Bhutan – happy people realm 10 days10 days

Schedule

• Day 1. Arrival to Kathmandu

  Visit to Buddhist complex Bodnath.

• Day 2. Flight Kathmandu - Paro (Bhutan, 2280 m)

  During the flight to the kingdom of Bhutan, you’ll gaze at the breathtaking panoramas of Himalayan peaks, including the sacred mountains of Bhutan — Chomolari and Jichu Drake.

  Excursion to Dzong Paro — one of the most impressive and well-known dzongs in Bhutan and, possibly, the most elegant example of Bhutanese architecture. Its correct name is RinchenPungDzong («fortress on a pile of jewels»). It is usually shortened to RinpungDzong. In 1646 ShabdrungNgawangNamgyal ordered its construction to begin on the old base of the monastery laid by Guru Rimpoche. He has always been one of the strongest and most important dzongs of Bhutan and has repeatedly defended the Paro valley from the Tibetan invaders. Dzong survived the earthquake of 1897 and burned only once — in 1907.

  This massive fortress is located in the Paro valley and you can reach it through a paved slope and a beautiful covered wooden bridge. Today, the fortress is the administrative center of the Paro district and is home to the state monastic community, in which about 200 monks live. This dzong with its carved decorations is one of the most beautiful in Bhutan.

  Option: bathing in thermal springs.
  Accommodation in Raven’s Nest resort.

• Day 3. Paro

  The rise to the monastery Taktsang, «the tiger’s nest» — the most famous in Bhutan. It is located on a cliff at an altitude of 3100 m, in silence broken only by the sound of wind and water and the singing of monks. According to the legend, Guru Rimpoche arrived at this place on the back of a tigress and meditated here for 3 months. On April 19, 1998, a fire, the cause of which is still not known, destroyed the main buildings of Taktsang and all of their contents. Prior to this, there was already a fire, the consequences of which were eliminated in 1951. Now it is planned to rebuild the monastery and give it the original appearance. Reconstruction will begin when a favorable date is determined.

  This place has long been considered sacred. In 1646 ShabdrungNgawangNamgyal visited him, and now pilgrims from all over Bhutan rush here. It is believed that yogi Milarepa meditated here in ancient times. The first lhakang (temple, literally — the house of God) was built in 1684 near the cave, in which Guru Rimpoche was meditating.

  The ascent to the monastery is a five-hour intensive mountain walk (hiking) through the pine forest to the alpine meadows leading to the rocky massif on which the tiger’s nest lurks.

  Accommodation at Raven’s Nest resort.

• Day 4. Paro - Thimphu (2320 m)

  Переезд (2 часа) в столицу королевства – Тхимпху. Наш путь лежит вдоль рек Паро и Тхимпху (65 километров).

  Transfer (2 hours) to Thimphu, the capital of the kingdom. Our path lies along the Paro and Thimphu rivers (65 kilometers).
  Sightseeing of the Thimphu valley populated by 40,000 people. The excursion starts with a visit to DechenPodrang monastery on the site of the first dzong (fort monastery) in Thimphu. Now here is the state monastic school and the Ziluka Convent. Then we go up to the TV tower to see the panorama of Thimphu, and on the way back — the endangered animal, known worldwide as takin, is the national animal of Bhutan. This is a rare variety of chamois that lives in the area from Bhutan to Kun-Lun. The reason why precisely takin is chosen as a national animal is rooted in the history of religion and mythology. When the great saint, Lama Drukpa Kinley, the Divine Madman, visited Bhutan in the 17th century, a huge congregation gathered from all over the country to observe its miraculous power. People insisted that the lama perform a miracle. However, the saint, in his usual eccentric manner, demanded that a whole cow and a goat be served to him for dinner, ate it all with appetite and left only bones. After that, he took and put the head of a goat to the bones of the cow’s body and with a wave of his finger made the resulting strange animal stand up and go to graze on the slope. To the shock of those present, the animal rose and ran into the meadows to graze. He began to be called dong hem tsei (takin).
  Radial trek in the valley of Thimphu (hiking).
  Accommodation at the Zhiwaling Hotel.

• Day 5. Thimphu–Punaka

  Visit to dzongof Punaka. This is the winter residence of the State Monastic Corps and the main lama of Bhutan — CheKhenpo. Punaka was formerly the capital of Bhutan. Dzong is located between two rivers: Chu (male river) and Mo Chu (female river). This fortress was built in 1637 and is the second dzong of Bhutan. For many years, until the reign of the second king, it served as the seat of government. The construction of the dzongPunaka was predicted by Guru Rimpoche (the common name of Padmasambhava, the founder of Mahayana Buddhism), who foresaw that: «… a man named Namgyal will arrive on an elephant-like hill.» Shabdrung visited Punaka and chose a place for construction that resembles the tip of a sleeping elephant’s trunk at the confluence of Mo Chu and Pau Chu.
  Earlier on this place was a smaller building — Dzong Chu (“Little Dzong”), which contained a statue of Buddha. Shabdrung is said to have ordered the architect, Zoe Palep, to sleep in front of the statue. While Palep was asleep, Shabdrung carried him in his dream in ZangtoPerley (heavenly abode, or paradise, of Guru Rimpoche) and showed the palace of Guru Rimpoche. From his vision, the architect imagined a design project of a new dzong, which, according to the legend, was not made on paper.
  Construction began in 1637, and was completed the following year. Dzong was named DrukPungtangDechenPodrang (“Palace of Great Happiness”). Later decorations included the construction of a chapel in memory of the victory over the Tibetans in 1639. Shabdrung founded a monastic corps here, inviting 600 monks from Chari Gompa to the Upper Thimphu Valley.
  Punakidzong length is 180 m, width — 72 m, height — 6 floors. The golden dome above the dome was built in 1676. Bridges over Mo Chu and Po Chu were built in 1720 and 1730. Both of them were destroyed, and now a relatively new bridge is stretched across Mo Chu, next to the remains of the original one.
  In addition to its strategic position, Dzong has the qualities of a fortress to protect against attacks. Steep wooden stairs fold, and a heavy wooden door closes at night. Dzong is unique because it has 3 daughters (courtyards) instead of the usual two. The front door leads first to the northern courtyard, which performs administrative functions. The second courtyard is monastic, here is a praying place.
  In the southernmost courtyard is a temple in which the remains of Pema Lingpa and ShabdrungNgawangNamgyal are buried. Shabdrung died in dzongPunaka, and his body is preserved in MachiLhakang (Machi means “sacred embalmed body”). The tomb is sealed and cannot be opened. Two lamas, Machin Zimpon and Machin Simpon, are assigned to look after the room in which the tomb is kept. Besides these llamas, only the king and CheKempo can enter this room. Both come here for blessing before taking office.
  Radial trek to the temple of ChimiLakhang, built by the «Divine Madman» Lama Drukpa Kinle (1455-1520). Chimi Lhakhang was built in 1499 and became famous as a temple of fertility, in which barren women can find hope for the birth of a child.
  Accommodation at Green Resort Hotel.

• Day 6. Punaka–Gangtei

  Early rise and transfer to Gangtey (2 hours). Free time and visit to Gangtei-gompa — the famous monastery of the Nyingma school. GangteiGompa was founded at the beginning of the 17th century by Pema Trinley, the grandson of the famous teacher Pema Lingpa. Pema Trinley became the first tulku of the gompa (reborn llama), Tenzin LegpaDondrub — the second and significantly increased the size of the monastery.

  Accommodation at Green Resort.

• Day 7. Gangtei

  Radial trek in the valley Phobjikha (hiking), which is famous for the beauty of its landscapes. The Gai-Chu River (“white water”) and Nakai-Chu (“black water”) add pictures to the local landscape.

  Accommodation at Green Resort.

• Day 8. Gangtei - Thimphu– Paro

  Return to Paro (about 6 hours).

  The final gala dinner with traditional folk dances and music.

  Accommodation at the hotel Raven’s Nest resort.

• Day 9. Flight Paro (Bhutan) – Kathmandu

  Flight Paro (Bhutan) – Kathmandu

• День 10. Departure from Kathmandu

  Departure from Kathmandu