We were all the time very well guided by Ram who was helpful and gave us a lot of valuable information of biological as well as zoological art. Read More
Bhutan tour Mountain Joy
Secluded
high in the eastern Himalayas with unique
customs and people with deeply held beliefs.
Bhutan is a land of dzongs and monasteries;
monks, majestic mountains and a rich heritage;
and an architectural style like no other
on earth and a land full of warm-hearted,
friendly people who go to unusual lengths
to preserve each element of Bhutanese life.
Today as a visitor picks up a telephone
to call home or travels over a wide network
of roads, it may be difficult to imagine
that as recently as the 1960's telecommunication
was non-existent in Bhutan and travel within
the kingdom could only be made by horseback
or on foot...there were no roads.
Beyond building a telecommunication network
and roads, Bhutan has been integrating the
process of modernization with the rich heritage
of its past. Bhutanese, go to unusual lengths
to preserve each element of their life;
from environment to dress to language to
religion Bhutanese have managed to keep
their centuries-old culture and traditions
alive. Besides learning as much as from
the past, Bhutanese.
The official estimate of Bhutan's population
in 1990 was about 600,000 but other sources
estimate the population for 2000 was just
under 2 million. Those living in Bhutan
of Nepali origin have been excluded from
the official census since 1990 which results
in such a large discrepancy in population
numbers.
Bhutan has four major ethic groups: Bhutia,
Sharchops, Nepali, and other indigenous
groups. The Bhutia, who are descended from
Tibetans, live in the central and northern
regions of Bhutan. This ethnic group basically
dominates politics in Bhutan particularly
with it's contribution of government officials
and monks that come from it. Believed to
be Bhutan's earliest settlers, the Sharchops
live in the southeastern and eastern region.
They speak both Tibeto-Burman languages
as well as Hindi.
The Nepali people are the latest immigrants
to Bhutan. Living in the southwestern and
south central section of Bhutan, immigration
of Nepali's has been forbidden by the Bhutanese
government since 1959. Fear of Bhutan becoming
too heavily populated with Nepalese brought
about this and the ban on living in the
central Himalayan region. Bhutan traditions
and culture are to be retained and not dilute
Bhutanese distinctiveness. There are small
groups of ethnic minorities that live all
throughout Bhutan with the largest group
living in the Duars. This group is related
to those groups living in India's Assam
and Bangla states.
Bhutan is a heavenly abode in the heart
of the vast Himalaya. But it is little known
to the outside world just being wedged between
giant neighbors and secluded by some of
the highest mountain ranges. Bhutan-the
last paradise on the earth reflects age-old
religion, culture, arts & architecture
in its golden peaks in the background of
deep green valley and hillside.
Outline
Itinerary
Day
1
Fly
from Kathmandu to Paro. Fly
into the Kingdom of Bhutan.
On the flight, you can see breathtaking
views of the Great Himalayan
Mountains. Upon arrival at Paro
International Airport, you will
be welcomed to the Kingdom by
your guide from the Travel Agent
and transferred to Thimphu,
the capital of Bhutan. You stay
overnight in a hotel in Thimphu.
Day
2
Sight
seeing in Thimpu. You visit
the Memorial chorten built in
the memory of the late King
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, 15 century
Changangkha monastery and drive
further down with good views
of the Thimphu valley. Next
you visit the National Library
where ancient manuscripts are
preserved and visit the Painting
School where traditional art
is still preserved. Here artists
are taught to paint Thankas
sacred Buddhist scroll).
You then go to visit the Traditional
Medicine Institute where the
ancient healing arts are still
practiced and Tashichhodzong,
the main secretariat building.
It is from here that the King
and other prominent civil servants
run the country. The Head Abbot
and the central monastic body
also reside here during the
summer. Along with these you
go to Handicrafts Emporium where
one can buy Bhutanese textiles
and other Arts & Crafts
stores. Here you can buy stunning
Kiras that can be used as bed
covers or wall hangings, jewelry
and much more.
Day
3
Drive
from Thimphu to Trongsa. You
begin an early drive to Dochula
(3,100 mts). If the weather
permits you will have the view
of the beautiful mountain ranges
to the north-east. You enjoy
a delicious lunch at Wangdiphodrang.
Then you proceed to Trongsa
across Pelila Pass ( 3,300 mts)
the pass is marked by a large
prayer flag. En route you visit
Chendbji Chorten. This Monastery
is patterned after Swayambhunath
in Kathmandu and was built in
the 19th century by Lama Shida,
from Tibet, to cover the remains
of an evil spirit that was killed
at this spot. On your arrival
at Trongsa you check into a
lodge. You stay overnight in
Trongsa.
Day
4
Drive
from Trongsa to Bumthang. After
breakfast you visit the Trongsa
Dzong which is the masterpiece
of Bhutanese architecture. This
is the most impressive dzong
in Bhutan, built in its present
form in 1644 by Chogyal Minjur
Tempa, the official who was
sent by Shabdrung to unify eastern
Bhutan and enlarged at the end
of the 17th century by Desi
Tenzin Rabgay. Trongsa Dzong
is the ancestral home of the
present Royal Family and first
two hereditary kings ruled Bhutan
from this Dzong. Next you visit
the Ta dzong, the watchtower
built to defend this dzong.
Afterwards, you will drive to
Bumthang via Yongtala Pass and
Kilakha Pass. Bumthang is the
religious heartland of the nation,
with lush valleys and hilly
forests. Along the way you will
stop at a yethra (textile weaving)
factory, where the yethras are
designed with patterns unique
to Bumthang, and you can even
watch some of the weavers at
their looms. After lunch in
Bumthang you visit Kurje Lhankhang,
that is named after body print
of Guru Rimpoche, built in 1652
by Minjur Tempa.
Next you visit 7th century Jambay
Lhakhang built by King Srongsen
Gampo of Tibet in the year 659
on the same day as Kichu Lhakhang
in Paro. The temple was visited
by Guru Rimpoche during his
visit to Bumthang and was renovated
by Sindhu Raja after Guru Rimpoche
restored his life force. Under
the temple is said to be a lake
in which Guru Rimpoche hid several
Terma. In October one of the
most spectacular festival, “Jambay
Lhakhang Drup” is staged
here.
Now you visit Tamshing Lhakhang
(Temple of the good message),
established in 1501 by Pema
Lingpa and are the most important
Nyingmapa temple in the kingdom.
Finally you visit the Jakar
Dzong which literally means
“The Castle of White Bird”.
The current structure was built
in 1667. You stay overnight
in Bumthang.
Day
5
Drive
from Bumthang to Punakha. After
breakfast you explore the fascinating
valley of Bumthang. You enjoy
your delicious lunch in Trongsa.
You visit the Wangdiphodrang
Dzong and the local market.
Now you drive to Punakha. You
are free in evening to explore
Punakha. You stay overnight
in a hotel in Punakha.
Day
6
Drive from Punakha to Paro.
In the morning you visit the
Punakha Dzong. The Dzong is
situated between the two rivers.
You will have to hike through
the suspension bridge to reach
the Dzong. The Dzong was built
in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang
Namgyal and is situated between
Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo
Chu (Female River). For many
years until the time of the
second king, it served as
the seat of the Government.
The construction of the Dzong
was foretold by Guru Rimpoche,
who predicted, “…a
person named Namgyal will
arrive at a hill that looks
like an elephant”. There
was a smaller building here
called Dzong Chu (Small Dzong)
that housed a statue of Buddha.
It is said that Shabdrung
ordered the architect, Zowe
Palep, to sleep in front of
the statue, while Palep was
sleeping; the Shabdrung took
him in his dreams to Zangtopelri
and showed him the palace
of Guru Rimpoche. From his
vision, the architect conceived
the design for the new Dzong,
which in keeping with the
tradition, was never committed
to paper. The Dzong was named
Druk Pungthang Dechen Phodrang
(Palace of Great Happiness).
The war materials captured
during the battle with Tibetans
are preserved here. Punakha
is still the winter residence
of Je-Khenpo and King Jigme
Dorji Wangchuk convened the
new national Assembly here
in 1952 After lunch you proceed
to Paro. En route you visit
Chimme Lhakhang which was
built by Lama Drukpa Kuenley
in 15th century. (This monk
is popularly known as the
Devine madman for his philosophy,
“Salvation through sex”).
He subdued the demons with
his “Magical Thunder
bolt”. The Temple is
also known as “The Temple
of Fertility”. Sterile
women from far and wide come
to this Temple to get blessed
and an article about this
temple also appeared in newspaper,
The Washington Post some years
back. You stay overnight in
Paro.
Day
7
Fly from Paro to Kathmandu.
Services
Included
A guide, all meals three times
a day, lodging in standard hotels,
ground transportation within
Bhutan, pack animal in trekking,
entry fees into monuments.
Services
Excluded
Personal expenses, Travel Insurance,
Airport Tax, travel insurance,
flight charges from Kathmandu
to Paro or from Paro to Kathmandu,
Bhutan visa fee whish is US$20
per person. (Please note that
no foreign office abroad grants
a Bhutanese Visa, It has to
be obtained through the registered
travel/trekking agencies in
Nepal.
Flight
Schedule: The flight
from Kathmandu to Paro leaves
on every Monday, Thursday and
Saturday and flight from from
Paro to Kathmandu leaves on
every Wednesday, Friday and
Sunday.
