Bhutan Cultural Tour
7 Nights 8 Days Western Bhutan Cultural Tour will take you to all places in Western Bhutan. Bhutan Tour explores the diverse environment of Bhutan’s western valleys as well as their culture & heritage.
From Paro to Phubjikha Valley is covered with high mountain passes and through rapidly changing vegetation from pine forests to hills covered in rhododendrons, magnolias, and dwarf bamboo. You will be passing through abundant birds and wildlife.
7 Nights 8 Days Bhutan tour will catch hold of the beautiful fortress, nature hikes, fluttering Buddhist prayer flags, clean and fresh air to breathe. Don’t forget Bhutan is the only country in the world with carbon negatives. Paro Tiger’s Nest is a famous Buddhist sacred monument and it is on the granite rock above 900m above Paro Valley. Thimphu got a gigantic Buddha Statue measuring 169 feet tall facing Thimphu Valley.
Passing towards Punakha and Wangdue you can see the change of vegetation with an elevation of 1300m. Punakha fortress is beautiful between two rivers. Punakha fortress structure and got history. You can see beautiful paintings of the life of Buddha inside the fortress. Wangdue is around 30 minutes car drive from Punakha. You can walk and visit Chimi Lhakhang(Fertility Temple). From Wangdue to Wangdue it takes nearly 3-4 hours car drive to reach Phobjikha Valley. It is the winter home to the rare Black-Necked Crane migrating from Tibet and Siberia.
Day One: Arrival Paro-Thimphu
The flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular mountain flights in the world, with a constantly changing panorama of some of the highest mountains on earth. Our representative will meet you at Paro airport exit doors following customs formalities.
After lunch enjoys afternoon sightseeing around Paro, including a visit to the Ta Dzong Museum housing many religious relics, works of art, and handicrafts offering a great orientation into Bhutan’s historical, cultural, and religious past. Next, visit the Rimpung Dzong to see the painting of the great saint Milarepa, considered as the master of meditation by the Bhutanese and believed to have attained enlightenment in a lifetime. Dzong’s are large monasteries and district administrative centers, which were once strategic forts. Afterward, drive to the capital, Thimphu (1.5 hours) following the Pachu River. Before dinner at the hotel, there will be an orientation on Bhutanese etiquette by your guide. Overnight at your hotel in Thimphu.
Day Two-Thimphu
Once a rustic village sitting in a broad, fertile river valley, Thimphu is today the nation’s bustling capital. Enjoy a full day of sightseeing, including a visit to the National Memorial Chorten depicting the Buddhist faith in the form of paintings and statues. This temple was first initiated by the Third King as a protection from the negative elements of modernization, and as a monument to world peace. The Royal Queen Mother completed it as a memorial stupa for the Third King who passed away in 1972. Continue on to 12th-century Changangkha Temple and Drubthob monastery housing the Zilukha Nunnery. Visit
Other sites to visit include: the School for Arts and Crafts where students are taught the 13 types of Bhutanese art, The National Library housing the collection of Bhutanese scriptures dating back to the 8th century, the Traditional Paper Factory displaying the Bhutanese paper making process, and a fascinating replica of a medieval farmhouse at the Folk Heritage Museum.
If there is time, you may visit the nursing pen for the Takin, the national animal of Bhutan, and Tashichhodzong, ‘the fortress of the glorious religion. Initially erected in 1641 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, it was rebuilt in the 1960s during the reign of Bhutan’s third king in the traditional style, without plans or nails. Tashichhodzong houses some ministries, His Majesty’s secretariat, and the central monk body.
If your visit to Thimphu coincides with the weekend, you can walk through the Thimphu Market to see the variety of food of Bhutan, including basket upon basket of fiery chilies, fresh cheese, and a variety of fresh greens. In addition, many stalls contain Bhutanese handicrafts and household items. (This market is open only from Friday until mid-Sunday). Overnight at your hotel in Thimphu.
Day Three:
Transfer to Phobjikha Valley (5.5-6 hrs). Drive over the Dochu-La pass (3,100 meters) which on a clear day offers an incredible view of Himalayan peaks before descending into balmy Punakha valley (about 3 hrs total driving time). The drive through the countryside affords a glimpse of everyday life in this most remote of Himalayan kingdoms. In the Dochu-La area, there are vast Rhododendron forests that grow to tree size and bloom in late April/early May covering the mountains in a riot of glorious spring color.
Continue on through the bustling market town of Wangduephodrang, driving up a winding mountain road through oak and rhododendron forests, and over a high pass down into the wide and picturesque Phobjikha Valley. Phobjikha is one of Bhutan’s few glacial valleys and chosen winter home of black-necked cranes (November – March) migrating from the Tibetan plateau. The valley is one of the most beautiful in Bhutan. Overnight at your hotel in Phobjikha.
Day Four
Spend the day exploring the Phobjikha Valley, including a visit to the Phobjikha Sanctuary with an opportunity to view the majestic black necked cranes (Nov-Mar only) and Gangtey Gompa (Monastery), dating back to the 16th century and the only Nyingmapa monastery in western Bhutan. In the afternoon enjoy one of the many walks available traversing the stunning surrounds of this spacious valley. Overnight at your hotel in Phobjikha.