NEPAL AND BHUTAN’S NATURAL-CULTURAL FUSION TOUR

Upon arrival at the TIA, Kathmandu, meet and greet with our office representative. Then, you will be transferred to the designated hotel. Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and the political and cultural heart of the kingdom. 

Our representative will escort you to the hotel and assist you with the check-in process. After a short briefing on the trip, the rest of the day is leisure. In the evening, you can stroll around Thamel’s local market, a tourist hub. Overnight stay at the hotel.

The day will start with a delicious breakfast at the hotel. On the day, you will visit one of Nepal’s most sacred religious Shiva temples, Pashupatinath. It is Kathmandu’s most visited temple of Lord Shiva. Its main attraction is the unique Shiva Linga, which displays the eight faces of Lord Shiva. 

Then, you will visit the holiest shrine of Buddhists and the largest stupa in the world, Bouddhatha. The stupa’s massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal and Asia. It represents the Tibetan culture in Kathmandu. In the stupa, there are giant pairs of eyes looking out from the four sides, which refer to Buddha’s eyes and the wisdom eyes. These eyes symbolise the all-seeing ability of the Buddha.

Then, visit the temple of “Sleeping Lord Vishnu” in the Bed of Naag, Jal Narayan. The temple is locally known as “Budhanilkantha/Narayanthan.”. It is considered the largest stone carving in Nepal, carved on a single block of black basalt stone.

Later, visit a UNESCO Heritage Site listed as Durbar Square, Kathmandu Durbar Square. It is popular for its traditional wooden architecture, authentic culture, different-styled temples, historical monuments, handicrafts, magnificent wooden structures, and many more. Some of the attractions of Kathmandu Durbar Square are the ancient royal palace once resided by the Kings of Kathmandu, Kumari Bahal, Kal Bairav Temple, Taleju Bhawani, Swyat Bhairav, Hanuman Dhoka Palace Museum, Gaddhi Baithak, and many more.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

On the day, after breakfast, you will go on an excursion to Chandragiri Hill and Swyambhuynath Stupa. You will have a 1-hour drive to the base of Chandragiri Hill Station and have to take a ticket for the cable cars. Then, by riding a cable car, you will reach the top of the hill. 

Chandragiri Hills is naturally beautiful and considered one of the best hill station destinations at a height of 2500 m. It offers a mesmerizing view of the Kathmandu Valley surrounded by a series of Himalayan mountains smiling over the green hills, adventurous activities, cultural significance, and a relaxing atmosphere. You can see Annapurna on the west,  Everest on the east, and major mountains like Ganesh Himal, Mount Manaslu, Langtang Lirung, etc. You will be delighted to see those landscapes and their beauty from the top of the hill. Visit the religious and mythological site “Baleshwor Mahadev Temple,” also known as Ichheshwor Mahadev. It is believed to have been built on the site where Sati Devi’s forehead (Bhala) had fallen. 

Then, returning to Kathmandu, visit Swyambhunath Stupa, the golden spire of the 5th century, popularly known as “The Monkey Temple.” It is an ancient religious structure atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley.

On the third day, you will have breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport for the flight to the “Land of Thunder Dragon,” Bhutan. You will fly over the enchanting Himalayan vistas of Nepal and Bhutan. As you approach Bhutan, you will be enchanted by the stunning valley of Paro, adorned with alpine forests, monasteries, temples, charming farmhouses, and rivers. 

Upon arrival at the Paro airport, warmly meet and greet your guide. Then, you will be escorted to Thimphu. Thimphu, the capital town of Bhutan and the centre of government, religion, and commerce, is a unique city with an unusual mixture of modern development alongside ancient traditions. With a population of about 90,000, it is perhaps still the world’s only capital city without a traffic light.

En route, stop at Chuzom, the confluence of the Thimphu and Paro rivers. Three different styles of stupas—Tibetan, Nepalese, and Bhutanese—adorn this confluence. 

Our representative will escort you to the hotel and assist you with the check-in process. After a short briefing on the trip, visit Memorial Chorten: The Memorial Chorten, also known as the Thimphu Chorten, is a large Tibetan-style Buddhist monastery, built in memory of Bhuta’s third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk. It is a popular landmark in the city with its golden spires and prayer bells. 

Tashichhodzong: This impressive fortress/monastery houses the Secretariat building, the throne room of His Majesty, the King, and various government offices. It is also the summer residence of the Chief Abbot and the central monk body.

Note: Tashichho Dzong is open during the weekdays after office hours (5 p.m. onwards) and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.  

 Overnight at the hotel in Thimphu.

 On this day, you will do local sightseeing in Thimphu, such as

• The Buddha Dordenma: One of the biggest Buddha Statues in the world. It was constructed through donations from devotees all around the world. 
• National Library: It is known for the storage of all kinds of ancient books of Buddhist culture, 
• The Folk Heritage Museum, 
• The National Institute of Traditional Medicine: The Institution produces traditional Bhutanese medicine towards the needs of the public. There is a day-care facility and clinic where doctors diagnose patients and prescribe appropriate medicines or treatments. 

If time permits then we will also visit Ta kin Sanctuary and Painting school.

Dinner and Overnight stay at Thimphu.

Early morning drive to Paro. Upon arrival, we will visit Later visit Paro Dzong and the National Museum of Bhutan.

• Paro Dzong is one of the most impressive and well-known dzongs in Bhutan. One of the finest examples of Bhutanese architecture is also known as the Ringpung Dzong, which means ‘fortress on a heap of jewels’. It is the administrative seat of the district of Paro, built in the 16th century on the foundation of a monastery built by Guru Rinpoche. 
• National Museum of Bhutan (open till 4 pm): It is housed in the Ta Dzong (watchtower), there is an intriguing collection of artifacts that provide a wonderful introduction to the rich culture and heritage of the Kingdom. 

Overnight stay at the hotel in Paro.

Breakfast at the hotel and Hike to Taktsang Monastery (Tiger Nest Base Camp Point).

• Perched on the side of a vertical cliff at 3000m altitude north of Paro, the beautiful Taktsang Monastery, also known as ‘Tiger’s Nest’, is the most famous and unofficial symbol of Bhutan. Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche (Guru Padmasambhava) flew to this location from Khenpajong, Tibet on the back of a tigress and subdued a demon. He then meditated in a cave here for three months and emerged in eight incarnated forms (manifestations) and blessed the place. Guru Padmasambhava is known for introducing Buddhism to Bhutan. Today, Paro Taktsang is the best-known of the thirteen caves in which Guru Padmasambhava meditated. 

An hour’s hike up to a small wooden teahouse called Cafeteria provides a close view of the monastery. A further and rather challenging hike of an hour and a half will lead you to the glorious Taktsang Monastery. Returning back visit the 

• Drukgyel Dzong, built as one of the four principal Dra Dzongs (defense fortress). It was built in 1649 to commemorate the victory of the Bhutanese over the allied Tibet-Mongol forces. Drukgyel means ‘the fortress of victory’. The Dzong sits on a trail that leads to the Paro Valley from Tibet. 

Overnight stay at the hotel in Paro.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to the airport for your onward journey. You will be dropped off at the airport before 3 hours of your flight time