Arrive Paro International Airport / Transfer to capital city Thimphu (2334m)

National Museum - Our guide and the driver will receive you at the Paro International Airport and escort you on your first adventure in the Kingdom of Bhutan.
The National Museum of Bhutan is located in Paro just above the Rinpung Dzong (administrative headquarter of the Paro district). It is housed in an ancient watchtower called Paro Ta Dzong (Ta Dzong means “watchtower fortress”) built in 1649. It displays hundreds of ancient Bhutanese artifacts and artworks including traditional costumes, armour, weaponry and handcrafted implements for daily life. The collection at the National Museum preserves a snapshot of the rich cultural traditions of the country.

Rinpung Dzong - Paro Rinpung Dzong (Rinpung Dzong means “fortress of the heap of jewels”) was built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel in 1646 and established as the administrative and monastic centre of the western region. Today, the Dzong serves as the office of the governor of Paro district and head of the district monk body in Paro. A great annual festival known as Paro Tsechu is held in Rinpung Dzong from the eleventh to the fifteenth day of the second month of the traditional Bhutanese lunar calendar (usually in March or April of the Gregorian calendar).
After visiting the Dzong, take a short walk to the traditional wooden cantilever bridge called Nemeyzampa, where your driver will be waiting for you. The roofed wooden cantilever bridge is built in a traditional style and this type of bridge is called Bazam. From here, transfer to the capital city, Thimphu. Lunch can be arranged either in Paro or Thimphu depending on your flight arrival time.

Buddha Dordenma - The magnificent 169 feet tall bronze statue of Lord Buddha is located on a hilltop, Kuensel Phodrang, overlooking the Thimphu valley. From here you can see a nice view of Thimphu city. It was built to celebrate the 60th birth anniversary of the Fourth King His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck and also usher peace in the world. The giant Buddha statue houses more than 100,000 8-inch-tall Buddha statues of the same type. The construction began in 2006 and was completed in 2015 after almost 10 years. The total cost of the entire project is well over US$100 million.

Gagyel Lhundrup Weaving Centre - A visit to this Weaving Center will give you insights into the weaving culture and tradition of the Kingdom of Bhutan. You will see men and women at work weaving some of the most intricate designs and sophisticated patterns of traditional Bhutanese textiles.

Sightseeingin Thimphu / Transfer back to Paro valley (2200m)

Changangkha Lhakhang - Located on a hilltop above the main town overlooking the valley below, Changangkha Lhakhang was built in 13th-century by the Tibetan Scholar Lama Drugom Zhigpo who played an important role in early spread of the Drukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism to Bhutan. His son, Nyima, extended and built many of the statues inside the temple which are invaluable national treasures of Bhutan. Apart from the magnificent statues and other holy scriptures, the temple also has Bum Gye Dring Due Sum (sixteen volumes of Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita) which is the original copy handwritten by Nyima himself.

Bhutan Postal Museum - visit the Bhutan Postal Museum especially if you are interested in philatelic products and stamp collection. You may also want to print stamps with your own photos. Postal service in Bhutan was launched only in 1962 until which time communications and delivery of mails were done by messengers on foot (building of roads started from 1961). The museum was established in 2015. A bank is also located in the same complex so you can exchange your money into local currency Ngultrum (Nu.) if you want to.

National Institute for Zorig Chusum - The National Institute for Zorig Chuzum was established to promote and preserve the thirteen traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan and to facilitate increased access in learning Zorig skills by Bhutanese youths. The thirteen arts and crafts are categorized as Shing Zo (woodwork), Dho Zo (stonework), Par Zo (carving), Lha Zo (painting), Jim Zo (sculpting), Lug Zo (casting), Shag Zo (woodturning), Gar Zo (blacksmith), Troe Zo (ornament making), Tsa Zo (bamboo work), De Zo (paper making), Tsem Zo (tailoring, embroidery and applique) and Thag Zo (weaving).

A traditional lunch will be served at the Folk Heritage Museum Restaurant or at a similar one.

Changlimithang Stadium & Archery Ground - After lunch, pass by Changlimithang Archery Range to witness the game of archery if the match is in progress. You’ll see archers dancing and singing each time they hit the target from a whopping distance of 145m. Archery is the national sport of Bhutan. From there we drive back to Paro for overnight.

Kyichu Lhakhang - Located just a few minutes drive from the main Paro town, Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan. It is believed to have been built in 659 A.D. by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo to subdue spirit of a giant demoness causing harm to the propagation of Buddhism in the Himalayan region. In order to subdue this demoness, King Songtsen Gampo was required to built 108 temples across the affected region. Bhutan is blessed with four of these 108 temples; two in Haa valley (Lhakhang Karpo and Lhakhang Nagpo) and fourth one is Jampa Lhakhang located in the district of Bumthang in central Bhutan. Both the temples were believed to have been built overnight.

Hike to the famed Paro Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) & later visit farmhouse for dinner comprised of home-cooked local cuisine

Paro Taktsang - Today, on the 3rd day of your trip, you will hike to the famous 17th century Paro Taktsang Monastery popular known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.

Originally built in 1692, the iconic sacred site Taktsang is perched on the 800-meter rock cliff above the valley floor. The round trip hike takes about 4-5 Hours for most visitors. We recommend starting early before the sun gets stronger. One-way horse riding is available for about USD20 up to the midpoint (Taktsang Viewpoint Cafeteria). Horse riding on the way down is not recommended.
The history of Taktsang is associated with the visit of Guru Padmasambhava (known as Guru Rinpoche), the Indian saint who came to Bhutan and introduced Tantric Buddhism in the 8th century AD. It is believed that Guru Padmasambhava flew into the cave from Kurtoe Khenpajong in eastern Bhutan, riding on a tigress.
After lunch at the Taktsang Viewpoint Cafeteria, we retrace our steps back to the base where the driver will be waiting.

Transfer to Paro International Airport for Departure

Paro Airport Bird’s Eye View Point - After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Paro International Airport for your onward journey.

• All internal taxes for the services listed above
• Medical treatment at a hospital in Bhutan for injuries
• All ground transportation including airport transfers
• All meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) and light snacks
• Experienced English-speaking licensed tour guide
• Entry fee for National Museum
• Twin-sharing accommodations at 3-star hotels
• Visa Fee & Processing with e-Visa delivery in 4-5 business days

• Travel insurance is highly recommended.
• International flights. Let us know if you need help with arranging flights to and from Bhutan.
• Alcoholic beverages, laundry services, telephone call charges
• Tips to guide and driver
• Emergency evacuation
• Guide speaking other major languages can be arranged for an additional fee.
• Any other expenses of personal nature
• All Entry fees except for National Museum

Ideal for discerning tourists who have a limited time to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse themselves in the untouched nature and breathtaking landscapes, while enjoying Bhutanese hospitality. This 3-night, 4-day trip will take you to isolated monasteries and expose you to the conscious Buddhist lifestyle that gave this country its nickname ‘Kingdom of Happiness’. On the second day of the trip, you will embark on a hike to the well-known Paro Taktsang or Tiger’s Nest, perched on an 800m high rock cliff.

Bhutan is unique. This small Buddhist Kingdom, nestled between India and China, is judiciously accepting modern development guided by the philosophy of Gross National Happiness, yet still maintaining its timeless tradition and ancient culture. Dive deep into the Bhutanese way of life with a knowledgeable local guide and discover what brings joy to the Bhutanese people.

• This tour can be customized and run on a private basis just for you and your group.
• We highly recommend booking at least a few months before the departure date so that we have enough time to ensure the flights are available. If you already have flight tickets to and from Bhutan, we can take bookings up to a week before the departure date. To process visa, it only takes 4-5 business days.
• There are only two airlines that connect Bhutan with the outside world and so securing air tickets can be difficult especially during the months of high season. Currently, Bhutan is connected with these cities - Bagdogra, Bangkok, Delhi, Dhaka, Guwahati, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Singapore. We recommend you book your international flights a few months in advance especially if you plan to visit during the high season months of March to May and September to November. If you need help in arranging flights to/from Bhutan, please let us know much in advance.
• After you book the tour, kindly send us clear passports copies of all the participants. A biodata page including the machine-readable zone must be seen clearly. Passports should have a minimum of 6 MONTHS validity from the day you depart from Bhutan. You may also want to check the passport requirements by your next destination country after Bhutan. A copy of your e-Visa will be emailed to you once it is approved. It only takes 4-5 business days to get visa approval and it is 100 percent guaranteed as long as we receive clear passport copies of all the participants. The actual visa will be stamped on your passport upon arrival. Send the passport copies to the Local Supplier E-mail address.No public transportation nearby
• Youth between the ages of 13-18 MUST send us a copy of their valid Student Photo ID Card/Document to keep the discounted price. Without a copy of valid Student Photo ID Card/document, the full adult price will apply.
• Participants below the age of 18 years old MUST be accompanied by at least one full-paying adult.

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.