| Day
1 |
The
flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular of all the mountain flights.
The first three gifts you will receive from Bhutan will be cool, clean
fresh air you feel as you step out of the plane. The second will be warm
welcome you will receive from the your YANA Travel Team. The third
- the enchanting Paro valley. Lunch in Paro. After lunch you will drive
to Thimphu
through the scenic Paro valley with its rich terraced farmland. Welcome
dinner and overnight hotel. |
| Day
2 |
Your
day begins with visit to the weekend market, which is in a permanent set
of stalls; vendors from throughout the region arrive on Friday afternoon
and remain selling their goods until Sunday evening. It's an interesting
place to visit, where village people jostle with the Thimphu residents for the best and cheapest vegetables and foodstuffs. This is
the only time that fresh produce is easily available and the shopping is
enhanced by the opportunity to catch up on the week's gossip. Next you
will visit the Bhutan Post, where you will have time to admire and buy
some stamps - Bhutan is well known among the philatelists ands stamps constitute
one of its most delightful exports. Lunch in town. After lunch you will
visit the Memorial Choeten, a stupa built in 1974 to honor the memory of
the third king, His Late Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. The stupa is one
of the most elegant and masterpiece built in the 20th century with its
detail religious wall painting and sculptures. Then we visit the 14th century
Changangkha Lhakhang, which is also a focus of daily worship for many Thimphu
residents. Then we drive up to Sangaygang - the viewpoint. It is also known
as "Lover's Point," where young couples come to enjoy the bird's eye view
of the Thimphu valley. Then you will visit the Dupthop Monastery built by the Dupthop
Thangthong Gyalpo, also known as "Iron Bridge Builder" in Bhutan's history.
It is now a nunnery and it has more than 70 practising nuns. You will then
visit the Textile Musuem, Government Handicrafts Emporium. Overnight at
hotel. |
| Day
3 |
| THIMPHU
TSHECHU (FESTIVAL) |
All
day at the festival. Drive back for lunch at hotel. Overnight at hotel. |
| Day
4 |
Morning
at the festival. Lunch in town and after lunch you will drive to Punakha
via the Dochula
Pass (3,100m). The views from the pass are magnificent, offering a
panorama of the eastern Himalayan ranges. Tea stop at the cafeteria at
the pass. Overnight at hotel. |
Photos:
Patty Pressley
|
| Day
5 |
| PUNAKHA
VALLEY SIGHTSEEING |
After
breakfast you will visit the Punakha
Dzong. Punakha, situated at an elevation of 1400m served as the capital
of Bhutan until 1955 and still serves as the winter residence of the Je
Khenpo (Chief Abbot) and the Central Monk Body. Blessed with temperate
climate and fed with the Po Chu (Male) and Mo Chu (Female) rivers, Punakha
is one of the most fertile valleys in Bhutan. The climate allows for two
crops of rice to be grown a year. And is also good for growing fruits with
oranges and bananas in abundance. Visit the Punakha
Dzong and admire the beauty of the Bhutanese art and architecture where
dzongs were built with no iron nails. Check in and lunch at your Bhutanese
home - a family run hotel in Lobeysa. Afternoon you will explore the valley
which includes visit to the YANA Travel
owned farmhouse about 10 minutes from your hotel. A visit to the farmhouse
would offer you a closer look at the Kingdom's unique culture, which dictates
simple hospitality extended to any and all guests, even to perfect strangers.
Overnight at hotel.
Admire the beauty of the Bhutanese art and architecture where dzongs were
built with no iron nails. Check in and lunch at your Bhutanese home - a
family run hotel in Lobeysa. Afternoon you will explore the valley which
includes visit to the YANA Travel owned farmhouse about 10 minutes
from your hotel. A visit to the farmhouse would offer you a closer look
at the Kingdom's unique culture, which dictates simple hospitality extended
to any and all guests, even to perfect strangers. Overnight and dinner
at hotel. |
| Day
6 |
You
start early for the fabulous drive to the central valleys of Bhutan through
the breathtaking beauties and serenity of Bhutan's rich flora and fauna.
As you enter into Wandiphodrang valley, you will stop to photograph the
majestic Wangdiphodrang Dzong, which stands on a spur of a hill at the
confluence of Puna-Tsang Chu and Dang Chu rivers. Then the road ascends
steadily passing through sub-tropical vegetation across the Pele
La Pass (3300m). The pass is traditionally considered the boundary
between west and central Bhutan. During the clear weather you can view
the high snow capped peaks specially Mt. Jhomolhari Mt.
Jhomolhari (7314m). As you descend from the pass through the draft
bamboo and quite often Yaks grazing, you arrive at Chendebji Choeten. This
choeten was built in the 18th century by Lama Shida to cover the remains
of an ogress subdued at this spot. Lunch box will be served near the Choeten.
After lunch resume your journey to Trongsa - the ancestral home of Bhutan's
Royal Family. The hilly landscapes surrounding the Dzong and wooden slatted
houses overlooking the town are spectacular. At one with an undulating
ridge top, it is arguably the most impressive dzong in the kingdom. Overnight
at hotel. |
| Day
7 |
Today
you will drive to Bumthang, which is considered one of the most sacred
and religious valleys in Bhutan. The valley is the site to many important
monasteries and temples. Check in and lunch at the hotel. After lunch you
will visit the Jakar Dzong "The fortress of the white bird" and explore
the Jakar town. Overnight at lodge. |
Photos:
Patty Pressley
|
