Day One. Arrive Paro.
Paro is at an altitude of 2300m. Best place to watch birds that frequent the farmlands. Follow the Pachhu River to watch Ibisbill, a rare endangered bird in the Himalayas. Most of the time, best to watch along riverside and the farms. Towards evening, drive to Drugyal Dzong which is 20km away from the main town, to watch from the dirt road and by the riverside. Overnight in Hotel at Paro.
Day Two. Chelila & Haa excursion.
The highlight is to look for the Himalayan Monal and Tragopans (most commonly seen in spring & early summer). Set off by 5:30am and drive to Chelila pass (3800m). The drive will take an hour. Enjoy walking on the ridges to scan for the pheasants. Spend around 2-3 hours on the mountain slopes and then take an hour’s drive to Haa valley. Have lunch at Haa and then drive towards Paro using the Chhuzom highway. Stop and walk on the road now and then. Try to reach Paro before sundown to look for Wall Creepers and Lesser Cormorants around Yeesuna village which is around 8 km before reaching Paro town.Overnight in Hotel at Paro.
Day Three. Paro to Punakha.
The total driving time from Paro to Punakha is 5 hours covering 131km. Start driving by 05:00am and try reaching Dochula pass (3050m) by 06:30am. Early morning is best to try your luck on some pheasant species. This pass offers great views of the Himalayas on clear days. It is ideal to have breakfast at the cafeteria and then commence towards Punakha. This drive is from temperate to almost sub-tropics with Punakha at 1300m altitude. The areas to stop reroute are at Lamperi Botanical Garden; next at Menchhu-nang and then around Lome-tsawa. Stop at some areas with good forests and also along the farms. The bird watching till lunch is all from the road. After lunch take 45 minutes drive towards Shengana valley. Drive on the farm road by the Phochhu Riverside all the way till Sam-dingkha. Spend the afternoon for watching river birds with the highlight being the White-bellied Heron. Overnight in Hotel at Punakha.
Day Four. Full day north of Punakha at a place call Tashithang/Damji.
With picnic lunch drive north of Punakha. Drive as far as 45km today one way and covering almost 90km in total. After driving around 20km, enjoy roadside bird watching at a place called Boto-kha. Cover around 3km on the road and then drive another 4 km to reach a place called Rim-chhu. You are now in the Jigme Dorji Wildlife sanctuary and forests become thicker. Spend the remainder of the day driving and stopping to do roadside bird watching. This area is also a great area to see orchids and wildlife. Overnight in Tent (Camping).
Day Five. Drive Thimphu with additional watching on the Dochula Highway.
Start towards Thimphu and at Menchhu-nang, walk 3km on the farm road that leads to upper Toebi-sa. Have picnic lunch there and then continue the roadside bird watching all the way to Dochhula. Overnight in Hotel at Thimphu.
Day Six. Whole day near the Cheri temple & up the Jigme Dorji Wildlife.
Take picnic lunch and drive 20km to Cheri. The road ends at Cheri Bridge where Jigme Dorji Wildlife sanctuary starts. The trail to Cheri is mixed deciduous vegetation which will offer good birding.
Day Seven. Whole day cultural sightseeing in Thimphu.
Today’s full day of sightseeing in Thimphu valley includes visits to:
Changangkha Lhakhang; One of the oldest monasteries in the Thimphu valley. It built in the 15th century by a descendant of Lama Phajo, the man who spread the sect drukpa kagyu in Bhutan. The main statue at the temple is of Avalokiteswara (the eleven-headed Buddha manifestation with 1000 arms and 1000 eyes). You have to walk to reach it. The temple courtyard offers good views over the city of Thimphu.
Traditional Paper Factory and Weaving Centre.
National Memorial Chorten; The building of this landmark was envisaged by the third king, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, as a monument to world peace and prosperity. Completed in 1974 after his untimely death, it is both a memorial to the Late King (“the father of modern Bhutan”) and a monument to world peace. The paintings and statues inside the monument provide a deep insight into Buddhist philosophy;
National Library; which holds a vast collection of ancient Buddhist texts and manuscripts, some dating back several hundred years, as well as modern academic books mainly on Himalayan culture and religion.
Tashichhodzong; This impressive fortress/monastery houses the secretariat building, the throne room of His Majesty, the King and various government offices. It is also the summer residence of the Chief Abbot and central monk body;
In the evening, drive to Kuenselphodrang to view the world’s largest and the tallest statue of Lord Buddha. The 169-feet bronze statue of Buddha Dordenma symbolizes indestructibility, and seated on a vajra throne, overlooking the capital city. Overnight in Hotel in Thimphu.
Day Eight. Drive from Thimphu to Paro (Hike to Tiger’s Nest)
We will hike to Tiger’s Nest which has become not-to-miss list for any travelers to Bhutan. The hike on foot would take three hours uphill climbing almost 700m from the valley floor. We will break this rapid ascent by stopping at a tea house. To visit the Tiger’s Nest different from other tourists, we will carry our picnic lunch. That way we have the flexibility of the timing to ourselves.
Tiger’s Nest or Taktsang as locals call it is one of the most sacred sites for the Buddhists. This is the place where Guru Padma meditated for three months back in the 8th century. Guru Padma, also known as the 2nd Buddha to the Buddhist, first initiated Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th Century. The importance of Taktsang has been saved over the centuries with lots of myths attached to the place. The myths of Guru and the flying tigress are still powerful amongst many Buddhists. Lay Buddhists would rather receive the sacredness of the place as a blessing whenever they visit. For those (Buddhist or otherwise) seeking the true nature of the mind, Takstang hike is a journey to ones inner world.Hiking downhill takes close to two hours. It is recommended to use hiking poles that will give extra cushioning to the knees. Overnight & farewell dinner at the hotel in Paro
Day Nine. Depart Paro.
After breakfast in the hotel, then drive to the airport for flight to onward destination.