Upon His Majesty’s command, 13 heavy-duty vehicles were procured to help the rebuilding process. Over 500 army personnel have been deployed in Durung and Wamrong to help the victims rebuild their homes. A special unit of engineers and architects would oversee the project.

Local authorities said that the villagers heavily depend on the kidu money and the insurance compensation to rebuild their homes.

Jamkhar gup, Jigme Norbu said, “Most villagers cannot rebuild their homes without soelra and all the special help provided by His Majesty.” The September 21 earthquake and the aftershocks damaged 140 houses in the gewog alone. Ten homes totally collapsed.

Changlu’s family still sleeps in the shed beside his damaged home. “We need to rebuild our home at the earliest because the children are suffering. Now that His Majesty has granted us both land and money we need nothing more,” he said.

His Majesty granted land kidu of 832 acres to 945 thram holders in Tongshang gewog exempting them of Nu 17.93 million in compensation towards the government.

Later in the evening, in Trashigang, His Majesty met and granted soelra to the villagers of Merak and Sakteng.

Earlier on Nov 28, His Majesty joined the people of Trashigang at the last day of the Trashigang tshechu. The joy of attending the tshechu was simply beyond words for thousands of people who gathered in Trashigang for the annual tshechu. His Majesty also offered prayers at the Sacred Guru Tshengyed kunchham.

“This is a historic moment for us,” said a civil servant.

“As far as I can remember not even senior officials attended our tshechu. With His Majesty attending the tshechu is a great memory,” said Sonam Dorji from Samkhar.

Later in the day, His Majesty granted kidu to 1,114 villagers from nine gewogs under Trashigang dzongkhag.

Of the total number of households that received kidu, 21 houses were damaged by windstorm in October and two houses destroyed by fire, one each in Bidung and Samkhar. His Majesty also granted tokha to the people.

Wangmo from Shongphu, whose house collapsed, now sees a glimpse of hope to rebuild her home. “I think my family can afford to rebuild our home with the ready assistance provided to us. With His Majesty personally overseeing things it’s assured we’ll live in a proper house,” she said.

His Majesty leaves for Udzorong and Wamrong today.

Source: Kuenselonline

Inter Departmental Tournamnet Updates

In yesterdays match of Inter Departmental Tournament Knockout match the result was as follows:

First Match:
RTC (Royal Thimphu College) beats RSTA (Road Safety and Transport Authority) 10:1

Second Match:
Bhutan Post beats Druk Wangyel 2:1

So now Bhutan Post will face BMT in Quarter Final on the 3rd of December 2009 at 3:30 pm