Trip Overview
Photographer enthusiast certainly has curiosity to
explore the world in fresh ways. The beautiful snow capped Himalayas, mountain
passes, river valleys, abundant flora & fauna, historical & cultural
sites, festivals in Bhutan are the prominent attractions to capture. The
festivals are most colorful & lively. Explore
the Last Shangri-La, the Kingdom of BhutanNestled at the heart of the Himalayas, the hermit kingdom of
Bhutan is a living testament to an earlier era. Here, life moves to the rhythm
of the Buddhist prayer wheel and fluttering of flags. Ancient temples and
majestic dzong fortresses dot the countryside. Prayer flags flutter in the
breeze, bestowing blessings to a land essentially unchanged for centuries.
This tour explores intensity of festivals, pristine
nature, peace & tranquility of countryside at different areas. While
travelling, itinerary provides adequate time to interact with the people, learn
about their life-style, traditions and shoot the images of exquisite temples,
Dzongs (Fortress), farming villages, towering himalaya. Hike into the forests
and capture breathtaking scenery of the environment. Our guides are very much
concerned towards your interest and give you enough time to go around the villages,
towns, market places etc. They will also take you to private temples complex
that allow photography inside the temple.
Capture images of daily life in Bhutan on hikes to local
villages and excursions to lively markets.
Hike to Bhutan’s most famous pilgrimage site, Taktsang
Lhakhang (Tiger’s Nest Monastery).
Photograph the exquisite carvings and sculptures of the
newly renovated temple and monastery.
Mingle with community leaders and government dignitaries
at a banquet dinner and gain insight into modern Bhutan.
Day 1 Arrival at Paro, Head to Thimphu
Welcome to Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Touching down at Paro International Airport, you will be greeted by our Get Into Bhutan Tours guide upon exiting the arrival door. After driving to Thimphu for our hotel check-in, you’ll have a first taste of Bhutanese cuisine at a local restaurant. A short photography orientation on Bhutan follows before we begin our exploration of the capital. The day’s subjects include the very traditional Centenary Farmers Market, and the Thimphu Dzong – a castle-fortress that is the country’s seat of power. In the evening we will take a look at our images for the first or our nightly photography discussions.
Day 2 Thimphu to Punakha
We will begin the day with a morning visit to the Changangkha Monastery. Built in 12th century, this is the oldest temple in Thimphu. It sits on a ridge overlooking scenic views of Thimphu, and houses the Chenrizig: an 11-headed, thousand-armed manifestation of Avolokitesawara as its central statue. Afterwards, we’ll take a 3-hour drive to Punakha, and spend the afternoon at Punakha Dzong, built in 1637; the dzong continues to be the winter home for the clergy, headed by the Chief Abbott, the Je Khenpo. It is a stunning example of Bhutanese architecture, sitting at the fork of two rivers, portraying the image of a medieval city from a distance. If time permits, we’ll set up to take shots of the Dzong as the evening light sets in. Dinner is followed by a slideshow of the images our photographer have taken for the day.
Day 3 Punakha
Today’s adventure starts at the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang Nunnery. Situated on a hilltop overlooking the valleys of Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang, this magnificent structure houses a population of Buddhist nuns. Later on we’ll have lunch and spend the afternoon at the farming village of Metshina, home to scenic rice terraces on a picturesque valley. We’ll also do a light trek to the Chhimi Lhakhang, a 15th century temple built in honor of the ’Divine Madman’, Buddhist saint Drukpa Kuenlay. There will be a photography discussion session over drinks in the evening.
Day 4 Punakha to Paro
We’ll start the day off with breakfast and a visit to the local market before starting our road trip back to Paro. One the way we’ll stop by the Dochula Pass, a mountain passage that sports 108 chortens built to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over Indian militants and to liberate the souls of those who died in battle. A sumptuous local lunch will be served at Thimphu, and afterwards we will practice our street photography skills in downtown Thimphu. Later on we’ll continue our road trip to Paro, with a stopover at the Tamchong Lhakhang, an ancient monastery on a hill overlooking a river. We’ll arrive just in time to shoot a performance of traditional Bhutanese dances at our hotel.
Day 5 Paro to Haa Via Chelela Pass
Drive to Haa through Chele La (3,988m). From the pass you can see Paro valley on one side and then Haa valley on the other. You can also have a picnic at Chele La if you like to. In Haa, some sightseeing and then goin to katsho village andvisiting the Katso Lhakhang.Then you will head back to Paro.
Day 6 Paro
We’ve saved the best for last: a morning trek to the Tiger’ Nest Monastery (Taktsang Monastery), a prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site and temple complex located on the cliff side of Paro Valley. According to legends, it is believed that Guru Rinpochhe flew to this location from Tibet on the back of a Tigress and meditated in one of the caves. Guru Rinpochhe performed meditation and emerged in eight manifestations and the place became holy. Thus gaining the name tiger’s nest. After a day of hiking we’ll take it easy and explore main streets of Paro Town for some street photography and souvenir shopping.
Day 7 Depaturne from Paro
Today we will bid fond farewell to this beautiful Himalayan country. We hope by now you would have made some friends and also kept many photos and beautiful memories of Bhutan! And we look forward to seeing you again in this beautiful land of endless Enchantments! Tashi Delek!