Nepal and Bhutan Tour

Upon your arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport, a representative from Naata Trek and Tours will be waiting for you at the airport, displaying a playing card imprinted with your name. He/she will then transfer you to the designated hotel. In the evening, we can enjoy a welcome dinner hosted by Naata Travels and Adventure. We can enjoy Nepalese cuisine during dinner, which introduces us to the country’s food culture.

After breakfast, we will have a pre-trip meeting to introduce you to your Guide. During the meeting, you can provide yourself with any queries regarding the trip.

Kathmandu Valley is well known for its heritage sites. After the pre-met, we begin our sightseeing tour, viewing the breathtaking monuments alongside our local guide.

We visit Boudhanath, one of the biggest Buddhist shrines in the world, where we observe Buddhist monks praying in the monasteries surrounding the stupa. After Boudhanath, we visit Pashupatinath Temple, the most famous Hindu temple in the country, located on the banks of the holy Bagmati River.

Here, we see Hindu holy men (sadhus) meditating, pilgrims bathing, and occasionally funeral pyres burning on the ghats. We will also visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square, a collection of pagoda and shikhara–style temples grouped around a fifty-five-window palace of brick and wood. The attractions of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square are the Lion Gate, the Golden Gate, the Palace of Fifty-Five Windows, art galleries, and the Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla.

We begin our flight to Bhutan, Paro, and can enjoy amazing views of the Himalayas, including the sacred Chomolhari and Jichu Drake peaks. During your trip to Bhutan, we will have lunch and visit Rinpung Dzong. Next, we visit Kichu Lhakhang, the country’s oldest temple. We then go to the Drugyal Dzong (Bhutan Victory Fort), built in 1646 to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over Tibetan invaders during the 1600s. Tibet is also known as the roof of the world on a clear day. We can see Mount Chomolhari, Bhutan’s second-highest mountain, at 7,314 meters.

After breakfast, we hiked for around 4 -5 hours to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, Bhutan’s most famous monastery, at 3,180 meters. Guru Rinpoche (spiritual master) is said to have flown on the back of a tigress to meditate in a cave where Taktsang Monastery now stands. Lunch will be served in the Cafeteria Restaurant about halfway up the mountain. The monastery is perched on the edge of a cliff, about 900 meters above Paro Valley. After exploring the monastery, we hike to the valley floor and leave for Thimphu.

In the morning, we start our guided tour by driving to BBS Tower and then hiking for an hour to Wangditse Gompa on the leveled trail with a great view of Tashichho Dzong. We also get a fantastic view of the Samtenling Palace, home to the Fourth King and Dorje Drak meditation retreat on the hillside above. After touring the Gompa, we return to Thimphu. On the way, visit the mini Zoo to see the Takin, the national animal of Bhutan. After lunch, we visit the nunnery temple, the King’s Memorial Chorten (built in memory of the third King of Bhutan, who reigned from 1952 to 1972).

The National Library (which houses ancient manuscripts) and the National Institute of Traditional Medicine. We may also visit the Textile Museum, the Handicraft Emporium, the traditional paper factory, and the majestic Tashichho Dzong. In the evening, we enjoy strolling in the streets of Thimphu and observing the local lifestyle.

After breakfast, we drive to Dochula Pass (3,100 meters), where, on a clear day, we can get spectacular views of the Himalayas. We will begin the 2-hour hike to Lungchutse Monastery from 108 chortens. The trail passes through rhododendron forests. Walking along the high ridges marked with colorful Buddhist prayer flags offers us stunning Himalayas views and incredible vistas into the valleys below the pass.

After lunch, drive downhill through the rhododendron, fir, and hemlock forests. On the way, we stop at Metshina Village and take a 20-minute walk through the rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang, a fertility temple dedicated to the Divine Madman or Lama Drukpa Kuenley.

We drive 12 km north of Punakha at dawn and begin our 2-hour hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten. It is located on a beautiful hillock called Ngezergang and contains elaborate paintings dedicated to the old sect of Buddhism. We hike further towards Punakha. On the way back, we visit the Punakha Dzong, built in 1637. It is also the second oldest and the second largest Dzong in Bhutan. In the afternoon, we drive to Paro and spend the night there.

Upon our arrival in Kathmandu, a Naata Trek and Tours representative will pick us up from the airport. We will then be transferred to our hotel. We spend our day sightseeing a few monuments on the way to Nagarkot, a hill station famous for its breathtaking views of the Himalayas, including Everest. We spend the evening watching the sunset over the beautiful mountains, and this completes our tour package.

Our trip concludes today, and an office representative will drive you to the international airport for your departure.