A taste of wild Bhutan

Spend your time in Bhutan's capital exploring the market, Taschichho Dzong and small, chock-a-block shops. A wander around this relaxed and friendly city gives a look at a more urban side of Bhutan which accompanies a wide display of traditional art, architecture and Buddhist sights steeped in ritual. Your Travel Designer can help you to plan your stay here according to your interests.

You'll begin the day with a sightseeing tour of Buddha Hill. Your driver will collect you from your hotel and drive you to the Kuenselphodrang Nature Park where you'll be greeted by the massive statue of the Buddha Dordenma - one of the largest statues of Buddha in the world - sitting atop a hill overlooking the southern entrance to Thimphu Valley. Measuring 51.5 meters, the statue takes the form of Shakyamuni and is said to emanate an aura of peace and happiness to the entire world. The statue is made of bronze and is gilded in gold with 125,000 smaller Buddha statues placed inside it. The statue is a recent construction that was built to commemorate the centennial of the Bhutanese monarchy and to fulfil two Buddhist prophecies, one ancient and one modern.

Next, you'll be brought to the Textile and Folk Heritage Museum for a glimpse into traditional Bhutanese life. This restored three-storey building has been constructed using rammed-earth and timber to replicate a traditional farmhouse and inside it's furnished as it would have been 100 years ago. Both the house design and its furnishings reflect many aspects of both past and present rural Bhutanese life today. After a guided museum tour you'll stop for a refreshing lunch.

After lunch, you'll be brought on a guided hike to the Chagri Dorjeden Monastery, also known as the Cheri Temple. The temple is found at the northern end of the Thimphu Valley, roughly an hour's walk up a steep hill. This Buddhist monastery was established in 1620 A.D. by the founder of the Butanese state Ngawang Namgyal and is now a major teaching and retreat center.

The Dochula Pass offers 360-degree panoramic views of the Himalayan mountain range, especially on clear winter days. There are 108 chortens that adorn this area, some of which were comissioned by the Queen Mother to commemorate the Bhutanese soldiers who were killed while fighting the Indian rebels in 2003. You might like to hang a prayer flag at the monastery. Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to gods, rather it is believed that the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion.

Immerse yourself fully into wild Bhutan and stay in a camp for the night. Spend a tranquil evening enjoying striking scenery as a cook prepares your meals.

Sha Kothakha Rinchenling Shedra, generally known as Rinchenling Shedra, is an important monastery of the Drukpa Kagyed school of Buddhism located in the Wangdue Phodrang district in central Bhutan. The monastery is located near the heart of Sha-kothakha and is bound on the west side by the Black Mountainsen. It is here, in these beautiful green surroundings, that the black- necked cranes fly from Tibet during winter. The history of the monastery traces back to the early 13th century with prophecies made by the well-known Tibetan scholar, Kuenkhen Longchen Rabjampa. Kothakha village overlooks the spur amidst the vast u-shaped Kathithang, which is at an elevation of about 3,000m (9,800ft.).

Capital of Bhutan and seat of the government until 1955, the little town of Punakha still enjoys a serene and regal ambience left over from its stately days. Found in a fertile valley at a relatively low 12,000 metres above sea level, visitors come here for warm, sultry days filled with plenty of activities such as mountain biking, trekking and river rafting. Then step into the area's history with a visit to the town's show-stopping Punakha Dzong.

Begin today with a hike up through fields along the banks of the Mo Chhu River to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, a stunning monument recently built by the one of the Fourth King’s Queens with spectacular views down the valley. The deities represented here belong to a teaching cycle of Dudjom Rinpoche, a great Nyingmapa master (1904-87), the functions of which are to subjugate enemies and harmful influences and also to spread peace and harmony.

En-route to Paro, visit Lamperi Park to attend the Rhododendron Festival. The three-day Rhododendron festival at the Royal Botanical Park is a truly an experience for nature lovers to engage in the beauty of wild rhododendron that grows in abundance. Showcasing different rhododendron species that are in full bloom by May, the three-day rhododendron festival celebrates the blossoms at the Lamperi botanical park.The Lamperi Botanical Park records the highest species of rhododendron with 29 of the total 46 that are grown in Bhutan.

The pretty valley of Paro is one of the kingdom's widest and is covered in fertile rice fields crisscrossed by a beautiful meandering river. While Bhutan is famous for its splendid monuments and monasteries, perhaps the most impressive can be found here. You'll encounter the "Tiger's Nest" Monastery, medieval style-bridges, imposing dzongs and a town filled with traditional architecture.

The main street of the town was only built in 1985 but it's lined with cheerfully painted wooden shop fronts and restaurants in a classic Bhutanese style. Facing up the mountain, you'll be awed by the 8th-century Taktsang or "Tiger's Nest" Monastery, perched high on the sheer cliff face. Just outside of the town, lie both the dominating Paro Dzong - a prime example of Bhutanese architecture, and the 7th-century Kyichu Lhakhang which was one of the first Buddhist temples built in the country.

Today you will enjoy a tour of the town of Paro. Your day begins with a short 30 minute drive in a private vehicle to the National Museum, which lends itself to spectacular bird’s eye views of the main Paro Valley. The museum houses over 3000 pieces of Bhutanese art, covering more than 1,500 years of Bhutan's cultural heritage. It has a formidable collection of antiques from Buddhist temples, and artefacts once used by both the nobility and common folk. Highlights include masks, armour, paintings, prehistoric items and natural history exhibits.

A short drive from the museum takes you to the Rinpung Dzong, a large Buddhist monastery and fortress that's regarded as one of Bhutan's most impressive and well-known dzongs - and perhaps the finest example of Bhutanese architecture. From the 17th to the late 19th century, dzongs served as defending fortresses and were built with strong walls, false doors, reservoirs for water and food and hidden armouries. Dzongs were also headquarters for the religious and the political administrations. Once you've seen inside the Rinpung Dzong, enjoy the short walk across a wooden cantilever bridge on the dzong grounds.

If time permits we will take a tour around the ancient ruins of Drugyal Dzong in the upper part of Paro. The name of the dzong means "Victory" and it is a testimony to the valour of Bhutanese fighters against invaders from the north. A walk around the ruins and a visit inside gives an insight into the building techniques of Bhutanese dzongs.

Today you’ll experience Bhutan’s most valued attractions and one of the main reasons people come to Bhutan, the famous Taktshang monastery or "Tiger’s Nest". This spectacular temple clings to a 1,000 foot high cliff and was built in 1692 by a prominent historical figure named Gyaltse Tenzin Rabgye. We hike for about three hours to reach the Tiger's Nest, climbing steeply uphill from the valley floor with a break at a tea house along the way. The Tiger’s Nest is one of the most sacred sites for the Buddhists. It's said that in the 8th century, Guru Padma meditated here for three months. Guru Padma, also known as the 2nd Buddha, first initiated Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century. Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche flew to this location from Tibet on the back of a tigress from Khenpajong and built this temple as a result. For Buddhists, the story of the temple is an important lesson about taming the inherent forces of Anger, Ignorance and Greed.

We then hike for approximately two hours back downhill.