Bhutan is the only country in the world that officially practices Mahayana Buddhism or Vajrayana Buddhism. More than a religion, Buddhism is a way of life in Bhutan. Since time immemorial, Buddhism has shaped local beliefs, culture, and identity.
Before the advent of Buddhism, the practice of Bonism was prevalent and the coming of Buddhism has merged the two concepts today, there is an amazing convergence of the two concepts leading to inherent respect for all natural elements including rocks, mountains, rivers, and the environment whereas Buddhism takes overall precedence.
Since Buddhism was officially introduced in the 7th century by the Indian saint, Guru Rinpoche, the country still reveres him as the second Buddha and there are countless pilgrimage sites in Bhutan courtesy of Guru Rinpoche. There are also several other Tibetan saints who visited the country and left a lasting impression on the country.
At Actual Bhutan Tours, we offer numerous pilgrimage tours and as staunch Buddhists ourselves, we ensure that all tours give you a good insight into the rich spiritual heritage of Bhutan.
The flights into Bhutan are a unique experience. At the Paro Airport, you will pass the immigration gate where you would have to show your visa and then arrive at the luggage terminal. Then you will sail through the customs formalities and at the exit terminal, your guide from Actual Travel Bhutan will be waiting for you with your name placard.
You will then drive for an hour to reach the capital Thimphu. You can check into your hotel and then go to the capital of Thimphu in the afternoon. It is the only capital city without traffic lights. You can also visit the biggest statue of Lord Buddha, which is located over a hilltop overlooking the entire capital valley. You can also visit the Thimphu Memorial Temple, a shrine built in memory of the third king. If you choose to, you can also visit some handicraft shops. In the evening, you can take a casual walk around the city.
Overnight in a hotel in Thimphu.
You will visit several monasteries in Thimphu today.
Changangkha Monastery: The 12th-century temple is one of the oldest temples in Thimphu. It stands atop a hill overlooking the Thimphu Valley. It is attributed to the Tibetan Lama Phajo Drukgom Zhigpo who came to Bhutan from Ralung in Tibet. The temple has an 11-headed statue, a thousand-armed manifestation of Avolokitesvara as its main statue. This temple also houses the main protective deity of the Thimphu region. Parents of newborns come to the temple to receive names for the baby.
Zilukha Nunnery in Drubthob Goemba: This nunnery overlooks the Thimphu Valley and is one of the largest nunneries in Bhutan. It belongs to Drupthop (The Realized One) Thangthong Gyalpo from the 15th century. The saint had multiple talents including building bridges and metal works.
Pangri Zampa Lhakhang: is located about 20 minutes drive at the northern end of Thimphu city. The temple was built by Ngawang Choegyel, the great-grandfather of the Zhabdrung, and was the Zhabdrung’s residence when he arrived in Bhutan in 1616. Today, the temple houses the College of Astrology and has more than 100 monks as students.
You can also meet a learned Buddhist master today and interact with him.
After breakfast, you will drive towards Punakha, the former capital of Bhutan. It takes about three hours to reach Punakha. On the way, you will stop at the Dochula Pass (3,048m/10,000ft), which is the highest pass along the route. On a clear day, you can enjoy a strategic view of almost all the major mountain ranges in the country including the highest mountain in Bhutan – Gangkar Puensum (7,550m/24,770ft) – which is also the highest unclimbed mountain in the world.
You resume the drive. It is a downhill drive descending to the more subtropical vegetation of Punakha. Just before reaching Punakha, you will take a short hike to Chimi Lhakhang, a fertility temple built in 1499 by a Tibetan Lama, Drukpa Kunley who is known as ‘The Divine Madman’ for his eccentric ways of teaching Buddhism. He is said to have subdued an evil demoness using his phallus, which is symbolically referred to as the ‘magic thunderbolt of wisdom.” A wooden effigy of his phallus is still preserved at the temple. There are a lot of accounts of childless couples, even tourists, who bore children after a visit to the temple.
In Punakha, you will visit the majestic Punakha Dzong, which is the most beautiful fortress in the country. The 17th-century fortress is located at the confluence of the male and the female river giving it a romantic ambiance. The Dzong also houses the embalmed body of the founder of Bhutan who consolidated the country for the first time in the 17th century. It is customary for all kings to take blessings from the embalmed body before becoming the king.
Overnight in a hotel in Punakha.
Today, you will visit the Nalanda Buddhist Institute. It is a small Drukpa Kagyu monastic school with about 100 students in Punakha. This school is not funded by the state and Principal Sonam Tshewang mobilizes funds to run the school. Once the monks graduate from here, they join other Buddhist institutes to continue their studies.
You can also interact with locals in the area and get a first-hand understanding of a typical Bhutanese village.
Overnight in a hotel in Punakha.
You will drive for about 3 and a half hours to reach Phobjikha/Gangtey. You will then visit the Gangtey Gonpa or Monastery. It is an important Nyingmapa school of Buddhism, the main seat of the Pema Lingpa tradition. The Monastery is one of the main seats of the religious tradition based on Pema Lingpa's revelations and one of the two main centers of the Nyingmapa school of Buddhism in the country.
You can also visit the Nyingmapa monastic college or Shedra, Do-nag Tösam Rabgayling, established above Phobjikha village.
Overnight in a hotel in Phobjikha.
On your way back to Punakha, you will take a diversion from the Chuzomsa and head towards Khotokha. There, you will visit one of the largest sheds/monastic schools called the Rinchenling Shedra. You can casually interact with the monks and scholars at this Institute. You will drive back to Punakha which will now take you about an hour.
Overnight in a hotel in Punakha.
After breakfast, you will check out of the hotel and drive towards Paro. You will climb the Dochula Pass towards Thimphu. You can have lunch in Thimphu and proceed towards Paro. In Paro, you will visit the Paro Dzong, the national museum, and the 7th-century Kichu Monastery which is one of the oldest temples in the country.
No visit to Bhutan is complete without a visit to the iconic Tiger’s Nest known as Taktshang Monastery. It is a legend and recorded history that the reincarnation of Lord Buddha flew to the site in the 8th century on a tigress and meditated at the site. The monastery was built later and is perched on a vertical cliff face. It takes about 3 hours hike to reach the monastery.
From the base, you have the option to take ponies while you hike up to the monastery. The way back will take half the time you took to hike up. In the afternoon, you can visit the 7th-century Kichu Monastery, which is one of the oldest temples in the country.
In the evening, you can walk about Paro town and if you wish to check out a few souvenir shops in the town.
Overnight in a hotel in Paro.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will drive toward the Paro Airport. You are expected to reach the airport two hours before the flight departure time.
Note: Please contact us if you want us to customize any other itinerary for you. We would be more than happy to do it for you.
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