The holiday starts at the group hotel in Kathmandu. Transfers from Kathmandu Airport are provided. The rest of the day is free to relax or for independent sightseeing. We have also arranged for dinner in the hotel tonight, which you can take at your own leisure.

The group will meet in the lobby of the hotel. We transfer together back to airport in time to check in for the flight to Paro.

The flight from Kathmandu to Bhutan is one of the most spectacular of all mountain flights. From the left side of the plane Everest, Makalu and Kangchenjunga, three of the world's highest mountains, are clearly visible. The total flying time is only 45 minutes and soon we are descending into the Paro Valley, enjoying the splendid views of alpine forests, small monasteries, temples and flat-roofed farmhouses. On arrival we will be met by our Tour Leader who will accompany us to the hotel.

If the flight to Paro is in the morning, there may be time today to visit the National Museum housed in an ancient watchtower, high above the Paro Valley overlooking the Dzong.

After breakfast we will make an excursion to Taktsang Lhakhang, the Tiger's Nest, one of the most recognised and important religious sites in the entire Himalaya. This iconic monastery clinging to a vertical granite cliff 2000 feet above the valley floor, dates from 1692 and was built around the cave where the Guru Rinpoche was said to have meditated for 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days and 3 hours. According to legend the Rinpoche arrived at this spot in the wrathful form of Guru Dorji Droloe on the back of a flying tiger and subdued the evil spirits of the region which then became protectors of the dharma. One in particular called Singye Samdrup is recognized as the principal guardian of Taktsang. The Tigers Nest is only accessible on foot. Arriving at the trailhead we follow an uphill path and after one hour, we reach a small teahouse with a fantastic views of the monastery which is directly opposite on the other side of a gorge. In a further half-hour of climbing the path leads to the temple itself and depending on events taking place there it may be possible to look inside although it is not always possible to do so. For those that do not wish to go to all the way to the temple, the teahouse is the perfect place to sit and relax and admire one of the most amazing views you will ever encounter. Upon returning to Paro, if time permits we will watch an archery demonstation. More than just a sport, archery is the national pastime in Bhutan and the people here take the game very seriously.

Setting out after an early breakfast, we head eastwards on Bhutan's main highway, passing close to the capital, Thimpu and climbing across forested slopes to the Dochu La (3050m), marked by many prayer flags and an impressive collection of large chortens. A viewpoint just above the road offers one of the finest panoramas in the Eastern Himalaya, stretching out over Lunana and an array of snow-capped peaks. Dropping down into the Punakha Valley, we continue via the town of Wangdi with its commanding dzong on a spur above the river. Next we cross the Pele La (3300m), the boundary between Western and Central Bhutan. Entering the Trongsa district, we can stop at the picturesque Chenjebi Stupas for views of Trongsa Dzong, the largest monastery in Bhutan, The road crosses two further passes before reaching the Bumthang valleys and our accommodation in Jakar. We arrive in Jakar after a full day of driving and sightseeing and check in to our charming lodge in this sleepy outpost, with a few shops, a post office and its magnificent dzong.

After breakfast at the lodge, we set out on our walking tour of the Bumthang Valley - one of the most beautiful and sacred in Bhutan. The valley is wide, filled with fields and villagers busy with their day's work. The guru Padmasambhava who introduced Buddhism to the region, meditated in many local caves in the Bumthang valley and each now has a temple or shrine associated with them. We start our exploration with a visit to the Jambey Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, built in the 7th century by King Songtsen Gampo who pledged the building of 108 temples during his lifetime. This temple can only be visited by special permission which we obtain for our groups. Next we visit the 17th century Kurje Lhakhang, together with its splendid new monastic annex which has been built in traditional style. From Kurje, we cross a bridge over the rushing Chamkhar Chu (river) and walk through paddy fields to Tamshing. This temple complex was founded in 1501 by one of Bhutan's most famous saints, Pema Lingpa 'the treasure discoverer". The monastery is home to many apprentice monks. We continue beyond Tamshing and end our walk just across from our guesthouse with a visit to the 'Swiss Project' where local people produce cheese, beer, apple juice and honey.

After breakfast at the hotel, we drive for approximately one and half hours through pine forests to the Tang Ugyencholing Manor house which houses a museum of ancient traditional culture. From here we drive to Pemachiling nunnery where we can witness an elaborate drum ceremony performed by the nuns. We take our lunch here and some of the nuns will join us during our meal. After lunch we will visit the Membar Tsho (flaming lake), where the renowned Terton Pema Lingpa, is reputed to have discovered treasure from the lake in the late 15th century. Before returning to Jakar we will also visit the Zangtopelri - the celestial abode of Guru Rimpochey. In the evening we can take a stroll through downtown Jakar for some souvenir shopping or enjoy local coffee in one of the cafes.

From Jakar we follow the winding road through the folds of the Himalayan foothills, crossing the Yotong La (3600m) to reach Trongsa Sherubling after approximately 2.5 hours. We stop here to visit the 17th century Dzong, one of Bhutan's most impressive. Continuing our journey westwards, we leave the heavily cultivated valley of the Mangde Chu as the road climbs steadily up into the hills. The scenery is breathtaking as we travel through the Himalayan foothills, first passing through forests of tall pines, then an 'alpine' zone of rhododendrons and dwarf bamboo. The high point of the day is the Pele La (3420) marked with a chorten and numerous prayer flags strung across the road. Given good weather the views from here are excellent, stretching over the Black Mountains to the distant snow-capped Himalaya. It is not uncommon to encounter grazing yaks by the roadside here. Having taken in the views we now descend from the pass and turn south off the main road. Approximately 4 hours after leaving Trongsa, we enter the beautiful and tranquil Phobjikha Valley with its well-tended fields encircled by pine forests. In the centre of the valley, rising from a small ridge, stands Gangtey Gompa one of the oldest private monasteries in Bhutan and one of a handful belonging to the Nyingmapa sect. The valley is famous as the winter home to the very rare Black-Necked Crane. Experts estimate that fewer than 800 cranes exist in the wild and every year they make an incredible journey from Tibet across the Himalaya to reach this small valley in Bhutan. The Cranes usually start to arrive from mid October and stay until early April. Our hotel in Gangtey is one of the best in Bhutan.

This morning we have another opportunity to view the black-neck cranes in their specially protected meadow. The Bhutanese Government has recognised the importance of the birds and has made special provision for their protection in the Phobjikha valley. This initially involved paying compensation to the local people who are constrained in what they can do with their cropland over the winter period. Today the income from tourism compensates the farmers for leaving their fields to the birds. After breakfast we set off on our drive to Punakha and en-route there is the option for those who wish, to visit the yellow roofed Chimi Lhakhang temple. This involves a 20 - 30 minute walk across rice fields and a short climb up to the temple which is dedicated to the 15th century, Drukpa Kuenley, known as the divine madman. The temple was constructed in 1499 in honour of Drukpa Kuenley after the lama defeated a demon who lived on the nearby Dochu La. The temple is a popular pilgrimage place for local women to receive blessings of fertility and to select their future baby's name by choosing a bamboo tile. After the visit we continue to the iconic Punakha Dzong, strategically sited at the confluence of the `Pho' &`Mo' Chus (Father & Mother rivers). Built in 1637 by Zhabdrung, the impressive fortress / monastery guards the Southern entrance to the Punakha valley. Punkaha was the capital of Bhutan until 1955 and is the winter residence of the `Je Khenpo' (head religious abbot) of Bhutan and most of the senior monks from Thimphu. The imposing appearance of the Dzong from all angles lends itself to photography and depending on what events are taking place at the time of our visit, we may be able to look inside also. After the visit we will check into our hotel near to the Dzong.

FESTIVAL VISIT
No single event captures the enduring Bhutanese culture better than the Buddhist festival or Tsechus, which honour the great deeds of Guru Rinpoche, the 8th Century figure widely revered across the Himalaya as the Second Buddha, and other saints. The festivals consist of a series of prayers, and dances performed by monks and lay people in spectacular masks and costumes to a cacophony of drums, horns and cymbals.

BDT.1 will follow an amended itinerary on this day - visiting the Talo Goemba Festival in Punakha.

Leaving the Punakha Valley we rejoin Bhutan's main east-west highway and climb up to the Dochu La (3300m). Many prayer flags and a very impressive collection of large chortens mark the pass. If we are lucky enough to have clear weather, a viewpoint just above the road offers one of the finest panoramas in the Eastern Himalaya, stretching out over Lunana and the peaks of Masangang, Tsendagang, Terigang and all the way to Gangkar Puensum (7497m), the world's highest unclimbed peak. From the heights of the Dochu La the road winds down through some magnificent temperate forest, with an abundance of rhododendron and magnolia. We pass by Hongsto, an ancient village founded in 1525 by the 14th Drukpa hierarchy of Tibet and after a total of 3 hours of driving, we arrive in the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu. We will take lunch here before an afternoon of sightseeing which will include the Royal Palace, the Royal Grand Mother Memorial Chorten the Buddha Dordenma, the largest seated Buddha in the world. From the site of the statue we also have a superb bird's eye view of the Capital. Other possibilities for sightseeing include the Textile Museum, a paper factory and the 'Simply Bhutan' museum. Alternatively we can browse the many shops of the capital or visit the local farmers' market. We stay overnight in a hotel in Thimphu.

We have an early transfer to Paro Airport for the morning flight to Kathmandu. The flight takes only 45 minutes and on arrival we transfer to our comfortable hotel. The remainder of the day is free to explore the city or for shopping in the bazaars. An evening meal is included at the hotel, for those that wish to dine together, or you are free to head out into Thamel independently to a restaurant of your choice.

The holiday ends after breakfast. Transfers to Kathmandu airport are provided. If you would like to spend more time exploring Nepal, why not pre-book a full day-tour of the Kathmandu Valley, or a multi-day excursion to a wildlife reserve in Chitwan National Park. Contact the KE Team for more details.

The holiday starts at the group hotel in Kathmandu. Transfers from Kathmandu Airport are provided. The rest of the day is free to relax or for independent sightseeing. We have also arranged for dinner in the hotel tonight, which you can take at your own leisure.

The group will meet in the lobby of the hotel. We transfer together back to airport in time to check in for the flight to Paro.

The flight from Kathmandu to Bhutan is one of the most spectacular of all mountain flights. From the left side of the plane Everest, Makalu and Kangchenjunga, three of the world's highest mountains, are clearly visible. The total flying time is only 45 minutes and soon we are descending into the Paro Valley, enjoying the splendid views of alpine forests, small monasteries, temples and flat-roofed farmhouses. On arrival we will be met by our Tour Leader who will accompany us to the hotel.

If the flight to Paro is in the morning, there may be time today to visit the National Museum housed in an ancient watchtower, high above the Paro Valley overlooking the Dzong.

After breakfast we will make an excursion to Taktsang Lhakhang, the Tiger's Nest, one of the most recognised and important religious sites in the entire Himalaya. This iconic monastery clinging to a vertical granite cliff 2000 feet above the valley floor, dates from 1692 and was built around the cave where the Guru Rinpoche was said to have meditated for 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days and 3 hours. According to legend the Rinpoche arrived at this spot in the wrathful form of Guru Dorji Droloe on the back of a flying tiger and subdued the evil spirits of the region which then became protectors of the dharma. One in particular called Singye Samdrup is recognized as the principal guardian of Taktsang. The Tigers Nest is only accessible on foot. Arriving at the trailhead we follow an uphill path and after one hour, we reach a small teahouse with a fantastic views of the monastery which is directly opposite on the other side of a gorge. In a further half-hour of climbing the path leads to the temple itself and depending on events taking place there it may be possible to look inside although it is not always possible to do so. For those that do not wish to go to all the way to the temple, the teahouse is the perfect place to sit and relax and admire one of the most amazing views you will ever encounter. Upon returning to Paro, if time permits we will watch an archery demonstation. More than just a sport, archery is the national pastime in Bhutan and the people here take the game very seriously.

Setting out after an early breakfast, we head eastwards on Bhutan's main highway, passing close to the capital, Thimpu and climbing across forested slopes to the Dochu La (3050m), marked by many prayer flags and an impressive collection of large chortens. A viewpoint just above the road offers one of the finest panoramas in the Eastern Himalaya, stretching out over Lunana and an array of snow-capped peaks. Dropping down into the Punakha Valley, we continue via the town of Wangdi with its commanding dzong on a spur above the river. Next we cross the Pele La (3300m), the boundary between Western and Central Bhutan. Entering the Trongsa district, we can stop at the picturesque Chenjebi Stupas for views of Trongsa Dzong, the largest monastery in Bhutan, The road crosses two further passes before reaching the Bumthang valleys and our accommodation in Jakar. We arrive in Jakar after a full day of driving and sightseeing and check in to our charming lodge in this sleepy outpost, with a few shops, a post office and its magnificent dzong.

After breakfast at the lodge, we set out on foot to explore the Bumthang Valley - one of the most beautiful and sacred in Bhutan. Our visit coincides with the annual Jambay Lhakang Drup Festival and we will aim to spend a good part of the day at the festival. It's just a short walk to this important temple, one of the oldest in Bhutan, built in the 7th century by King Songtsen Gampo. Depending on how much time we spend at the festival, we will also be able to walk through the surrounding farmland, where villagers are normally busy with their day's work. Bumthang is overlooked by a number of caves where the guru Padmasambhava, who introduced Buddhism to the region, is believed to have meditated. Other places on our list to see today include the 17th century Kurje Lhakhang and the temple complex at Tamshing, founded in 1501 by one of Bhutan's most famous saints, Pema Lingpa. Also, as we walk back to our accommodation we can check out the 'Swiss Project' where local people produce cheese, beer, apple juice and honey.

FESTIVAL VISIT

No single event captures the enduring Bhutanese culture better than the Buddhist festival or Tsechus, which honour the great deeds of Guru Rinpoche, the 8th Century figure widely revered across the Himalaya as the Second Buddha, and other saints. The festivals consist of a series of prayers, and dances performed by monks and lay people in spectacular masks and costumes to a cacophony of drums, horns and cymbals.

After breakfast at the hotel, we drive for approximately one and half hours through pine forests to the Tang Ugyencholing Manor house which houses a museum of ancient traditional culture. From here we drive to Pemachiling nunnery where we can witness an elaborate drum ceremony performed by the nuns. We take our lunch here and some of the nuns will join us during our meal. After lunch we will visit the Membar Tsho (flaming lake), where the renowned Terton Pema Lingpa, is reputed to have discovered treasure from the lake in the late 15th century. Before returning to Jakar we will also visit the Zangtopelri - the celestial abode of Guru Rimpochey. In the evening we can take a stroll through downtown Jakar for some souvenir shopping or enjoy local coffee in one of the cafes.

From Jakar we follow the winding road through the folds of the Himalayan foothills, crossing the Yotong La (3600m) to reach Trongsa Sherubling after approximately 2.5 hours. We stop here to visit the 17th century Dzong, one of Bhutan's most impressive. Continuing our journey westwards, we leave the heavily cultivated valley of the Mangde Chu as the road climbs steadily up into the hills. The scenery is breathtaking as we travel through the Himalayan foothills, first passing through forests of tall pines, then an 'alpine' zone of rhododendrons and dwarf bamboo. The high point of the day is the Pele La (3420) marked with a chorten and numerous prayer flags strung across the road. Given good weather the views from here are excellent, stretching over the Black Mountains to the distant snow-capped Himalaya. It is not uncommon to encounter grazing yaks by the roadside here. Having taken in the views we now descend from the pass and turn south off the main road. Approximately 4 hours after leaving Trongsa, we enter the beautiful and tranquil Phobjikha Valley with its well-tended fields encircled by pine forests. In the centre of the valley, rising from a small ridge, stands Gangtey Gompa one of the oldest private monasteries in Bhutan and one of a handful belonging to the Nyingmapa sect. The valley is famous as the winter home to the very rare Black-Necked Crane. Experts estimate that fewer than 800 cranes exist in the wild and every year they make an incredible journey from Tibet across the Himalaya to reach this small valley in Bhutan. The Cranes usually start to arrive from mid October and stay until early April. Our hotel in Gangtey is one of the best in Bhutan.

This morning we have another opportunity to view the black-neck cranes in their specially protected meadow. The Bhutanese Government has recognised the importance of the birds and has made special provision for their protection in the Phobjikha valley. This initially involved paying compensation to the local people who are constrained in what they can do with their cropland over the winter period. Today the income from tourism compensates the farmers for leaving their fields to the birds. After breakfast we set off on our drive to Punakha and en-route there is the option for those who wish, to visit the yellow roofed Chimi Lhakhang temple. This involves a 20 - 30 minute walk across rice fields and a short climb up to the temple which is dedicated to the 15th century, Drukpa Kuenley, known as the divine madman. The temple was constructed in 1499 in honour of Drukpa Kuenley after the lama defeated a demon who lived on the nearby Dochu La. The temple is a popular pilgrimage place for local women to receive blessings of fertility and to select their future baby's name by choosing a bamboo tile. After the visit we continue to the iconic Punakha Dzong, strategically sited at the confluence of the `Pho' &`Mo' Chus (Father & Mother rivers). Built in 1637 by Zhabdrung, the impressive fortress / monastery guards the Southern entrance to the Punakha valley. Punkaha was the capital of Bhutan until 1955 and is the winter residence of the `Je Khenpo' (head religious abbot) of Bhutan and most of the senior monks from Thimphu. The imposing appearance of the Dzong from all angles lends itself to photography and depending on what events are taking place at the time of our visit, we may be able to look inside also. After the visit we will check into our hotel near to the Dzong.

Leaving the Punakha Valley we rejoin Bhutan's main east-west highway and climb up to the Dochu La (3300m). Many prayer flags and a very impressive collection of large chortens mark the pass. If we are lucky enough to have clear weather, a viewpoint just above the road offers one of the finest panoramas in the Eastern Himalaya, stretching out over Lunana and the peaks of Masangang, Tsendagang, Terigang and all the way to Gangkar Puensum (7497m), the world's highest unclimbed peak. From the heights of the Dochu La the road winds down through some magnificent temperate forest, with an abundance of rhododendron and magnolia. We pass by Hongsto, an ancient village founded in 1525 by the 14th Drukpa hierarchy of Tibet and after a total of 3 hours of driving, we arrive in the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu. We will take lunch here before an afternoon of sightseeing which will include the Royal Palace, the Royal Grand Mother Memorial Chorten the Buddha Dordenma, the largest seated Buddha in the world. From the site of the statue we also have a superb bird's eye view of the Capital. Other possibilities for sightseeing include the Textile Museum, a paper factory and the 'Simply Bhutan' museum. Alternatively we can browse the many shops of the capital or visit the local farmers' market. We stay overnight in a hotel in Thimphu.

We have an early transfer to Paro Airport for the morning flight to Kathmandu. The flight takes only 45 minutes and on arrival we transfer to our comfortable hotel. The remainder of the day is free to explore the city or for shopping in the bazaars. An evening meal is included at the hotel, for those that wish to dine together, or you are free to head out into Thamel independently to a restaurant of your choice.

The holiday ends after breakfast. Transfers to Kathmandu airport are provided. If you would like to spend more time exploring Nepal, why not pre-book a full day-tour of the Kathmandu Valley, or a multi-day excursion to a wildlife reserve in Chitwan National Park. Contact the KE Team for more details.