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ANCIENT KINGDOM OF BHUTAN & VARANASI PRE TOUR 6 NIGHTS

Combine your Pandaw river expedition with a visit to the ancient Kingdom of Bhutan, one of the world’s most intriguing countries. Discover Bhutan’s famous cliff-top monasteries, soaring mountain peaks and unique way of life.

This is a private tour.

Medium fitness is required for a soft hike on day 5.

 

DAY 1

ARRIVAL PARO

Welcome to Bhutan! Pick up at Paro international airport. After Lunch in the city, drive on a winding road to Thimphu (one hour), the capital of Bhutan.

Visit Tashichho Dzong, Bhutan's most impressive building. It has traditionally been the seat of the Druk desi or ‘Dharma Raja’, the head of Bhutan's civil government, an office which has been combined with the kingship since the creation of the monarchy in 1907. It houses the throne room of His Majesty the King of Bhutan and is the summer residence of the venerated monastic community. The current Dzong is the impressive result of a redesign of the original medieval structure sanctioned by the Third King, His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, when he moved the capital to Thimphu from Punakha.

Meals: lunch depending on arrival time.

DAY 2

THIMPU

After breakfast visit the Memorial Chorten, also known as the Thimphu Chorten, a large Tibetan-style Buddhist Monastery with golden spires and bells. It was built in 1974 to honor the memory of the third King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.

Continue to the Folk Heritage Museum: A three storied traditional building houses this museum. Established in 2001, the museum provides a glimpse into the traditional Bhutanese material culture and way of life. The artifacts remind the visitors about how the rural Bhutanese live today.

Visit National Institute of Zorig Chusum and the National Library of Bhutan which was first established in 1967 under the patronage of HM Queen Ashi Phuntso Choden (1911–2003), with a small collection of precious texts. Learn about how handmade paper from plants at the Junghi Paper Factory. The traditional handmade papers are widely used for religious scripts, packing materials, hand-carry bags, lampshades, envelopes and calendars.

The National Institute of Traditional Medicine strives to merge the allopathic and traditional systems of healing. A large laboratory and a production facility inside the institute monitor and ensure the quality of the components like the plants, minerals, precious metals etc. The institution also produces Bhutanese medicines and they have a plot inside their premise where they grow different herbs and plants.

Visit the Bhutan Postal Museum which was established in November 2015 to celebrate the 60th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The main objective of the museum is to tell the story of Bhutan’s progress and development through the lens of the evolution of communications and postal system in the country.

Meals: breakfast at hotel.

DAY 3

THIMPU - PUNAKHA

After breakfast, we take the Dochula pass, located 30 km from the capital, on the way to Punakha which offers a 360-degree of beautiful panoramic view of the Himalaya mountain range, . The 108 chortens that adorn the beauty of this place were built by Queen Mother to commemorate the Bhutanese soldiers who were killed when fighting the Indian rebels in 2003. The pass is also popular spiritual place for both locals and tourists because of an important temple that is located on the crest of Dochula pass.

Visit Chimi Lhakhang: located near Lobesa, Punakha stands on a round hillock and is flanked by hundreds of prayer flags. Built in 1499, this monastery is dedicated to Lama Drukpa Kinley or ‘the Divine Madman’. An accomplished master of Mahamudra Buddhist Tradition, he is also known as the ‘Mad Saint’ for his unorthodox ways of teaching Buddhism by singing, humor and outrageous behavior.

Continue to Drukpa Kinley, also a cultural icon in Bhutan around whom countless yarns, fictions, stories and legends have been spun. In founding the site, it is said that Lama Kunley subdued a demon of Dochu La with his “magic thunderbolt of wisdom” and trapped it in a rock at the location close to where the chorten now stands.

Meals: breakfast at hotel and lunch box.

DAY 4

PHUNAKA – PARO

After breakfast, visit the Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungtang Dechen Photrang Dzong (meaning ‘the palace of great happiness or bliss’), the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag. Constructed in 1673, it is the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan and one of its most majestic structures. Punakha Dzong was the administrative centre and the seat of the Government of Bhutan until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu.

Drive to Paro then and visit the National Museum and Paro Dzong. The National Museum of Bhutan is housed inside the revamped circular Ta-dzong building, an ancient watchtower above the Paro Dzong. This unusual round building is said to be in the shape of a conch shell. The original building was constructed in 1656 and then converted into a museum in 1968, housing some of the finest specimens of Bhutanese art, including masterpieces of bronze statues and paintings gathered from different parts of the country.

Some of the handicrafts items cover the history and cultural heritage of more than 1500 years. The National Museum has in its possession over 3,000 works of Bhutanese art, rich holdings of various creative traditions and disciplines that represent a remarkable blend of the past with the present. Paro Dzong is one of the most impressive and well-known dzongs in Bhutan. One of the finest examples of Bhutanese architecture, it is also known as the Ringpung Dzong, which means ‘fortress on a heap of jewels’. It is the administrative seat of the district of Paro. The dzong was built in the 16th century and was used on numerous occasions to defend the Paro Valley from invasions by Tibet. Unlike most of the other dzongs in Bhutan, it survived the massive 1897 earthquake mostly unscathed, though it was almost burnt to the ground by a fire in 1907. All-important relics were lost to the fire and nothing could be salvaged except for the Thongdrol, a 20x20 meter-wide Thangka. The Thangka is displayed annually during a ceremony called Paro Tshechu. The Dzong was however rebuilt the following year.

Meals: breakfast at hotel and dinner with local family.

DAY 5

PARO TAKTSANG SOFT HIKE

Drive to Satsam Chorten for a soft hike to Taktsang Monastery. The name Taktsang means “Tiger’s Nest”. The monastery is perched on a rocky ledge with a sheer drop of nearly 800m, overlooking the Paro Valley and the river. It is said that in 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 takes about 4 hours back and forth. Once you reach the view point of the monastery you have the option to visit the monastery which takes another hour hike.

The first monastery was constructed 1694, but in 1998 a tragic fire destroyed most of the original buildings - which have since been painstakingly restored to their former glory. Later visit Kyichu Lhakhang, a Buddhist temple in Paro. It is one of the oldest monasteries in the country built in the 7th century by the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo. After visit a Farm House where your dinner will be arranged with the local family.

Meals: breakfast at hotel.

DAY 6

PARO - VARANASI

After breakfast transfer Paro International Airport for your flight to Varanasi. Free time in the evening to relax.

Meals: breakfast at hotel.

DAY 7

DEPARTURE

After breakfast, transfer to your ship.

Meals: breakfast at hotel.

Le Meridien, Thimpu

Located in the heart of the capital city, Thimphu, the Le Méridien Thimphu invites the discerning guest to engage and discover the legendary 'Land of the Thunder Dragon', Bhutan. The 78 spaciously appointed guest rooms & suites are culturally inspired, yet decidedly chic and contemporary. With cosmopolitan surroundings amidst the bustling commercial streets of the city-centre, and a convenient location to many of the city's myriad attractions, the Le Méridien Thimphu is the perfect jumpstart to that long awaited leisurely holiday.

Classic Room

Chorten Lam, P.O. Box 01286, Thimphu, Kingdom of Bhutan

Tel: +975 2 337788

Visit Hotel Website

Dhensa Resort, Punakha

Dhensa Boutique Resorts sits in the heart of the verdant and lush Punakha Valley. Flanked by thick pine forests, it overlooks the Punakha river and hundreds of paddy fields that stair-step down to the valley floor. It is surrounded by plentiful walking and trekking trails. From Dhensa Punakha, it is just a five-minute trek up the mountain to the magnificent Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang Nunnery, which houses one of the biggest bronze statues of Chenrigzig (Avalokiteshvara) in the country. Dhensa Punakha marries contemporary design with this Himalayan Kingdom’s ancient and alluring ways. At the core of the Dhensa Punakha philosophy lies the sense of innocence and peace that permeates everything about Bhutan.

Suite Room

Wolakha, Punakha, Bhutan

Tel: +975 2 584434

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Zhiwaling Heritage, Paro

Escape the ordinary and immerse yourself in the genuine warmth and comfort of Zhiwaling Heritage, a 5-star hotel seamlessly integrated with nature, culture, and tradition. Nestled in the charming valley of Paro, Zhiwaling Heritage offers a truly exceptional experience, enhancing every aspect of your trip.

Satsam Chorten, Paro, Kingdom of Bhutan

Tel: +975 2 336486

Visit Hotel Website

Tree of Life Resort & Spa

Unlike many of the popular tourist destinations that you may have visited, this city goes on in spite and not because of its visitors. It is a city that requires you to be sensitive, spiritual, careful, and open-minded – even if the experience is not quite the one you expected. So plunge in; cruise the river, visit the temples, go for a live sarod concert, attend the evening Aarti (prayer), walk the small lanes which go back a thousand years and make the most of each and every moment because such experiences rarely come your way.

Tel: +919015242000

Visit Hotel Website

Rates include

Six nights accommodation at advertised hotels (or similar), including breakfast and meals as advertised, excursion and entrance fees as per itinerary, one flight Paro – Varanasi including check-in luggage of 20kg, Bhutan visa and permit fees.

Price per traveller in USD

Accommodation Type Price per Traveller
Sharing (2 Pax) US$4,043.25
Single (1 Pax) US$8,032.50

Extension Code: LTID-BH-VAR-PRE-2

Note

  • Please advise arrival/departure flight details in order to arrange the transfer accordingly
  • The Bhutan visa is included in the price, please send us your passport scan for the application
  • If you are staying in India before and after Bhutan then a multiple entry visa is required for India
  • Check in time 14.00 / Check out time 11.00

* Please note that your hotel will be confirmed after we have received your deposit payment. Prices are subject to change. Hotel subject to availability. We will try to offer you an alternate accommodation if the requested hotel would not be available.

Passport Information

Please ensure you send Pandaw a copy of your passport at least 50 days prior to your travel date. Your passport must be:

  • Ensure that it is the same passport that was used for the Bhutan visa application
  • The passport validity can't be less than six months
  • All passport will require at least 2 blank pages in their passport for Bhutan entry and exit stamp

Supplements

  • Le Meridien, Thimpu
  • Le Meridien, Thimpu - Festive Supplement - 31DEC USD110.00 per person
  • Tree of Life Resort & Spa
  • Tree of Life Resort & Spa - Festival Supplement - 14 Jan 2025 - 26 Feb 2025 USD290.00 per room per night
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