Dec 28-3rd Jan
Bagdogra ( IXB )
3 star hotels
7 nights
7 breakfasts
12-18
Bhutan backpacking
SHORT ITINERARY :
Upon your arrival at the airport, a cab will transfer the group to Phuentsholing – the Bhutan border town, 3.5 hours away from Bhagdogra. Enroute, we pass through a beautiful stretch, flanked by tea plantations and national parks on both sides of the road.
We will reach the border by evening. The moment you step into Bhutan land, literally, when you take those footsteps, you will immediately see how different the two towns on either side of the border are.
DID YOU KNOW ?
The word “Bhutan” translates to “Land of the Thunder Dragon” It earned the nickname because of the fierce storms that often roll in from the Himalayas.
After breakfast, we shall go to the permit office. The permit take some time processing and we shall leave Phuentsholing by 11 am. The drive to Thimpu is long, about six hours with stops including lunch. But it is very beautiful.
We'll first go to Golden Buddha Point. Then, visit the pretty which is a great place to click some photographs, see a lot of locals, and observe some Bhutanese traditions. We are here to celebrate our new years. Lets relax a bit today, Sit in a cafe. Get to know the local Dishes like:
We can also go to the post office and buy postcards. The fantastic thing here is that you can get yourself clicked, and get a customized stamp from the same place and send a post card to your loved ones.
we make our way to Dochula Pass, an hour from Thimpu. Here, we are going to stop at the pretty 108 Dochula Chortens, which was built on the orders of the Queen Mother, as a sign of respect for the soldiers who died fighting the insurgents in the 2003 war. The area is beautiful, overlooks some of the highest mountains of Bhutan, and is usually shrouded in mist, giving the entire place a mystical surreal feeling.
After Breakfast , we can also visit the village Chimi Lhakhang, the Fertility temple of Bhutan, Punakha before we start our journey to Chele la pass.
Chele La Pass is one of Bhutan's highest passes at 3880 odd metres above sea level (13,000 odd feet). On the way, there are prayer flags dotted on top of the hills, and they are fluttering away madly in the wind.
The alpine flowers, the lush greenery, the prayer flags, the views of the valley make the views breathtaking. The wind is quite strong here, and if you spread out your arms you can almost feel as if you are flying.
We shall stop enroute at Paro river, near a beautiful hanging rope bridge. A trip is not just about checking off sightseeing points, but also about the smaller prettier little moments that come along the way.
It is the most exciting day of the trip, as we hike up to Tiger Nest Monastery. Built on the very edge of the cliff, it is a good 2 and a half hour hike up from the base. Dedicated to Guru Padmasambhava (widely regarded as the Second Buddha), Tiger Nest Monastery or Taktsang Monastery is easily Bhutan’s symbol of pride and respect.
The trek is not too difficult, and the best way to do it is to walk at a steady, comfortable pace. Most of the walk is through a hilly forest and as you keep walking, you will see rhododendrons, pines and a lot of prayer flags.
There is an aura around the monastery, and spend an hour or two by yourself, observing the monks, the rituals, the beautiful rooms, and listening to the stories of Bhutan’s most favourite monastery. This day is easily the highlight of the trip. As we descend back and reach the base, there is a small meadow and horses grazing.
We will also head out to Archery: the national sport of Bhutan. Get ready boys and girls.
After breakfast, we head to Paro Dzong, sitting prettily on a hillock, looking over the entire town.
In the sixteenth century Dzong was once the centre of administration of all of Bhutan. Later, we leave back for the border town of Phuentsholing.
We leave for the airport at Bagdogra, and go back to our home cities . Hope you had a great trip, and we shall meet some where some time gain soon!
FUN FACTS
Traveling with Vyshakh is super fun. He is not just a superb organiser but an awesome human being as well. I had been to my very First trip with him to Bhutan and I am still awe struck. The whole journey was filled with so much fun and excitement which is difficult to describe in words. we had 5 birthdays on the trip n Vyshakh had ensured he planned each birthday and is celebrated uniquely in a unknown land, which was truely amazing. Going on trip with Vyshakh you are rest assured to be in happy space throughout. He has that zest to create small moments in your life which you will be carrying with you forever like strolling around deserted roads to find perfect place to cut the cake, sitting by the river (which is not part of the itinerary), to new year celebration to having long night sessions of Mafia n connecting in the bus to assuring that he is there for each one of us... all this is just the part of the unsaid itinerary... Just awaiting for the next trip together... As he always says "See you in the mountains".
I recently went on a trip to Bhutan with OJ. This was my first solo trip and I was really nervous on how would the trip be, the crowd, safety etc. But right from the start, the OJ team assured me that I will find my tribe. And on the new years night, I did find my tribe 🙂 Neha, my trip leader, also the one with whom I shared my room; I saw the background work she had put to ensure everyone in the trip were having a good time. It was not easy to manage a group of 24 people, but Neha did it so effortlessly. She could have just stuck to her job and followed the itinerary as planned, but what stood her out was the personal connection she made with everyone. Am sure everyone of us on the trip have at least one good memory with Neha involved 🙂 Right from picking us on the airport, our immigration, recommending us the best local cuisines to eat, clicking photos of every single person, spending time with all of us together and alone, being patient every time we were late, Neha was truly commendable as a trip leader. Also the smile our local Bhutan Guide Kinzang(King) had constantly on the trip and his genuine effort in showing us his country gave us a glimpse of the warmth Bhutanese ppl carried 🙂 He had answers to all our questions related to the country and otherwise. I also want to specially thank the OJ team for our rooms and travel. We stayed in rooms with beautiful views and the cars and buses along with their drivers were very good. This was my first solo trip, but not even once did i feel alone. Everyone in the trip were mesmerised by the beauty Bhutan held. The culture and heritage the country carried is very rare in today's fast paced world. Rafting in those freezing waters is an experience you cannot miss. Thank you OJ for making sure I made beautiful memories. Cant wait to travel again with OJ and Neha especially. Neha - Thank you for being an amazing trip leader and roomie, and now an awesome friend 🙂