The Ancient Kingdom of Bhutan Tour with Singapore Stay

Escorted Tour Highlights

• ● Memorial Chorten
• ● Folk Heritage Museum
• ● Junghi Handmade Paper Factory
• ● Dochula Pass
• ● Chimi Lhakhang
• ● Drukpa Kinley
• ● Punakha Dzong
• ● The National Museum of Bhutan
• ● Paro Dzong
• ● Taktsang Monastery
• ● Kyichu Lhakhang

 Your Tour Itinerary in Detail

Celebrity Solstice, 25th November 2026

‣ Day 1: United Kingdom → Indira Gandhi (Delhi) International Airport

● Fly from the UK to Delhi, India Overnight

‣ Day 2: Delhi

● Arrive Delhi, begin your fully escorted tour with a transfer to your Delhi hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.

‣ Day 3: Delhi | Pero

● After Breakfast transfer to Delhi Airport to catch your flight to Paro Airport where you will be met and transferred to Paro hotel. Mid Afternoon drive to Thimphu city, the capital city of Bhutan (50 kms , 1 hour drive). The drive takes you through the winding road with lots of beautiful hamlets. Tashichho Dzong : Located on the northern edge of the city of Thimphu, on the western bank of the Wang Chu.

Breakfast Included

‣ Day 4: Pero | Thimphu

After breakfast visit the following:

● Memorial Chorten, also known as the Thimphu Chorten, is a large Tibetan-style Buddhist Monastery is a popular landmark in the city with its golden spires and bells. It was built in 1974 to honor the memory of the third king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. The architecture of the chorten has been designed to present it as ‘one of the most visible religious structures in Thimphu’.

● Folk Heritage Museum: A three storied traditional building houses the Folk Heritage Museum. The earthen and timber building was renovated and restored few years ago to appear as it was century ago. Established in 2001 in Thimphu, the museum provides glimpse into the traditional Bhutanese material culture and way of life.

● National Institute for Zorig Chusum commonly known as Arts & Crafts School or Painting School, the Institute offers a six-year course on the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan. On a visit, one can see students learning the various skills taught at the school.

● The National Library of Bhutan was first established in 1967 under the patronage of HM Queen Ashi Phuntso Choden (1911–2003), with a small collection of precious texts. The library was initially housed within the central tower (utse) of Tashichho dzong. Later, due to its growing collection, it had to move to a building in the Changangkha area of Thimphu.

● Junghi Handmade Paper Factory : the unit in Thimphu produces traditional handmade paper from natural plants mainly from ‘Daphne’ plant species which is insect-resistant. The other unit in Jimina, 22 km from the centre Thimphu town, recycles waster papers. The traditional handmade papers are widely used for religious scripts, packing materials, hand-carry bags, lampshades, envelopes, calendars . The paper looks a lot like Japanese washi, and in fact a lot of Bhutanese paper is exported to Japan also.

● National Institute of Traditional Medicine strives to merge the allopathic and traditional systems of healing. A large laboratory and a production facility inside the institute monitor and ensure the quality of the components like the plants, minerals, precious metals etc. A day-care facility and clinic opened in the institute is available for public use.

● The Takin (Budorcas taxicor) is the national animal of Bhutan and also called cattle chamois. This globally rare and endangered animal is admired for its unique physique and agility on steep terrain of Bhutan. According to Lam Drukpa Kuenley(Devine Madman) Takin was created by joining the bones of a goat’s head and bones of the cow’s body. Thimphu Takins are kept in Motithang Takin Preserve center or Takin Mini Zoo

● Weekend Market: If your visit to Thimphu coincides with the weekend, you can walk through the Thimphu Market to see the variety of food of Bhutan, including basket upon basket of fiery chillies, fresh cheese and a variety of fresh greens. In addition, many stalls contain Bhutanese handicrafts and household items. (This market is open only from Friday until mid Sunday).

Breakfast Included

‣ Day 5: Thimphu | Punakha

● After breakfast, Visit Dochula pass, located 30 km away from the capital, on the way to Punakha (77 kms, 3 hours drive) from Thimphu offers a 360-degree of beautiful panoramic view of Himalaya mountain range, especially on clear winter days. The 108 chortens that adorn the beauty of this place were built by Queen Mother to commemorate the Bhutanese soldiers who were killed when fighting the Indian rebels in 2003. The pass is also popular spiritual place for both locals and tourists because of an important temple that is located on the crest of Dochula pass. Besides the spirituality of the place many Bhutanese families visit the pass during holidays and weekends to simply enjoy the scenery of the place with their pack lunch and hot tea. For tourists, the place is an ideal location to capture beautiful pictures of Himalaya mountain range provided the weather permits.

●  Chimi Lhakhang: located near Lobesa, Punakha stands on a round hillock and is flanked by hundreds of prayer flags. Built in 1499, this monastery is dedicated to Lama Drukpa Kinley or ‘the Divine Madman’. An accomplished master of Mahamudra Buddhist Tradition, he is also known as the ‘Mad Saint’ for his unorthodox ways of teaching Buddhism by singing, humor and outrageous behavior, which amounted to being bizarre and strong sexual overtones and inclinations.

●  Drukpa Kinley is also a cultural icon in Bhutan around whom countless yarns, fictions, stories and legends have been spun. In founding the site it is said that Lama Kunley subdued a demon of Dochu La with his “magic thunderbolt of wisdom” and trapped it in a rock at the location close to where the chorten now stands. He is also the saint who advocated the use of phallus symbols as paintings on walls and as flying carved wooden phalluses on house tops at four corners of the eves. The monastery is the repository of the original wooden symbol of phallus that Kunley brought from Tibet. This wooden phallus is decorated with a silver handle and is used to bless people who visit the monastery on pilgrimage, particularly women seeking blessings to beget children.

Breakfast Included

‣ Day 6: Punakha | Pero

 ●Punakha Dzong: The Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungtang Dechen Photrang Dzong (meaning ‘the palace of great happiness or bliss’) is the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag in Punakha, Bhutan. Constructed by Zhabdrung (Shabdrung) Ngawang Namgyal on the 8th day and 8th month of the Fire ox year in 1673, it is the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan and one of its most majestic structures. Punakha Dzong was the administrative centre and the seat of the Government of Bhutan until 1955, when capital was moved to Thimphu.

● Drive to Paro (138 Kms, 4 hours drive) then after visit National Museum and Paro Dzong.

● The National Museum of Bhutan is housed inside the revamped circular Ta-dzong building, an ancient watchtower above the Paro Dzong. This unusual round building is said to be in the shape of a conch shell. The original building was constructed in 1656 but the building was converted into a museum in 1968. The necessary infrastructure was created to house some of the finest specimens of Bhutanese art, including masterpieces of bronze statues and paintings gathered from different parts of the country. Suitable galleries were constructed to house the extensive collections. Works of art were elegantly displayed on scientific lines.

● Some of the handicrafts items cover the history and cultural heritage of more than 1500 years. The National Museum has in its possession over 3,000 works of Bhutanese art, rich holdings of various creative traditions and disciplines that represent a remarkable blend of the past with the present and is a major attraction for local and foreign visitors.

● Paro Dzong is one of the most impressive and well-known dzongs in Bhutan. One of the finest examples of Bhutanese architecture, it is also known as the Ringpung Dzong, which means ‘fortress on a heap of jewels’. It is the administrative seat of the district of Paro. The dzong was built in the 16th century on the foundation of a monastery built by Guru Rinpoche. It was used on numerous occasions to defend the Paro Valley from invasions by Tibet. Unlike most of the other dzongs in Bhutan, it survived the massive 1897 earthquake mostly unscathed, though it was almost burnt to the ground by a fire in 1907. All-important relics were lost to the fire and nothing could be salvaged except for the Thongdrol, a 20x20 meter-wide Thangka. The Thangka is displayed annually during a ceremony called Paro Tshechu. The Dzong was however rebuilt the following year.

‣ Day 7: Paro

● After Breakfast drive to Satsam chorten and hike to Taktsang Monastery (10 Km) from Paro Town. The name Taktsang means “Tiger’s Nest”. The monastery is perched on a rocky ledge with a sheer drop of nearly 800m.And overlooks the Paro Valley and the river. It is said that in the second half of the 8th century, Guru Padma Sambhava known as the second Buddha in Bhutan, meditated at the spot where the monastery is situated having alighted there on the back of a flying tigress.

● The hike takes about 4 hours back and forth depending on the level of the hikers. Once you reach the view point of the monastery you have the option to visit the monastery which takes another hour hike. Perched on the side of a vertical cliff at 3000 m altitude north of Paro, this monastery creates an impressive sight, and is the unofficial symbol of Bhutan. It is one of the most famous Buddhist Monasteries in Bhutan and is also referred to as the ‘Tiger’s Nest’. Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche (Guru Padmasambhava) flew to this location from Khenpajong, Tibet on the back of a tigress and subdued a demon. He then meditated in a cave here for three months and emerged in eight incarnated forms (manifestations) and blessed the place. Guru Padmasambhava is known for introducing Buddhism to Bhutan. Today, Paro Taktsang is the best known of the thirteen caves in which he meditated.The first monastery was constructed 1694, but in 1998 a tragic fire destroyed most of the original buildings - which have since been painstakingly restored to their former glory. Taktsang Monastery is a pilgrimage site for both tourists and locals, it is a journey filled with spiritual bliss. Keeping the spiritual side aside, the journey up to Taktsang Monastery is a Hiker’s delight. An hour hike up to a small wooden teahouse called Cafeteria provides close view of the monastery. A further and a rather challenging hike lead you to the glorious Taktsang Monastery.

● Later visit Kyichu Lhakhang is a Buddhist temple in Paro. It is one of the oldest monasteries in the country built in the 7th century by the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo. The story goes that a giant demoness lay across the whole area of Tibet and the Himalayas and was preventing the spread of Buddhism

Breakfast Included

‣ Day 8: Paro

● After Breakfast transfer to Paro Airport for onward flight to Delhi Airport then enjoy an afternoon tour of Delhi.

Breakfast Included

‣ Day 9: Delhi | Singapore

● After breakfast transfer to Delhi Airport for you flight to Singapore for your 2 Night Stay

Breakfast Included

‣ Day 10: Singapore

● Day At Leisure

‣ Day 11: Singapore

● Embark Celebrity Solstice for your 13 Night Luxury All Included Cruise