Himalayan Kingdoms

You arrive in Kathmandu today where we meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Our rep will help you settle in and give you an introduction to the surrounding area. The rest of the day is free to relax after your flight, and perhaps head to one of the many cafes and bars in the touristic district of Thamel near your hotel.

This morning we start with a walking tour from the tourist centre of Thamel, through Kathmandu's busy winding streets passing numerous tiny shops, workships and street corner temples to Durbar Square with its splendid array of Hindu temples and the old Royal Palace. We'll then drive up to the 'monkey temple' of Swayambhunath Stupa and see great views over the city and surrounding valley.

An option is available early this morning to take a spectacular flight up to view Everest. If the weather is clear you will also be able to see Everest and many other Himalayan peaks on your flight to Bhutan, but from much further away.

We pick you up from the hotel this morning and transfer to the airport for the spectacular flight over the Himalaya to Bhutan (try and sit on the left side of the plane for the best views). While en route, complete immigration and custom form formalities for later declaration and keep your custom forms safe, as you will need to produce them again on departure. (Note - the Kathmandu-Paro-Kathmandu flights are not included in the tour price but may be purchased separately or added as an extra option. Please see the Options section and Tour Notes for more details).

Paro airport provides a first taste of Bhutanese architecture and is surely one of the world's most beautiful. After lunch and an introductory chat with your Bhutanese guide, we will start our tours by visiting Ta Dzong, originally the Watch Tower for the Rinpung Dzong in Paro. It was later converted into the National Museum of the Kingdom and boasts a wide range of antique thangkha paintings, textiles, weapons & armour, household objects and natural and historic artifacts. You'll then walk downhill from the museum to Rinpung Dzong or the 'fortress of the heap of jewels' which is the seat of the district administration and the residence of the monastic school. The dzong is famous for its wall murals depicting Buddhist parables, symbols and the lives of prominent saints. Here you'll learn how these spectacular buildings have combined the monastic and civic administration of Bhutan for centuries. Finally, you walk down to the cantilever bridge below the dzong where your car awaits to take you to your hotel.

Today the tour leaves Paro and crosses the Dochu La Pass on sheer twisting roads through dense forests. You will be driven past multiple chortens at the top of the pass and be able to see the mountains in the distance, if the weather is clear.

When the tour has descended into the Punakha Valley, your guide will take you on a short walk to the Chimi Lhakhang Temple. It was built by Lama Drukpa Kuenley or 'The Divine Madman' and is known for blessing barren women with fertility.

All bird watching enthusiasts are encouraged to do a pre-breakfast tour in the morning that goes up to the Che La Pass at sunrise. You should keep an eye out for the blood grouse and the remarkable Himalayan monal.

Breakfast will be followed by a scenic drive through the valley to the north of Punakha for a morning stroll to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten. You can't miss this chorten with its striking location on a ridge above the Punakha Valley. This notable shrine was inspired by the Buddhist treasure teachings of Thragthung Dudjom Lingpa.

It is a sacred religious haven that helps to ward off negative forces and promotes peace and stability. The structure also embodies the positive forces that transcend all the negative influences in the world. According to Lamas, this chorten is a quintessence of Buddhism and brings about health and happiness for the people.

After exploring the temple, you can meander through the fields of chili, bean and wheat crops and reach the riverbank. Those who want to continue walking can do so along the river to Punakha. If you want to rest your feet, you can be picked up and driven. In Punakha, you will be shown the wonderful Punakha Dzong that is in the middle of the rivers of Phochu and Mochu. These waterways represent the co-existence of masculinity and femininity and their currents are different colours. You will notice how the rivers merge at this spot. Lunch will be followed by a drive to Gangtey.

This morning, the tour will depart from the Punakha Valley and head back onto the mountain roads that cut through the oak and rhododendron forests into the Phobjikha Valley (approx. 70km, 3hrs). These dense forests are the winter roosting grounds for the famous and endangered black-necked crane.

These cranes make a high-altitude migration here from the Central Asiatic plateau to escape the harsh winters in October. A festival celebrates their arrival on 12 November, which is then followed by the birthday of the king. The birds then fly from Tibet in February-March so the best months to view them are November, December and January.

Your guide will lead you into the valley so that you can look out for the cranes, if it is the right time of year. Later that day, the tour will visit the Nyingmapa Monastery in the kingdom of Gangtey Gompa.

This day will consist of a picturesque drive back across the Dochu La Pass to the capital of Bhutan, Thimphu.

On the way back, the tour will make a stopover to view the Dzong at Wangdue Phodrang. This building was destroyed by a fire in 2012 and is still being rebuilt today. This immense task is expected to continue until 2021.

After we have arrived in the city centre, you will have plenty of time to explore the surrounding area before enjoying dinner at the hotel.

This day will be spent traversing in and around Thimphu with the assistance of your driver and guide. You will venture in small groups, which allows for flexibility when it comes to choosing where to visit and what to do. You can speak to your guide and arrange your day.

Activities available:

The National Takin Research Centre where you can view a collection of unique animals while you stroll through an open pine forest with breathtaking views over Thimphu Valley.
The Memorial Chorten - a stupa inspired by the third king to deter negative influences. It was later constructed in his memory by the present king and the queen mother.
The School of Arts & Crafts - an institute that allows students to work on honing their traditional skills.
The Folk Heritage Museum with exhibits that offer insight into the medieval lifestyle of the Bhutanese people.
The National Library - home to the largest book in the world and displays of traditional Tibetan-style books, written on long handmade strips of paper.
The National Institute of Traditional Medicine, which has a small museum and clinic where people are treated with traditional herbal medicines.
A traditional handmade paper factory that sells eye-catching souvenirs and trinkets.
The Textile Museum has displays of local weaving art with weavers at work.
Trashichhodzong - the elaborate medieval fortress/monastery, which houses most of the government's office, the king's throne and is also the summer residence of Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot.
A variety of short half-day hikes available around the valley.
Lunch will be included during the day and if there is an archery tournament taking place at the National Stadium, our tour will check it out. Traditional folk dancing will also be on display.

It's imperative that you don't miss out on the weekend market with its assortment of stalls selling vegetables, spices and of course, chilies. A handicraft and clothing market is another highlight and an ideal place to purchase some souvenirs. This market runs from Friday afternoon until Sunday lunchtime and we will make sure that our itineraries incorporate the markets.

You will be served breakfast earlier this morning as the tour will drive to the foot of the Taktshang cliff. From here, you will set off on a 2-3 hour uphill hike to reach this monastery, resting on a sharp 800m-rock face. Taktshang is one of Bhutan's most famous sites and translates to 'Tiger's Nest'. Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava flew to this spot on the back of tigress in the 8th century. It was believed that he meditated here, which makes this temple a sacred pilgrimage destination for Buddhists.

Lunch will be enjoyed at the Taktshang cafeteria located about two thirds of the way up. This trip takes 4-5 hours and you can also arrange to ride a pony for the uphill trek.

That afternoon, you will be taken on a short sightseeing tour to Drukgyel Dzong, the fort of victorious Drukpas. A fire gutted this fort, but it remains famous for being the stand from which many Tibetan invasions were revolted. To the north, you can spot the dome of the sacred Mount Chomolhari or the 'mountain of the goddess'.

The tour also stops at one of the oldest landmarks in Bhutan - the 7th century Kyichu Lhakhang, which was one of the 108 temples built in the Himalayas by the King Songtsen Gembo. This enchanting sanctuary is regarded as one of the holiest shrines in Bhutan that embodies the arrival of Buddhism here.

As night falls, you can amble through the streets of Paro or indulge in a hot stone bath at the hotel to ease your tired muscles.

This morning we fly back to Kathmandu (aim to sit on the right hand side of the plane for the best views) and transfer to the ancient centre of Bhaktapur. (Note - again, this flight is not included in our tour price - see Tour Notes).
Formerly a capital of the Kathmandu Valley, the pedestrianised centre of Bhaktapur is a World Heritage Centre and is full of squares and temples with some stunning wooden architecture. Unfortunately, Bhaktapur was heavily damaged during the 2015 earthquake, though restoration efforts have been substantial. You have a guided tour here, as well as time to explore the narrow winding streets which bustle with life.

In the afternoon we make a short drive uphill to the village of Nagarkot, which sits on a ridge at the north-eastern edge of the Kathmandu Valley. Accepted as probably the best of the valley's mountain views, from the village lodges and hotels you can see all the way from Kanchenjunga in the east, past the tiny (from here!) peak of Mt. Everest, to Dhaulgiri in the west.

After waking early to enjoy the sunrise views, we have a downhill ridge walk through the Tilkot Forest Reserve, tiny Chhetri villages and traditional terraced farmland to the somewhat crumbling but atmospheric Changu Narayan Temple. Before arriving at our hotel in Kathmandu hotel for our last night in Nepal, we'll tour the important Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites of Pashupatinath temple and Boudhanath stupa. These are both very important to their respective religions, but have a completely contrasting atmosphere and ambience which is fascinating to see.

Our final night in Nepal is then free to head into Thamel to enjoy one last meal together before flying home tomorrow.

Your time is free today until we transfer you to the airport in time for your flight home. A range of options are available if you would like to extend your tour in Nepal. These include white water rafting on the Bhote Khosi river, one of the best one day rafting trips in the world, hikes and tours in the Kathmandu valley, or more extensive rafting or trekking tours. We can also arrange visits to Chitwan and Bardia National Parks in the lowland Terai region of Nepal. Please contact us for more information and ideas.