Ura Yakchhoe Festival

Ura Yakchhoe Festival.

Bumthang is often called the cultural and religious centre of Bhutan. Ura is a beautiful village lies along side the road to Trashigang, eastern Bhutan. The houses in these villages are all traditionally built and the village has its own festival that offers an insight into lives of the rural Bhutanese.People from all over the villages come here to witness the festival dressing in their finest clothes. It is held once in every year. The festival is being celebrated to bring happiness, better harvest and prosperity of the villages and country as a whole. More to this, it has in depth meaning of Buddhism.

Day 01: Arrive to Paro International Air port.

On the arrival to Paro International Airport, you will welcome and receive by the Representative of Authentic Bhutan Tours. Today we will do the following sightseeing:

· Paro Dzong

· Paro National Museum (if it is not on Monday. It is closed on Monday)

· The short hike, which starts from above National Museum and ends at Umaparo. From this hike we can see the Paro Valley, the International Airport in Bhutan and other adjacent villages so beautifully.

· Stroll around the Paro town.

· Dinner and overnight stay at Paro, Hotel, Ugyenphendeyling Resort & Meditation Center or similar standard.

Day 02: Paro – Thimphu

Today we will drive to Thimphu but in the morning we will hike to Taktshang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest).

· Taktshang Monastery is the most important pilgrimage site in the Buddhism world and it is the one of the main highlight of Bhutan Tour.

· Lunch at Taktshang Cafteria or at Paro.

· Drive to Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan.

· Stroll around the Thimphu town.

· Dinner and overnight stay at Thimphu Hotel, Peaceful Resort or similar standard.

Day 03: Thimphu halt.

Today we will do Thimphu Sightseeing:

· Mothithang mini zoo, to see the National animal of Bhutan (Takin)

· Nunnery – where the Bhutanese girls and women pursue the religious studies and goals in their life for the benefit of all the living beings.

· Folk Heritage museum – you will visit to the 19^th century Bhutanese house.

· National Memorial Chhorten - which was built in 1974 in memory of our third king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk-the father of modern Bhutan.

· Lunch at Thimphu Resturant.

· We will do Wangditshe hike. The hike will take about 1hour 20 minutes and we can see the Thimphu valley so beautifully.

· Walk around the Thimphu town and visit the Handicraft emporium to buy an authentic souvenir.

Dinner and overnight stay at Thimphu hotel, Peaceful Resort or similar standard

Day 04: Thimphu – Phobjikha.

Today we will be drive to Phobjikha over Dochula pass (3150m) above sea level. The pass is adorned with 108 small stupas. On the clear days, we can see the Eastern Himalayan Mountains, including the highest mountain of Bhutan so impressively. Today we will do following sightseeing:

· Lunch will be served at Nobding or we will have pack lunch.

· At Gangtey, we will visit Gangtey Goenpa, the most important temple in Nyingmapa sect.

· Hike-the Gangtey Natural Trail through the pine forest. The hike will take about 1hour 3ominutes. From this hike we can see the Phobjikha Valley so beautifully.

· Dinner and overnight stay at Phobjikha Hotel, Dewachen or similar Standard.

Day 05: Phobjikha – Bumthang.

After our breakfast, we will drive to Bumthang, which is the heart of religion in Bhutan through Tronngsa. We will do following sightseeing on the way:

· Stop at Chendibji Chorten for picture.

· Visit the impressive Trongsa dzong

· Visit the ‘Tower of Trongsa’.

· Lunch will be served at the ‘Tower of Trongsa’s’, Café’.

· Stop at Yathra Factory at Chhumey.

· Dinner and over night stay at Bumthang,

· Visit Farm House for Dinner, Dhotsho (Hotstone bath) and overnight stay.

·

Day 06: Bumthang Halt.

Today we will do sightseeing in Bumthang.

· Jambay Lhakhang, the oldest temple in Bhutan.

· Kurjey Lhakhang, the temple where Guru Rinpoche kept his body print there in 8^th Century.

· Tamshing Lhakhang, which is one of the important temple in Ngyingma sect.

· Lunch will be served at hotel.

· Mebar Tsho (Burning Lake),

· Honey Production Center and

· Evening we will drive to Ura for over night stay at CAMP or we can stay in Bumthang hotel.

Day 07: Bumthang Halt.

· Today we will drive to Ura (if we stayed in hotel in Bumthang) and enjoy the Ura Yakchoe Festival.

· Lunch will be picnic pack lunch

· Evening after the festival drive to Bumthang.

· Dinner and overnight stay at Bumthang Hotel or Farm House.

Day 08: Bumthang – Punakha.

Today we will drive to Punakha. We will visit the following places on the way:

· Trongsa Dzong, the most impressive dzong in Bhutan.

· Lunch will be served at Chendebji Restaurant.

· Continue our journey to Punakha.

· Dinner and overnight stay at Punakha Hotel, Damchen Resort or Similar Standard.

Day 09. Punakha – Paro.

Today we will drive to Paro and we will do the following sightseeing.

· Punakha Dzong, the most beautiful dzong in Bhutan.

· Hike to Chhimi Lhakhang, the temple of fertility. We have to walk about 30minutes from the road end.

· Lunch will be served at Dochula cafeteria.

· Continue our journey to Paro.

· Evening stroll around.

· Dinner and overnight stay Paro Hotel, Ugyenphendeyling Resort & Meditation Center or similar standard.

Day 10. Paro – Paro International Airport.

After our breakfast drive to Paro International Airport for your onward flight. We wish a very safe and pleasant journey back to your country. We hope to see you again in Bhutan in the future.

Bhutan Familiarization Tours.

The over seas tour and travel companies, designers, writers intending to put Bhutan into their programs or want to visit Bhutan for their future promotion may apply for a Bhutan Familiarization Tour with us. For a Familiarization Travel to Bhutan, we need the following information:

· Dully filled FAM Application Form.

· Letter to us stating that you would like to visit Bhutan on Familiarization Tour to Bhutan in your company’s letter head.

· Your passport Copy

On reaching Bhutan, you will have an appointment with the concern authority from Tourism Council of Bhutan to discuss and learn more about Bhutan Tourism and also you can provide your valuable suggestions or ideas.

Authentic Bhutan Tours cordially welcome you to Bhutan for Familiarization Trip to Bhutan and for any further information please contact us at info@authenticbhutantours.com

Bumdra Meditation Tour

-->

In this tour, we will be blessed by visiting the two most revered Buddhist Pilgrimage spot in Bhutan, Bumdra and Taktshang Monastery, besides enjoy the scenic beauty and Himalayan Mountains. 

-->

Bumdra means ‘Rock of One Hundred Thousand Foot Prints’. The legend tells us that a hundred thousand dakinis (angels) descended here and left their footprints on the rock 800 years ago. 

-->

Bumdra is about 3800m above sea level and the Taktshang Monastery is above 3100m above sea level.

Day 1. Arrive to Paro International Airport and receive by the representative of Authentic Bhutan Tours. Then drive to Thimphu, the capital City of Bhutan. The drive will take about 1hr 15minutes. On reaching Thimphu, your lunch will be served at one of the restaurant in Thimphu.

PM: we will do some sightseeing in Thimphu like visit to Memorial Chhorten, Motithang Minizoo, to see the National Animal of Bhutan, Takin and the Nunnery or Drupthop Lhakhang. Then stroll around the Thimphu town.  In the evening, we will visit Thimphu Trashi Chhoe Dzong.

Dinner and over night stay at Thimphu Hotel.

Day 2. Thimphu – Punakha (day Excursion)

Today we will make day excursion to Punakha via Dochula pass (3150m). The pass is adorned with 108 small stupas and many kinds of prayer flags. From the pass, we can see the Eastern Himalayan Mounatin Ranges so beautifully on clear days. Continue our journey to Puanakha and on reaching Punakha, we will visit the most beautiful dzongs in Bhutan, Punakha Dzong and at Lobesa, we will hike to Chhimi Lhakhang, the temple of fertility, which is located at a hilltop. The hike will take about 30minutes from the road end through paddy fields and farm houses.  Then we will have lunch at Lobesa.

PM: We will drive back to Thimphu. On eaching Thimphu, we will stroll around Thimohu town.

Dinner and over night stay at Thimphu Hotel

Day 3. Thimphu – Paro – Bumdra (Trek)

After an early breakfast, we will drive to Paro, Sang Choekor, where our trekking crewmembers will be waiting for us. Our trek will start from here to Bumdra. Bumdra, which is blessed by 100,000 dakinies.  Little above the place, we can also see a rock which is suppose to be Guru Rinpoche’s Hat and underneath the Hat, there is room where we can mediate and get the blessings from Guru Rinpoche.

At Sang Chhoekhor, we can also visit Sang Chhoekhor Lhakhang, which is a Buddhist College.

The trek to Bumdra for about first 1-2hrs walk will be ascent of a shady, forested ridge, brings us to a clearing with prayer flags and views down into both the Paro and Do Chhu Valleys.

Above and ahead the Chhoe Tse Lhakhang (temple) nestles on the mountainside a further one to two hour’s walk away. The trail undulates before the last steep section up to the pretty temple, which offers commanding views south over Paro and northwards to the snowcapped Himalayas.

After a final 20-minute climb through ruins and fluttering prayer flags, we plunge back into ancient forest, and, after traversing for about 40 minutes, we come out onto a high wide meadow dotted with sacred chortens and prayer flags.

Our home for the night is tucked away just under Bumdra Monastery (Cave of a Hundred Thousand Prayers) and offers unimpeded views of the Himalayan range. After lunch we can visit the monastery and mediate there for whole afternoon.

Dinner and over night stay at Bumdra  camp (3800m)

Day 04. Bumdra – Taktshang – Paro.

After our breakfast, we will start our trek to Paro via Taktshang Monastery. After one to two hours of descent we catch glimpses of the golden roofs of temples below.  The path snakes across the mountainside between these monasteries before reaching the gardens of Sangtopelri (Heaven on Earth) from which you can bravely peer the over edge and straight down onto the ornate rooftops of Taktsang Monastery perched against the cliff-face far below.  An hour later and we are at the gates of Taktsang looking across the gorge; a steep descent to a waterfall then up some steps and we are passing into Tiger’s Nest itself. 

Lunch will be served as picnic hot lunch. Retracing our steps we begin the final descent of about 1hr to reach our vehicle and drive back to Paro.

Dinner and over night stay at Paro Hotel.

Day 05. Paro – Airport (Departure)

Drive to Paro International Airport for your ownward flight. We wish you a very safe and comfortable flight. Our guides and driver will bid you farewell here at the Airport. We will be looking forward to see you again in Bhutan- The Land of Happiness!

Thank You & Tashi Delek.

For more information contact us at info@authenticbhutantours.com or visit us at www.authenticbhutantours.com