Day
8 |
Thangbi
Mani is a small annual three-day local festival celebrated at the Thangbi
Temple. Far less crowded than the Thimphu festival, you will have ample
of opportunity to interact with and photography the local festivalgoers.
Lunch box will be served at Thangbi. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
|
| Day
9 |
Morning
you will attend the festival take more pictures. You will drive back to
hotel for lunch. After lunch you will do additional sightseeing of the
Bumthang valley. After lunch you will visit Kuencho-Sum Lhakhang. Next
well will visit Tamzhing Goenpa - a monastery founded by the great treasure
revealer Terton Pema Lingpa. It contains exquisite religious paintings
and statuary dating back to 14th century. You will the hike to the Kurjey
Lhakhang - the temple where the Tantric Master, Guru Rinpoche meditated
and you can see the imprint of his body in the rock. You will then visit
the Jambay Lhakhang - the 7th century temple built by King Songtsen Goenpo.
Overnight at lodge. |
| Day
10 |
Today
you will drive back to Punakha with photo stops along the way. Lunch box will be served at the Chendebji
Choeten (Buddhist Stupa). This stupa was built in the 18th century by Lama
Shida to cover the remains of an Ogress subdued at this stop. After lunch
resume your return journey. Overnight at hotel. |
| Day
11 |
Today
you will drive to Paro. You will have ample opportunities to photograph
on the way. A brief lunch stop will be made in Thimphu.
After lunch resume your journey to Paro visiting the Simtokha on route.
This dzong is the oldest in the country built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal
in 1627. It now houses the Institute for Language and Cultural Studies.
Overnight at hotel. |
Photos:
Patty Pressley
|
Day
12
|
Morning
you will visit the National
Museum of Bhutan. You will have time to admire the museum's collections
of rare Bhutanese artifacts and art, traditional weaving and other eclectic
pieces including a piece of "moon rock," a bequest of Neil A. Armstrong
and the other astronauts who made the first landing on the moon. After
the museum you hike down to visit the Paro Dzong - who now house the offices
of the district administration and the district monk body. You will continue
your hike down to the traditional cantilever bridge. One of the scenes
in the film little Buddha includes this bridge. Your transport will pick
you from the other side of the river. Lunch in downtown restaurant. Afternoon
you will visit the Drukgyal Dzong built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in
1647 to commemorate the victory of the Bhutanese over the Tibetan invaders.
It was destroyed by fire in 1951 and it is now in ruins. On the way back
you will visit the Kyichu Lhakhang builti in the 7th century by King Songtsen
Goenpo. He built 108 temples in a day to pin down an Ogress who tried to
destroy his mission to spread Buddhist teachings along the Himalayas. Out
of the 108 sacred temples including the Jambay Lhakhang in Bumthang. Overnight
at hotel.
|
| Day
13 |
Day
Excursion to Taktshang
Monastery literally known as Tiger's Nest. This is one of Bhutan's
most sacred places, and an important pilgrimage destination. You will walk
along a trail that slowly rises above the valley, taking you through fields
and past four large prayer wheels turned by a stream. Continuing across
an open meadow, you hike up a section of trail to a ridge where prayer
flags rustle in the wind next to a massive prayer wheel. Just beyond is
the Taktshang Cafeteria at 9,200 feet, where you stop to enjoy a hot drink
and the striking views of the Monastery across the valley. Depending on
your energy level, you may relax in the pleasant atmosphere of the cafeteria
until lunch or continue on for a mile of steep climbing to another dramatic
viewpoint. You return to the cafeteria for a delicious buffet of typical
Bhutanese food. You may want to try Emadatsi (A chili cheese dish), vegetables
with cheese sauce and other dishes. Farewell dinner and overnight hotel. |
| Day
14 |
After
breakfast you will drive to Paro International Airport for your onward
destination. Your YANA Travel Team will assist you with check in formalities
and bid you farewell.. |
Photos:
Patty Pressley
|
