Bhutan Itinerary – An all Girls trip for 5 days

On our 8-hour journey from the border town Phuentsholing to Paro, we could not hear any honking. Coming from India, to the closest neighbor, this was a culture shock. Another impressive thing was how rooted they are to their culture while being progressive at the same time.

Read: Road Trip through Western Ghats of India

This trip to Bhutan seemed like a time travel to the period that our parents often talk about. When people were much closer to the nature around them. The time when kids played on the streets without their parents being fussy and overprotective. Bhutan seems to live at that time when people were less worried about the future and enjoyed the present. For the old-world dreamer that I am, the tour was really the much-needed break from the modern mundane life of ours.

Did you know Bhutan is the only carbon-negative country in the world? Which means this tiny land-locked Himalayan country absorbs more CO2 than it produces!! If we aid them with money, let’s not be too proud of it because Bhutan aids the world with Oxygen.

Day 1: Bhutan Itinerary

Enter the land of the Thunder Dragons

It was a surprisingly warm day for February when we reached Hasimara at 1 p.m. After immigration formalities and lunch at Jaigaon, we set off for our 8-hour long journey to Paro. It is a beautiful town in the Paro valley that is home to hundreds of legends from the Bhutanese history.

We were not aware of then was that it was a special day in the Bhutanese calendar. According to their tradition was the Day of Offering, similar to the Thanksgiving day of the US and Canada. We were welcomed with a warm reception given by the proprietor of our hotel. He told us about this day which is celebrated as Buelwa Phuewi Nyim – the Traditional Day of Offering.

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Day 2: Bhutan Itinerary –Exploring  Paro 

Chele  la Pass – One of the best places in Bhutan

We then visited Ta Dzong– the national museum of Bhutan situated on the hill above the Rinpung Dzong. It was built as a watchtower during the wars of the 17th century to defend the Rinpung Dzong. The place took us on a memorable journey through the history of Bhutan, its rich cultural and faunal diversity. Outside the gate of the Dzong, we met a little Bhutanese girl who couldn’t understand a  single word that we spoke but stuck around us while we posed for photographs.

Our last destination for the day was the Kyichu Lhakhang monastery, one of the oldest shrines of Bhutan built in the 7th century. This holy place is famous for a pair of evergreen orange trees that bear fruits throughout the year.

Day 3: Bhutan Itinerary – Tiger’s Nest Trekking

Here comes the day that we were most excited about. A 3-hour hike to the famous Taktshang Lhakhang, more commonly known as the tiger’s nest. It is one of the most sacred sites for Buddhists all over the world. Perched atop the cliff 900m above the floor of the Paro valley overlooking the Paro river, trek to the Tigers’ nest was a rough thrilling path inlaid with thick vegetation all around.

It was my first Himalayan trek. I was zealously climbing the rocks despite not being in my best health. On the way, there is a small Lakhang (a small village level monastery) and a temple. This is a viewpoint from where the copper-colored rocky mountain looks like the face of a demon. One of the locals we met during the trek told us about this. There is a cafeteria on the path below this viewpoint for tourists and travelers to relax a bit.

Crossing a few more hurdles and difficult terrains on the way we finally reached the place to find out that the monastery was closed for lunchtime. However, the waiting time in the monastery came as a  blessing in disguise. It allowed us to enjoy the chilly breeze on the warm sunny day, amidst the sound of waterfall and chirping of birds all around.  

We spent our time chewing on snacks and chatting among ourselves as well as with the other travelers from different parts of the world. Some of them visited for religion while some simply for the joy of trekking. Once again I was touched by the warm, jovial nature of the Bhutanese. They climbed the hills like it was a cakewalk and offered help to others in every possible way. 

The monastery comprised eight temples each of which housed hundreds of mystical stories. Legends hold that Guru Rinpoche arrived here from Tibet on a tigress in the 8th century. He meditated in the caves for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours. The monastery was first built in 1692 around those 13 caves but was destroyed in fire twice. The reconstruction was completed in 2005.

One of the disciples in the monastery spoke to us about the various legends associated with the place and took us to each of the temples. We were awestruck at the architecture and the stories encompassing the mystical caves. The thrill and wonder of this amazing place made me forget the pain in my ankles and we returned with our hearts filled with awe at the mystery of the land. Read more about Tiger’s Nest Trek.

Day 4: Bhutan Itinerary – Paro to Punakha

Punakha, the former capital and still the winter capital of Bhutan are endowed with a warm temporal climate. Punakha valley is the abode of the richest soil in Bhutan owing to the natural drainage from two main rivers, Pho-chu(father river) and Mo-chu (mother river). 

Textile Museum of Bhutan in Thimphu

We were standing before a temple inside the Dzong listening to the mystical chants when all of a sudden we heard the cries of some monks and found some of them rushing out of the temple with canes in their hand hitting hard on the grounds. For a moment we were stunned and fled like a bunch of terrified kids. But soon we discovered that it was a part of an annual ritual that is performed at this Dzong, and felt lucky to have witnessed it.

Chimi Lhakhang – An interesting place in Bhutan 

Our last destination for the day was Chimi Lhakhang– the fertility temple located on a hilltop in the farmlands of Punakha.  It is believed that couples who don’t have children get their wishes fulfilled when they worship at this temple. We reached the temple through the dusty road with lush green fields on both sides. The evening puja was going on, and an occult ambiance was created inside the temple. A  guide was depicting the various legends associated with this temple. It was about how a demoness camouflaged to fool the Lama Kunley but was ultimately identified and subdued. Lama Drukpa Kunley was a monk who preached Buddhist philosophy in form of simple tales and was known as the “Divine Madman” for his unconventional ways- a personality that we can very easily relate to the Indian Hindu saint Sri Rama Krishna. The temple is decked with frescos and statues depicting the legends associated with it. Outside the temple were two Shivlings, a huge Peepal tree and colorful flags fluttering in the pleasant breeze. The mountains far away shimmered like gold during the twilight as we made our way downhill back to the cab. We stayed overnight at a small hotel at Wangdue.

Illustration inside the Temple

Day 5: Trip to Bhutan – Sightseeing at Thimphu

Our last day at Bhutan was dedicated to the capital, Thimphu that exhibits a unique juxtaposition of modern developments with the ancient traditions. Born in the lap of the Wang-Chuu valley, Thimphu is the abode of the historically and politically important buildings. It is the center of economic and government activities of Bhutan. We started off from our hotel at Wangdue at 8.00a.m. and drove through the scenic Dochula pass to reach the Thimphu valley. 

Thimphu Chorten – Iconic Landmark in Bhutan

Our first destination for the day was the National Memorial Chorten. It was built in 1974 by the then Queen in memory of her royal son, who is popularly accepted as the Father of modern Bhutan. Also known as the Thimphu Chorten, it is considered to be the “most visible religious landmark of Bhutan”. The frescos and statues inside which gives an insight into the Buddhist philosophy.

Changankha Lhakhang

We visited the Changankha Lhakhang, a fortress-like temple standing high amidst the ruins of its past splendor, where young children in Bhutan are named. Established in the 12th century, the temple houses a splendid statue of Chenrezig with 11 heads, a group of three large prayer wheels and rare scriptures. The courtyard of the temple provides an amazing bird’s eye view of the Thimpu valley.

We then reached the Buddha Point, a place at an elevation of 300 ft above the Wang-chu river bed where stands the grand bronze statue of Gautam Buddha under construction, known as Buddha Drodenma. The 169 ft statue was going to be the tallest statue of Buddha and was envisioned to become the probable eighth wonder of the world. Overlooking the capital town Thimpu, this temple will have 1,00,000 8-inch idols and 25,000 12-inch idols of Buddha inside. We were spellbound at the view of the city from the courtyard of the temple. Later, from our hotel far away from the Buddha point, we could still see the majestic spiritual statue.

Thimphu Dzong

On our way to the Takin preserve, we caught a glimpse of the one of the most important Dzong of Bhutan, the Thimphu Dzong which has served as the seat of  Bhutan’s government since 1952. The pompous beauty of the Dzong thrilled us, but we came to know that the Dzong is open to visitors of for 1 hour from 4 pm to 5 pm, after the flag is pulled down ceremoniously. so we went past the Dzong and arrived at the Motithang Takin preserve that is a safe abode of the national animal of Bhutan classified under “vulnerable” species. It is the largest and sturdiest goat antelope in the world that can be found only in and around Bhutan.  Takin was declared the national animal of Bhutan in 2005. This place was originally a mini-zoo but was converted into a reserve where the animals could roam about freely. The rare animal was seen living in harmony with other herbivores in the open space of the reserve. 

Folk Heritage Museum

​Day 6: Trip to Bhutan | Goodbye to the world’s happiest country

So this was officially our last day in Bhutan. We packed our belongings and set off for our last drive through the Himalayan country. As we made our way to Hasimara, our heart was full of gratitude for the people of Bhutan. Etched in our minds were the priceless memories to be cherished for a long time ahead. 

Read this detailed Bhutan Travel Guide for more information to plan your vacation. Special thanks to Himalayan Travels for planning everything for us – the itinerary, hotels, all permits, and car. Ah, this was not a sponsored trip. We paid for it and I recommend it based on my experience in 2013.