Happiness Tour

Day 1: Arrival at Paro – Thimphu
Upon arrival at Paro airport, you will be greeted by your guide and driver and you will visit Paro town where you will visit the Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum. After this visit, you will head to Thimphu and visit the Tachogang Lhakhang Temple and the iron suspension bridge. Dinner and overnight at The Capital Hotel.

Day 2: Thimphu Valley
After breakfast, you will visit the memorial stupa which was built for the third king of Bhutan. After your visit to the memorial stupa, you will visit Bhutan Postal Museum where you can also make your own personalized stamps and use them to send postcards to your family and friends around the world. After this visit, you will be taken to the famous Kuensel Phodrang, the Buddha point which is 51.5 meters high and overlooks the Thimphu Valley. After some free time and a short hike around the Buddha statue, you will head to Changagnkha Lhakhang Temple, which is one of the oldest temples in Thimphu. After lunch, you will head to Takin Preserve to see the national animal of Bhutan. You will also visit the TashiChho Dzong / Fortress of Splendid religion and the craft bazaar. In the afternoon you will head back to The Capital Hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Thimphu – Punakha – Gangtey & Phobjikha Valley
Today you will be heading for a visit to Punakha where you will visit the Punakha Dzong and the iron suspension bridge. On the way to Punakha you will stop at Dochulaa Pass at 3,150 meters/10,330 ft above sea level, where you will visit the 108 stupas and on a clear day have a view over the snow-capped Himalayas. After this short stop, you will continue to the market in Lobesa and from there on continue another 2 hrs to Gangtey & Phobjikha Valley. You will visit a traditional farmhouse where you will overnight with a local family.

Day 4: Gangtey & Phobjika Valley – Punakha
In the morning, you will head to the crane observation center. After a visit to the center, you will head for a nature hike in the Gangtey Valley. You will also visit one of the most beautiful glacial valleys of Bhutan. After the hike, you will head to the monastery of Gangtey. In the afternoon you will head back to Punakha where you will visit a nunnery, where you can interact with the nuns. After this, you will head to Dhumra Farm Resort for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Punakha – Paro
In the morning you will hike to the Khamsum Yulley Namgvel Stupa and hike 2 hours through the paddy fields and pine trees. After the hike, you will head to the Punakha Dzong and the longest iron suspension bridge in Bhutan. In the afternoon, you will visit the temple of fertility while heading back to Paro. Upon arrival in the afternoon, you will walk through the streets of Paro where you will visit some handicraft and souvenir shops and also the vegetable market. In the evening you will go to The Village Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Paro – Haa Valley – Paro
Early morning you will head to Haa Valley via Chelela Pass (3,988 meters/12,402ft) where you can enjoy the view of the Himalayan Mountains. Upon arrival in Haa Valley, visit the two temples, the white temple, and the black temple. Stroll through the valley, visit some traditional farmhouses and interact with the villagers and farmers. In the afternoon drive back to Paro for your overnight at The Village Lodge.

Day 7: Taktsang Monastery – Paro
In the morning you will be picked from your hotel and taken to the starting point for your trekking to the famous tiger's nest / Taktsang Monastery. This will take approximately 5 hrs. After this hike, you will visit the Kyichu Lhakhang Temple, one of the oldest temples of Bhutan, built in the 7th century. After you return to your hotel you will be offered a traditional hot stone bath and you can participate in a game of traditional archery, the national sport of Bhutan. You will also be able to participate in a real Bhutanese cooking experience and learn some Bhutanese cooking or cook your own meal with local ingredients. Dinner and overnight at The Village Lodge.

Day 8: Paro International Airport
After breakfast, you will be taken to the airport for your departure flight.