Cultural Exploration: Kingdom in the Sky - 7 Days

After you arrive in Paro, you’ll be surrounded by deep green valleys, peace and beauty all around you. After, you’ll be greeted by your local guides and people around you. After you are greeted, you’ll be taken to the hotel where you are staying. After checking in, you can rest and let go of all your tiredness. In the afternoon, enjoy a gentle walk around the historic Paro town, known for its charming shops and architecture. You’ll visit a traditional farmhouse for a welcome tea session. In the evening, you can go for the orientation session taken by your guides, which explains the itinerary of the rest journey.  You’ll have dinner at the place where you are staying.

After breakfast, take note of the scenic view of the pine-clad mountains of Bhutan, the country’s capital city, Thimphu, nestled in the valley. While in the city, your first cultural stop will be the Folk Heritage Museum, where Bhutan’s history will be introduced to you in the form of a revitalized countryside home depicting the Bhutanese lifestyle. From there, make your way to the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, more popularly known as the Traditional Arts School. There, students learn the nation’s 13 traditional crafts, which include thangka painting and wood carving. In the afternoon, head over to Tashichho Dzong, which contains the throne room and the central monastic body. It is home to a wonderful fortress. In the evening, appreciate the scenic view of the city and do not miss the local market to get some handicraft souvenirs. Enjoy your dinner and stay overnight in Thimphu.

After breakfast, today you’ll depart from Thimphu to Punakha. In this ride, you’ll get to see the famous Douchla Pass. This journey consists of the various scenic beauties of nature, which you can capture throughout the day. Here you’ll also get to feel the change in climate as you pass from temperate forest zones to more sub-tropical climates as you move closer to Punakha. This forest is a major habitat for many birds, so you can keep your binoculars ready here. You’ll stop midway for lunch here. As you move close towards Punakha, the climate becomes warmer and greener, making the habitat perfect for diverse bird species. Upon arrival in Punakha, check into your hotel, and you can leave for an evening walk towards the Pho Chhu riverbanks, where you can relax and take pleasure in seeing nature. 

You’ll start your day by visiting the iconic Punakha Dzong.  Punakha Dzong is also known as the "Place of Great Happiness." This fortress is between the confluence of two rivers and is famous for its carved woodwork. This place has also played a historical role in Bhutan’s monarchy. Afterwards, you can cross the longest bridge in Bhutan. This place offers you a view of the valleys and is decorated with prayer flags. Later, you can stroll around villages where you can interact with elderly people. You can try pounding rice, making incense, or spinning the yarn. In the afternoon, you can engage in cooking classes , where you can learn to prepare authentic Bhutanese dishes and share your experiences with locals. 

Begin your day by driving through the sacred Phobjikha valley. This district is a glacial valley surrounded by pine trees. This is also a winter habitat for the black-necked cranes. When you visit,  see the serene Gangtey Monastery. This is one of the oldest Nyingma Monasteries in Bhutan. You can participate in the monks' prayers, where you can receive a blessing. Later, you can go for a gentle hike along the Gangtey Nature Trail, where you can see the patches of rhododendrons, local villages, and soft meadows. You might see some prayer wheels and chortens or some yaks grazing peacefully. Spend the evening in a guesthouse and savor a Bhutanese dinner.

After breakfast, you can begin your journey back to Punakha. After reaching Punakha, you can rest in the homestay. Later, with the help of your local guide, you can participate in the mask-carving or incense-making activities while learning with skilled artisans. It is a hands-on experience to learn the symbolism behind these spiritual objects. Later, in the evening, you can experience the local prayer session or butter lamp offering session, where you can get blessings with the monks, hear the monks chanting the prayers, and the environment is filled with the beautiful smell of incense. Today, you’ll have dinner in the same place where you are staying.

Depending on the time of your flight, you can go for some last-minute shopping in Paro. If you have already completed all your shopping, you can go to see the National Museum of Bhutan, which is located in the historic Ta Dzong. After visiting, you can return to your hotel, now you will be taken to the airport by your guides after having a heart-warming farewell. With the cultural and spiritual insight of Bhutan, you’ll be leaving this place with a heavy heart and lots of respect for the place.