Punakha Tshechu Festival Tour

Our Airport Representative will greet you at Tribhuwan International Airport and transfer you to your respective hotels. After check-in and some rest, you will be taken to the main touristic hub in the city for a short introduction tour. Your trip guide will briefly give information about your trip in the evening.

Overnight at the hotel. 

Flight Duration: 1 hour

Drive duration: 1 hour 

Your flight to Bhutan with Druk Air will be amazing as your plane flies over the Himalayan peaks including the sacred Chomolhari and Jichu Drake peaks in Bhutan. You will be mesmerized by the Bhutanese landscape along with its green and lush mountains, waterfalls, and river valleys. After a short lunch break in Paro, you will head towards the capital, Thimpu. Once you reach the city, you will check-in at the hotel and relax for some time. You will explore nearby markets and streets in the evening. 

Overnight at the hotel. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Drive duration: 3 hours

Early morning, you will have a refreshing drive towards Punakha via Simtokha Dzong, a former Buddhist monastery, now a language learning institute built in 1629 and it is the oldest Dzong in Bhutan to survive till this day in its original form. The trail to Punakha from Thimpu is awe-inspiring as it takes you through the beautiful pine forests and pretty rural villages.  En route, you will stop by Dochu La Pass: a mountain pass at the elevation of 3100 meters with 108 memorial chortens. 

Punakha was once the capital of Bhutan until Thimpu was declared as capital in 1995. 72 km away from the current capital, Punakha is one of the beautiful places to explore the culture and history of the country. The first sightseeing place will be Punakha Dzong which is positioned at the confluence of Pho Chu and Mo Chu River. The Dzong is the second oldest, second largest, and one of the important Dzongs in Bhutan.

You will go for a short hike to Chimi Lakhang which was built in 1499 by Ngawang Choegyel, the 4^th Drukpa. Legend states that the site was once blessed by the famous “Divine Madman”, Drukpa Kunley. The monastery is a very important pilgrimage, especially for the women seeking the blessing of fertility.  

Overnight at the hotel. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Today, you is a handful day as you will be spending your whole day enjoying the Punakha Tshechu Festival. The celebration will go on for a day with mask dances by monks in their colorful brocade attire and folk dancers. You will get to experience the traditional songs and dances by the Punakha locals in their traditional attire as well as joker’s action on the street. 

Overnight at the hotel. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Like yesterday, you will attend the festival and indulge yourself in the celebration. In the afternoon, you can proceed for sightseeing in Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten, dedicated to the 5^th king of Bhutan. The chorten was constructed with the intention of bringing peace and clear all the obstacles for the country. 

Overnight at the hotel. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Drive duration: 4 hours

After breakfast at the hotel in Punakha, you will head back to Paro city. Retracing the track, you will pass through Dochula Pass where you can capture some pictures of amazing Himalayan ranges and surrounding beauty. Upon arrival in Paro, you will check-in at the hotel and relax. Later, you will go to explore Paro Rinpung Dzong, built-in the 17^th century with the belief to protect the valley. 

Overnight at the hotel. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Morning breakfast and you will hike for around 4-5 hours to the famous monastery of Bhutan Taktsang Monastery which is also called Tiger’s Nest Monastery situated at the elevation of 3120 meters. The monastery hangs on the edge of a steep cliff which is 900 meters above the Paro Valley. It is believed that Guru Rinpoche (the second Buddha) flew on the back of a tigress and meditated for years where the monastery is built. A cafeteria restaurant situated in the halfway of the mountain is one of the highlights of the monastery. After lunch in the cafeteria, you will hike down to Paro. After relaxing for a short period of time and lunch, you will begin your sightseeing in Paro by visiting the National Museum called Ta Dzong; once a traditional watchtower. Next, you will visit the oldest temple in the country, Kichu Lakhang. 

Overnight at the hotel. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Flight Duration: 1 hour 

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Paro International Airport for your flight to Kathmandu. Upon arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport, our representative will greet you and escort you to your respective hotel. During your leisure time today, you can go shopping in the streets of Kathmandu city. 

Overnight at the hotel. Breakfast included. 

You will be transferred to the airport for your onward destination by a representative from our company 3 hours prior as per your flight schedule.

Breakfast included.