Seven Nights Amankora Journey

Day 1: Arrival & Drive to Thimphu

As your flight weaves through the Paro valley, you will be mesmerized by the view of beautiful Paro Dzong, National Museum, snowcapped mountains and the rice paddy fields.

Your driver and guide will be waiting for you outside the airport to drive you to Thimphu. It takes approximately 1 ½ hours from Paro to Thimphu. On the way to Thimphu, you will enjoy the fresh air and beautiful backdrop of forested mountains.

Upon arrival to the hotel, time will be availed to freshen up, enjoy lunch and then head out to visit the National Textile Museum, National Memorial Chorten, and National Library. In the early evening, you can stroll around the main street, absorbing the bustling life of the capital, while hunting for some interesting Bhutanese artifacts and textiles.

The National Textile Museum is operated by the National Commission for Cultural Affairs. It was established in 2001 and has since generated national and international attention for the substantial collection of antique textile artifacts, exclusive to Bhutan. The objective of setting up the museum is to promote Bhutan’s achievements in the field of textile arts and to sustain and promote the interest of the weavers to continue the traditional textile patterns and weaving culture.

The National Library was established in 1976 for purpose of preservation and promotion of the rich cultural and religious heritage of Bhutan. The building is a fine example of traditional architecture and holds more than 10,000 volumes of scriptures in classical language as well as 4500 foreign collections.

The National Memorial Chorten is a Tibetan style chorten built in 1974 in memory of the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, who passed away in 1972.

Day 2: Thimphu Sightseeing

On the second day, you will drive to one of the largest sitting Buddha in the world at Kuenselphodrang, popularly known as Buddha Point.  You will continue to visit the Takin Zoo located at Sangaygang, popularly known as BBS Tower. We will also pay a visit to 16^th-century Pangrizampa, a monastic training school for astrologers.

After lunch, you will be taken for a short hike to Tandin Ney, a small monastery fifteen minutes drive from the town. It is an easy hike and it takes an hour to reach this monastery or you can also drive way up to the monastery After the hike, you will continue for a short stroll around the Thimphu town, visiting the Craft Bazar and later the National Post Office, where you can make a postage stamp of yourself and you can also visit the traditional paper making factory. If the time permits you can visit the incense-making factory on the way back to your hotel.

Day 3: Thimphu to Punakha

After breakfast, we will drive to Punakha over the 3000m Dochu La (pass) where, on a clear day, you can view the beautiful snowcapped Himalaya on the northern border with Tibet. Upon entering the Punakha Valley, we will visit Chimi Lhakhang, the auspicious fertility monastery built in 1499, where couples usually visit to pray for pregnancy and receive the blessing of the Lhakhang’s Saint in the form of a magic thunderbolt of wisdom.

On arrival at the hotel, you will have the evening to enjoy the spa and a beautiful meal in the lodge’s courtyard.

Day 4: Punakha Sightseeing

After breakfast, you will hike through the rice and chili fields, before ascending to Kamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten, a stunning and unique momentum.  After the hike, we pay a visit to the magnificent Punakha Dzong, home to the remains of Bhutan’s great unifier, the Zhabdrung, and the winter residence of the Je Kenpo, the supreme religious leader of the Kingdom’s monastic body.

Day 5: Punakha to Paro

After breakfast, we drive back to Paro and after settling into the Amankora Lodge, there will be time for lunch followed by a short walk thru plantations of rice and potatoes. The walk loops to Drukgyal Dzong, the ancient fortress built to fend off the invading Tibetans in the mid-1600’s, and continues thru small villages, to the backdrop of sheer, forest covered mountains.

Day 6: Paro Sightseeing

Today will begin with a visit to the Paro Ta Dzong (Watch Tower), which houses the National Museum and is situated just above the Paro Rinpung Dzong. The National Museum was established in 1968 and houses some finest specimens of Bhutanese art, including masterpieces of bronze statues and paintings. Today the National Museum has in its possession over 3000 works of Bhutanese art, covering more than 1500 years of Bhutan’s cultural heritage.

After the museum, you will visit the Rinpung Dzong, an incredible example of Bhutan’s majestic fortress architecture. Continuing, a relaxed walk back into town crosses the scenic Nyamai Zampa (bridge), a unique model of Bhutan’s traditional cantilever bridges. Further on, the town’s main temples, Tshongdue Lhakhang and Drukchholing Lhakhang, house fascinating altars and paintings. Not to be missed, the wall paintings and unique design of Dungtse Lhakhang, plus a visit to the Kyichu Lhakhang, which pins down the left foot of a treacherous Ogress.

Lunch at a nearby farmhouse allows you to experience authentic Bhutanese cuisine with the resident local family.

Day 7: Paro

In the morning after breakfast, you will hike to Paro Taktsang, the Tigers Nest. Tigers Nest is considered the most histrionic monument of The Kingdom and is a highly revered pilgrimage site across the Himalayas. The monastery is built on a sheer cliff face at an altitude of 2950m (9678ft). The hike takes 3-4 hours return and offers a stunning view of the sacred monastery perched on the mountainside, some 900m above the valley floor.

After the hike, you can stroll around the Paro town to shop for Bhutanese artifacts and textiles to take home as souvenirs.

Day 8: International Departure 

After breakfast drive to the airport for flight to onward destination.