YANA Special Tours
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Itinerary 1st Week
Itinerary 2nd Week
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Week 1
Day 1
BANGKOK-PARO-THIMPHU
The flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular of all the mountain flights. The first three gifts you will receive from Bhutan will be cool, clean fresh air you feel as you step out of the plane. The second will be warm welcome you will receive from the your YANA Travel Team. The third - the enchanting Paro valley. Lunch in Paro. After lunch you will drive to Thimphu through the scenic Paro valley with its rich terraced farmland. Welcome dinner and overnight hotel.
Day 2
THIMPHU SIGHTSEEING
Your day begins with visit to the weekend market, which is in a permanent set of stalls; vendors from throughout the region arrive on Friday afternoon and remain selling their goods until Sunday evening. It's an interesting place to visit, where village people jostle with the Thimphu residents for the best and cheapest vegetables and foodstuffs. This is the only time that fresh produce is easily available and the shopping is enhanced by the opportunity to catch up on the week's gossip. Next you will visit the Bhutan Post, where you will have time to admire and buy some stamps - Bhutan is well known among the philatelists ands stamps constitute one of its most delightful exports. Lunch in town. After lunch you will visit the Memorial Choeten, a stupa built in 1974 to honor the memory of the third king, His Late Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. The stupa is one of the most elegant and masterpiece built in the 20th century with its detail religious wall painting and sculptures. Then we visit the 14th century Changangkha Lhakhang, which is also a focus of daily worship for many Thimphu residents. Then we drive up to Sangaygang - the viewpoint. It is also known as "Lover's Point," where young couples come to enjoy the bird's eye view of the Thimphu valley. Then you will visit the Dupthop Monastery built by the Dupthop Thangthong Gyalpo, also known as "Iron Bridge Builder" in Bhutan's history. It is now a nunnery and it has more than 70 practising nuns. You will then visit the Textile Musuem, Government Handicrafts Emporium. Overnight at hotel.
Day 3
THIMPHU TSHECHU (FESTIVAL)
All day at the festival. Drive back for lunch at hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 4
THIMPHU-PUNAKHA
Morning at the festival. Lunch in town and after lunch you will drive to Punakha via the Dochula Pass (3,100m). The views from the pass are magnificent, offering a panorama of the eastern Himalayan ranges. Tea stop at the cafeteria at the pass. Overnight at hotel.
Photos: Patty Pressley
Day 5
PUNAKHA VALLEY SIGHTSEEING
After breakfast you will visit the Punakha Dzong. Punakha, situated at an elevation of 1400m served as the capital of Bhutan until 1955 and still serves as the winter residence of the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) and the Central Monk Body. Blessed with temperate climate and fed with the Po Chu (Male) and Mo Chu (Female) rivers, Punakha is one of the most fertile valleys in Bhutan. The climate allows for two crops of rice to be grown a year. And is also good for growing fruits with oranges and bananas in abundance. Visit the Punakha Dzong and admire the beauty of the Bhutanese art and architecture where dzongs were built with no iron nails. Check in and lunch at your Bhutanese home - a family run hotel in Lobeysa. Afternoon you will explore the valley which includes visit to the YANA Travel owned farmhouse about 10 minutes from your hotel. A visit to the farmhouse would offer you a closer look at the Kingdom's unique culture, which dictates simple hospitality extended to any and all guests, even to perfect strangers. Overnight at hotel.

Admire the beauty of the Bhutanese art and architecture where dzongs were built with no iron nails. Check in and lunch at your Bhutanese home - a family run hotel in Lobeysa. Afternoon you will explore the valley which includes visit to the YANA Travel owned farmhouse about 10 minutes from your hotel. A visit to the farmhouse would offer you a closer look at the Kingdom's unique culture, which dictates simple hospitality extended to any and all guests, even to perfect strangers. Overnight and dinner at hotel.

Day 6
PUNAKHA-TRONGSA
You start early for the fabulous drive to the central valleys of Bhutan through the breathtaking beauties and serenity of Bhutan's rich flora and fauna. As you enter into Wandiphodrang valley, you will stop to photograph the majestic Wangdiphodrang Dzong, which stands on a spur of a hill at the confluence of Puna-Tsang Chu and Dang Chu rivers. Then the road ascends steadily passing through sub-tropical vegetation across the Pele La Pass (3300m). The pass is traditionally considered the boundary between west and central Bhutan. During the clear weather you can view the high snow capped peaks specially Mt. Jhomolhari Mt. Jhomolhari (7314m). As you descend from the pass through the draft bamboo and quite often Yaks grazing, you arrive at Chendebji Choeten. This choeten was built in the 18th century by Lama Shida to cover the remains of an ogress subdued at this spot. Lunch box will be served near the Choeten. After lunch resume your journey to Trongsa - the ancestral home of Bhutan's Royal Family. The hilly landscapes surrounding the Dzong and wooden slatted houses overlooking the town are spectacular. At one with an undulating ridge top, it is arguably the most impressive dzong in the kingdom. Overnight at hotel.
Day 7
TRONGSA-BUMTHANG (JAKAR)
Today you will drive to Bumthang, which is considered one of the most sacred and religious valleys in Bhutan. The valley is the site to many important monasteries and temples. Check in and lunch at the hotel. After lunch you will visit the Jakar Dzong "The fortress of the white bird" and explore the Jakar town. Overnight at lodge.
Photos: Patty Pressley
Itinerary 2nd Week
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