Punakha Festival Tour in Bhutan

The highlight of this tour is the Punakha festival, where you will spend one or one and a half days, according to your interest. The events and enactments are different on each day. The festival actually consists of two festivals. First, the Dromchoe, which lasts for 5 days, commemorates success over the invading Tibetan armies. Then the Tsechu or religious festival consisting of typical masked dances, is usually held directly afterwards. Both are colourful and interesting. Whilst in Punakha you have the option of visiting Wangdi and taking a pleasant walk to Chimi Lhakhang, the temple associated with the Divine Madman, Drukpa Kuenley. Alternatively, spend time at the river for a spot of bird-watching or a chance to see the Golden Langur, a rare species of monkey.

The contrast between the climate and vegetation in Punakha, at 1,800 metres, and the Thimphu and Paro valleys , at 2,400metres will be clearly felt as you spend a few days in Paro at the beginning of your tour and a few days in the capital city, Thimphu, at the end of the tour. In Paro you will visit the dzong, the museum, temples and farmhouses. We strongly recommend that, if you can, you make the morning hike to the Taktsang temple, Paro’s most famous and most deeply revered religious site. In Thimphu, you will spend full days of sightseeing, with short, optional walks to isolated temples and you will have free time to explore the town at your leisure.

This tour is woven flexibly around the festival in Punakha. Choose your arrival date and the order of your itinerary will be adapted accordingly but you will cover the same ground as shown in the sample itinerary below. To extend your tour by any number of days simply let us know your dates and we will suggest an itinerary that fits.

Choice of Departure Dates
Arrive in Paro any day from 7th February, 2010 to catch the Punakha festival on a 9-day tour. However, a tour of any number of days can be arranged around the festival dates. Contact us by e-mail.

Flight Schedules
Bangkok-Paro: Daily.
Paro-Bangkok: Daily
Del-Kathmandu-Paro: Mon, Thurs, Sat
Paro-/Kathmandu-Dehli: Wed,Fri, Sun

Itinerary

01 ARRIVE BHUTAN
Morning flight to Paro, Bhutan. Our representative will meet you at the airport. Sightseeing in Paro valley. Introductory talk. Overnight in Paro.

02 PARO SIGHTSEEING Optional hike to Taktsang temple and picnic. Afternoon sightseeing in Paro. O/N Paro

03 THIMPHU SIGHTSEEING
Drive to Thimphu.Today guided tour in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. O/N Thimphu.

04 -05 PUNAKHA FESTIVAL
Drive over the Dochula pass (3000m) to Punakha. Visit the festival in the afternoon. Witness the religious masked and cultural dances amongst colourful Bhutanese villagers. The next day, enjoy a morning at the festival and also the afternoon, if you wish. Alternatively, go sightseeing in Wangdi and Punakha valley. Short walk into the countryside also optional. Two nights O/N Punakha.

06 PUNAKHA/WANGDI SIGHTSEEING. RETURN TO THIMPHU
On the return to Thimphu, take a short walk to Chimi Lhakhang. Afternoon in Thimphu town. O/N Thimphu.

07 THIMPHU
A full day of sightseeing in Thimphu Valley and an optional short walk to a hilltop temple. Late afternoon drive to Paro. O/N Paro.

08 DEPARTURE FROM BHUTAN
Morning Departure. Tashi Delek!

Enjoy yourPunakha Festival Tour in Bhutan