Short Itinerary:
Day 01: Siliguri - Phuentsholing.
Day 02: Phuentsholing - Thimpu
Day 03: Sightseeing in Thimpu.
Day 04: Thimpu - Punakha via Dochula Pass.
Day 05: Punakha - Paro
Day 06: Hike to Taktsang Monastery, Tiger's Nest.
Day 07: Sightseeing in Paro and transfer to Phuentsholing.
Day 08: Phuentsholing – Siliguri.
Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1: Siliguri to Phuentsholing (150 km, 5 hrs of drive)
- You will assemble at Siliguri by Mid-Day to proceed further for Bhutan Trip.
- You will drive all the way to Phuentsholing, which is located near the border between Bhutan and West Bengal.
- You will stop for some time on the way to enjoy the beauty of this border town.
- After reaching Phuentsholing, you can choose to relax in your hotel room or explore the local market here in the evening.
- Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Phuentsholing.
Day 2: Phuentsholing to Thimpu (150 Km, 5 hrs of drive)
- You will start your day with verification of the necessary immigration permits for your visit to Punakha, Paro & Thimpu. You would need Passport and passport-sized photographs for the same.
- Later in the day, you would drive to Thimphu which would take around 5 hours and the journey is through the mountains.
- The drive is very picturesque and you can spot some waterfalls and scenic views on the way as well.
- Upon reaching Thimpu, you will check in to the Hotel and relax for some time.
- In the evening you can explore the local market.
- If you are a person who loves history then you should definitely visit the Simply Bhutan museum and Bhutan Postal Museum in the evening.
- Dinner & Overnight stay in the Hotel at Thimpu.
Day 3: Sightseeing in Thimpu
- Today you will be exploring the capital city of Bhutan. Thimphu has a population of 130,000 and most of the central office for govt. and private is based in Thimphu
- You will first go and check out the National Memorial stupa built-in 1974 in the memory of Late third king
- Later you go to Tashi chhodzong or fortress of glorious religion which houses the throne room for the king and various government agencies. It is also residence of chief abbot and central monastic body.
- You then explore the Folk Heritage Museum, Opened in 2001 and it provides a fascinating insight into Bhutanese culture and way of life.
- Finally, you go to watch the 169ft Buddha Statue or second largest Buddha statue in the world. This location of Buddha point gives a good view of whole Thimphu valley.
- Overnight stay and dinner in the hotel at Thimpu
Day 4: Thimpu to Punakha via Dochula Pass (100 Kms, 4 hrs drive)
- Wake up early morning, freshen up and have a healthy breakfast. Start your journey towards Punakha.
- Punakha is a small hill station and was once the capital of Bhutan until it was shifted to Thimphu.
- It takes around 4 hours by road to reach Punakha from Thimphu.
- On the way, you will get to see the Dochula Pass which remains covered with snow on most of the times of the year.
- There are 108 stupas or memorial chortens situated here. You will visit the Punakha Dzong here which is touted as one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in this country.
- The confluence of the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu rivers are also located here.
- Due to the presence of rivers, the land is fertile here and rice and fruits are grown in large numbers here.
- You will also visit the Chimi Lhakhang which is an ancient monastery situated on a hillock and the suspension bridge over the Punakha river.
- You will stay overnight at your hotel at Punakha.
Day 5: Punakha to Paro (130 Km, 4 hrs of drive)
- Today you would spend the whole day exploring all the places worth seeing in and around Paro.
- Paro has a number of historical places and Buddhist temples.
- The only international Bhutan airport is located at Paro.
- You will first visit the Rinpung Dzong which overlooks the Paro valley and was initially built with stones and not clay.
- But this monastery underwent transformations in the following years.
- The National Museum of Bhutan is situated just by the side of it and houses some of the most treasured collection of antiques and artifacts.
- You will also visit the Drukgyel Dzong which was built in the 16th century but lies mostly in ruins today.
- In the evening you will check out the local market here.
- The market area has shops and buildings built in the traditional Bhutanese architecture and has great places to buy souvenirs and handicrafts.
- You can also get a taste of Bhutan food from the restaurants located here. We will stay at our hotel at Paro for the night.
Day 6: Hike to Taktsang Monastery, Tiger's Nest
- Wake up early morning, freshen up and have a healthy breakfast.
- The main attraction of today’s itinerary would be the hike to the Tiger’s Nest.
- Tiger’s Nest or Paro Taktsang is a sacred site which houses a Buddhist temple that is located on a cliff perched at a height of about 1000 meters above sea level.
- This trek takes about 3 hours to complete one way.
- This beautiful temple overlooks the Paro Valley.
- It is believed that Guru Padmasambhava who is credited for bringing Buddhism to Bhutan meditated here in one of the caves around which this temple was constructed.
- The popular festival of Tsechu is celebrated here during the months of March or April.
- The trail to the temple is a picturesque one passing through pine forests and streams.
- You can spot prayer wheels and flags on the way as well. Since this trek will be arduous one which will consume almost half of the day, the rest of the day will be kept for rest and leisure.
- Dinner & Overnight stay at the Hotel at Paro.
Day 7: Sightseeing in Paro and transfer to Phuentsholing ( 150 Km, 4 hrs of drive)
- Wake up early morning, freshen up and have a healthy breakfast.
- This would be the penultimate day of our Bhutan trip.
- You will start your journey in the morning from Paro to Phuentsholing after checking out from our hotel.
- The distance between Paro and Phuentsholing is around 100 kilometers and would take around 3-4 hours.
- You will have your lunch at Jaigaon which is located on the Indian side of the border.
- You will be staying at Jaigaon for the night at a hotel.
Day 8: Bhutan Cultural Trip Ends
- This the last day of our Bhutan trip
- You will wake up early and drive all the way to Siliguri from Phuentsholing.
- The distance between these two places would be covered in 4 hours.
- You will be then boarding your respective flights/trains from Siliguri.
- A beautiful and memorable trip comes to a conclusion here.
How to Reach:
By Air: The nearest Domestic Airport from Siliguri is Bagdogra Airport, Siliguri, roughly 15 min. drive from Siliguri. You can easily get a cab from the airport to Siliguri.
By Train: The nearest Railway Station is New Jalpaiguri Railway Station which is located at a distance of 8 Km from Siliguri. You can easily get a cab from station to Siliguri.
By Road: Siliguri is well connected with roads and you can easily get buses from all the major nearby cities.
Inclusions:
- Pick up and drop from/to Airport.
- Accommodation on Triple sharing basis as per the itinerary in hotels/camps mentioned or similar (Double sharing specifically for couples at an extra cost of INR 1000).
- All the necessary permit fees while exploring Bhutan.
- Meals from Day 1 Dinner to Day 8 Breakfast (except lunches).
- The first aid basic kit is available for the riders along with the portable oxygen.
- The petrol for the bikes is also included as per the itinerary of the trip only.
Exclusions:
- Lunch on All Days
- Any Travel Expense to Siliguri & Back
- Any entrance fee to the monastery and monuments
- Personal Expenses (Snacks/Water Bottles/Energy Drinks)
- Anything which is not mentioned in inclusions
- Parking Fees
- Any cost arising due to natural calamities like landslides, roadblocks, etc. (to be borne by the client directly on the spot)
- GST @ 5%
