Journey Into Bhutan

Day 1 is arrival day. We’ll be picking you up from the airport and checking you into our accommodation. Once you’ve navigated your way out, you’ll be met by your LHO team leader. We’ll then catch our private bus to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. After lunch, we’ll be driving up to the great Buddha statue, the starting point of our afternoon walk. The walk itself is through a beautiful forest overlooking the town and is mostly flat. After the trek, we’ll be heading to the hotel for a rest. Dinner will be at the hotel. The central location of the hotel makes it easy for those of us who’d like to take an evening stroll. At 8:00 pm we’ll have a team dinner and briefing before heading back to the hotel for gear checks and last-minute preparations.

The day starts early with a drive to  Tashigang Goemba (3,600 meters) for a 5 hour hike across the incredible Dochula pass. The highlight of the experience is a sacred temple that sits at the top of the trail. We’ll be taking several breaks along the walk to snack and take pictures. Lunch will be at the road pass at the foot of the trail upon our return. After lunch, we’ll continue to Punakha, our home for the evening. If time permits, we may be able to visit the fertility temple. If we can’t, we’ll pay it a visit the following day. Dinner will be at the hotel.

We’ll get started with an early morning hike up to the Khamsum Yuelley Mamgyal Chorten, a temple built to overcome the negative forces in the changing world. The trail is a gradual incline that starts at the river and winds its way up to the beautiful temple at the top. Lunch will be a picnic by the river before visiting the Punakha Zhong, an iconic fortress on the riverside. We’ll have a guided tour of the Zhong which is home to a monastery and several ancient artifacts of Buddhist Heritage. After our visit, we will be returning to Paro via the Dochulla Pass. We’ll stop for tea at the pass on the way back. Dinner will be at the hotel in Paro.

The highlight of our experience in Bhutan is the iconic Tiger’s next monastery. The trek starts with a brief incline through the forest. Traditionally some team members have chosen to do this section on horseback. The option is available for those of us who’d prefer it. We’ll be stopping for tea at the halfway point where those of us on horseback will have to dismount. From there we’ll follow a series of staircases that wind up the side of the mountain leading to the temple. Once we arrive, we’ll be taken on a guided tour. For those of us who’d like to just sit and meditate or enjoy the experience on their own this is entirely possible. We’ll set up a meeting point and time for everyone to get together for the descent. Lunch will be at a tea house on the trail. After the experience we’ll have some free time to explore the Paro market before being taken to The Farm, where we’ll be treated to traditional archery lessons, have a traditional hot stone bath and enjoy a cultural show with dinner.

On this day, we’ll be heading to the Wang River, that passes through the City of Thimpu. We’ll be given a briefing and equipment, and we’ll head with our guides and raft through some spectacular river scenery and some exiting rapids. We will have lunch on the river before heading back to our hotel. The afternoon will be free to do some last minute shopping before we say our farewells during our last dinner together.