Photography tour in Bhutan 2023 / 2024

Your guide will receive you at the Paro airport and drive to Thimphu, the capital city.

On the way, we stop to view Tamchog monastery built by a wonder working saint, Thang Tong Gyalpo (1385 – 1464).

• Tashichho Dzong, the royal secretariat and seat of the national government where the annual Thimphu Festival is held in early autumn.

In the evening, free to stroll in the town for shopping and photography.

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

After breakfast, visit to:

• The tallest statue of sitting Buddha (51.5 m) in the world at Kuensel Phodrang park.
• National memorial stupa (1974) built in the honor of third king of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck and for the world peace.
• Folk heritage museum.
• Painting school (The school of 13 arts and crafts).

After lunch, visit to:

• Sangaygang view point (Telecom tower view point) – Walk across the field of prayer flags.
• Postal museum where you can make your own stamps.
• Changangkha lhakhang, the oldest temple in Thimphu valley.
• Dupthop lhakhang, one of the few surviving nunneries in Bhutan.
• Takin preserve center (A very unique animal).

In the evening, visit to the craft bazaar and free to stroll in the town for shopping and photography.

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Punakha and on the way, visit to:

• The beautiful Dochula pass with 108 stupas and also view the higher Himalayas. The annual Druk Wangyel festival is held here on the 13th December.
• Royal botanical garden at Lam Pelri.
• Chimi lhakhang or the temple of fertility built in 1499 by Lam Drukpa Kuenley, popularly known as “The Divine Madman”. This monument is the main highlight of honeymoon in Bhutan.

After lunch, visit to:

• Punakha Dzong built in the 7^th century by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. Punakha is the winter residence of Je-Khenpo, the chief abbot of Bhutan.

In the evening, visit to:

• Walk across the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan (160 m) built across Pho chu river.

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

After breakfast, hike to Khamsum Yulley monastery.

• This temple was built by Her majesty the Queen Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck.

We drive to Gangtey. Upper part of the valley is called Gangtey and lower part is called Phobjikha.

Enroute sightseeing in the valley of Wangdue Phodrang includes:

• Wangdue Phodrang Dzong built in 1638 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.
• Gangtey Gompa monastery built in the 17^th century by Tenzin Legpai Dhendup.
• Explore Phobjikha valley, the roosting ground of the rare black-necked Cranes in winter.

In the evening, explore the valley.

• Black-necked crane information centre.

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Bumthang. On the way, visit to:

• Trongsa Dzong, the most impressive Dzong in Bhutan, built in the 17^th century by Chogyal Minjur Tempa. The first two hereditary Kings ruled Bhutan from this Dzong.

After lunch, visit to:

• The tower of Trongsa or Ta Dzong (National heritage museum). The chapel inside the Ta Dzong is dedicated to the Trongsa Penlop, Jigme Namgyal.

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

After breakfast, visit to:

• Jakar Dzong, which literally means “The castle of white bird” and built in 1667.
• Jambay lhakhang built in 659 AD by the king Srongtsen Gampo of Tibet. In october, one of the most spectacular festival, “Jambay Lhakhang Drup” is staged here.
• Kurjey lhakhang where you can see the body print of Guru Rinpoche on a rock.

After lunch, visit to:

• Tamshing lhakhang established in 1501 by Pema Lingpa.

In the evening,

• Mebar Tsho or “The burning lake”. The Terton Pema Lingpa discovered the treasures hidden by Guru Rinpoche in the 14^th century.

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

After breakfast, drive to the beautiful Ura valley.

• Explore the valley and visit to the Ura temple.

After lunch, drive back to Bumthang.

• Konchogsum Lhakhang and cheese factory.

In the evening, free to stroll in the town for shopping and photography.

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

After lunch, we visit:

• Ta Dzong built in 1656, an ancient watchtower which now houses the national museum of Bhutan.
• Rinpung Dzong (Also referred to as Paro Dzong) built in the 17^th century by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal,

In the evening, free to stroll in the town for shopping and photography.

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

After breakfast, drive to the base of the monastery.

• Hike for 2 hours to Paro Taktsang monastery (Tiger’s nest). The primary temple was built around Guru Rinpoche’s meditation cave in the 1684 by the Penlop of Paro Gyaltse Tenzin Rabgay. This is the highlight of photography tour in Bhutan.

NB: You can hang prayer flags near the Tiger’s nest, and offer prayers inside the monastery. 

After lunch, visit to:

• Drugyel Dzong built in 1647 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.
• Kyichu Lhakhang built in 659 A.D by the Tibetan King, Srongtsen Gampo.

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

After breakfast, excursion to the beautiful Chele La pass (3988 m).

• This pass separates Paro valley from Haa valley. You can see the beautiful views of the Himalayas including Mt. Jomolhari.

Packed lunch will be served.

• On the way, back visit to the Kila Gompa nunnery, one of the oldest nunnery in Paro valley.

We return back to Paro valley.

In the evening, free to stroll in the town for shopping and photography.

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

After breakfast, drive to the Paro airport and farewell (End of photography tour in Bhutan).