FESTIVALS OF BHUTAN

12 days from GBP2,349 to GBP2,599 including flights

Tripcode: AIB

Itinerary

Day 1: Depart London.
Day 2: Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to our hotel. The evening is free to relax.
Day 3: Today we fly to Paro. The flight is one of the most spectacular mountain flights in the world and takes us over the Eastern Himalayas. If the weather is clear, we should get a fantastic view of much of the eastern half of the Himalaya, including Everest, Kanchenjunga and Chomolhari (Jhomolhari). From Paro we drive to Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan. Thimpu is a fairly small town, with a population of around 90,000, and is easy to get around. There is a certain quaintness to it and all the houses and shops are painted in traditional Buddhist styles. (Depending on the flight timings from Kathmandu to Paro it may be late when we arrive in Thimpu).
Day 4: We spend the day in Thimpu visiting the main sites. We will visit the impressive golden-spired Memorial Chorten, built in 1974 by the Royal Grandmother in memory of the Third King, H M Jigme Dorji Wangchuk who died in 1972. We also view the magnificent Tashichoe Dzong (fort), visit the National Library and the newly built Textile museum. There will also be time to visit some of the shops selling Bhutanese souvenirs and the Post Office has a collection of Bhutan's famous stamps.
Day 5: We leave Thimpu in the morning and drive east to Punakha. The route climbs steeply in places to the Dochula Pass. At 3050m (10,000ft) the views over the eastern Himalaya are magnificent although the clouds may obscure this spectacle. We descend to the valley floor and continue to sub-tropical Punakha. At an altitude of 1350m the difference in temperature and flora is apparent. Punakha was the old capital of Bhutan and the dzong was the second one to be built in Bhutan. This remarkable fortress is built between two rivers and it has survived many fires, an earthquake and a glacial flood. Along the way it has been repaired and added to and it has several interesting features to protect it against invasion. From here it is a short drive to Wangdi Phodrang where we spend the night.
Day 6: /
Day 7 - 8: A full day to experience the Paro Festival. Hundreds gather to see the monks dressed in colourful brocade, silk costumes and wearing painted masks re-enact the story of the gompa's particular divinity though music and dance. For several days there are masked dances, prayer meetings and a general carnival atmosphere as many villagers arrive to meet old friends and catch up with the mountain gossip. The festival culminates with the unfurling of a giant Thanka, three stories high, which has to be carefully folded away before the rays of the morning sun catch it.
Day 9: We transfer to the airport to check in for our flight back to Kathmandu. The rest of the day is free for individual sightseeing or shopping - you may wish to visit the monkey temple at Swayambunath or take an optional trip to Bhaktapur, the medieval city a few miles east of the capital. Bhaktapur has its own Durbar Square with many temples and statues and a maze of narrow streets, which are generally quieter than the capital.
Day 10: A morning sightseeing tour of Kathmandu and its surroundings, led by a trained local guide. The tour visits the two of the main temples in the valley - one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world at Bodnath, and the most important Hindu temple in the valley at Pashupatinath. The afternoon is free to explore Kathmandu. A visit to the famous Kathmandu Durbar Square in the heart of the old city is recommended. Here is the old royal palace, with its intricate woodcarving and four fine towers. Outside is Kumari Chowk, home of the Kumari, the young girl who is revered as a living goddess. All around is a maze of temples and images, such as terrifying Black Bhairab, and Shiva and Parvati gazing benignly down on their subjects. Leading away from the square in all directions are narrow alleys, full of the most amazing variety of shops and stalls. Alternatively you could take a trip to Patan, the third city in the valley. The museum inside the Royal Palace here is highly recommended.
Day 11: Free morning to explore; depart Kathmandu.
Day 12: Arrive London.