Thimphu Tshechu (Festival)

Our guide will welcome you to Bhutan at the airport in the traditional Bhutanese way by offering silk scarves. The beautiful valley of Paro perhaps presents the best introduction to Bhutan. As you fly into the valley, you will see the towering mountains surrounding the valley as if they were within arm’s length. Except for the small town, Paro valley is largely dominated by paddy fields which offer a spectacular view at any time of the year.
If you arrive in Paro early in the morning, we will take you to the National Museum of Bhutan housed in the medieval watch tower or Taa Dzong. The circular building on the ridge overlooking Rinpung Dzong and part of Paro valley is a piece of Bhutanese heritage.
We can also visit Rinpung Dzong, which is the civil and religious centre of Paro District. Rinpung Dzong is a historically important monument in the country. It was first built by Hungral Drung Drung, a descendant of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo. Later in the 1640s, the descendants of Hungral Drung Drung offered the dzong to Zhabdrung Rinpoche who demolished the old dzong and built a new one on the same spot in 1646. 

Today we drive to Thimphu after breakfast. A sightseeing tour around Thimphu, the melting pot of Bhutan, can give you a good introduction to the Bhutanese way of life. Today, we visit the popular Memorial Chorten in the heart of the city built in memory of the third King of Bhutan. A continues stream of Bhutanese and foreigners throng the place. The devout – both old and young – doing their pious rounds and monks saying prayers best represent the spiritual side of Bhutan. Other places of interest in Thimphu include the National Library, the School of Traditional Arts and Crafts, the Takin Preserve, the giant Buddha statue on the hill overlooking Thimphu city, the oldest dzong in Bhutan, Semtokha Dzong, built in 1629 by the founder of Bhutanese state, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.

Today we attend Thimphu Tshechu held on the recently built festival ground attached to the Tashichodzong. Tashichodzong is seat of the Bhutanese government and state authorities. It houses government ministries, the office of His Majesty the King, the Throne Room, and the living quarters of the Central Monastic Body and its Chief Abbot.

The festival presents diverse facets of Bhutanese culture and religion. You will see colourful mask dances, folk dances, opera-like enactment of scenes, jesters, and not to mention, huge crowds of people in their finery feasting on the dazzling sights or delicious local rice and meat dishes.

Our journey today takes us across the Dochula Pass at 3,150 m above sea level. A coffee stop on the pass adorned with 108 stupas will give us an opportunity to enjoy the spectacular view of Jigme Singye Wangchuck mountain ranges sparkling in the distance.
From Dochula, we descend to Lobesa where we stop for lunch. Twenty-five minutes walk from the road point near Lobesa is Chimi Lhakhang. The temple, built by Tibetan Lama Ngawang Chogyal, is today associated with his cousin, Lam Drukpa Kinley, popularly known as Divine Madman. Popularly known as the Fertility Temple among tourists, it is believed to bless childless couples with children. The village around the temple is teeming with the painting of phallus in homage to the great Divine Madman. After the visit to the temple, we drive to Punakha.

Today we drive to Paro via Thimphu where the ruins of different  Dzong stand. Built in 1638 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, Wangdiphodrang Dzong was one of the foremost administrative centres during Bhutan’s medieval times. It was administrative and religious centre of the district until it was burnt down in June, 2012. Until the rebuilding is complete, hardly anything remains of that great dzong. 

Today, we visit the most photographed monastery in Bhutan, Taktshang. Clinging to the face of a cliff 900 metres above Paro valley, Taktshang, known to outsiders as the Tiger’s Nest, is one of the most sacred places in the entire Himalayan region. Besides Guru Padmasambhava (popularly known as Guru Rinpoche in Bhutan) who is believed to have flown to this place riding a tigress, many enlightened masters meditated here and blessed the place. It is bit of a hike demanding some stamina, but a fulfilling one. Lunch is served at Taktshang Cafeteria which is face-to-face with Taktshang.

Today, we drop you at the airport on time to catch your flight back home. We bid you farewell in the traditional Bhutanese way by offering you a white silk scarf.