Paro Festival Schedule: March 24-28, 2021

Day 1

Arrive Paro

Your flight to Paro in Bhutan. After checking into your hotel you have time to relax and have lunch before beginning your discovery of Bhutan.

After Lunch:

After break fast visit

• Ta Dzong, originally built as a watchtower, which now houses Bhutan’s National Museum. The extensive collection includes antique thangkha paintings, textiles, weapons & armor, household objects and a rich assortment of natural and historic artifacts.
•  Rinpung Dzong (“fortress of the heap of jewels”), which has a long and fascinating history. Walk down to Rimpung Bridge ( Traditonal Bridge), oldest bridge in Bhutan.

 Overnight in Paro

Day 2

Paro Tshechu (Paro Tshechu)

Today you experience the colour, excitement and spectacle of the Paro Tshechu Festival. It is the most divine and deeply symbolic of all the Buddhist festivals celebrated in Bhutan. Dressed in traditional finery, devotees flock to the Paro Dzong to proclaim their faith and receive blessings. Monks and lay people, dressed in elaborate silk brocade costumes perform festive dances of good triumphing over evil to the haunting sounds of trumpets, cymbals and flutes. The dances and costumes have survived unchanged for thousands of years, each dance is an exact re-enactment of visions seen by Bhutan’s great Buddhist saints and any changes would be seen as sacrilege. Many dances will be performed today including: Lords of the Cremation Grounds. Terrifying Deities, Heroes, Novel Man and Ladies Lencham , Stag and Hounds.

The dances are interspersed with folk songs and clowning aided by copious amounts of butter tea and a locally produced potent alcoholic barley spirit.

Day 3

Paro Tshechu and Paro-Thimphu ( 54 km, 1 hr)

Following an early breakfast, you make your way to the early morning blessing from Thangka of Guru Rhinpoche. Today is the most auspicious day of the festivities and dances of the Heroes, Ging and Tsholing, the Eight Manifestatons, the Sixteen Fairies and the Religious Song are all performed in a magnificent cacophony of sound and color. During the day you visit the National Museum, housed in the Ta Dzong (watchtower).

Here is an intriguing collection of artifacts which provide you with a wonderful insight to the rich culture and heritage of the Kingdom of Bhutan. In the evening you will travel to Thimphu, the next destination on your tour in Bhutan.

Overnight in Thimphu

Day 4

Thimphu Sightseeing

After breakfast, visit:

• Memorial Chorten also known as the Thimphu Chorten, is a stupa built in memory of the 3rd King of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk by his mother Queen Ashi Phuntsho Choden Wangchuck.
• Kuenselphodrang where the Bhutan’s largest Buddha statue is perched on the hillock overlooking the entire Thimphu valley below and the view from there is magnificent. Craft Bazaar where craftsmen and artisans from across the country display and sell their handicrafts.
• Changangkha Lhakhang The temple is one of the oldest in Thimphu, built in the 12th century and is located above the main town of Thimphu overlooking the Thimphu valley. 
• Nunnery (Thangtong Dewachen Nunnery) The nunnery, popularly known as Zilukha Anim Dratshang is located above Zilukha Lower Secondary School, overlooking Tashichodzong in Thimphu valley. It is a few minutes’ drive from the main Thimphu town.

Lunch and cultural program at Simply Bhutan

• Simply Bhutanis a unique project that aims to conserve our culture and tradition while generating employment opportunities for young job seekers. The infrastructure portrays ancient Bhutanese architecture which is being lost to modernization.

Enjoy the cultural programs, in house sightseeing’s, Enjoy playing archery- the national game of Bhutan and then a very delicious lunch.

 After Lunch:

• National Library where the history of Bhutan lies imprinted in archaic texts, which are preserved at the National Library, a treasure trove of priceless Buddhist Manuscripts and ancient texts; the library also has modern academic books and printing blocks for prayer flags.

• The National Folk Heritage Museum to get an insight of the Bhutanese way of life.
• The Institute for Zorig Chusum (commonly known as the Painting School), where a six year training course is given in the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan.
• The National Institute of Traditional Medicine, where the medicinal herbs abundant in the kingdom are compounded and dispensed.
• Tashichhodzong, its history is very old, dating back to the 13th century, which houses His Majesty's Throne Room and home to the Monk Body.

Day 5

Thimphu – Punakha Sightseeing

After Breakfast ,travel to Punakha (2 ½ hrs) via the Dochula pass . An hour's drive from Thimphu will take you to this pass (3140 m) where one can have a superb view of the Eastern Himalayas on a clear day with a powerful binocular telescope.

Visit the beautiful 108 chortens built on the hill by Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo for the security and well being of His Majesty the King of Bhutan. The descent into Punakha valley along the Kingdom's only east west highway.

After Lunch at Lobesa  drive through Metshina village and walk to Chimi Lhakhang ( 20 minutes), temple of the divine Madman Lama Drukpa Kuenley where couples unable to conceive child, come here to receive blessing.

Visit Punakha Dzong,the Punakha Dzong is situated on the junction of the two rivers the Phochu (male river) and Mochu (female river) and is one of the most spectacular Dzongs in the country.

Overnight at hotel in Wangdue.

Day 6

Punakha / Wangdue - Paro 

After breakfast, travel through upper Punakha valley through the village of Kabjisa and walk through farmhouses to khamsum Yuelley Namgyel  temple which was built by the queen of Bhutan for peace and stability in this ever-changing world. This temple is situated on the hillock overlooking the valley below. 

Travel back to Paro, visiting Simtokha Dzong en route. The Dzong was built in the year 1629 and is one of the oldest fortresses in Bhutan built by our great master Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel - who unified our Country Bhutan.

Check into hotel. Free time to relax.

Day 7

A Hike to Paro Takshang ( Tiger nest Temple )

After breakfast, hike up to Taktsang Monastery, also known as ‘Tiger’s Nest’. The climb up to the viewpoint will take around 1 ½ hours and from there you will enjoy a spectacular view of the monastery clinging to the side of the cliff. Stop for refreshment at the View Point Cafeteria.Then walk further up to the monastery which will take another 1 ½  hour. It is said that in the 8th century Guru Rinpoche flew on the back of a tigress from eastern Bhutan to this place and meditated in a cave here for 3 months. The principal Lhakhang (monastery) of the present monastic complex dates from 1692. Taktsang was damaged severely by fire in 1998 but has now been fully restored to its former glory.After visiting the monastery, walk back down to the road on the way stop for lunch at the view point cafeteria and then walk further down to the road point.

In the evening scroll at Town for walk or for shopping. Dinner with Managing Director of Zoid Jin Tours and their Families 

overnight at a hotel in Paro.

Day 8

Departure

Zoid Jin Tours & Treks (your local Bhutan travel agent) will see you off at the Paro Airport for your onward destination.