Bhutan Spring festival tours

Festivals in Bhutan are rich and happy expressions of its ancient Buddhist culture. It is also a social gatherings where people, dressed in their best, come together to rejoice. Festivals are annually held in every Dzong (fortress) and monasteries.
This tour package combines the important Punakha tshechu festival, with a visit to the roosting ground of Black necked crane and also some historical cultural site of the central and western region of Bhutan.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 (20 February, Saturday): Arrive Paro
The flight to Paro offers the spectacular views of the Himalayan range including the sacred Jhomolhari and Jichu Drake peaks of Bhutan. Upon arrival in Paro, you will be greeted by our representative and transfer to hotel. After lunch, visit Paro Dzong, which was built in 1646, and visit Kyichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in the country. Overnight hotel in Paro.
Day 2 (21 February, Sunday): Paro - Punakha
After breakfast you will drive to Punakha, with a stop en route for tea at Dochu La (3,100 meters), where on a clear day you can get spectacular views of the Himalayas. After lunch at Dochula Pass, you will drive to Punakha, the former capital of Bhutan. On the way to Punakha, you will stop at Metshina Village and take a 20-minute walk through the rice fields to Chimi Lakhang, which is a fertility temple, dedicated to Devine Madman, a man who was known for earthly sense of humour. Overnight hotel in Punakha.
Day 3 (22 February, Monday): Punakha - attend full day of festival
After breakfast, you will attend the festival in Punakha. Enjoy the celebration of the mask dances by the local people and the monks. Overnight hotel in Punakha.

Day 04: Wangdue – Gangtey/Phobjikha (2.1/2 hours)

After breakfast drive to Gangtey/Phobjikha. Gangtey lies towards the east of Wangdue on the flanks of the Black Mountains. There is an old monastery of Gangtey Gompa dating back to the 17th century. A few kilometers past the Gompa on the valley floor are the fascinating valley of Phobjikha. This quite, remote valley is the winter home of black necked cranes, which migrate from the arid plains of Tibet in the north. Explore Gangtey and Phobjikha valley. Enjoy the Bird Watching and overnight Hotel in Phobjikha.
Day 5 : Gangtey - Bumthang Drive 6Hours.
Drive to Bumthang and pass Pelela Pass at 3340mts and enjoy snow capped himalayas and descend down to Trongsa for hot lunch. Visit the Trongsa Dzong and continue driving to Bumthang "Golden Vase Valley". Overnight Hotel in Bumthang.
Day 6: Bumthang - Bumthang
Visit to Swiss Cheese Making Factory and Red Panda Beer Manufacturing unit. Visit Jakar dzong "White Bird Castle" built in 17th century. Visit to Jambay Lhakhang the oldest monastery built in 659AD by Tibetan King to subdue Ogress in Tibet and built 108 Monasteries and two are here in Bhutan and the other one is the Kyichu Monastery in Paro. Drive to Kurjey Monastery and do a short hike crossing over Chamker Chu (River) to Tamching Monastery. After visiting the Tamshing Monastery, the residence of Great treasure Discover Pema Lingpa and now private monastery, visit the Kharchu Monastery, private monastery maintained by Lama Namkhai Nyingpo. Overnight Hotel in Bumthang.

Day 7 : Bumthang - Thimphu
Drive to Thimphu and check in the hotel.
Day 8: Thimphu Sightseeing
After a late breakfast you will start your sightseeing of Thimphu with a visit to the Institute traditional medicines .Then we head to The Painting School where traditional art is still kept alive through instructions in the art of painting Thangkhas (sacred Buddhist religious scrolls). The Bhutan heritage Museum, a nineteenth century house, preserved to show how middle class Bhutanese lived in the past. Next we will visit the National Library and return to the hotel for lunch. After lunch, we visit Textile Museum, the traditional gold and silver smith workshop, weaving center and other places of interest. If the day falls on a weekend, then a visit to a weekend market is a must. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 9: Paro Sightseeing
After breakfast we will drive to Paro this will take about 2 hours, check into hotel and then we will start our sightseeing by visiting the Drukgyal Dzong built in 1647 by Shubdrung Nawang Namgyal, the Dzong was destroyed by fire and left in ruins as an evocative reminder of the great victories it was built to commemorate. On a clear day you can get a magnificent view of the Mount Chomolhari, alt. 7314 m / 23,990 ft. Go round the fortress, it is a 30 minutes leisurely hike, this is a beautiful walk. Drive south to Satsam Chorten, built in memory of the late Dilgo Khentse Rinpochey, and continue on to Kyichu Lhakhang, built in seventh century by a Tibetan King, Songtsen Gonpo. After lunch we will visit the National Museum of Bhutan, (Ta Dzong) which contains works of art, handicrafts, costumes, armors and rare stamps. Take a leisurely hike down to Rimpung Dzong. You will walk through a traditional covered bridge across the river to your waiting car and drive to your hotel. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 10 Excursion to Taktsang Monastery
After breakfast your car will drop you at the starting point of the excursion to view the spectacular Taktsang monastery (Tiger’s lair). The trail to the monastery climbs through beautiful pine forest, many of the trees festooned with Spanish moss, and an occasional grove of fluttering prayer flags. You stop at the cafeteria for a rest and refreshments and continue the hike (if not tired) for short while until you see, clearly and seemingly within reach, the Taktsang monastery. Built in 1600s, this incredible monastery clings to the edge of a sheer rock cliff that plunges 900 meters into the valley below. The history states that Guru Padmasambhava, the Tantric mystic who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, landed here on the back of a flying tiger. Looking at the monastery flying tigers doesn’t seem so impossible after all. Lunch will be served at the cafeteria. Overnight at Hotel.
DAY 11 Departure:
Our representative will see you off from the Paro Airport.

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