Day 2
DECEMBER 4 THIMPU - TRONGSA (B,L,D)
Visit the weekly market. Depart Thimpu and a drive across Dochula Pass (10,500 feet) to the valley of Tongsa is the ancestral home of Bhutan’s Royal Family. Both the First and Second King ruled the Kingdom from this ancient seat. All the Kings of Bhutan has to become Tongsa Penlop (Honorary post of Governor) prior to being crowned as the Druk Gyalpo (King of Bhutan). Tongsa Dzong (fort), one of the largest in the country was first built is 1648 and later enlarged many times. Because of being situated on a highly commanding position on the only connecting route between the eastern and western sectors (where trail actually runs through the Dzong), the Tongsa Penlop was able to control the whole of eastern region very effectively for many centuries. Visit the ancient watch tower (Ta Dzong), which is situated just above the town. Continue to Trongsa. Overnight Sherubling Lodge or at the hotel overlooking Tongsa Dzong and the watch tower.

Day 3
DECEMBER 5 TRONGSA – MONGAR (B,L,D)
Drive to the Ura Valley 2 – 3 hours where the road begins to climb towards the highest pass in Bhutan (Thumsing La at 3,800 metres, 12, 465 feet). The road is almost nothing but curves as the road plunges down a long series of bends through coniferous forest and then into tropical bamboo, lianas and banana trees. The temperature rises. Mongar is built on the side of a mountain. Visit Mongar Dzong built in the 19th century. Accommodation in Mongar is at a basic guest house.

Day 4
DECEMBER 6 MONGAR – TRASHIGANG (B,L,D)
The trip to Trashigang (96 kilometers) takes 3 hours. Stop at Dametsi Monastery, the biggest and most important in Eastern Bhutan. Trashigang is the second largest urban centre in Bhutan. The mountains surrounding Trashigang are dotted with little villages. Many different cultural & ethnic groups meet in this pleasant town.

Day 5
DECEMBER 7 TRASHIGANG FESTIVAL (B,L,D)
Bhutan’s festivals are joyous expressions of its Buddhist culture. Francoise Pommaret describes their Chaucerian atmosphere when she writes that “the festivals offer Bhutanese an opportunity to become immersed in the meaning of their religion [but] they are also occasions for seeing people and being seen. People bring their finest clothes, their most beautiful jewels; they take out picnics rich with meat and alcohol. Men and women joke and flirt. An atmosphere of convivial, slightly ribald good humor prevails.” You will be joining hundreds of villagers as they enjoy a rollicking carnival and watch mystical masked dances. Two important religious festivals will be visited.

Day 6
DECEMBER 8 TASHI YANGTSE - MONGAR (B,L,D)
Travel through a gorge filled with lush vegetation and observe the monkeys and birds. In former times Tashi Yangtse was important as it lay on the caravan routes leading from Western to Central Bhutan. Observe rice terraces and small chortens continue to Mongar.

Day 7
DECEMBER 9 MONGAR/BUMTHANG (JAKAR) (B,L,D)
The drive to Bumthang takes 3 hrs. Tales of the great Guru Padmasambhava dominates this holy valley. View the Jakar Dzong “The Castle of White Bird”. A stop will be made on the way in the Chumey Valley where one can see girls weaving Yatha the traditional woollen material used for different purpose on a traditional handloom. The finished products are all displayed in a shop and outside in open for sale. Lunch at the hotel. Overnight Jakar Village Lodge.

Day 8
DECEMBER 10 BUMTHANG/TRONGSA (B,L,D)
Different from all the other valleys in Bhutan, Bumthang is very spacious and open ranging in altitude from 2,600m to 4,000m. Bumthang is a heaven for hikers and trekkers, not to mention the numerous beautiful and important Buddhist monasteries and pilgrimage sites, making it the Cultural and Historic center of Bhutan. One could spend months exploring this fascinating valley. Almost every little valley or hill has a background of interesting myths and legends about Kings, Buddhist masters and Serpents. Bumthang is combined of four main valleys, Chumey, Tang, Ura and Choskhor (Jakar). Commonly known as Jakar valley where you can see a little bit of modern touch with Swiss Influences. Morning visits to the important cultural and historic sites in the special valley. Afternoon drive to Trongsa.

Day 9
DECEMBER 11 EXCURSION TO GANGTEY & PHOBJIKHA VALLEY (B,L,D)
After breakfast drive to Gangtey and Phobjikha valley. Phobjikha valley has been declared as the first eco-tourism destination of Bhutan by the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN). The valley falls under the Black Mountain Natural Park. Phobjikha valley is the winter home to rare and endangered black necked cranes (grus nigricllis), which migrate, in large flocks to Bhutan from Tibet & Sikang, Yunnan and Tonkin in eastern China. For centuries the cranes have captured the human imagination with their intelligence, poise, sociality, beauty and freedom, which have given rise to several myths, legends, folktales and songs. In 1998 there were about 250 cranes and the numbers are increasing. Although the cranes fly back to their summer homes in mid - late February, there may be a couple of birds that have not yet flown to their summer homes in Tibet and China. There are lots of other wild animals in the surrounding valleys like wild boar, barking deer, Himalayan black bear, red fox, leopard and many species of birds. Also included are visits to the Nature Education center, the carpet factory and the Sacred Gangtey Monastery, which dominates the valley. Continue to Punakha. Overnight Zangdho Pelri Hotel.

Day 10
DECEMBER 12 PUNAKHA/THIMPU (B,L,D)
Punakha was the winter capital for over 300 years until the time of second King. Punakha Dzong, which dominates the whole area, was built in 1637 by Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel, and established the central monastic body with 600 monks. Today, Punakha is still the home for Je Khempo (Chief Abbot) and the central monastic body. Punakha Dzong is undergoing major re-construction after it was destroyed by fire in 1986. You can see the craftsman at work. Afternoon drive to Thimpu.

Day 11
DECEMBER 13 THIMPHU (B,L,D)
Full day of sightseeing. Some of the highlights of Thimphu include:
- Change money at the Bhutan National Bank.
- Purchase world’s most beautiful postage stamps.
- Visit the Arts and crafts school and the Traditional Medicine Institute.
- Visit Memorial Chorten to honor memory of Late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, popularly known as the Father of Modern Bhutan. A multi-storied stupa that will introduce you to the vitality of Tantric Buddhism.
- Observe traditional paper making from Daphnia and Edgeworthia shrub to
- Visit Botanical garden (Zoo) where one can see Yak and Takin, the National wild animal of Bhutan.
- Drive up to viewpoint and take a hike beyond to see the clear picture of Thimphu Valley.
- Downtown Thimphu on foot visiting Handicrafts Emporium and other Arts & Crafts stores. Buy stunning kiras which can be used and bed covers or wall decoration, jewelry’s and many more.

Day 12
DECEMBER 14 THIMPHU/PARO (B,L,D)
Morning drive to Paro. The people of Paro are known for their hard work, which they like to show in their traditional country houses. Paro’s sightseeing is full of gems such as the 200-year-old Watch Tower, which has been renovated and converted into National Museum in 1968. It houses a fine collection of national costumes and fabrics, gallery of thangkas, an impressive stamp gallery with three-dimensional stamps issued as early as 1960. Visit Drugyel Dzong, although mostly now in ruins. Visit Drugyel High School and Kychu Lhakhang, the oldest monastery in the valley built in 7th. Century. Take a look at the shops in Paro town. Overnight at Kychu Resort.

Day 13
DECEMBER 15 PARO/BANGKOK (B)
Druk Air, Paro/Bangkok
Morning flight to Bangkok