Shugdra Spiritual Tour

Day 1: Paro–Thimphu

Fly to Bhutan amid the gentle terrains of the Greater Himalayas. For sure, your landing will be a little rough but there is nothing much to worry about.
At the Airport, you will be greeted by our guide and driver in the traditional Bhutanese way, offering a silken scarf. Then, you will be driven toward Thimphu.
After a breather in your hotel and brief lunch, you will visit the National Memorial Chorten which was built in honor of the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk. Then, we will drive up to Kuenselphodrang Nature Park where the 169 feet bronze statue of Buddha Dordenma, Vajra Throne Buddha, is located. It is one of the largest statues of Buddha in the world. You may also visit Traditional Handmade Paper Factory in the evening.
You can enjoy the night walking around Thimphu.

Day 2: Thimphu

The capital city of Bhutan is the biggest town in Bhutan. It is a beautiful valley where people from across the country flock. Today, we will be exploring this city. And we will begin the errand with a hike to Tango Monastery.
Tango Monastery is the only tertiary education center for Buddhist monks. It is also the seat of one of the highly revered Buddhist masters known as HH Gyalsey Tenzin Rabgay.
This after, we will visit the majestic Trashichodzong which houses the office of His Majesty The King and other high-ranking officials. We will also visit Takin Park to see the national animal of Bhutan, the Takin. If time permits, we will visit Institute for Traditional Arts and Crafts and Centenary Farmers’ Market.

Day 3: Thimphu–Punakha

Your trip to Bhutan will be incomplete if you fail to visit Punakha. Thus, we will begin our journey early to Punakha today. It takes two hours from Thimphu to reach our destination. In the olden days, the western districts stood witness to scores of historical transitions of the country, even to the unification of the country, and Punakha has a very special significance.
As we travel, we will stop at Dochula and visit the Druk Wangyel Stupas. There are 108 stupas and these were built to commemorate the victory of the Indian militants in 2003. Her Majesty The Queen Mother, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck commissioned the construction of these statues.
We will also be visiting Chimi Lhakhang at Sobsokha and offering our prayers. This temple is famous in the country for blessing children for childless couples. Thus, it is known as the temple of fertility.
This afternoon, we will visit the Majestic Punakha Dzong, the erstwhile capital center of Bhutan. Then we will visit the longest suspension bridge which is a few hundred meters away from the dzong. Our next stop will be at Changyul to see the ruins of Galem’s house.

Day 4 Punakha-Bumthang:

Traversing from the political realm to the spiritual heartland, the drive to Bumthang is an arduous one yet unfurls the natural wonders. The drive ascends us through varying vegetation that is temperate, sub-tropical, and alpine.

Our highest driving point will be a mountain pass- Pelela at 3140 meters. From there we gradually take a descent to the floor of Bumthang valley often filled with dense fog.

On the way, the imposing Trongsa Dzong is seen on the floor of the valley, the longest in the country. It was the seat of political power and today, every King of Bhutan must first serve as the Governor of Trongsa before being crowned. The religious fortress houses 30 temples and also has four courtyards. Above the fortress is the ancient watch tower that oversees the dzong. However, it is now transformed into a museum designated to showcase the belongings of the Kings of Bhutan.
After crossing Trongsa, we drive by another mountain pass- Yotongla at 3550 meters.

Day 5 Bumthang:
Upon reaching the spiritual heartland of the country, one is greeted by many temples and stupas dotting the sprawling plains of Bumthang. Bumthang gets its name from its geographical feature; it translates as the- valley of thousand plains.

Retracing history, Bumthang was a dwelling of the Great Kings and the evil powers. Considering thousands of myths and legends that embrace the valley about the Kings and evil powers, it is claimed that the advent of Buddhism sprang in Bumthang. It was after the invitation of a sick King that a Great Saint of India, Guru Padmasambhava visited Bhutan dating back to the 7th century. The saint also brought Buddhism to Bhutan at a time of lawlessness.

Going by history, the real treat of the valley is its temples and palaces that were built as early as the 7th century which are conserved and religiously intact. With one look at these temples, we can conclude that the Bhutanese are an exceedingly pious lot.

Some interesting places to visit are sacred sites that were built on caves possessing body imprints on a rock of the Great Indian Saint Guru Padmasambhava and a burning lake harboring a legendary tale. On the tour, we also visit the Palace of our Kings now transformed into a religious center.

In the morning, we will hike to the Tamshing Goemba, built-in 1501 by the Buddhist saint Pema Lingpa. We will also visit Kurjey Lhakhang (left-bottom), one of the most sacred monasteries in Bhutan. Built by the Guru Rinpoche in 1652, it houses a rock with its body imprint. Legend has it that Guru Rimpoche manifested as a Garuda to defeat the demon Shelging Karpo who had taken the form of a white lion.

We will also visit Jambay Lhakhang, built in 659 by Tibetan King Sontsen Gampo to pin down a demoness who was obstructing the spread of Buddhism. Come October, the Jambay Lhakhang Drup is one of the most colorful festivals in Bhutan.

In the afternoon, we will hike up to Thangbi Valley, crossing a suspension bridge to visit the Thangbi Lhakhang built in the 14th century via an unpaved road.

Overnight: Gongkhar Lodge (or similar)

Day 6: Shug-dra Excursion

Today, we will visit the sacred Shug-dra monastery to offer our prayers.
Shug-Dra monastery is also one of the great four Cliffs (Dra in the local language) of Bumthang valley. Guru Rimpoche had visited all four cliffs and mediated there to gain the power to subdue the local deity Sheling Karpo. It is believed that later, Terton Pema Lingpa revealed treasure from this site. The site is located in upper Chhokor Toed Dharma valley of Bumthang, 45 minutes drive on a dirt road from Bumthang town.
Legends have it that the cliff on which the monastery is nestled looks like a flying Garuda. Locals say that the actual name of the monastery is not shug-dra but chung-dra (cliff of garuda

Day 7: Bumthang-Phobjikha

Waking up early to depart for the valley of the cranes, the drive from Bumthang to Phobjikha is considered one of the most scenic and peaceful.

The glacial valley of Phobjikha is the winter roosting ground of the seasonal and endangered Black-Necked Cranes. For the safety of the cranes, as it is a precious possession of the valley, the state mandates that no household can have overhead cables, they must be connected through underground provisions. The roosting ground is also fenced and people must stay 100 meters away from the fence.
Phobjikha embraces the iconic GangteyGoenpa- the seat of the revered Peling Branch of Vajrayana Buddhism. Another one to experience is the Nature Trail- strolling through the tranquil and clean atmosphere, connecting the body to the soul and offering healing benefits to any ailments, be they physical or psychological.

Day 8: Phobjikha-Paro
We journey back to Paro via Wangdue valley. It is known as the valley of “ornamental speech” because of the local people’s innate ability to come up with verses that are elegant, poetic, and meaningful. This valley was once governed by WangdueDzong which, unfortunately, was destroyed by fire and is being entirely rebuilt. The journey is also remarkable in that we pass through varying landscapes of immense beauty, adorned with numerous shades and hues of alpine flowers.

Day 9: Paro

After a quick breakfast equipping everything recommended, we set on the most awaited segment of the tour. The toil of the day before comes to play as you hike to the Tiger’s Nest.
Etched precariously on a carved granite cliff at 3120 meters, almost 1000 meters above the valley floor, Taktsang is the cultural icon of Bhutan. It is for this particular attraction, tourists flock to Bhutan and pilgrims attempt to visit the monastery at least once in a lifetime, if not more.
A legend spells that the Indian Saint, Guru Padmasambhava, worshipped in the Buddhist world as the Second Buddha flew to this location on the back of a tigress to tame the demon there.

The switch-back trail to Taktsang offers respite through picturesque vistas of nature, the opportunity to see the last horizon, the horizon beyond the horizon, and narration by the guide on many myths and legends of Bhutan continuing the hike in a pace unbothered by time.

After finishing the trail, the mind, and body equally exhausted, you might want to get a trekker’s foot massage for a good night’s sleep. Another one could be taking a hot stone bath immersed in a wooden tub with local medicinal herbs offering a relaxing sensory journey.

Day 10: Paro to Haa

Drive to Haa through Chele La (3,988 m). From the pass, you can see Paro valley on one side and then Haa valley on the other. You can also have a picnic at Chele La if you like. In Haa, some sightseeing and then going to Katsho village and visiting the Katsho Lhakhang. The valley of Haa was only opened to Tourists in 2002 and Haa is the least visited valley in Bhutan due to the lack of tourist infrastructure. This has helped in keeping Haa the way it has always been, with Bhutanese families living their traditional and simple life. There are no tourist standard hotels in Haa valley, so we return to Paro for the night.

Day 11: Departure

Today you will bid a fond farewell to this beautiful Himalayan country and take a quick flight back to your country. We hope by now you would have made some friends and take beautiful memories of Bhutan! And we look forward to seeing you again in this unforgettable land of infinite happiness.

• GROUP SIZE: Any group Size
• MEALS: Full Board
• TRIP ACCOMMODATION: Tourist Standard Hotel, generally, 3 to 4-star category.
• ROUTE: Paro, Thimphu, Punakha and Wangdue
• TRIP TYPE: Cultural Tour
• TRIP SEASONS: Throughout the year
• BEST MONTHS: Throughout the year
• TOUR MONTHS: Throughout the year
• Sustainable Development Fees (SDF): USD 200 Per person
• VISA FEE: USD 40 (One time)

INCLUDED

• Bhutan Royalties, tourist fees, Visa fees, and taxes.
• Accommodations in listed or similar hotels (pleasant hotels 3-4-star type) during the tour and tents during the trek.
• All meals, including evening tea/coffee, etc. throughout the trip.
• All land transfers, and sightseeing with entrance fees.
• Experienced Culture Tour Guide.
• Bottled water in the vehicle and other camp services.

NOT INCLUDED

• Flights in and out of Bhutan.
• Travel insurance, Drink, Visa fees, Laundry