Private Bhutan Tour Itinerary for 5 Days

Private Bhutan Pilgrimage Tour Itinerary

Day1: Arrival at Paro International Airport

Representatives, Guides and Drivers Introduction and will escort to Hotel Altitude of Paro is 2240mts.

Lunch will be served in the Hotel

After Lunch Visit the Paro Rimpung Dzong which was built in 1646 by Great Fortress builder to defend ourselves from Foreign Invaders, especially Tibetan Invaders in those days. Today it is the Paro District Administration Centre, Office of the Disctrict Governor, District Judge and House of the Buddhist Monks (Study and Live). After that visit the Ta-Dzong (watch tower) for Paro Dzong built in same time and leter in 1868 it was changed to National Museum of Bhutan, one of the main treasure of Bhutan.

Evening Paro Town stalling and meeting the local Bhutanese.

Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day2: 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 and on your return back from monastery you will have your Lunch here.

Taktsang is at 2900mts. Hike for another half an hour and you reach the Great and Magnificent Taktsang.

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 8^th Century.

Walk down to the Tea House for Vegetarian Lunch.

After Lunch walk down hill and drive to the Ruined Fortress the Drukgyal Dzong meaning Bhutanese Victory Fortress built in 1649 by great fortress builer and also the man who unified Bhutan in 17^th Century.

On the drive back to Paro visit the Bhutan’s oldest monastery the Kyichu Lhakhang, built in 659AD by Tibetan King Songtsen Goenpo in order to subdue the Orgress in Tiber, he built 108 Stupas in Twenty Hours of time of which two are here in Bhutan, the one built on Left Knee is the Kyichu Monastery and next built on Left Toe is in Bumthang and it is called Jambay Lhakhang. The main deity inside the Monastery is the Buddha Maiteria which is commonly known as Future Buddha or reffered as Jow Jamba the same in Jokhang in Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.

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.

Day3: Paro – Thimphu Distance – 65kms. 2Hours Drive.

After breakfast drive to Thimphu following the Pa Chu (River of Paro) which divides the whole Paro Valley into two after one hour you will reach the Chuzom, where the Thimphu and Paro Rivers met and forms Wangchu. Drive till Chu Zom takes about One Hour. It is again a four road junction, where one lead to Thimphu, one lead to Haa Valley, one lead to Southern Bhutan, Phuentsholing closest town to the Indian Border and one that you had just drove. It is again One hour drive from here and you will reach Thimphu for your Lunch.

After Lunch Visit the visit 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.

Overnight: Hotel in Thimphu

Day4: Thimphu – Paro

After breakfast drive to visit the Changangkha Monastery which is built in 16^th Century by the son of the Great Drukpa Kagyud Saint called Lama Phajo Drugom Zhigpo and where the Buddhism flourishment continued in Western Bhutan. Visit the Thimphu’s Mini Zoo where you can see the TAKIN, the National Animal of Bhutan, which has head of a Goat and Body of a Cow and as per the legend it is been created by a Saint from Tibet who visited Bhutan and popularly known as Lama Drukpa Kuenley or Devine Madman.

Drive to BBS Radio Tower (Bhutan Broadcasting Service) to get the magnificent view of Thimphu and also known as Lovers’ point.

Lunch will be served in Down Town. After Lunch drive to Paro.

Overnight Hotel in Paro

Day5: 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 local government election conducted

The local government election conducted in the 205 gewogs and 16 dzongkhag thromdes saw a voter turnout of 56 percent or 194,357 voters, according to chief election commissioner of Bhutan, Dasho Kunzang Wangdi.

The result was announced this morning at a press conference, which was broadcast live on the national TV. There were 347,938 registered voters for the local government election. A total of 1,105 local government officials to the post of gups, mangmis, thromde thuemis and gewog tshogpas were elected yesterday. “The government structure under the Constitution is complete with the election of the local government,” said Dasho Kunzang Wangdi.

The chief election commissioner thanked all the people involved in conducting the election. “The local government election was successfully conducted.”

The four tshogpa vacant post in the Class A thromdes in Phuentsholing and Thimphu were also filled yesterday.

Bhutan Local Government Elections

The Local Government Elections see more than ever voters through postal ballots. A total of 58,762 have registered to cast their votes through postal ballots comparing to 17,876 registered in the first democratic general elections in 2008.

The grown number in the Local Government Elections, the postal ballot facility is extended to spouses and direct dependents of civil servants and armed forces.

Majority of the postal ballot user are civil servants (17,417), followed by the spouses of the civil servants and armed forces (14,995), corporate employees (4,808), student and trainees (Students 4,899 and Trainees 1,029). Rests are prisoners (556), private employees including security personale (884). Fifty parliamentarians have registered to use postal ballots.

Another reason for the increase in the postal voters, election was deferred by more than a month.

The increase number of postal voters has escalated the cost for the Election Commission. Each postal vote cost Nu.180 working out to more than Nu. 10 million. Elections officials are urging voters to vote in person.

The last date for the issuing of Postal ballot was 3rd June. The voting closed on June 19. Now, the respective returning officers are receiving their postal ballots. By June 26, all the postal ballots will have to reach the respective geogs.

Source: BBS

Nation’s guiding philosophy of Gross National Happiness

“When I grow up, I want to be like you,” a man in grey hair from the back seat of the room told students of Early Learning Centre up front.

The students had just demonstrated accompanied with video clippings of what they practiced at school towards a green school that draws its essence from the nation’s guiding philosophy of Gross National Happiness.

Meditation to begin and to call it a day at school, denying packaged food at school except once a week and helping ailing and aged citizens at the Thimphu hospital was what the students presented to some 70 people from across the globe.

The participants were gathered to mobilise a fund for green economic development during a conference at Termalinca resort yesterday morning. They were standing most of the time lauding the efforts Bhutanese students were tuning towards that was further embellished with education minister Thakur S Powdyel’s talk on GNH and education.

Impressed by the idea of green schools, the participants dropped money into the waste basket the school had made from plastics and gifted it to the children to use it to pursue their dream of being the change they want to see.

An inventor gave them an instrument that produces electricity from wind energy.

“Over the years, education, whose original idea is to inspire people to be better human beings has come to follow more the law of the market and I feel education has today lost its soul,” Lyonpo said. “That is why we feel we need to reclaim the core function of education itself and that is the reason why we have adopted a strategy called green schools for green Bhutan.”

Elaborating on the first aspect of a green school, he said children needed to understand endowment that’s inherited and the natural diversity that characterises Bhutan.

On intellectual greenery, the second aspect, lyonpo said for a small country like Bhutan, it was extremely important to build students’ knowledge bases, to build intellectual capacity and GNH schools must be intellectually vibrant and open with fertile minds.

A green school, he said, should also be academically green, in that schools should discover the great ideas hidden and so children and teachers will be explorers for the greater mind.

On being socially green, the fourth element, lyonpo said green school should also be culturally green because being a small country with a diverse culture, schools ought to provide space for children to be able to express, articulate and celebrate the different cultural experiences.

“We also believe spiritual greenery is important, which we hope will allow children to find completion, find fulfillment in relation to appreciation of something superior and greater than us,” the minister said. “So this should allow us to moderate our ego, be humble, and be a little more positive.”

Aesthetic greenery is yet another element of a green school, lyonpo said because a lot of children are exposed to influences which compromise and do violence to the integrity of their lives.

“Today, a lot of other things children see on TV screen is such that it can suck the soul of the child,” lyonpo said. “That’s why we need to create opportunities where children know what is really good, and what only looks good; what is genuine, what is fake; what is truly beautiful and appreciate what it is. We call it aesthetic greenery.”

Moral greenery, the ability to inspire to distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad, truth and falsehood is another extremely important element of a green school, the minister said.

“Perhaps one of the great gaps in modern education is the cultivation of the intellectual dimension, to a point where all other dimensions of the learner are relegated to the background,” he said. “We may have graduates who have wonderful degrees, skills all of which are very important but people who may not be able to relate to each another and the thirst of heart is not quenched by education.”

All these elements are intended to respond to and support the multiple dimensions of the life of the learner, just as GNH is a development alternative that is expected to respond to the multiple dimensions of an individual and society, the minister explained.

“I have a feeling that we need to have green schools even before we have the blue economy,” lyonpo said. “So, a green school in ally to the blue economy, we certainly believe is about time we started looking for a new civilisation, and I call it a new educational civilisation.”

Source: Kuenselonline

Private Tour Itinerary for 11 Days

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 of Bhutan Historic Tour, 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 and on your return back from monastery you will have your Lunch here.

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 8^th Century.

Walk down to the Tea House for Vegetarian Lunch.

After Lunch 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. 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 16^th 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 4: Thimphu – Punakha 142kms 5Hours

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 unifided Bhutan in 17^th Century.

Overnight: Hotel in Punakha

Day 5: Punakha – Bumthang, Alt: 2500mts. Driving Distance: 6Hours.

After breakfast drive to Bumthang. It takes another two hours to reach Pelela Pass at 3340mts, pretty good view of the snow capped mountains. It takes another half an hour to reach our hot Lunch place at Chendibji where you will witness a Nepalese Style Stupa built in 15^th century by saint for the people of Bhutan to worship and not to travel long on foot till you reach for your pilgrimage to Shambunath and Boudanath in Kathmandu, Nepal. That’s why the architecture is in Nepalese Style and there is another of same kind in Trashi Yangtse far eastern Bhutan. It will take another One an Half hour drive to Trongsa. Visit the Trongsa Choekor Rabtentse Dzong. Drive to Bumthang which will take another 3hours. After having lunch in Bumthang visit the Kharchu Monastery, Swiss Farm and do some hiking.
Overnight: Hotel in Bumthang.

Day 6: Bumthang – Bumthang.

Sight seeing in Bumthang which include Jambay Lhakhang, oldest monastery built in 7^th Century as same as the Kyichu Monastery in Paro. Jakar Dzong the district administration center of Bumthang. Kurjey Monastery the body print monastery where one can see the body prints of Guru Rimpoche. Tamshing Monastery and Member Tsho (Burning Lake)

Overnight: Hotel in Bumthang.

Day 7: Bumthang – Bumthang

Day excursion to remote and beautiful Ura Valley. Picnic lunch will be served.
Overnight hotel in Bumthang

Day 8: Bumthang – Gangtey

After an early breakfast, drive to Gangtey, 174kms from Bumthang. Gangtey is a beautiful place situated at an altitude of 3000m. From Gangtey, one can closely view the picturesque black mountain ranges as well as the beautiful Phobjikha valley which is one of the biggest and the most beautiful valleys in the country. During winters, we can also see the famous Black Necked Cranes there.

Overnight: Hotel in Gangtey

Day 9: Gangtey – Thimphu

After breakfast drive to Thimphu (1250kms.) Lunch at Dochula Pass 3150m.
Overnight: Hotel in Thimphu

Day 10: Thimphu – Paro

After breakfast drive to Paro. After lunch explore the town

Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day 11: Depart Bhutan.

After breakfast drive to Paro International Airport to board.

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