Bhutan 8 Day 7 Night (CX)

Hong Kong-Bangkok  CX 617  21:35-23:30
*Guest can choose other TG flight

Depart by Cathay Pacific Airways to Bangkok, check in airport hotel
Accommodation: Le Méridien Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok Golf Resort & Spa

Bangkok-Paro-Thimphu B3 701 06:30-09:55 or KB 121  05:35-09:25

Fly into Paro Valley on our national carrier, Drukair. In clear weather, magnificent views of the world’s highest peaks give way to the lush green Paro valley as you land. The first gift from Bhutan will be the cool, clean fresh air as you step out of the plane – a befitting introduction to the spectacular beauty of Bhutan. The concierge of Amulet Luxury Travel Bhutan will receive you at the arrival gate of Paro International Airport. You will be then transferred to Thimphu, the Capital City of Bhutan, which is about 1.5 hours of drive time.

On arrival check in at Le Meridien, which is located at the heart of Thimphu city. The property has 78 elegant rooms and suites with uncompromising views of the local hillsides. The guest rooms are appointed with matchless contemporary furnishings and fascinating décor. Get confortable with the signature Le Meridien bed for a transformative sleeping experience. For the well-travelled guests, essential wired and wireless High Speed Internet Access is afforded. Classic guestrooms measure 32 square meters; suites featuring separate living and bedrooms measure 75 to 132 square meters.

After getting checked in and refreshed visit Changangkha Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in the Thimphu valley, built in the 12th century by the illustrious Lam Phajo Dugom Zhigpo.  It is perched on a ridge offering fantastic views of Thimphu. Thereafter, enjoy a day of exploring some of the many sites around Thimphu. These include the Memorial Chorten, built in 1974 in memory of the Third King of Bhutan His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who died in 1972.

After lunch, quickly visit the famed weekend vegetable market called the Farmers Market (Thursdays-Sundays). Thereafter visit the National Library featuring an extensive collection of Buddhist literature mostly in block-printed format, with some works several hundred years old, the Hospital of Indigenous Medicine, the School of Traditional Arts and the Folk Heritage Museum.

In the late afternoon, visit Tashichoedzong, ‘The Fortress of the Glorious Religion’. The Dzong houses some of the Ministries, His Majesty’s Secretariat, and the Central Monk Body.

Your evening is free to explore Thimphu’s numerous handicraft stores and Authentic Bhutanese Crafts Bazaar featuring intricately woven Bhutanese textiles and exclusive handicrafts. Your dinner will be served in one of the local restaurants in town.

Accommodation: Le Meridien, Thimphu

Thimphu

After an early breakfast drive to Tango Monastery, located about 12 kilometers north of Thimphu. The trail to Tango Monastery is a climb of 280 meters and takes about an hour. Tango Monastery was founded in the 12th century by one of the Tibetan saints, and was rebuilt in its present form in 1688 by the 4th temporal ruler of Bhutan, Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye. It is now the residence of his young 7th reincarnation. Tango Monastery is also the only Buddhist University in Bhutan. If interested, you may also hike to Cheri Gompa (Monastery) after visiting Tango.

Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifier of Bhutan, first built Cheri Gompa in 1620. And it was here that the central monastic body (Dratsang) was first established. Many of the important priests of Drukpa Lineage passed periods here, and so it is an important pilgrim site for Bhutanese. From where the road ends, cross a wooden cantilever bridge and climb up the hill with moss-laden pine, fir and rhododendron trees (specially blooms in April-May), that takes little over 1 hour.

Return to the road for your drive back to Thimphu for lunch. After lunch visit Kuensel Phodrang where a huge statue of Buddha Dordenma is located. Buddha Dordenma is a gigantic Shakyamuni Buddha statue under construction in the mountains of Bhutan. The statue houses over one hundred thousand smaller Buddha statues, each of which, like the Buddha Dordenma itself, are made of bronze  and gilded in gold. The Buddha Dordenma is sited amidst the ruins of Kuensel Phodrang, the palace of Sherab Wangchuck, the thirteenth Desi Druk, overlooking the southern approach to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. It is one of the largest Buddha stupas in the world, at a height of 169 feet (51.5 meters).

Your evening is free to explore the city centre of Thimphu. Your dinner will be served in one of the local restaurants in town.

Accommodation: Le Meridien, Thimphu

Thimphu-Punakha

After breakfast, begin your drive to Punkaha, a distance of approximately 72 kilometres. The road climbs to Dochu La Pass, located 3,050 meters (10,000 feet) above sea level and marked by a large array of prayer flags and 108 chortens. On a clear day the pass offers a panoramic view of the Bhutan Himalayas. You will have the best chance of a view in the early morning between October and February.

After lunch visit Chimi Lhakhang, approximately a 20-minute walk from the road at Sopsokha. Lama Drukpa Kunley, ‘The Divine Madman’, built the temple in 1499. He subdued the demon of Dochu La with his ‘magic thunderbolt of wisdom’. A wooden effigy of the lama’s thunderbolt is preserved in the Lhakhang.

Thereafter, check in at Dhensa Boutique Resorts. Dhensa Punakha is set in the heart of the verdant and lush Punakha Valley. Flanked by thick pine forests, it overlooks the Punakha River and hundreds of paddy fields that stair-step down to the valley floor. Dhensa Punakha marries contemporary design with this Himalayan Kingdom’s ancient and alluring ways. At the core of the Dhensa Punakha philosophy lies the sense of innocence and peace that permeates everything about Bhutan. The resort has 24 well-appointed and luxurious suites.

After freshening up visit Punakha Dzong, built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the unifier of Bhutan. The Shabdrung died in 1651 while he was in meditation at Punakha Dzong, and his body is preserved in one of the Dzong’s temples. Punakha Dzong is the winter headquarters of the Central Monastic Body headed by the Je Khenpo. The Central Monastic Body shifts to Punakha for the winter and back to Thimphu for the summer. The three-storied main temple of the Dzong is a breathtaking example of traditional architecture with four intricately embossed entrance pillars crafted from cypress and decorated in gold and silver. The coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck, the First King of Bhutan, took place at Punakha Dzong in 1907.

Return to Dhensa where you will have time at leisure to just relax or enjoy a spa treatment at the resort. Your dinner will be served at the resort.

Accommodation: Dhensa Boutique Resort, Punakha

Punakha-Paro

Enjoy a morning visit to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten, perched high on a hill on the opposite bank of the Mo Chhu (Female River). Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck had the three-storied chorten built for the protection of the country. It was consecrated at the end of 1999. The monument is situated a half an hour’s walk from the road amidst an idyllic rural farming area. It is renowned for its beautiful paintings featuring incredibly complex iconography.

A sumptuous lunch will be served on the way back from Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten at one of the restaurants. After lunch drive to Paro, a journey of approximately 4 hours.

On arrival, check in at Le Meridien Riverfront, Paro. With a compelling location close to Paro International Airport, Le Meridien Riverfront Paro is an ideal place to stay and explore Bhutan. The hotel is equipped with 59 contemporary and elegant guestrooms, offering a minimum size of 32 square meters. All rooms feature heated bathroom floors and windows capturing the unbound view of the river and mountains. Relax in a curated space featuring flat screen TV, wireless High Speed Internet Access, sleek technology and a separate bath and shower to ensure a relaxing stay. Thereafter, proceed to Paro town for your dinner. Evening is at leisure.

Accommodation: Le Meridien Riverfront, Paro

Paro

After breakfast visit one of the holiest temples in Bhutan, Dungtse Lhakhang (temple). Dungtse Lhakhang was built in 1421 by the famous Tibetan Lama, Thangton Gyelpo (1385-1464), also known by the name of Chagzampa, ‘the builder of iron bridges’ or Drubthob, ‘the realized One’. It has three floors representing hell, earth and heaven and the paintings inside are considered to be some of the best in Bhutan.

Thereafter, visit the Rinpung Dzong, also known as ‘fortress of a heap of jewels’. Built in 1646, the dzong stands on a hill above Paro, and features beautiful architecture and ancient frescos. Afterwards, visit Kyichu Lhakhang. King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet built this temple in 659 AD. It is believed to be holding down the left foot of a demon whose body is so large that it covers Bhutan and most of Eastern Tibet. This Lhakhang contains a 5 meter-high statue of Guru Rinpoche and another of Tara, who represents one of the wives of King Songtsen Gampo. It is one of the most sacred monasteries in Bhutan.

Afterwards, return to Paro town for lunch before continuing on to explore Drukgyel Dzong, built in 1647 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the great “Unifier of Bhutan”.  He constructed it to commemorate his victory over the Tibetans in 1644. Drukgyel Dzong was featured on the cover of the US National Geographic magazine when John Claude White published an article about Bhutan in 1914. In 1951, a butter lamp fell over and started a terrible fire, which destroyed the glorious and magnificent Dzong. Now the Dzong is in ruins and its main courtyard is closed to all visitors.

Your evening is at leisure. Your dinner will be served in one of the restaurants in town.

Accommodation: Le Meridien Riverfront, Paro

Paro

Drive to the foothill of Taktsang Monastery. There are two options available to enable you to reach Taktsang Monastery (Please note that riding pony downhill is not recommended). You can either choose to ride a pony or hike. It takes approximately one and a half hours uphill to reach the Taktsang cafeteria overlooking the magnificent Monastery perched on the side of a cliff 900 meters above the floor of the Paro valley. From here it is about another hour to a lookout point beside the monastery.

Taktsang means ‘tiger’s lair/nest’. Guru Rinpoche is said to have flown to the site of the monastery on the back of a tigress. Guru Rinpoche then meditated in a cave for three months and converted the Paro valley to Buddhism. According to Bhutanese tradition, the tigress was a form taken by one of Guru Rinpoche’s consorts for the occasion. Break for lunch at the Taktsang Cafeteria or you will be served a picnic lunch before your return hike downhill to your waiting car at the parking lot.

If you wish, you can spend your time exploring Paro town or take a stroll of the small township for some last minute souvenir shopping. Your dinner will be served in one of the restaurants in town.

Accommodation: Le Meridien Riverfront, Paro

Paro-Bangkok-HK  B3 700 10:35-16:05 or KB 120 11:00-16:10 | CX702 /18:50-22:45

After an early breakfast you will be transferred to Paro International Airport for your flight to your onward destination.