Bhutan Textile Tour
Bhutan’s textiles are an integral part of daily life in this Himalayan kingdom. Gifts of cloth are offered at birth and death, and during auspicious occasions, weddings, and when someone gets promoted to higher level in his/her profession. Textiles are fashioned into clothing, crafts, and various kinds of containers. Bhutanese textiles are renowned for their distinctive patterns inspired by nature. Each region has a specialized design. Bumthang, for example, is known for its vegetable dyed wool weaves called yathra, and exquisite pure silk weavings, Kishuthara, are famous in the eastern region of Lhuentse where it originates. Weavers, mostly women in remote communities, pride themselves on being able to create textiles that reflect a visually stunning combination of color, texture, pattern and composition. Bhutan is holding on to this traditional skill despite rapid modernization. Bhutanese textiles are now prized among collectors as a rare art-form that is being practiced only among a very small community in the remote Kingdom of Bhutan. This package is not tailored made but the operators usually design the program after receiving the expression of interest by the clients.
Day 01: Arrival at -Paro (2280m)
On arrival at Paro International Airport, after completing immigration and custom formalities, you will be received by your tour guide from Sophun Tours and escorted to hotel. After lunch/Brief Refreshment, visit Ta Dzong (National Museum) located on a promontory overlooking the valley. The building was originally built as a watchtower for the Dzong. It now houses a fine collection of national costumes and fabrics, an extensive gallery of thangkas, impressive stamp gallery, showcasing armor and silverware. Visit Ringpung Dzong, (the fortress of the heap of Jewels built in the 17th century) which houses the office of the district governor and district monastic body. Walk down the stone path and through the traditional wooden bridge, which is one of the fine specimens of Bhutanese architecture and explore Paro village town.
O/n Hotel
Day 02: Paro – Thimphu (2350m) 55 km & 1hour 15 min drive.
After breakfast, drive to Ramthangka to hike up to the view point of Taktsang (Tiger’s nest) (2950m). The round trip will take about three hours. After a brief refreshment at Taltsang cafeteria, you can take a walk little higher to have a closer view point of Taktsang monastery. Legend says that in the 8th century, Guru Rimpoche visited and meditated here for sometime. The place now is one of the holiest pilgrim sites for the Mahayana Buddhist. After lunch at cafeteria, walk back to Ramthangka to visit Drugyal Dzong. The Dzong though in ruins played a very important role in defending the valley from Tibetan Invasion and it was built to commemorate the victory over the Tibetan forces. After the visit, drive back to visit the 7th century Kyichu temple (near Paro town) built by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gambo. Continue your journey to Thimphu.
O/n hotel
Day 03: Thimphu – Sightseeing (2350m)
In the morning, visit Memorial Chhorten, built in memory of the 3rd late King. Zulikha Nunnery, National Painting School, where students are taught painting, calligraphy, embroidery, wood carving, sculpture. Folk Heritage Museum is dedicated to connecting people to the Bhutanese rural past life. National Library, it has a vast collection of ancient manuscripts and religion art facts. After lunch, visit the Textile museum, private weaving centre at Changzamtok; visit Bhutan Postal Office, to see the famous stamps of Bhutan and Handicrafts emporium to see the Bhutanese hand-woven textiles and other crafts. In the late afternoon after office hour, visit Tashichho Dzong, the main secretariat building. This massive structure houses part of the government Ministries, the office of the King and the Throne Room. It also houses the Central Monastic Body and the living quarters of the Chief Abbot and the senior monks.
O/n hotel
Day 04: Thimphu – Punakha – Wangdue Phodrang (1350m) 94 kms & 3 hours drive
After breakfast, drive to Punakha via Dochula Pass (3150 m). While at Dochula, one can witness hundreds of fluttering prayer flags surrounding 108 Chortens (Temple) and breath taking views of Bhutan’s mountains (if weather permits) are visual reminders of this sacred junction. Then continue your journey, descending down through magnolia and rhododendron forests on to the tropical valley of Punakha. Visit Punakha Dzong, the former capital of Bhutan, now serves as the district administrative center and also the winter residence of the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot). Punakha Dzong was built in 1637 and is beautifully located in between the two rivers called Pho (male) and Mo (female) chhu (river). The first historical National Assembly was also held in this Dzong in 1953. After lunch drive back to Wangdi to visit Wangdi Phodrang Dzong. En-route visit Chhimi Lhakhang, which is located on the hilltop. The temple is also known as ‘temple of fertility’. The hike will take you through village and the rice field about 30minutes from the main road.
O/n Hotel
Day 05: Wangdue Phodrang – Trongsa (2200m) 158km & 6 hours drive
Morning after breakfast, drive to Trongsa. En-route visit Gangtey valley. You’ll pass through dense forests of oak trees and rhododendrons and arrive at Gangtey village, where you’ll visit Gangtey Goenpa, the only Nyingmapa monastery in western Bhutan. From Gangtey, you can see the picturesque Black Mountain range as well as Phobjikha Valley, the winter habitat of the black-necked cranes. After lunch drive to Trongsa via Pele – La Pass (3300m). This pass is traditionally considered the boundary between western and eastern Bhutan, and at certain times of year it’s possible to see yaks. You can browse through the Trongsa shops and town in the late afternoon.
O/n hotel
Day 06: Trongsa – Bumthang (2600m) 68 km & 2hors 30 min drive.
After breakfast, visit Tongsa Dzong, the masterpiece of Bhutanese architecture, built in 1644 by Chhogyel Minjur Tenpa, the official who was sent by the Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to unify eastern Bhutan. Also visit Ta Dzong (watchtower) on the hillside above the town, dedicated to the epic hero, King Gesar of Ling and continue drive to Bumthang en-route cross Yutong-la pass (3,400m). The road winds steeply up to the pass and then runs down through coniferous forest into a wide, open, cultivated valley known as the Chumey valley. Along the way you will stop at a yathra (textile weaving) factory at Chumey, where the yathra are designed with patterns unique to Bumthang, and you can even watch some of the weavers at their looms. On arrival in Bumthang, check in at your lodge. After lunch, visit Kurje Lhakhang (“where the saint’s body is imprinted on a rock”), Jambey Lhakhang (7th century), Tamshing Monastery (housing some of the oldest wall paintings in Bhutan), and Jakar Dzong (administrative center of the region) and back to hotel/lodge. If time permit stroll in the village town.
O/n hotel/lodge
Day 07: Bumthang – Lhuntse(1700M) 242 km & 10 hours drive
After early breakfast drive to Lhuntse. You will begin your journey to eastern Bhutan, which is different from western and central Bhutan in terms of development and lifestyle. The steepness of the region lends itself to some spectacular views, with rushing waterfalls and sheer drops. The drive on this day is an exhilarating 10 hours, particularly the Thrumshing La (pass), which peaks at 3,750 meters. Lhuntse district is one of the most rural and isolated districts in Bhutan. The landscape is spectacular with stark cliffs and gorges, beautiful conifer and pine forests, and remote villages. The Kurtoe region of Lhuntse is the ancestral home of Bhutan’s Royal family and also considered to be the best for KISHU THARA textiles.
O/n Guest house / camp
Day 08: Lhuntse – Hike to Khoma village
After breakfast hike to Khoma village, which is very famous for textiles in Bhutan. You can see women folks weaving different types of textiles. If you want you can also buy the textiles at the reasonable prices. Then hike to Ngangladhung village to see the textiles and here also you will see the women weaving a tapestry of textiles with their nimble hands. O/n Guest house / camp
Day 09: Lhuntse – Trashigang (1150m) 164 km & 6 hours
After breakfast, drive to Trashigang via Mongar driving through the Kori la pass (2,450m), marked by a pretty chorten and a mani wall, we decend rapidly through cornfields and banana groves to reach the famous road zigzags just below Yadi, a fairly and now fast growing settlement. After zigzagging down the hillsides, the road east runs along the Gamri River valley till Chazam and then makes a final climb to Trashigang. Later in the day explore Trashigang town.
O/n Hotel (very basic)
Day 10: Trashigang – Rangjung (1200m) 17 km & 45 min drive
Right away after breakfast drive to Rangjung town and from there it is another 9 km to visit Radhi village, climbing through large rice terraces and fields of corn to Radhi (1630m). Radhi is famous for weaving raw silk, which is known as “bura”, and the fabric are called menzimatra or Lungserma. You can also witness women weaving raw silk. After winding up the visit from Radhi return back to Rangjung for lunch. After lunch, visit Rangjung Monastery and return back to Trashigang to visit Trashigang Dzong, the ‘fortress of the auspicious mountain’. It was built in 1659 by the third Druk Desi Chögyal Mingyur Tenpa to defend against Tibetan invaders and also it was once the centre of important trade with Tibet. Later stroll around the Trashigang small town.
O/n hotel (very basic)
Day 11: Trashigang – Excursion to Khaling (2100m) 54 km & 2hrs 30 min drive
After breakfast drive to Khaling via Yonphula pass (2300m). Visit National Institute for the Disabled (NID), which caters educational needs to the disabled people in the country. Have lunch at the farmhouse/pack lunch. After lunch visit the Weaving Center which is operated by the National Women’s Association of Bhutan. And you can see the girls weaving different types of textiles out of back strap loom. If possible we can also visit to the house a private weaver to see the techniques of Bhutanese dye. Then drive to Trashigang en-route Sherubtse College (Kingdom’s only college) and Zangdo Pelri Lhakhang.
O/n hotel (very basic)
Day 12: Trashigang – TashiYangtse(1850m – Mongar (1550m) 171 km & 7 hours drive
After early breakfast drive to Trashiyangtse, a small, pretty, quiet town. The people are known for making wooden bowls and containers, which are said to be the best in Bhutan. Visit the Arts School and the Chorten Kora. Along the way to Trashiyangtse you will stop at the Gom Kora temple, behind which is a large black rock. It is said that Guru Rimpoche meditated in a cave in the rock and that you can see the impression of his thumb, his hat, and his body on the rock. After lunch (pack lunch), drive back to Mongar.
O/n hotel
Day 13: Mongar – Bumthang (2600m) 193 Kms & 8 hrs drive
After breakfast drive back to Bumthang. En-route just before reaching to Bumthang visit Membartsho (burning Lake) where Terton Pema Lingpa is said to have discovered several of Guru Rimpoche’s hidden religious treasures in 15th century and then drive to Bumthang. Hot pack lunch will be serve on the way.
O/n hotel
Day 14: Bumthang – Wangdi Phodrang 197 km & 7 hours drive
You’ll begin the day at the Bumthang market, and then drive to Wangdiphodrang, where you can stroll through the town and visit the shops. The nearby villages are known for their slate and stone carvings and bamboo work.
O/n hotel
Day 15: Wangdi Phodrang – Paro 124 km & 3 hours 15 min drive
After breakfast drive to Paro with a lunch stop in Thimphu. If it’s the weekend, you can stroll through the market to see the variety of food of the country, including basket upon basket of fiery chilies, fresh cheese, and mangoes. In addition, many stalls contain Bhutanese handicrafts and household items. It’s fun to wander the aisles, taking in the bustling atmosphere of the market. After that you will drive to Paro.
O/n hotel
Day 16: Paro – Departure by Druk-air
Early breakfast and drive to the airport for your departure.
