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| Cultural Tour With a 3-Day Gantey Trek |
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The cost includes the Bhutan
government tariff, surcharge, all
accommodations, meals (breakfast, lunch,
afternoon tea, and dinner), a licensed
English-speaking guide, and a driver and
vehicle. The cost does not include Druk Air
fare, a visa fee of US$20, airport tax, alcohol,
gifts/souvenirs, or travel insurance.
Detailed Itinerary Trek Level: Easy |
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Day 1: Arrive Paro
international airport
The flight to Paro crosses the Himalaya
Mountains, affording spectacular views of the
awesome peaks, including the sacred Jumolhari
and Jichu Drake peaks in Bhutan.
Upon arrival in Paro, you will be greeted by our
representative and transferred to your hotel. In
the afternoon you can visit the Paro Dzong. It
was built in 1646 and now houses government
offices and religious institutions, as do all
the dzongs (forts) currently. You'll cross a
traditional wooden bridge on the way to the
dzong. You can then tour the National Museum,
formerly the watchtower for the dzong. It now
houses a collection of fine arts, paintings,
thankas, statues, and antiques. Afterward you
will visit Kyichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in
the country. In the evening you can stroll
through the Paro market and town. Overnight in
Paro. |
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Day 2: Paro - Thimphu
(2-hour drive)
After breakfast hike to Taktsang (Tiger's Nest)
Monastery, which is Bhutan's most famous
monastery. Guru Rinpoche is said to have flown
on the back of a tigress from Singye Dzong in
Lhuntse to meditate in a cave where Taktsang
Monastery now stands. It is perched on the edge
of a steep cliff, about 900 meters above Paro
Valley. The hike to reach the viewpoint to the
monastery makes for a nice half-day excursion.
After lunch, drive to Thimphu. In the evening
you can explore Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan,
and absorb the lifestyle of the people. You can
also visit some interesting handicraft shops.
Overnight in Thimphu. |
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Day 3: Thimphu sightseeing
After breakfast you will visit the King's
Memorial Chorten (built in memory of the third
King of Bhutan who reigned from 1952-1972),
Changgangkha Monastery, the radio tower (for a
great view of Thimphu Valley and the Thimphu
Dzong), and the zoo, which contains the national
animal of Bhutan: the takin. From there you will
visit the nunnery temple, the National Library
(which houses ancient manuscripts), and the
School of Arts and Crafts (also known as the
painting school). After a relaxing lunch, you
will visit the National Institute of Traditional
Medicine, a traditional paper factory, the
majestic Tashichodzong, and Simtokha Dzong (the
oldest fortress in the kingdom). Overnight in
Thimphu. |
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Day 4: Thimphu -
Wangduephodrang/Punakha (3-hour drive)
After breakfast you will drive to
Wangduephodrang, with a stop en route for tea at
Dochu La (3,100 meters), where on a clear day
you can get spectacular views of the Himalayas.
After lunch you will drive to Punakha, the
former capital of Bhutan, and visit Punakha
Dzong, which is noteworthy both for being one of
the most beautiful dzongs in Bhutan and also for
having been built by the first Shabdrung in
1637. On the way back from Punakha, you will
stop at Metshina Village and take a 20-minute
walk through the rice fields to Chimi Lakhang,
which is a fertility temple, where you may
receive a special fertility blessing if you
wish. Overnight in Wangduephodrang. |
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Day 5: Wangduephodrang -
Trongsa (5-hour drive)
After breakfast you'll drive to Trongsa, the
ancestral home of the royal family. The route is
along a spectacular winding road, crossing
3,300-meter-high Pele La, and at certain times
of year it's possible to see yaks. You can
browse through the Trongsa shops and town in the
afternoon. Overnight in Trongsa. |
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Day 6: Trongsa - Bumthang
(3-hour drive)
In the morning you'll visit Trongsa Dzong, the
masterpiece of Bhutanese architecture, and
you'll also see Ta Dzong, the watchtower built
to defend this dzong. After lunch, you'll
proceed to Bumthang, the religious heartland of
the nation, with lush valleys and hilly forests.
Along the way you will stop at a yethra (textile
weaving) factory, where the yethras are designed
with patterns unique to Bumthang, and you can
even watch some of the weavers at their looms.
The afternoon will be spent sightseeing in the
area, including Jakar Dzong, the administrative
center of the valley; the Udee woodcarving
factory in Jakar; Jambey Lhakhang, one of the
oldest monasteries in Bhutan, dating from the
introduction of Buddhism in Bhutan; and Kurjey
Lhakhang, one of the most sacred places, because
Guru Rinpoche left his body imprint on the cave
when he was meditating. You can spend the
evening strolling through Bumthang town.
Overnight in Bumthang. |
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Day 7: Bumthang
sightseeing
Bumthang consists of four valleys--Chumey,
Choekhar, Tang, and Ura--with altitudes varying
from 2,600 to 4,000 meters. It is home to many
prominent Buddhist temples and monasteries. Day
excursion to Ura Valley. The road to Ura Valley
is off the main road, and this enjoyable
excursion will provide a nice view of the Jakar
Dzong. You'll make a stop in Ura village for
lunch and will have a chance to visit the main
temple and explore the village. Ura Village has
a medieval look to it because of the cobblestone
streets, and the typical clothing of the women
includes a sheepskin shawl. On the way back to
town, you will be taken to Mebar Tsho (Burning
Lake), where some of Guru Rinpoche's treasures
were found in the 15th century by the famous
treasure discover Pema Lingpa. It's a good place
to meditate. You will also have a chance to tour
Tamshing Lhakhang, a treasure house of
interesting religious Buddhist paintings, and
you will make a stop at the Swiss cheese
factory. In the evening you can visit local
shops. Overnight in Bumthang. |
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Day 8: Bumthang - Gantey/Phobjikha
Valley (5-hour drive)
You will begin the day by driving to Phobjikha
valley. You'll pass through dense forests of oak
trees and rhododendrons and arrive at Gantey
village, where you'll visit Gantey Gompa, the
only Nyingmapa monastery in western Bhutan. From
Gantey, you can see the picturesque Black
Mountain range as well as Phobjika Valley, the
winter habitat of the black-necked cranes.
Overnight in Gantey. |
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Day 9: Trek Begins. Gantey
- Gogona (distance 15km, time 6-7 hours)
The trail begins from Phobjika Valley, through
meadows, and then through a mixed forest of
rhododendron, bamboo, juniper, and magnolia. You
reach Tsele La (pass) at 3,440, and after
crossing some meadows, you will descend to a
valley. There will be a short climb to the camp
at Gogona. Nearby is a small village where you
can drink some homemade arra. The women in this
village are known for the woven blankets they
make. Altitude 3,100m. |
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Day 10: Gogona -
Khothangkha (distance 16km, time 6-7 hours)
The trail goes gently uphill. You will notice
the daphne plants, from which the Bhutanese make
traditional paper (and which you can purchase in
Thimphu). After a long, but gradual climb, you
will cross Shobju La (pass) at 3,410m. The trail
is downhill from here. You will pass an old coal
mine and a miner's camp. Eventually you will
come to Chorten Karpo, where you will see four
chortens in honor of the four chief abbots who
came from this area. The camp is near the four
chortens. Altitude 2,790m. |
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Day 11: Trek Ends.
Khothangkha - Tikke Zampa (distance 12km, time 5
hours) After a steep, but short, climb you will
reach Tashi La (pass) at 2,800m. The descent
will take you through a variety of vegetation,
including rhododendron, ferns, magnolias, and
sometimes orchids. This area is known for its
spectacular bird-watching. You will eventually
descend to the road, where your driver will meet
you to take you to your hotel, where you can
freshen up before dinner. Overnight in
Wangduephodrang. |
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Day 12: Wangduephodrang -
Thimphu - Paro (5-hour drive)
Set out for Paro with a stop in Thimphu for
lunch and shopping. In the afternoon, you will
continue the drive to Paro. In the evening you
can visit a traditional farmhouse and, if you
wish, enjoy a typical Bhutanese dinner.
Overnight in Paro. |
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Day 13: Depart Paro |
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Cost Include
Trek cost Include:
>Accommodation on full bord basis in Darjeeling,
Kalingpong and Gangtok.
>All internal transport in Sikkim
>Gear package includeing Kit bag max 15kg per
person.
>Gear Package include kit bag,sleeping Bag, down
jacket and insulated mat while trekking.
>Trek = tented camp with the services of our trek
crew, camping equipment
>Services of a professional guide and trekking staff
>Poters Dzo or Horse to carry all gear max 20Kg for
Poters and 50Kg for Pack Animals.
>Food Includes 1-Bed Tea. 2-Break Fast.3-Lunch Both
Pack and Hot Lunch.4-Tea and Snacks.5-Soup, Dinner
and Deserts every Day during the Trek and at Lachen
for 2nights. Indian we served Chinese and
continental dishes and also sikkimes dishes.
>All First Aid and High Altitude Medicine For the
trek.
>Complementary souvenirs from Sikkim.
>All trekking fees and local permits |
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Trek Cost does not Include:
>Items of a personal nature such as phone
calls,laundry,etc.
>Personal expenses like, tea, beverages, alcoholic
drinks, telephone calls, tips and gratuities
>Medicare & insurance (Clients should have an all
inclusive insurance policy that soul cover medical,
emergency evacuations, baggage loss or damage, etc)
>Additional services not mentioned above in the
included clause Tips
>Travel Incurance
>Please note, that costs quoted are as per the above
package and there will be no refunds for services
not utilized for any reasons whatsoever.
>Initially Sikkim Holidays quoted you a basic cost
that covered Cultural Tour With a 3-Day Gantey Trek . With your requirements
the costs have increased proportionally but you can
rest assured that it is money for value as we will
be offering you the best in services. |
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For further Information send us email at: -
info@sikkim-holidays.com / barap14@hotmail.com /
bradxxx14@gmail.com |
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