While crossing you will notice that it acts a lot like a trampoline, and while jumping is fun, be sure to be careful! When standing on the bridge and looking towards forward against the current of the river, it feels and looks as if you are flying on the bridge! There is a separate bridge next to this one that is specifically for cattle to use, as crossing over an iron chain bridge is very difficult and dangerous for them.

After your arrival in Thimphu, you will check-in at your hotel. You will relax & freshen up a bit, post which you will visit the following:-

Clock Tower
Clock Tower Square has a tower with four clock faces located in Thimphu, capital of Bhutan. It is a famously known landmark in Thimphu.

There are many shops, hotels and restaurants surrounding the square. he clock tower square is located below Norzin Lam, Thimphu above the national football stadium in the heart of the capital.The Clock-tower has a typical Bhutanese architectural outlook with rich Bhutanese carvings and paintings.There are traditional hand crafted dragon with golden painting on all the four faces of the tower which symbolizes the county as an independent dragon kingdom. The tower has beautiful paintings and carvings of flowers which add more magnificence to the tower. The shops, restaurants and hotels in the clock tower square have a blend of fine traditional and modern architectural Bhutanese design with multi-coloured wood frontages, small arched windows, and sloping roofs. The buildings around the square are all small three storied structures

Overnight stay in a hotel in Thimphu.

On a clear day the pass offers visitors a spectacular view of the majestic eastern Himalayan Ranges. A cup of hot coffee or tea at the pass has almost become part of tradition for people travelling to and fro from Punakha to the capital city.

There is a small cafeteria at the pass that offers a chance for travelers to enjoy a hot beverage or a snack, it is located just off the road and overlooks the pass and is an ideal place to sit back, relax and enjoy the view.

Another striking feature at the pass are the 108 DrukWangyalKhangzangChortens, that were built for the well-being of all sentiment beings on earth. The 108 Chorten were built as a tribute to the Kings of Bhutan for their selfless service and leadership they offer to the people of Bhutan. These Stupas or Chortens also represent the peoples love, appreciation and loyalty towards the country‟s King.

After visiting the above places, you can stop and have a tea and lunch at DrukWangyelcaféif your lunch is not pre-arranged.

After you are done with Lunch we will drive back to Thimphu, on the way we will visit

Botanical Garden
The botanical gardens in Serbithang, about 15 kilometres from Thimphu, is becoming a popular weekend spot for Thimphu residents who want to get away from the city. On the weekends, the garden is taken over by families on picnic, couples strolling arm in arm, and children playing around on the lawns. Sometimes there are loners who go to the viewpoint from where the hill drops sharply. From this point one can catch the afternoon breeze, see the Thimphuchu and farmers working in the fields below and the rising hills in the distance.

The 29-acre garden which was established in 1999 and inaugurated by Her Majesty the Queen, AshiSangayChodenWangchuck, to commemorate the silver jubilee of His Majesty's coronation is still being developed. According to the project manager of the garden, the actual planting of plants and trees started a year later, in 2000. The 29-acre garden has been managed by just nine people.

But the garden has an exchange programme with a botanical garden in Edinburgh, Scotland, which should help upgrade the knowledge and skills in the development and management of the garden.The purpose of a botanical garden is not just to amuse people, but that it serves a greater purpose of educating, conserving and researching. A botanical garden has plants bearing the records of where it was collected from, who collected it and when it was collected. Therefore, the most important and interesting aspect of a botanical garden is its educational impact. 

Weekend market 

The weekend market is highly recommended to travelers who want to experience the local Bhutanese way of life. The weekend market is located in a set of stall of both side of the Wang Chhu River. The market essentially is a farmers  market, where every week vendors from throughout the region start arriving by Thursday evening and stay at the market till Sunday. It is interesting to see the well-heeled and well to do residents of the city jostle with the common folk
for the freshest produce of the region.

Depending on the season you will find different kinds of fruits and vegetables available in the market. The most striking feature of the market are the chilli stalls that sell chilli in its fresh or dry from. Chili is the favorite spice of the Bhutanese and no Bhutanese dish is complete without a generous garnish of the fiery chilli.

Across on the western banks of the river, the KundeylingBazaam houses a collections of shops
and stalls that sell textile, clothing, handicrafts, and other goods that the locals may need. You
will also find a lot of cheap ornamental goods on sale that have been imported from Nepal it is
advisable to visit the market with a guide who can help you hunt for a good bargain.

National memorial chorten
The National Memorial was built by Bhutan's third king, H.M. Jigme DorjiWangchuck who is also known as the "father of modern Bhutan." He wanted to erect a monument carrying the message of world peace and prosperity. However, he was unable to give shape to his idea in his lifetime due to pressures of state and other regal responsibilities. After his untimely demise in 1972, the Royal Family and Cabinet resolved to fulfill his wishes and erect a memorial that would perpetuate his memory and also serve as a monument to eternal peace, harmony and tranquility.

The National Memorial Chorten was gifted to the nation on 28 July, 1974. The exquisite wall paintings and the delicately carved statues reflect deep insights into Buddhist spirituality and a rich tradition of prayer and learning.The National Memorial Chorten is known as the „most visible religious landmark in Bhutan‟.TheChorten was consecrated by His Holiness, the Late Dudjorn Rinpoche. Unlike other Stupas the Chorten is not a shrine for the mortal of the late
King. The Chorten on contains a photograph of the King in full ceremonial attire. The King had intend for the Choten to be “ aChorten that represents the mind of Bhuddha ”

 The national Memorial Chorten is located in the center of the capital city, Thimphu and is designed like a Tibetan style Chorten. The Chorten is patterned of the classical Stupa design with a pyramidal pillar crowned by a crescent moon and sun. One of the most distinct features of the Chorten is its outwards flaring rounded part that makes the Chorten look more like a vase rather than the classical dome. The interior of the Chorten has a large number of paintings of Tantric
deities, in explicit sexual poses that sometimes can be a little disconcerting to visitors.

 Overnight stay in a hotel in Thimphu.

 

It is a sight to behold. Taktshang or the Tigers lair as the monastery is called, it is widely regarded is one of the most important monuments of spiritual significance in Bhutan. Its history is deeply associated with the visit of Guru Padmasambhava, the revered Indian saint who came to Bhutan in the 8th century AD. The cave was named Taktshang after Guru Rinpoche flew into the cave from KurtoeSingyeDzong in eastern Bhutan while riding on a tigress. When he landed in the cave, he took the wrathful form of Guru DorjiDrolo who is regarded as one of the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche to decimate the demons.Several saints have chosen this sanctuary to pray and meditate in solitude. The monastery was built in 1692 by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgaye who is said to be one of the reincarnations of Guru Rinpoche. The Monastery consists of four main temples along with their residences that are onstructed along the rock ledge. There 8 caves in total out of which 4 are relatively easy to access.

The monastery was ravaged by fire twice in the 1900s first in 1951 and later the fire of 1998,
which nearly destroyed the monastery completely. The government then undertook a comprehensive reconstruction in 200 with funding from foreign donors. The monastery was recreated to its original splendor and re-opened to the public shortly thereafter. From the road, the hike toward Taktshang follows an uphill route and takes approximately 3-4 hours at an average walking pace on a clear, sunny day. We recommend that you carry sunscreen lotion, large quantities of drinking water, a walking stick just in case you need to shoo of the birds and a hat to further protect yourself from the sun.

Later after hike you will visit KyichuLhakhang. The Jowo Temple of Kyichu is one of the
oldest temples in Bhutan. The temple was built by the Tibetan King SongstenGampo in the 7th
Century AD. The KyichuLhakhang was one of the 108temples constructed by him to subdue a
demon that was terrorizing the people of the Himalayas. The temple is believed to have been
visited by the Guru Rinpoche in the 8th Century during his visit to the Paro Valley. Other important personalities to have visited the temple in antiquity include Lam KhaNga and the PhajoDugomZhigpo.

The Lhakahng underwent many extensions during the ages with the last one being carried out in 1965 by the Queen Mother AshiKezangChodenWangchuck. She added another new structure to the temple called the Guru Lhakahng. As one of the oldest Lhakahangs, it houses many important relics.One of the most important relics of the temple is a 7th century statue of JowoSakyamuni which is believed to have cast the at the same time as it famous counterpart in Lhasa Tibet.

There are 2 orange trees located in the courtyard of the temple, there is a belief amongst the locals that these orange trees bear fruit all year long.This site is one of the most sacred holy sites is all of Bhutan, and our companies travel consultants recommend every traveller to visit this sacred temple.

RimpungDzhong
The ParoDzhong is probably Bhutan's best known and most iconic Dzhong.This is probably
the first building you will notice when you land at Paro International Airport and will probably be your first memory of Bhutan. The imposing Dzhong is perhaps the finest example of Dzhong architecture existing the world today, the massive buttered walls of the fortress dominate over the valley. The RinpungDzhong'snames translates to the "Fortress on a heap of Jewels ".

The fortress was constructed in 1644 by ShabdrungNgawangNamgyal on the foundations of an ancient monastery. The fort played a crucial role in the history of the Paro valley as the Dzhong helped keep the marauding Tibetans away from the Paro valley.TheDzhong was hit by an earthquake in 1897 but survived unharmed, but a fire in 1907 ended up causing severe damage to the Dzhong.The Dzhong is built on a steep hill along the banks of the Paro Chu river. The front part of the Dzhong is home to the District administration while the other courtyard towards the rare houses the district monk body.The approach toward the Dzong is through a traditional covered bridge called the NemiZam. A paved stone path runs alongside the imposing outer walls of the structure. The valley's annual springtime religious festival called the ParoTsechu is organized each year in the courtyard of the dzong and is attended by tourists from all over the world.

In the evening you can choose to visit local market of Paro to shop and to take home gifts, Bhutan offers a variety of goods that revolve mainly round textiles. You may shop for items like hand-woven textiles that is either in raw silk or silk, carved masks of various animals, woven baskets of cane and bamboo, wooden bowls known as Dapas, handmade paper products or finely crafted gods of silver.

You can also shop for thangkha paintings and Bhutan‟s exquisite postage stamp. One can come across these items in the many handicraft shops in and around and also in major towns. Please remember that buying and selling of antiques is strictly forbidden in Bhutan.

 Overnight stay in a hotel in Paro.

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