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Fly into Paro by Druk Air or Royal Bhutan Airline. The great snowcapped peaks of the inner Himalayas rise up to the heavens can be seen during clear weather. As the plane approaches Bhutan, if you look down farmhouses as dots on the hillsides can be seen. As the aircraft enters the Paro valley, you will see Paro Dzong on the hillside overlooking the Paro Chu (river), with Ta Dzong, formerly a watchtower and now the National Museum, above it.
You will be welcomed by our representative who will be your tour guide during your entire tour in Bhutan.
Drive to Thimphu and check into your hotel at Thimphu and after lunch visit the following:
In the evening you may visit local handicraft stores or go sightseeing on your own.
Night at a hotel in Thimphu.
Distance: 54 km, estimated travel time: 1 hr
After breakfast, we will take you to Paro which takes about an hour and then hike up to Taktsang Monastery, also known as ‘Tiger’s Nest’. The climb up to the viewpoint will take around 1 ½ hours and from there you will enjoy a spectacular view of the monastery clinging to the side of the cliff. You will stop for refreshment at the View Point Cafeteria and then walk further up to the monastery which will take you about another hour. It is said that in the 8th century Guru Rinpoche flew on the back of a tigress from eastern Bhutan to this place and meditated in a cave here for 3 months. The principal Lhakhang (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 visiting the monastery, will stop for lunch at the view point cafeteria on the way back, and then walk further down to the road point. Then drive back to hotel. On the way, visit Kichu temple,one of the 108 temples built in the 7th century by the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo. The story goes that a giant demon lay across the whole area of Tibet and the Himalayas and was preventing the spread of Buddhism. To overcome her, King Songtsen Gampo decided to build 108 temples, which would be placed on all the points of her body. Of these 108 temples, 12 were built in accordance with precise plans. Thus, it happened that in about the year 638 AD, the temple of Jokhang in Lhasa was built over the very heart of the demon. Evening free time to relax and overnight at a hotel in Paro.
In the morning, your tour guide will escort you to the airport for your onward destinations.