Wild East Bhutan Tour Itinerary

As you take the flight of your life to the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, you will enjoy the beautiful view of the Himalayan ranges at rare.

The landing of the aircraft at Paro International Airport is yet another thrilling and breathtaking moment.

Paro is the gateway to Bhutan, home to the only international airport. This is where you begin the journey to the land of happiness.

After visa formalities and collection of baggage, you will be greeted by our guide and chauffeur at the terminal.

The charming valley of Paro comprises both the ancient as well as the modern face of Bhutan.

Paro is the home to some of the oldest and most revered temple in Bhutan.

Today is the big day, hike to the famous Tiger’s Nest.

Shrouded in mystery and myths with stories of numerous miracles associated with the monastery. From great saints to famous Hollywood celebrities, not to forget the Prince of England to Princess of Japan have hiked to witness the hidden beauty of this icon of Bhutan, which is perched at the edge of a cliff at 3120m above sea level.

The hike to the temple is an awe inspiring journey that will amaze you with its beauty and charm. With glorious views of Paro valley amid the hike to the entrance of the monastery with alluring waterfalls is a treat for you and your camera for a #picoftheday Instagram post.

Thimphu is the capital city of Bhutan, it combines a natural small-town feel with a new commercial exuberance that constantly challenges the country’s natural conservatism and Shangri La image. Thimphu have some cafes, bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Finding a balance between the esoteric and espresso – the old and the new – is the key to getting the most out of this charming city.

TODAYS ACTIVITIES & PLACES TO VISIT
-> Kuenselphodrang Nature Park
-> Buddha Dordoenma – Largest sitting Buddha
-> Tashichhodzong -Fort
-> Takin mini zoo
-> 12 arts & craft school

Located in the Himalayas of Bhutan, the Punakha rests at the confluence of the Puna Tsang Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers.

This ancient Bhutanese capital serves as an excellent base from which to explore the scenic temple-dotted Punakha Valley and beyond. The town’s star attraction is undoubtedly the incredibly picturesque riverside Punakha Dzong, a 17th-century fortress which plays host to the annual religious Punakha Festival featuring traditional dancing and music. Lucky birdwatchers can spot the critically endangered white-bellied herons. Visitors can enjoy epic views of the Himalayas from the renowned Dochula Pass, explore the Royal Botanical Park, and discover the picturesque mountain- top village of Talo.

Other popular activities include: hiking through the valley, visiting the Chimi Lhakhang ‘fertility’ Temple, and the traditional architecture of Punakha Ritsha Village.

ACTIVITIES & PLACES TO VISIT
-> River rafting (optional)
-> Puankha dzong (fort)
-> Hiking Kahmsum yulley temple
-> Fertitliry temple
-> Longest suspension Bridge
-> Nunnary visit

Nestled between jaw-dropping valleys and surrounded by dazzling Himalayan mountains. An exact replica of a must-visit country- Switzerland lay in the last Shangri la, tucked away miles from the western world.

When Bhutan opened up to tourism in1974, it was a European tourist, who was astonished by seeing an exact replica of Switzerland in Bhutan. From that day, Bumthang valley became an epitome of attraction for Travellers around the world.

You can visit temples built in the 7th century built by the Tibetan king to hike the beautiful meadows that make the valley a must-visit destination.

ACTIVITIES & PLACES TO VISIT
-> Hiking Ura valley
-> 7th century Temple built by Tibetan king
-> Kurje Lhakhang
-> Burning lake
-> Stroll around the town
-> Experience local peoples life
-> Mini Red panda beer factory
-> Cheese factory

Today, we will be driving mostly amid the thick jungles of pine and oak trees, on the mountains and down the valleys of rhododendron flowers.

Eastern Bhutan is extremely isolated as it comprises mostly sharchokpa language speaking communities although some other minorities also exist. The charm & biodiversity of eastern Bhutan is not lost even in these modern times and it will provide you with plenty of opportunities to explore nature.

The most unexplored part of Bhutan is the Eastern side & Trashigang is truly rural, with minimal development and almost negligible commercial activities. This place is where wanderers feel alive and awesome.

What it lacks in infrastructure, Trashigang makes up in natural wonders. Which is why people often call Tashigang it “Jewel of the East.” Since the region is mostly in the range of 600 meters to 4,000 meters, you’ll need to be aware of acclimatization.

ACTIVITIES & PLACES TO VISIT
Explore Gomphu Kora (Temple).
Located among paddy fields below the road to Tashi Yangtse, around 1 hour’s drive from Trashigang.

Guru Rimpoche meditated under the big rock and subdued an evil demon here.

The Gom Kora Tshechu is held from the 8-11th of the 2nd Bhutanese month and is visited by locals and tribal people from Merak-Sakten and Arunachal Pradesh, who circumambulates the gompa throughout the night.

The Relics inside the gompa include a garuda egg. The remaining lengths of chains from the iron bridge in Doksum are kept in the monastery. There is also a steep rock to climb for blessings and a crawl through a narrow passage in the rock, to get cleansed of your sins.

Trashigang dzong(Fortress).
Literally “The Fortress of the Auspicious Hill”) is one of the largest dzong (fortress) in Bhutan.

The fortress was built-in 1659 atop a ledge with steep cliffs on three sides, overlooking the Drangme chhu and Gamri Chhu rivers.

According to legend, the sight of the Dzong scared the Tibetan army which retreated while remarking that the Dzong was a “Sky Dzong and was not on the ground”.

Today we will be driving to Sakteng.The road is mostly bumpy with no tar.

The people (Brokpa tribe) living in Sakteng area are semi-nomadic yak herders with a unique and fascinating culture in the world.

They speak a different dialect, have their own deities and wear a unique style of dress. They wear headgear made out of yak hair with five tentacles designed to draw away the rain.

Sakteng
Sakten valley is situated in eastern Bhutan under Trashigang Dzongkhag at an altitude of 3000 meters. It is inhabited by a semi-nomadic people known as the Brokpas.

Living close to nature in this pristine wilderness, the Brokpas way of life has remained virtually unchanged through the years and they still mainly depend upon yak rearing and animal husbandry for their livelihoods.

Most of these products are bartered for food grains, especially maize and rice.

Sakteng valley remains untouched and unspoiled by the influence of the outside world.

We will be interacting with locals and experiencing their lives through a homestay programme.

We will be enjoying some delicious cuisines of nomadic herders & become familiar with the daily lifestyle activities.

Sakteng Activities
A. Day Hike:
Taking some short hikes in the village, where we will have some amazing views of vegetation encountering sheep’s and yaks and the nomads

B. Bird watching
If you’re someone who enjoys bird watching, you can easily spot the common hoopoe, Assamese macaw, rufous vented tit, blood pheasant, grey- headed woodpecker, grey-backed shrike, and many others.

C. Visiting schools and interacting with school kids

Today, after lunch we will drive back to Trashigang town and go for a stroll around Trashigang town in the evening.
If time permits, we will go to explore the first accredited college in Bhutan (Sherubtse college).

Kanglung College
Sherubtse College, located in Kanglung in the district of Trashigang in east Bhutan, is one of the oldest and largest colleges in the Royal University of Bhutan.

The college was established as a Public School in 1968 and became a Junior College in 1976.

It became a constituent college of the Royal University of Bhutan in 2003. Spread over a sprawling lush green campus with an authentic rural flavour, Sherubtse College is only 10 minutes drive from the Yongphula airport.

It will take us the whole day driving to Samdrupjongkhar and this will be the last day Bhutan.

The gateway to eastern Bhutan, Samdrup Jongkhar is situated in the southeastern region of the country and shares borders with the Indian state of Assam.

The town in Samdrup Jongkhar is one of the oldest in Eastern Bhutan and has seen gradual development over the years. It is a bustling little town with shopkeepers and hawkers coming from the nearby border of Assam to sell their wares.

It also houses the oldest cinema in the country that is popular among the Assamese from across the border for the Bollywood films it screens. In the past, British Political Officers stationed in Sikkim took the route from Samdrup Jongkhar to enter into Bhutan.

The next day early morning, the representatives from Lucky Dragon tours and treks will bid a fond farewell from the magical kingdom and wish you a happy journey back home.

Depart from Bhutan to your Guwahati international airport with ample Bhutanese NOSTALGIA.

Bhutan flights
Bhutan airlines flies from Bangkok & Delhi 5 times a week and the tariff for air tickets are :
• Delhi-Bhutan-Delhi: $ 620 USD
• Bangkok-Bhutan-Bangkok :$ 950 USD

Since we are the GSA of Bhutan airlines, we can help you book the tickets.

You will need to book the flights at least 3 months prior to the trip dates. You can send us your passport initially with the dates to book the tickets, we can keep it on hold for atlest 3 weeks without payment.