Tiger Nest & Dragon Heart 4nights / 5days

Day 1

Arrive Paro & Paro-Thimphu (Distance: 54 km, estimated driving time: 1hr)

Fly into Paro by Drukair / Bhutan Airline. After completing your immigration formalities, you will be received by our representative who will be your tour guide throughout your tour.

Then drive to Thimphu, on arrival at Thimphu check into your hotel and after refreshment visit the following:

• Kuensel Phodrang and visit tallest Buddha statue and enjoy the full view of Thimphu Valley.
• Tashichhoe Dzong, a fortress of the glorious religion. It was built in 1641 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and was reconstructed into present structure by the late King, His majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in the year 1962-1969. It houses the secretariat building, the throne room and the office of the king, and the central monk body. Overnight at Thimphu – 2300m.

Day 2

Hike-Discovering Hidden Trails - Dodeydrak Buddhist Institute in Thimphu.

Dodeydrak Buddhist Monastery is located on hilltop overlooking Thimphu Valley at an altitude of 2600m and is at 2 hours gentle slop walking distance from Samtenling Palace junction/car parking in Thimphu. The 12th Century Buddhist Institute - is called Dodeydrak, literally meaning “the cave of sutra” as the trace of the extraction of the sutra can be seen at the entrance of the Institute.

The Monastery houses a large number of Monk (180 numbers) who do their studies; a visitors can learn how to play ceremonial instruments, and mold the sugar sculptures seen on many alters as offerings, among others things. There is a museum on site and Monk may ask you to sit in on their practice and admire the view, pat the dogs or circumambulate the Choerten (stupa). Lunch & Overnight stay at Monastery.

Day 3

Thimphu – Paro to (Bumdra Hike/Trek)

Distance: 54km, estimated driving time: 1 hour.

After the breakfast, we will start our journey to Paro. While reaching to Paro, our adventure starts with a 20 minutes’ drive to Sang Choekhor. 

Hike from Sang Choekhor Monastery (2800m) to Yak pasture below Bumdra Momastery (3800m) begins adventure with ascent of initially 1 and ½ hours gives visitors scenic view of Paro and Dochula Valley under cool shades of pine forest and prayer flags.  We stop for our pack lunch at a small ‘Tshamkhang’ or hermaitage en route.

After lunch merely 1 and ½ hour hike will get us to our campsite, which means we have plenty of time to explore and amble around Bumdra. It is a perfect place for visitors for one-night camping in the untamed wilderness. Bumdra means “Rock of One Hundred Thousand Foot Prints”, the legends say that a hundred thousand Dakinis(angels) descended here and left their foot prints on the rock 800 years ago. On reaching campsite, we take a tea break, refresh ourselves and if you are up for it we can go visit an Ancient Sky Burial site further up the mountain top  - 40 minutes’ walk from camp.

Sky Burial is a funeral practice in Buddhism where the human corpse is placed on a mountaintop to decompose while expose to the elements or to be eaten by scavenging animals, especially Vulture Birds. Function of  the Sky Burial is simply to dispose of the remains in as generous a way as possible and to give in death, but the practice has become obsolete today. 

Overnight at Campsite-3800msl

Day 4

Hike-Bumdra Monastery -Tiger Nest.

Distance: 2 hours-downhill hikes to Tiger Nest from Bumdra.

After a hearty breakfast in the jaw dropping landscape, it is time for leaving the place and buying memories. We returned to the valley after spending a memorable night, through the ancient pine and rhododendron forest on the monks’ zigzag trail.

A glimpse of the temples’ golden roofs will appear in front of you after 1 to 2 hours of hiking. You will continue to walk along the path before stopping at the gardens of Zangdo Pelri (Heaven on Earth). Peer over the edge to see the ornate rooftops of the Tiger Nest Monastery perching against the cliff far below if you are brave enough to take photos. Another hour of hiking from the enormous monastery, passing a waterfall, up some steps and you will reach the Tiger Nest. This renowned landmark is also the last destination of this Bhutan hiking tour. It takes about 45 minutes to descent towards the Paro Valley floor to get back to your vehicle.  

Our driver will get you to hotels for overnight stay.

Finally in the evening you may take Bhutanese Hot Stone Bath (optional), in a village farm house. 

-hot stone bath is a traditional healing process which has been in practice for ages in Bhutan and it is satisfying experience in itself. 

-in the past, these baths served as a source of relaxation for the families after the long,  hard months of farming.

-the heat of water, the medicinal herbs and the minerals released from the stones, all combined are believed to have many health benefits.

-hot stone baths help us to relief bodily stress, ankle and joint muscle pains after long hikes.

Day 5

Departure/Tashi Delek

Tashi Delek