Day 1 Arrive in Paro
You will fly into Bhutan and land in Paro International Airport which is the only International Airport in the country. Upon landing, you will be received by your guide and driver who will be with you throughout your period in the country. Drive from Paro to Thimphu Distance: 54 Km| Driving Time: 1 hour After having welcomed you into the country, you will be driven to the capital city of Thimphu. The drive is very smooth and swift taking the guests through plain lush environment enclosed with mountains and typical Bhutanese settlements with vibrant beautiful traditional houses. After driving for 30 minutes, you will cross the Chuzom which is the confluence of Thimphu River and Paro River. Driving for another 30 minutes will take to Thimphu. At Thimphu, you will be taken to your hotel where you will take lunch and after lunch, you will be shown around the city visiting the most popular attractions and visiting souvenir shops. After sightseeing, you will be taken to your hotel for dinner.
Day 2 rive from Thimphu to Dochula
Drive from Thimphu to Dochula Distance: 31Km|Driving Time: 1 hour An hour drive to Dochula pass takes you through rich pristine forest and fresh greenery scenes giving the travelers a breath of fresh air and a break for the concrete buildings. After reaching Dochula you will be amazed at the beauty of the pass. The pass is located at an elevation of 3100 meters; this motor accessible pass is adorned with 108 chortens and the whole setting is overlooked by the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang. The most amazing attribute of the pass is the view that amplifies the beauty of the picturesque pass to another level. On a clear day, the view of the mighty Himalayas graces the viewers at the pass. The sun piercing fluffy clouds and touching the tip of the snowcapped Himalayas making the ranges gleam is an awe-striking sight. Some people gasp in utter admiration for the overwhelming panoramic view. Lunch at Dochula Cafeteria After visiting the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang and taking enough pictures along the chortens, you will be served lunch at Dochula Cafeteria after which you will proceed to drive towards Punakha. Drive to Punakha from Dochula Distance: 63Km Driving |Time: 1 and a half hour Driving for another hour and a half through the hypnotizing passing of the trees you will be in the beautiful valley of Punakha where you will be welcomed by the amazing scenery of small villages along deep blue river and the greenery from the perfectly trimmed terraces of rice fields is enough to evoke a feeling of being in an entire different dimension of time-zone, most precisely the medieval times. Here you will visit popular attractions like the magnificent Punakha Dzong itself and the longest suspension bridge and also some other monasteries if time permits. After sightseeing, you will be taken to the hotel for dinner and relaxation.
Day 3 Early Drive from Punakha to Phobjikha
Early Drive from Punakha to Phobjikha Distance: 78 Km |Driving Time: 3 and half hours The drive from Punakha will start early and on the way, you will also visit the famous Fertility Temple located in the beautiful village of Sopsokha right before the junction in Lobesa. After returning from the Lhakhang you will drive towards Wangdi Phodrang from Lobesa which is in the opposite direction from the road that leads to Thimphu. Driving through Wangdi Phodrang and passing villages on the way. After driving for a few hours you will enter Phobjikha valley. The beauty of the valley will exceed any anticipation. The endless meadows and the mountains and the tiny flowers dancing on the meadow hills are just wonderful. Phobjikha valley is also known as the home of the black-necked cranes. These endangered birds fly to this valley during late fall through winter from Tibet and fly back in spring. Phobjikha valley in itself is an amazing attraction and it also offers opportunities like hiking on moderate nature trails and exploring the valley and its beauty. You can also visit the Gangtey monastery. After exploring around and visiting sites you will be taken to a farmhouse for halting the night. Staying a farmhouse is the perfect way to experience the authentic traditional way of life. You will be served dinner which you will eat with the family of the house like one big family and you will rest.
Day 4 Interlaken Area. Excursion to The Jungfrau Massif
Drive from Phobjikha to Trongsa Distance: 120 Km |Driving Time: 5 hours After breakfast you will say your goodbyes to your new-found family and embark on a new journey of going all the way to central Bhutan. The drive from Phobjikha to Trongsa is amazing as it will take you through a rich forest of oak trees and aromatic rhododendron shrubs. You will also surpass the Pele La pass at 3,351 meters of elevation. You will also pass Chendebji Chorten. At Trongsa, you will have lunch and will take a break from the non-stop drive. After having rested properly, you will be taken for sightseeing since you will halt at Trongsa for the night. You will visit a watchtower museum which was constructed in 1652 and the Trongsa Dzong. After which you will have dinner and rest.
Day 5 Lake Geneva and Château de Chillon
It’s market day in Lausanne! Enjoy browsing and packing a picnic lunch for our 11 a.m. boat cruise on Lake Geneva. A few miles down-shore we’ll dock at Château de Chillon, where we’ll have a guided tour of this delightfully medieval castle on the water. On our way back we’ll take time to peek into the vineyards surrounding Lutry before returning to Lausanne. Boat: 2 hrs. Bus: 1 hr. Walking: moderate.
Day 6 Early Drive from Bumthang to Mongar
Early Drive from Bumthang to Mongar Distance: 184 Km| Driving Time: 6 hours You will drive to Mongar after having breakfast. When you reach Mongar you will halt a night here. You will visit some attractions here such as the ruins of Zhongar Dzong and the present Mongar Dzong. After which you will have dinner and rest.
Day 7 Day excursion to Lhuntse District
Day excursion to Lhuntse District Distance: 76km| Driving Time: 3 hours You will drive to Lhuentse districts and in Lhuentse you will visit the 157 feet bronze statue of Guru Nangsey Zileon which sits atop a hill in Takila. You will also visit Khoma village which is famous for producing the best textile in Bhutan. Intricately patterned textile known as Kishuthara which is worn as Kira, the national dress for women in Bhutan. You will drive back to Mongar and halt the night in Mongar and drive to Tashigang early the next morning.
Day 8 Drive to Tashigang
Drive to Tashigang Distance: 91 Km| Driving Time: 4 hours After having breakfast you will drive back to Mongar, from there you will drive to Tashigang. You will engage in some cultural sightseeing and you will take rest in a hotel.
Day 9 Day excursion to Tashi Yangtse District
Day excursion to Tashi Yangtse District Distance: 55 Km| Driving Time: 2 hours You will drive to Tashi Yangtse district where you will engage in a day excursion through the valley. The most interesting place to visit is the Bumdeling valley. Bumdeling is the Phobjikha Valley of the east. Like Phobjikha Valley, Bumdeling is also identified as an important bird area as it is the wintering site for the black-necked cranes. These birds migrate south in the winter before flying back to the Tibetan plateau early spring. The region also falls under the Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary covers most of the Tashi Yangtse District and it is home to endangered species such as the snow leopard, Royal Bengal tiger and red panda. 130 species of butterflies are known to inhabit the area. Blessed with rich biodiversity and picturesque landscape, this idyllic destination is ideal for photography tours. You will drive back to Tashigang where you will spend the night.
Day 10 Fly back to Paro
Fly back to Paro You will board a domestic flight from Tashigang to Paro valley. It will be an hour’s flight. Please NOT the domestic flight airfare is NOT included in the package. In the afternoon, you will visit popular attractions in Paro.
Day 11 Hike to Taktsang
After having your breakfast, you will be directly driven to the base of the Taktshang monastery from where you will begin to hike up the challenging trail. The hiking trail will take the hikers through the lush green forest. The hike takes about 4 hours to reach the monastery but the view from the monastery once at the top is just amazing. The monastery is built on a rock-face hovering over the valley below. After the grueling hike, you will be driven to your hotel for a much-deserved break and rest.
Day 12 End of Trip
See off at AirPort