Bhutan Cycling Tour
Bhutan: A Cultural Journey
Tour Code: HB
Bhutan has one foot in the 21st century and the other planted right back in the medieval ages.
As such, the country draws much of its identity from its ancient culture, customs, and traditions, the kind of which the rest of the world has lost a long time ago.
Culture is Bhutan’s biggest tourist attraction and our Bhutan offbeat tour aims to capture this cultural heritage.
Starting this year, we are trying to offer travelers the finer aspects of Bhutanese way of life which are enthralling but little known to outsiders.
This offbeat Bhutan tour provides glimpses into the mainstream Bhutanese culture as in the Buddhist influences, art, craft, and architecture, food and cuisine, language, customs, etc.
Highlights: Spectacular views of Mt Everest (8,848 m), Kanchenjunga (8,586m) and Lhotse (8,414 m); and a literal adrenaline-pumping landing on the roof of the world.
Travel by Druk Air, Bhutan’s national airline, to Paro, the country’s only international airport.
The flight is exhilarating, to say the least, as the route traverses parallel to the mighty Himalayas, enabling passengers to see the world’s highest peak, Mt Everest, and more.
The descent affords a panoramic view of Bhutan’s foothills culminating into a thrilling landing at what is considered one of the world’s most challenging airports.
Meet your guide at the airport and head to the hotel for lunch.
Devote the afternoon to sightseeing around the Paro valley famed for its natural beauty, historical monuments, agricultural farms and quintessentially Bhutanese village communities.
Visit the National Museum, formerly a watchtower, and then the Castle on a Heap of Precious Jewels or Rinpung Dzong.
Wind up the day with a stroll around Paro town.
In the evening, drive from Paro to Thimphu is just under an hour.
On the way, stop at the Tamchoe Monastery and see the confluence of Paro and Thimphu River.
Overnight at the hotel.
Hotels:
Taj Hotel / Aman kora/Terma Linca Resort /Druk Hotel/ Hotel Jomolhari/ Namgay Heritage/ Migmer hotel/ Hotel Ariya/ Jumolhari Hotel/ Hotel River view/ Hotel Phuntsho Pelri/ Hotel Wangchuk /Hotel Pedling/ hotel 89/ Galingkha hotel/ Peaceful hotel
Highlights: The power center and the capital city of the Happy Kingdom. Also the hub of commerce and culture.
There are a great many places to see in Bhutan’s capital.
From morning we will start our cycling day from Thimphu-Paro-Thimphu (130 km round Trip) / Thimphu.
Visit the world’s tallest statue of Shakyamuni Buddha.
Visit the Memorial chorten of the third king of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, and the 12th century Changangkha Temple, as well as the Takin Zoo.
Distance: 77 kilometers, Time: 3 hours
Highlights: A panoramic view of the snow-capped eastern Himalayas and a multitude of alpine flowers and birds; Bhutan’s ancient capital and Temple of Fertility.
The three to four-hour drives from Thimphu traverses through a constantly changing kaleidoscope of vegetation, waterfalls, flowers, mountains and meadows.
In about 45 minutes, we will reach the famous Dochula pass (3,100m) where on a clear day we can see the entire eastern Himalayan range, teeming with 6,000m to 7,554m snow-capped mountains.
The pass, also known for its abundant species of extremely beautiful flowers, has 108 Buddhist stupas exquisitely built around a mound, adding to the natural splendor of the place.
You can visit the botanical garden at Labpelri.
From the pass, we descend to the sub-tropical valley of Punakha.
After lunch in a small nearby village together with a rural farming household, we will walk along a footpath flanked by an endless view of ripening paddy fields to the Temple of Fertility – Chimi Lhakhang.
Then drive further to Punakha and stop at the views point the confluence of Male (Pho chu) and female (Mo chu) rivers and visit the Punakha Dzong, later visit the Sangchen Lhendrup Nunnery monastery.
Night halt in Punakha.
Hotels:
Uma Punakha /Amankora/Kuenzang zing Resort/ Densa resort&spa
Meri Puensum/ hotel view point/ Zangdopelri hotel /village hotel/ Hotel vara
Farm house: Namgayzangmo farm house
After breakfast, drive to Gangtey 105km it’s about 4 hours via Wangdue Phodrang, the road is gradually up to Lawala pass (1100 feet) passing through Nobding village, and the ground is covered with high altitude dwarf bamboo, offering you a spectacular view of the snow-cap mountains, areas mostly covered with rhododendrons flowers, Magnolia, fir and pine forest.
Phobjikha valley is at 3,000m in the Black Mountains range.
Phobjikha is one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan and is the home to the very rare black-necked crane.
The birds migrate from Tibet to Bhutan to winter here (from October -March).
Visit Gangtey Gompa, one of the oldest Nyingmapa monasteries that look like a small Dzong.
Overnight at the Farmhouse or hotel.
Hotels:
Amankora/ Gangtey Goenpa Lodge
Dewachen/ Gangtey Goenpa Lodge
Dewachen/ Kichu resort/ Hotel Tashi ling /Homestay
We will take a short hike around the Phobjikha beautiful valley for around 1 Hour.
After you completed your hike/ walk you can attend the Gangtey festival.
Gangtey/Phobjikha valley is mostly covered with high altitude dwarf bamboo, pine trees and impress art and wood carving farmhouse.
Overnight at the Farmhouse or hotel.
Hotels:
Amankora/ Gangtey Goenpa Lodge
RKPO Dewachen/ Hotel Pemakarpo/ Punatsangchu cottage/ Kichu resort/ Hotel Tashi Ling /Kingaling Hotel/ Y.T Hotel /Drupchu Resort/ Dragon Nest Resort Homestay
Morning drive 6 hours to Paro and on the way, visit the Wanduephodrang.
Lunch in Wangdi, stop at Dochula pass.
You can play the traditional sport of archery for an hour on the archery ground.
Evening pay a visit to the local farmhouse and enjoy local dinner with family.
Overnight at hotel.
Hotels:
Uma Paro/Aman Kora/ lee- meridian/ Naksel/ Hotel Zhiwaling/ Heaven Resort
Heaven Resort
Tenzinling Resort/ Tashi Namgay Resort/ Tenzling Resort / Dewachen Resort/
Metta Resort & Spa/ Dewachen Resort/ Tiger Nest Resort/ Kichu resort/ Phunsum hotel/ Hotel galingkha/ Hotel Holiday Home/ Raven Nest/ Mendala Resort/ Hotel Dorjee ling
Farm House:Tsering Farmhouse/Traveller farmhouse.
Highlights: Hike to the Tiger’s Lair, the most famous Buddhist monastery in the Himalayas, built on a sheer rock face.
After breakfast, drive for half an hour and start hiking up to the temple that is renowned in the Himalayan Buddhist world as one of the most popular sites of pilgrimage.
The five-hour round trip follows an ancient but oft-trodden footpath flanked by water-driven prayer wheels.
Visit the ruins of Drugyel Dzong enroute.
The fortress known as the “Castle of the Victorious Drukpa”, is a symbol of Bhutan’s victory over the Tibetan invasions in the 17th and 18th centuries.
We can also get a view of the sacred mountain, Jumolhari, along the way.
On the way back to our hotel, we will visit the 7th century Kyichu Temple, believed to have been built on a place that resembled a knee of a giant ogress.
Evening walk around the town for shopping and cultural show at hotel.
Overnight at hotel
Hotels:
Uma Paro/Aman Kora/ lee- meridian/ Naksel/ Hotel Zhiwaling/ Heaven Resort
Heaven Resort
Tenzinling Resort/ Tashi Namgay Resort/ Tenzling Resort / Dewachen Resort/
Metta Resort & Spa/ Dewachen Resort/ Tiger Nest Resort/ Kichu resort/ Phunsum hotel/ Hotel galingkha
Farm House:Tsering Farmhouse/Traveller farmhouse.
After breakfast drive to Paro international Airport and fly out.
