15 Days Bhutan Yoga Tour with Druk Path Trek

Highlights: Arrive in Paro and visit the National Memorial Chorten, Buddha Dordenma and Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu.

Welcome to Bhutan, the land of the “Thunder Dragon”.

Upon your arrival at Paro International Airpor, your local guide and driver will meet you at the arriving hall of the airport. And they will have a brief introduction about themselves. Then, you will be transferred to Thimphu (2,350m), the capital city of Bhutan. Covering a total distance of nearly 54 kilometers, it will take you about 1 hour to get to Thimphu from Paro (2,250m).

After arriving at Thimphu, your guide will help you check in the hotel. Later, you will head to visit Kuensel Phodrang Nature Park. Here, you can see the 169 feet bronze statue of Buddha Dordenma, Vajra Throne Buddha, one of the largest statue of Buddha in the world.

Thereafter, you will pay a visit to National Memorial Chorten, which was built in memorial of King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the third King of Bhutan in 1974. After that, you can explore Tashichho Dzong, the eminent fortress where the national government and central monastic body are located. In addition, here sits the summer residence of Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot of Bhutan. Then you will have yoga practice from 6 pm to 7 pm, trained by the yoga expert in Thimphu.

Stay overnight in Thimphu.

Thimphu National Memorial Chorten

Highlights: Explore Thimphu’s cultural wonders like National Textile Museum and Traditional Paper Making Factory etc.

Today, it will be a full-day sightseeing tour in Thimphu. You will first head to National Textile Museum, which keeps the traditional art of waving preserved and exhibits a good collection of ancient colored textile in various forms.

After lunch, you will visit the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, to see the productive process of Bhutan’s traditional medicine, herbs mostly, and watch the medical practitioner training. Next, go to Traditional Paper Making Factory, which originated from the old tradition in the 8th century, Bhutan paper-making has been well preserved and listed as the valuable national heritage of Bhutanese culture. Then you can practice yoga before having dinner.

Stay overnight in Thimphu.

National Textile Museum

Highlights: Cross Dochula Pass and visit Punakha Dzong and Chimi Lhakhang.

You will start today’s journey by the early morning yoga practice at Yoga Center. Then you will drive from Thimphu to Punakha (1,242m). The distance between Thimphu and Punakha is 71 kilometers, and it will take you 3 hours to get there. One the way, you will have an excellent opportunity to enjoy a panoramic view of the solemn Bhutan Himalaya Ranges and even take photos at the impressive collection of 108 Chortens at Dochula Pass (3,140m).

After arriving at Punakha, you will head to visit the Punakha Dzong. Standing by the riverside of Pho Chu and Mo Chu, Punakha Dzong is one of the most impressive buildings and one of the top favorite attractions in Bhutan. More importantly, the rectangular shape fortress is also an honorable treasury where preserves numerous Buddhist relics and historical legacies.

After witnessing the superb Punakha Dzong, you will continue to visit Chimi Lhakhang, also known as Chime Monastery, which is a beautiful Buddhist monastery located in the Punakha District of Bhutan. It stands on a small round hillock close to the village of Lobesa and was built in 1499 by the 14th Drukpa hierarch, Ngawang Choegyel. Later, you will visit the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan.

Stay overnight in Punakha.

Punakha Dzong

Highlights: Visit Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten and Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang.

In the early morning, you will first practice yoga for refreshing your body. Then you will pay a visit to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, built by the Queen Mother of the 5th King to bring peace and harmony for all living beings. It sits on a ridge above Punakha Valley, where you will have a fascinating view of the countryside below. 2 hours round trip walk through rice fields are required to visit the chorten.

In the afternoon, after 2 hours drive from Punakha Valley, you will arrive Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang, including a double storied temple and a nunnery complex. The complex houses a permanent higher learning and meditation centre of nuns. Skills such as tailoring, embroidery, statue making and thangka painting can also be trained here.

Stay overnight in Punakha.

Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Lhakhang

Highlights: Visit the village of Changkha in Gaselo and Wangduephodrang Dzong.

You start today’s journey from the morning yoga practice. After breakfast, you will drive to the village of Changkha in Gaselo which is in Wangdue District. Visit farmhouses and get an insight into village life in Bhutan. On the way back to hotel, you will stop at the reconstruction site of Wangduephodrang Dzong.

Stay overnight in Wangdue.

Visit Wangduephodrang Dzong

Highlights: Visit Wangdue Phodrang Dzong and drive back to Paro.

Start your day with a yoga session in the early morning. And then you will have a full day sightseeing in Paro valley.

First you will drive up to the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong, the glorious fortress and Buddhist monastery in ancient time. Then you will head to visit the Kyichu Lhakhang, which is one of 108 temples constructed by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo. Built in a manner similar to the Jokhang in Lhasa, Tibet, the temple has the great golden image of Buddha Shakyamuni.

In the evening, you can choose to either stay in your hotel or stroll round the downtown and pay a visit to some local handicraft stores.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Kyichu Lhakhang

Highlights: Hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery to enjoy spectacular views from it.

In the morning after breakfast, you will start your hike to Taktsang Monastery (also known as Tiger’s Nest Monastery). You will spend 5 to 6 hours for the hike. Perched on the side of a cliff 900 meters above the Paro valley, Taktsang Monastery is one of the most famous monasteries in Bhutan. The principal monastery of the present monastic complex dates from 1692. Taktsang was damaged severely by fire in 1998 but has now been fully restored to its former glory.

After exploring the monastery, you will begin your return tour to Paro. In the afternoon, you will visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest and most beautiful temples built by the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo in the 7th century.

In the evening, do some yoga practice to relax your body at the hotel.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Highlights: Start the six days’ trek from Ta Dzong and visit Jili Dzong.

The first day of this unique trek can be quite arduous, as the initial climb from Paro to Jili Dzong (3,580m) ascends more than 1,200 meters. The trek starts at the Ta Dzong, following an old gravel road out of town, passing by several local farms. The trek along the road takes around 30 minutes, and then you start the climb up the steep ridge to the Damche Gom, through forests of fir and blue pine.

From the ridge, you can see the Jili Dzong slightly above you, but you will descend a little to the campsite below the monastery. The seven-kilometer trek to the Dzong normally takes around 4-5 hours, but can take a little longer, depending on the time it takes to ascend to the ridge.

Stay overnight at Jili Campsite.

Paro including Ta Dzong Museum

Highlights: Trek from Jili Dzong to Jangchhu Lhakha.

The route to Jangchhu Lhakha follows a ridge through thick forests of rhododendrons, and starts with a steep climb to the ridge around 300 meters above the campsite. From there, the slope evens out a little, and the trek to Jangchhu Lhakha is a little easier. Covering around 10 kilometers, this arduous climb and then gentle stroll takes around 4-5 hours, and ends at the meadows of the pasture area at Jangchhu Lhakha at an altitude of around 3,760 meters.

Stay overnight at Jangchhu Lhakha Campsite.

Highlights: Trek from Jangchhu Lhakha to Jimilang Tsho.

Today’s trek to Jimilang Tsho is an 11-kilometer hike through pine and rhododendron forests and rocky hillsides that takes around four hours. The trail follows the ridge through the mountains to this stunning alpine lake at an altitude of 3,870 meters, to the campsite at the edge of the lake. Renowned for its population of giant trout, this beautiful lake is one of the sacred lakes for meditation sites in Bhutan, and the name translates to “Sand Ox Lake”, after a legendary bull in Bhutanese mythology.

Stay overnight at Jimilang Tsho Campsite.

Highlights: Trek from Jimilang Tsho to Simkotra Tsho.

After an early breakfast we will depart from the lake and head roughly south, through dwarf rhododendron forests and past Janye Tsho (3,960m), one of three lakes that lie in the area to the south of Jimilang Tsho, after cresting the ridge of the mountain and dropping down the other side. The other two are Dungtsho Tsho (4,240m) and Dungtsho Sama (4,200m).

After passing Janye Tsho, you climb up through the meadows with their yaks and herders huts to a small ridge at around 4,200 meters, before dropping down the other side to Simkotra Tsho, at 4,080 meters. The trek today overs a distance of 11 kilometers, which normally takes around four hours, so you have plenty of time to explore the lakes along the way.

Stay overnight at Simkotra Tsho Campsite.

Highlights: Trek from Simkotra Tsho to Phajoding Monastery.

Today’s trek starts with a gradual climb up to the ridge above the lake, at 4,200 meters, and runs along the following ridges, undulating along the way all the way to Phajoding, at 3,820 meters. The route todays gives you a great view of the stunning Mount Gangkar Puensum, the highest mountain wholly in Bhutan at 7,570 meters above sea level.

The final pass of the trek, at 4,100 meters, sees you dropping down to the village of Phajoding, and you will stop to camp at the campsite just below the Phajoding Monastery. The route covers 10 kilometers of short ascents and descents along the ridges, which should take around 3-4 hours, leaving time to explore Phajoding Monastery before turning in for the night.

Stay overnight at Phajoding Monastery Campsite.

Highlights: Trek from Phajoding Monastery to Thimphu and end the trek.

After spending a night at Phajoding Monastery, the final day of the trek is spent heading to Motithang in Thimphu, a trek of around three hours to cover the 4-5 kilometer distance. The trek from the monastery is mostly downhill, and the trail runs through beautiful forests of blue pine. With the downhill run to Thimphu, the hike is an easy stroll, and ends at the road above the Motithang Youth Center, at 2,520 meters.

From there, the car will collect us and drive into Thimphu town, to your hotel for the night.

Stay overnight in Thimphu Hotel.

Highlights: Drive back to Paro and visit Bhutan National Museum and Paro Rinpung Dzong.

Today, you will first do some yoga practice at the hotel and then drive back to Paro from Thimphu and have a city tour in Paro.

After arriving at Paro, you will visit Bhutan National Museum - Ta Dzong. The museum houses a large number of valuable collections. A visit to the National Museum will deepen your understanding of this country in a whole and broaden your eyes with numerous pieces of Bhutan treasures.

Next, you will head to explore Paro Rinpung Dzong (also named as Paro Dzong), a fortress once built to defend the valley from invasions. However, it now serves as an administration center and school for monks.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Visit Paro Rinpung Dzong

After breakfast, your guide will meet you at the hotel and transfer you to Paro International Airport for your next destination.

The tour services end.