Day 1 — Spring Itinerary {date1s3}
Arrive Paro, check in to Nak Sel Resort, full day photographing and touring popular and little-known sites around Paro, including the our first dzong, centuries old temples and just strolling through the small market town of Paro. Since we are two-to-a-car you are the captain of your own ship, just take your time getting comfortable in your room and then your own personal guide and driver will make suggestions for a great day of cultural exchange and photography according to your personal schedule.
Day 2 — Spring Itinerary {date2s3}
Pre-dawn hike to Tiger's Nest with Bhutanese guide by your side to carry gear and urge you on, and if he is there you will meet with Robin's friend, the Taktsang Lama. Hot picnic breakfast overlooking the temple as young monks light the morning smoke offerings. Lunch back at Nak Sel Resort and then seek out sights that you didn’t see yesterday.
Day 3 — Spring Itinerary {date3s3}
Paro to Thimphu: Two hour drive to Thimphu, now a burgeoning Asian city but still plenty of things to see and do. (We only spend one night here so we can move on to the East where the “Authentic” Bhutan awaits us. Check the list of favorites on the detailed description of this day. Picnic lunch beside the roaring Cheri Chuu just below Cheri and Tango Monasteries. Afternoon Thimphu touring.
Day 4 — Spring Itinerary {date4s3}
Thimphu to Wangdi via Punakha Dzong: Halt at DochuLa Pass (108 chortens), lunch overlooking Divine Madman's Temple, on to Punakha Dzong—the Vatican of Buddhism in Bhutan—then on to Wangdi, stopping whenever your photographic eye catches a good scene and to interact with locals.
Day 5 — Spring Itinerary {date5s3}
Wangdi to Phobjhika: Through the Black Mountains—a forest of oak and rhododendron—to one of the most scenic landscapes in all of Bhutan, Phobjhika Valley. Herein lies Gangtey Monastery, established in 1613. One-hour hike through the forest to lunch at a farmhouse and then visit Khewa Temple (built in the 14th century) for private puja (ceremony) to bless the tour. Rainbow is a sponsor of this temple so interior photos are allowed—monks chanting, horns blaring, cymbals clashing, etc. Then visit the monastery’s incense “factory.”
Day 6 — Spring Itinerary {date6s3}
Phobjhika to Trongsa: Robin’s favorite drive in Bhutan, through PeleLa Pass draped in prayer flags, dense forest, past a Nepalese-style chorten with smiling eyes, and dramatic rivers at the bottom of green gorges where no man has ever set foot because of the deities that reside there. At Trongsa visit the Dzong and Royal Museum and walk the quaint streets of the village.
Day 7 — Spring Itinerary {date7s3}
Trongsa to Domkhar: Via YotongLa Pass, destination Domkhar Village—many stops along the four-hour drive. Arrive Chumey Valley Nature Resort for lunch and two night stay, then each car visits a different farmhouse for tea, cultural exchange and explanation of Bhutanese life in a farmhouse. Then archery and kuru games with our guides and drivers against local villagers, then awards ceremony around a bonfire singing and dancing and drinking ara.
Day 8 — Spring Itinerary {date8s3}
Morning back to same farmhouses for breakfast and help kids get dressed up for the festival—this family will “adopt” you for the day. Then a full day at the Domkhar Festival where we are treated as royalty. Exclusively for our tour, photography allowed in the temple and colorful dressing room, Lunch with the lama in his “skybox.” Fun to explore the makeshift flea market adjacent to the temple and engage in games of chance.
Day 9 — Spring Itinerary {date9s3}
Domkhar to Jakar: Just an hour’s drive from Domkhar we will stop at the local Yathra (cloth) handicraft co-op outlet. Then check into hotel and start to check off all of the interesting places to see in Bhumtang, the cultural and religious heartland of Bhutan. See full day itinerary for more details of these places. Two nights at this hotel so good place to have laundry done.
Day 10 — Spring Itinerary {date10s3}
Full free day in Bhumtang, good day to explore the local area. Rise early to catch sunrise on the Dzong from across the valley. Visit the Dzong and many other authentic Bhutanese places—list is on the detailed itinerary.
Day 11 — Spring Itinerary {date11s3}
Jakar to Mongar: Only 200 foreign visitors a year venture beyond here. Spectacular white-knuckled eight-hour drive stopping whenever you like in villages, forests, and riversides. Lunch at a roadside restaurant, tea/coffee breaks wherever the scenery appeals to you—guide and driver at your service with folding chairs. The cars will "leap-frog" from cultural exchange to scenic overview, to "I need to find a bush!" bathroom breaks. Check into Mongar hotel for two nights.
Day 12 — Spring Itinerary {date12s3}
Full day touring Mongar: Start with attending opening assembly at Mongar High School and observe the singing of the national anthem and the national prayer. Break into couples and attend classrooms of your choice—you will be asked to lecture on your personal occupation. Then on to the primary school to be the guests of honor at their presentation of their annual program, used to raise money for their annual picnic. Visit classrooms and interact with students. Then lunch back at the restaurant then on to an ancient temple where elderly spin huge prayer wheels and chant mantras, also known as an adult day care center. This temple is next to a Pre-K school and a visit there always brings smiles as the tiny students perform modern dance and songs for us. Cultural immersion at its best.
Day 13 — Spring Itinerary {date13s3}
Mongar to Trashigang: five-hour drive with plenty of stops--you are the captain of your ship. Lunch upon arrival at the hotel then sightseeing in Trashigang, the second largest city in Bhutan but a place where you will probably not see another foreign visitor.
Day 14 — Spring Itinerary {date14s3}
Trashigang to Phongmey and return: Exclusive full day yak herder festival in courtyard of Phongmey Temple. The Brokpa people trek for two days to get to us! and bring all of their festival costumes including a two-man, four-legged yak. You will be asked to lend a hand in the serving line that feeds over a hundred Bhutanese villagers and yak herders. Photography allowed in temple, join in folk dancing. Second night in Trashigang.
Day 15 — Spring Itinerary {date15s3}
Trashigang to Indian border at Samdrup Jongkhar: seven hour drive down out of the Himalayas, very scenic, through the campus at Sherubtse Royal University in Kanglung and stop to meet the students at Bhutan's Institute for the Visually Impaired. Lunch in a restaurant in a colorful small village along the way. Tea/coffee breaks wherever the scenery appeals to you. Check into last hotel for parting dinner with our guides and drivers.
Day 16 — Spring Itinerary {date16s3}
Border to Guwahati airport: Indian cars pick us up early morning and drive three hours to the airport at Guwahati for tour departure back to Bangkok.
Have Questions? Please Email Robin!
