4-Day Bhutan Cultural Tour with Thimphu, Paro and Dochula Pass

• You will fly to Paro, Bhutan, and enjoy scenic views of the Himalayan range.
• Upon arrival at Paro International Airport in Bhutan, the Land of the Dragon, you will be greeted by your guide. To help your body acclimatize to the altitude, you will begin with very light sightseeing.
• You will then drive to Thimphu through the Paro Valley. Along the way, do not miss the silvery Pa Chu (Paro River) meandering through the thickly forested ravine, as well as views of Paro Dzong (fortress) and Ta Dzong (watchtower).
• Later in the afternoon, visit Tashichho Dzong, a beautiful fortress and monastery that houses the Secretariat building, the King's Throne Room, and other government offices. It is also the summer residence of the chief abbot, or spiritual leader, Je-Khenpo.
• You can also visit the Handicrafts Emporium to see or buy a wide assortment of beautifully hand-woven and crafted products, including the famous traditional thangka paintings.
• Then continue to the Memorial Chorten, a beautiful stupa built in memory of Bhutan's third king. The paintings and statues inside the monument provide deep insight into Buddhist philosophy.
• Overnight stay at Hotel Riverview, Thimphu.

Meals: Lunch & Dinner

3 * Accommodation

• Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan. It has approximately 90,000 people and is a very laid-back town. Its wide, tree-lined streets give it a relaxed feel.
• Early in the morning, take a 15-minute guided walk to the Memorial Chorten. The shrine was built in memory of the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, who wished to erect a monument to world peace and prosperity. Many Bhutanese stop here every day to pray. The Memorial Chorten is continuously circumambulated by people murmuring mantras and spinning their prayer wheels.
• Later in the day, begin sightseeing with a visit to Zilukha Nunnery on the outskirts of Thimphu. Around 70 nuns live there and carry out their daily chores in the nunnery. The views from here are magnificent.
• Then visit Changangkha Lhakhang.
• Later, visit a traditional paper factory and learn how paper is made from the daphne plant. The factory produces a unique type of paper called rice paper, which is said to last longer than normal paper.
• In the evening, drive past Trashichhoedzong, the "fortress of the glorious religion." This is the center of government and religion, the site of the monarch's throne room, and the seat of Je Khenpo, or Chief Abbot. Built in 1641 by Bhutan's political and religious unifier, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, it was reconstructed in the 1960s in the traditional Bhutanese manner of architecture without nails.

Overnight at hotel, Thimphu

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

3 * Accommodation

• After breakfast, drive west via Dochula Pass at 3080 m. Weather permitting, enjoy views of the Bhutan Himalaya peaks rising above 7000 m.
• Upon reaching Paro, visit Ta Dzong. Once a watchtower built to defend Rinpung Dzong during the inter-valley wars of the 17th century, Ta Dzong was inaugurated as Bhutan's National Museum in 1968.
• Afterward, walk down a hillside trail to visit Rinpung Dzong. Built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the first spiritual and temporal ruler of Bhutan, the Dzong houses the monastic body of Paro, the office of the Dzongda (district administrative head), and the Thrimpon (judge) of Paro district.

Overnight at the hotel in Paro.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Three* accommodation

• After an early breakfast at the hotel, drive to Paro Airport for your sensational take-off and scenic Himalayan flight past Chomolhari, Bhutan's second-highest peak.

Breakfast