7 days Romantic Excursion

Transcription

1 7 days Romantic Excursion Welcome to Bhutan, Land of the Peaceful Thunder Dragon, and now more popularly known as the Land of Happiness. Thank you for choosing to travel with Bhutan Swallowtail Tours and Travels and we are glad to be at your service. We will ensure you have a most memorable and happy trip. We will take care of all your needs, safety and luxury on your trip to Bhutan. A dedicated English speaking Bhutanese guide and a chauffeured driven car will be with you throughout your trip Day 1: At Paro -The first Glimpse of the Tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan On Druk Air flight to Paro International Airport your pilot will point out the various spectacular Himalayan ranges like the sacred Mount Jhomolhari and Jichu Drake of Bhutan, mount Kanchenjunga of Sikkim, Mount Everest of Nepal and others. As the plane prepares for landing you will be enthralled by your first view of the country and quaint little Paro valley will immediately touch your heart. Customs and immigration check is not much of a hassle and is usually smooth and quick. At the gate, your Bhutanese tour guide will formally welcome you with a Tashi Khadar, a white scarf symbolic of good luck and fortune. You may drape the scarf around your neck. The various spectacular Himalayan ranges Your guide will take you to Paro town for a leisurely stroll and you will experience the first glimpse of Bhutan, the Bhutanese people and their culture. You will check in a Farm House in Paro where wonderful events will follow: 1. Cooking with the lady of the farm house 2. Dinner at Farm House with Local brewed spirit Ara and Suja (The Bhutanese Buttered Tea) 3. Hot Stone Bath Day 2: Paro via Thimphu to Punakha (125 KMS- Discover the ride through Mountain Ranges) After a leisurely breakfast, you will travel to Punakha and Wangdue valleys. From Paro it is a little more than three hours drive through lush paddy fields and quaint villages. On the way you will witness at least one archery match in progress. E oute, if you ish you a ui kly d i e a ou d Thi phu to a d as you e i dicated you will be visiting farmers centenary market and Bird Eye View of Thimphu City from Kuenselphodrang. We would encourage you to spend a little more time there.

2 ***The Weekend Centenary farmers Market The market is located in stalls on the banks of the Thimphu River. Famers and vendors from throughout the country, but mostly from the nearby districts bring in their various farm produce for sale. It is interesting sight for a visitor to watch the Thimphu residents jostle with the common folk for the freshest and organic produce of the region. Depending on the season you will find different kinds of fruits and vegetables available in the market. The most striking feature of the market are the chili stalls that sell chili in its fresh or dry from. Chili is the favorite spice of the Bhutanese and no Bhutanese dish is complete without a generous garnish of the fiery chili On the other side of the river, across the KundeylingBazaam (cantilever bridge) houses a collection of shops that sell textile, clothing, handicrafts, and other traditional arts and crafts. You will also find a lot of ornamental goods on sale that have been imported from Nepal and India. ***Buddha Point or Kuensel Phodrang A few minute drive uphill from the main town will take you to Kuenselphodrang or the Buddha Point. The tallest Buddha statue in the world is which is almost completed can be seen as the land mark of the Thimphu City. It is located on a strategic place amid colorful prayer flags and from where you will get a stunning view of Thimphu town. The road leading to the Point is also beautiful for walking and jogging. Drive on towards Punakha. The Tallest Buddha Statue at Kuensel phodrang Dochulaa Pass situated at 3150 meters above sea level and almost 30 kilometers away from Thimphu, is a must stopover for every passerby travelling towards Wangdue, Punakha and eastern Bhutan.Dochula pass has fabulous views of some of the most beautiful and spectacular Himalayan Mountains such as the Masangang, Table Mountain, Tiger Mountain and others. The major eye treat is the 108 chortens/stupas built close to each other and surrounded by numerous colorful prayer flags. Yes of course you can walk in between the temples and admire the architectural splendor up close and enjoy the spectacular Himalayan ranges from amongst the temples. The 108 chortens were built by Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck to commemorate the victory and in memory of the soldiers who lost their lives during the war against the terrorists groups in There is also a quaint little coffee shop nearby where you will visit for tea and snacks. You will drive on till you reach the warm and beautiful Punakha valley. In Punakha you will visit the most beautiful and splendid Punthang Dechenphodrang, aka Punakha Dzong.

3 After checking into your hotel, you can go for a leisurely walk around the town and meet with the people, who are mostly villagers and farmers. Overnight stay at hotel which is a completely peace and little away from town and a perfect place for a romantic night. 108 stupa at Dochula Pass Day 3: Punakha Discovering Bhutan Traditional Dress, Wedding Ceremony and local folks Today you will be in Bhutanese Traditional Dress, experience Bhutanese way of tying a wedding knot and mingle with the rural folks. Women wear the Kira and men the gho. Your guide will help you wear the dress and with a more formal setting ( ) you can visit the Lhakhang. After a leisurely breakfast, you will visit the popular Chime Lhakhang (temple. It is a pleasant 30 minutes walk or less from the road junction between Punakha and wangdue through mustard and paddy fields. There are beautiful prayer flags fluttering in the wind all the way to the Lhakhang. The Lhakhang is situated on top of a hillock and Lam Drukpa Kuenley used to call the hillock the breast of a woman because of its round shape. A team of Monks accompanied by Chief will conduct a basic ritual and offer blessing to you and your fiancé. Bird Eye View of Chimi Lhakhang- Temple of Fertility ***Chime Lhakhang also known as the Temple of fertility stands on a picturesque hilltop between Punakha and Wangdue. Built by the Buddhist saint Lam D ukpakue ley the Di i e Mad a, the Lhakha g is famous for its fertility wish grants to childless couples. Not only Bhutanese but even foreigners who heard of it come specifically to visit Chime Lhakhang to pray to Lam DrukpaKuenley for a child or two. And of course a couple genuinely and sincerely praying are blessed with children. Amazing but true! Woman who come to the Lhakhang seeking blessings of children are lightly hit on

4 the head by a ten inch ivory wood and bone phallus. Inside the walls of the Lhakhang are beautiful frescoes depicting the colorful life of Lam DrukpaKuenley. A simple tea session with snacks will be arranged where you can leisurely have with the chief and the monks at the monastery. You will have picnic lunch on the way. Bhutan is also famous for the massive fortresses called Dzongs, and we would advise you to visit at least one while in Bhutan. Visiting the magnificent and beautiful Punakha Dzong located in-between two rivers would be ideal morning activity Punakha Dzong- Royal Wedding 2013 ***PunakhaDzong also called Punthang Dechenphodrang meaning Palace of Great Bliss was built in 1673 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel to commemorate the final victory against numerous Tibetan invasions. Punakha Dzongkhag is the old capital city and the Dzong served as the capital hub for all both religion and overall administration of the country. Located on a piece of land between two rivers Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu (literally meaning male and female rivers), the Dzong is massive, huge and magnificent in all its architectural grandeur. Although ravaged by flood, fire and earthquakes many times, the Dzong was always rebuilt with its original pattern and design. Punakha Dzong remained the centre of government until it was relocated to Thimphu. The first King of modern Bhutan was crowned in PunakhaDzong. Important religious ceremonies are still held in the Dzong. The Royal Wedding ceremony on 13 th October 2011 of the Fifth King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to Jetsun Pema was conducted in Punakha Dzong. After some relaxation, you will get to go on a stroll to Punakha Town

5 Day 4: Punakha Phobjikha (87KMS) You will be visiting the most beautiful valley of Bhutan and the winter residence of Blacked Necked Crane; the Pho jikha Valley. It is a d half hou s d i e f o Pu akha. You will visit Gangtey Monastry, the only Nyingmapa monastery in the west. Nyingmapa is a oldest and poplar sect of Buddhism. Then you will hike and explore the Phobjikha Valley and also visit the Black Necked Crane information centre uniqueness. *** Picturesque and beautiful Gangtey and Phobjika valleys look as if suspended in a time where civilization and modernization has not been able to plant its evil seeds and the valleys still in their pristine form. Both the valleys are popular for its scenic splendor and cultural The graceful Black-necked Cranes from the Tibetan Plateau visit the Phobjika valley during the winter season to roost. On arrival in the last week of October, the Black-necked Cranes circle the Gangtey Monastery three times and also repeat the process while returning to Tibet in mid February. A special kind of dwarf bamboo grows here, which attracts the Black-necked Cranes to roost and feed in the valley during the winter season. The valley and the surrounding hills are rich in wild life and faunal biodiversity and has, apart from the globally threatened Blacknecked Cranes, 13 other globally threatened species. The fauna recorded are the Muntjacs (Barking Deer), Wild Boars, Sambar, Himalayan Black Bear, Leopards and Foxes. Over Night stay in Hotel at Phobjikha Day 5: Phobjikha to Paro You will drive back to Paro and on the way you will stop at Botanical garden at Dochula The Royal Botanical park, also known as the Rhododendron Garden at Rhododendron Flower Lamperi is about half and hour drive towards Punakha/Wangdue. With your spirits still high from the visit to the awesome sites of Dochula Pass with its 108 stupas and the beautifully arranged Himalayan mountain ranges, you

6 will descend down to Rhododendron Botanical Garden, a nature reserve rich in flora and fauna and beautiful in itself. After the almost surreal experience of the flutter of colorful prayer flags, the image of Dochula's sublimity and a most wonderful sight where the earth touched the sky, you will be enthralled to find yourself amongst another similar natural environment: fresh air breeze, the twittering of the birds, distant barking of a Barking Deer that breaks the silence of the garden. The recorded species are the monal pheasants, blood pheasants, musk deer, tiger, leopard, red panda and the leopard cat. A Rhododendron garden with 46 species of the plant is the theme of the botanical garden. Located 30 KMS from capital, the park has numerous view points, trekking routes, a lake and a canteen. At this park, you can indulge yourself amongst these rich biodiversity. The clean air is fluttered from the cool broad leaf and mixed conifer forests. More than Ladies of the highland hundreds of species of fauna in this rich eco diversity park will let you experience the wild as though during the olden days when time stood still. You can walk around through the green lushes and maroon pregnant strawberries, wild and rare flowers in bloom and catch glimpses of runaway mountain birds You will drive on till Paro Day 6; Paro- Discover Bhutan Cultural and Sport After Breakfast, you will drive to Chelela Drive. Chelela pass is located in between Paro and Haa. The national flower of Bhutan, the Blue Poppy and other exotic highland flowers and orchids grow in the wild and is a beautiful sight. The Pass also offers spectacular views of both the Haa and Paro valley on both sides. Your guide will also point out majestic Himalayan Mountains of Bhutan seen from here. After a wonderful sightseeing, you will hike for three hours (both ways) to Nunnery called Kinley Goemba. When you reached at the road point, you will bike down with your partner and experience the roller coaster road of Bhutan (27 KMs). It is downhill and you will enjoy at your own leisure. Women at Work Back in town, an archery match will be organized where you will learn to play and interact with the archers of Paro, Bhutan.

7 You can then stroll in town and go for shopping because it will be the second last night in Bhutan and the next night you will be engaged with interesting cultural show. Day 7 : The Highlights of the Honeymoon After an early breakfast, a short drive will take you to the base of Taktsang from where you will begin your one hour and half uphill climb towards the Monastery. If in case you are not up to the hike, we can arrange for riding ponies **Taktsa g Mo aste y, the Tige s Nest o the Tige s Lai is o e of the ost isited hotspot tou ist att a tio s i Bhutan. Located around 900 meters above the Paro valley on a precarious almost vertical mountain cliff, Taktsang Monastery is truly a wonderful and spectacular sight in terms of its location, setting and history. It is one of the holiest sites in the Buddhist arena. In the 8 th Century, Buddhist saint and harbinger of Buddhism to Bhutan, Guru Padmasambhava reverently known as Guru Rimpoche flew on a female flying tigress in pursuit of a demon that he subdued at the present location. Following which, he meditated in a cave and emerged in eight manifestations and blessed the place. In 1692, Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye, the then secular ruler of Bhutan, built a temple to commemorate the holy site. Presently the Monastery is a complex of temples that abounds in paintings, statues and artifacts. Taktsang is one of the most sacred sites which is a must visit at least once in a lifetime for a Buddhist and for a traveler a must see and visit travel destination for its sheer spectacular site and architectural delight. It is an hour and half climb uphill through the beautiful natural splendor of Paro Valley. At the cafeteria mid way, you can have tea and snacks or have your packed lunch. You can spend the rest of the day meditating in one of the caves, which were also once a sacred meditation place for Guru Rimpoche. The Tiger s Liar- Paro Taktsang You can continue discovering Paro valley and its numerous cultural heritages. You will visit DrugyalDzong and KyichuLhakhang. Both the sites are a few minutes drive through the lush paddy fields of Paro by the riverside.

8 ***DrugyalDzong - meaning fortress of victory was built to commemorate the victory over the allied Tibet-Mongol fo es. I the ea ly 95 s the Dzo g as o pletely dest oyed y fi e a d sadly the Dzo g is o i ui s. However, the Dzong is still a tourist hotspot for its ruins of charred huge wooden beams, watch towers, mud walls and the courtyard, all remnants of an impressive Dzong. On a clear day Mount Jomolhari can also be seen. ***KyichuLhakhang KyichuLhakhang is one of the oldest and most sacred temples in Bhutan built in the 659 AD in the seventh century by Tibetan King SongtsenGyampo. The temple houses some of the oldest relics and an original 7 th century statue of Buddha Sakyamuni. The wooden floor of the main Lhakhang is inlaid with turquoise and other precious gems and stones. Legend has it that 108 temples were built in a single day over the body of a huge demoness pinning her down to the earth. KyichuLhakhang is suppose to be built on her ankle and the other temples are supposedly spread all ove Bhutan, Tibet, Nepal and the borderlands. Amongst the 108 temples, Kyichu Lhakhang, Jambay and Konchosum Lhakhang in Bumthang and another Lhakhang in Haa are in Bhutan In the evening you can visit a typical farmhouse and enjoy a traditional hot stone bath.these hot stone baths are also very medicinal and is supposed to be very curative and healing for the bones and other ailments. You will enjoy the farmhouse as it is replete with farm animals and paddy fields. A traditional hot stone bath will be ready for you. A dip in a wooden bath tub of hot stones is supposed to be very medicinal and healing for the bones and the body. View of Phobjikha dances and cultural shows. A cultural programme for more than an hour will be organized showcasing some popular folk dances, mask Day 8: DEPARTURE After breakfast, drive to Paro International Airport, your tour guide and driver will bid you farewell and we hope you had a pleasant visit and hope to see you soon again in Bhutan. TASHI DELEK!