7 Days Bhutan Panorama with Bumdrak Trek (Easy)

Note:

• Please note that booking for this itinerary has to adhere to the departure day in the week as advised below due to Druk Air flight schedule.
• For this itinerary, you have to depart on a SUNDAY and return on a WEDNESDAY.
• There is a 45 minutes in-flight transit in Kolkotta both ways.

Sunday | Singapore – Paro   KB 501 | 0630/0945

Thursday | Singapore – Paro   KB 501 | 0630/0945

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Wednesday | Paro – Singapore   KB 500 | 0720/1515

Saturday | Paro – Singapore   KB 500 | 0720/1515

All info are act as a guide and are correct as of time of publication.
Please check directly on airline website for latest flight schedules.

Region: Paro – Thumpu
Trek Type: Camping
Trek Grade: Easy – Moderate
Trek Days: 2.5
Max Altitude: 3700m
Best Season: Oct-Mid Dec & Mid Mar-May

Check in at airport Druk Air counter with your air ticket, passport and Bhutan visa. On this flight, you can see breathtaking views of the Great Himalaya as you start approaching Bhutan. Arrive at Paro International Airport. You will be required to show your Bhutan visa again as part of the immigration process. After which your guide will meet and welcome you and transfer to hotel. Check in and Lunch.

Paro Rinchen Pong Dzong
This massive fortress is located in the Paro valley and is approached by a gently sloping flagstone road and a beautiful covered wooden bridge and guard houses. Today, the Dzong is the Administrative seat of the district of Paro and it also contains a state monastic community of about 200 monks. The central tower (Utse) of the Dzong, is one of the most beautiful in Bhutan with its superb woodwork. The Dzong was built in 1645 A.D.

Paro Town
The charming small town of Paro lies on the banks of the Paro Chhu, just a short distance northwest of the imposing Paro Dzong. The main street is lined with colourfully painted wooden shop fronts and restaurants. It is nice to explore this quaint Bhutanese town leisurely at the end of a day of sightseeing.

Evening back to Resort and dinner.

After breakfast drive to Taktsang Monastery hike starting point and start trek.

The name Taktsang means “Tiger’s Nest”. The monastery is perched on a rocky ledge with a sheer drop of nearly 800m. and overlooks the Paro Valley and river. It is believed during the second half of the 8th century Guru Padma Sambhava known as the second Buddha in Bhutan, meditated at the spot where the monastery is situated having alighted there on the back of a flying tigress.

The hike will be up hill in a forested path to Taktsang Monastery also known as “Tiger’s Nest”, Bhutan’s most famous and scenic icon. It stands at an elevation of about 3,100 m above sea level. The climb is steep and takes about 2 hrs to get there.

An important place of pilgrimage and refuge for more than 1200 years, Taktsang Monastery clings to sheer cliffs 2,500 feet above Paro valley. On a hill top clearly visible from some point before getting to Taktsang, is yet another monastery known as Ugyen Tsemo. This will be your camp site for the night. It is about 200m above Taktsang and it takes another one hour more to get there.

After breakfast start trek from Ugyen Tsemo to Bumdrak it will take about 4 hrs. This stretch is a pleasant walk through the forest where you get to enjoy the view of Paro valley. On this part of the trek, there are no steep climbs or descents but you will feel out-of-breath because of the high elevation. The campsite is at an altitude of about 3700m. You will camp in the vicinity the Bumdrak Monastery. It is believed that 1,000 Dakinis had meditated in a cave and blessed the place and hence the name, Bumdrak.

After breakfast visit Monastery and meet up the local Nuns and Gomchens, those who lives around. After that start trek. This stretch of trek will take about 4 hrs. It will take you through the alpine forest and later as you descend further, through the mixed forest of Bhutan. On the way to Sangnachoekor, you will come across sheep and goats and sometimes yaks ‘released’ to graze in the forests. You will also see a couple of old monasteries in ruins. It is said that families sent their boys for spiritual reasons. After 4 hrs of gradual descent, you will finally reach Sangnachoekor Sheydra (Buddhist college) at an elevation of approximately 3,200 m. Upon reaching Sangnachokor, pick up and transfer to Thimpu. There are unpaved vehicle road reaches up to Sangnachokor. Upon arrival check in hotel. Evening rest. Thimpu is capital city of current Bhutan.

Thimphu Town
Explore Thimphu town at leisure.You can purchase world’s most beautiful postage stamps, collector’s items and postcards at face value from general post office which is right next to Bhutan National Bank.

Thimphu Dzong (only after 4pm)
The main Secretariat Building. This massive structure houses part of the Ministries, the office of the King and the Throne Room. It also houses the State Monastic Body and the living quarters of the Chief Abbot.

Evening back to hotel for dinner and rest.

After breakfast, we set off for Punakha (77km, 3.5 hr drive) on the way visit:

Memorial Chorten
A huge stupa built in memory of the third King of Bhutan who reigned the Kingdom from 1952-1972.

Buddha Point
This is one of the biggest Buddhist Stupa in Bhutan. From this hill top, you can see the panoramic view of Thimpu City.

Dochula Pass
Located on the way to Punakha, the pass offers a stunning 360 degree panoramic view of Himalayan mountain range. The view is especially scenic on clear, winter days with snowcapped mountains forming a majestic backdrop to the tranquility of the 108 chortens gracing the mountain pass. Known as the Druk Wangyal Chortens – the construction of these108 chortens was commissioned by the eldest Queen Mother, Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk.

Arrive in Punakha for lunch.

Punakha Dzong
Built in 1637 AD, the Dzong houses the district administration offices. It is also the winter residence of the State Monastic Body and its Chief Abbot. Punakha was the former capital of Bhutan. The Dzong (fortress) lies between two rivers known as Pochu and Mochu which means “Male River and Female River.”

After that transfer to hotel for check in and dinner.

After breakfast check out and drive to Paro.

Chime Leaching
30 minutes’ walk across terraced fields through the village of Sopsokha from the roadside to the small temple. It is located on a hillock in the center of the valley below Metshina. Ngawang Chogyel built the temple in 15th century after the ‘Divine Madman’ Drukpa Kuenlay built a small Chorten there. It is a pilgrim site for Barren women.

After that continue drive to Paro (5 hrs). Check in Resort and rest. Evening dinner.

After breakfast transfer to Paro Airport for departure.