Punakha
Winter Trek is
one of the short and easy trekking through the old capital of Bhutan, Punakha.
Bhutan is well-known as the dragon kingdom. You will visit the Thimphu Valley,
the capital of Bhutan, and the Changankha Lakhang and the Bhutan National
Museum. The tour includes visits to several monasteries and dzongs, all of
which have their own historical and cultural significance. When you enter
Punakha dzongs impressive courtyard, your senses are overwhelmed. Dzhong lies
between two rivers, the Pochu and the Mochu, the male and the female river.
Main Highlights:
·Magnificent
Bird eye view of Himalayan.
·City
sightseeing tour of the capital Thimphu.
·Discover the
Paro with colours and tradition.
·A short and
easy hike to Punakha from Thimphu
·Punakha
Dzong tour, A beautiful monastery of Bhutan
·Punakha Jong
Tour - The most beautiful monastery in Bhutan.
·Experience
culture, tradition and lifestyles of Bhutanese people
·Visit
the Tiger’s Nest monastery - one of the most famous monasteries in Bhutan.
Itinerary Highlights
Punakha
Winter Trek itinerary can be customized according to your choice. Please
write to us for the individual travel Itinerary. The price varies depending on
hotel category, transportation, private vehicle, and flight service.
Day 01: Reach to Paro International Airport
Day 02: Sightseeing tour in Paro
Day 03: Drive from Paro to Thimphu
Day 04: Sightseeing around Thimphu valley
Day 05: Trek from Thimphu to Chamina and
Doping Pong: walking distance 7-8
Day 06: Trek from Dopshing Pang to Chorten
Ningpo: Walking duration 8 hours
Day 07: Chorten Ningpo - Punakha (1,310 m)
Day 08: Drive from Punakha to Paro
Day 09: Walk to Taktsang Monastery ‘Tiger’s
Nest’
Day 10: Finally depart to next
destination
Overview of Punakha Winter Trek
Punakha Winter Trek is the easiest and
shortest trek in the beautiful Himalayan country, Bhutan. It is a discovery of
Bhutan's natural beauty and a testimony to the local lifestyle. The Punakha
Winter Trek follows the centuries-old path from Thimphu to Punakha to many
villages, lush green forests and rice fields with a great view of the Phajoding
Monastery, and hikers reach the camp near Chorten Ningpo, known as Chorten
Ningpo. The Punakha Winter Trek takes place at low altitudes and can trek
during the winter season due to the region's warm climate. However, the best
travel time is from September to November and March to May. Apart from that,
this tour takes you to Takhtasang Monastery, the tiger nest
Important Note
Your safety
is vital when you travel with us. Please note that your leader has the right to
change or cancel part of the trip for security reasons. Every effort is made to
organize the previous trip. Since this adventure trip revolves around remote
mountains so we cannot guarantee that we will not be abstracted by Weather
conditions, the health status of group members, and unexpected natural
disasters, etc. The leader tries to make the trip as planned, but you should be
flexible if necessary
Upon arrival at Paro International Airport, our office representative will greet you and take you to the hotel. Visiting Paro offers panoramic views of Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, and other famous Himalayan peaks, including chomolahari and Mount Jichu Drake in Bhutan.
Drukgyal Dzong. Dzong is one historical importance in ruins. Here the Bhutanese finally defeated the Tibetans and sent them back. From here, you can see the Zumahari summit on a clear day. On the way, you will visit a typical Bhutanese farmhouse. After lunch at the hotel, you can stroll around.
The drive to Thimphu with a distance of 65 km takes 2 hours. Check-in at the hotel. After a break, visit the following places: Memorial Chorten, built-in memory of the third king who ruled the country from 1952 to 1972. The National Library, where old manuscripts are kept. Visit Tashichho Dzong. It is the main building of secretariat, and massive structure is part of the ministries, the royal office and the throne room. The houses state monastery bodies and residences for prominent nuns and older nuns.
Today, after breakfast, you will visit Simtokha Dzong. It is one of the oldest forts in Bhutan built in AD 1629. Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. Visit the Woodcraft and Painting School, where traditional crafts are still alive. Visitors can purchase arts and crafts that display Bhutanese textiles and other handicrafts. After lunch, visit Tango Cherry Monastery, 14 km north of Thimphu. Stroll through the Thimphu Valley in the evening.
After having breakfast, drive toward the north valley of Dechencholing Palace on the bridge to the army camp. The path follows an unsealed road directly above the village of Chamina. From this point on, the hike begins; during the clear weather, you can see the festering monastery above Thimphu. After a 2 km hike, you will see the highway of Tinlegang village, the Talo monastery and the old capital of Bhutan, Punakha. Until then, the situation is more or less a campsite.
The way to Chorten Ningpo is slow and through thick forests, villages and rice fields. The hike ends at Chorten Ningpo, which is connected to the Durpa Kuenley, known as the “divine madman."
After having breakfast, you will drive towards Punakha. Visit Punakha Dzong, which is one of the essential areas in Bhutan, lies between the two major rivers Pho Chu and Mo Chu. It serves as a winter residence for Dong Ji Khenpo, the chief abbot of the central monastery organization and the district administration office.
After Lunch, drive to Punakha, cross the suspension bridge over Mo Chu and then walk 30-45 minutes to Khmsum Yuli Namgyal Chorten. Chorten is located at the strategic summit of a nearby town below Kabisa Geog. Your Highness, Queen Mother Ashi Shring Yangdon Wangchuk ', created this shortcut to evade the forces of evil and restore peace, stability, and harmony to the world. Then back to Punakha.
Drive to the nunnery on the magnificent hill: Songchen Dorjee Lundrup Choling. Talk with the nuns and enjoy the charm around you! The main temple is dedicated to Karhis Bodhisattva, and next to the temple is a beautiful stupa of religious figures, and slate sculptures, then stop for lunch in Thimphu. Come to Paro in the afternoon and check-in at the hotel.
In the morning, after having head to Taktsang Base Camp for a hike to Takatsang Monastery, Tiger Nest. It extends for 2 hours to the cafeteria. From here, you can enjoy the magnificent view of the monastery where Guru Padmasambhava landed on a tiger in the 8th century. Then the hike continues to the waterfall in the ashram and takes about an hour and a half. Then the path returns to the same path, and the ruins lead from the castle to Drukgal Zhong. Tibetan invasions conquered the fort in the 17th century. Visit the local farm in Drukalikal to see the daily life of the people of Bhutan. Then drive to Kaichu Lakhung, one of the most sacred and oldest temples in Bhutan. In the evening, you can walk through Paro's central business district.
Personal expenses, tips for guide and driver and other staff
Quick Inquiry
Fixed Departure
All our
published fixed departure dates are guaranteed. If the date does not suit your
travel plans, the cost and duration of the trip, please contact us for your
individual private trip, itinerary and price. Since we are a local travel and
trekking company based in Kathmandu, we try to find a small private group that
fits your travel needs. Let us know what kind of trip you are looking for and
our travel experts will help you plan your customized trip to your dream
destination. Thank you and Namaste!
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Punakha Winter Trek Accommodation
Hotels are
permitted, and category by the government of Bhutan as Grade A, B, and C. These
hotels are equal to 3-4 star hotels. You will stay in class A and B hotels in
Paro and Thimphu and camp during the trek. All accommodations are shared by
two. Single room supplement is available upon request paying
We offer
full board meals during the trip. Most hotels have many types of food, which
are the most famous continental, Indian, Chinese, and more regular.
Non-vegetarian dishes are typical in most parts of Bhutan, like beef, pork,
chicken, and fish.
Punakha Winter Trek Video
Essential Information
People and Culture
Once you
arrive in Bhutan, you will find that it is very different from anywhere you
have been. You see, people dressed as Gho for men and Kiara for women. Monks
often wear red robes around temples and monasteries. Children also wear these
clothes in their schools. People do not measure their happiness according to
the standards of others, but belief in spiritual and internal growth. Most of
the Bhutanese live on agriculture, commerce, crafts, and regular employment.
These people are also friendly and helpful and are known for their incredible
hospitality. Their culture and traditions conform to their daily activities and
belief systems. The people of Bhutan pay homage to their gods by praying,
meditating, spinning prayer wheels, and hanging prayer flags. Tibetan Buddhism
is predominant in Bhutan.
When is the best travel time for
Bhutan?
October to
December is the best travel time to Bhutan as the air is clean, bright, and fresh
with the sunny blue sky. January and February are cold, but from April weather
is dry and pleasant, and the famous rhododendrons bloom beautifully in late
spring and fill the valleys with colour. Heat and humidity increase from May
and the rainy season from June to September cover the mountains. If you are
interested in a rare black-necked crane, you should visit the Phobjikha Valley.
Travel insurance
Travel
insurance is a prerequisite for booking a vacation with us. At least for
trekking and mountaineering, you need to be repatriated and emergency health
insurance to cover the costs of maintaining the mountain. We highly recommend Cancellation
insurance as all advances paid are non-refundable.
We highly
recommend checking your insurance policy. Necessarily, you should make sure you
have covered the following: 1) activity (i.e., tourism, trekking, or
mountaineering) 2) mountaineering summit 3) evacuation of the helicopter in an
emergency. It is your responsibility to take out adequate insurance for this
trip.
We recommend
using a specialized insurance company for your travel adventures. If you only
have a regular travel policy, then it is not insurance for adventure travel
specialists, check 1 of 2) of the 3 above. Even if you cover these points, the
main downside to a typical travel policy is that the insurer must make
decisions about retirement plans in a remote area and must obtain your prior
approval to cover these costs.
It is
essential to understand that the responsibility for the cost of the withdrawal
and return is ultimately your responsibility and that you are responsible for
the cost of the resignation of medical treatment. You must be fully aware of
the effects of managing your travel insurance and know the limits and
exclusions of your policy.
Please note
that in some medical emergencies, we may initiate a helicopter rescue process
(or other necessary means) without first seeking approval from your insurance
company.
There are two of the best trekking seasons in Bhutan. The spring season begins in March and lasts until the end of May. The fall season begins in mid-September and lasts until the end of November. The most popular month for hiking in Bhutan is October, followed by November and April.
Punakha Winter Trek Reviews
Total Reviews: 1
2020-09-20
by Jessica Baier, Germany
Highly Recommended Trek in Bhutan
It was a great experience doing this Punakha Winter Trek in
the Punakha Valley. Incredible views, religious and historical monuments along
the route. We contacted numerous travel agents in Bhutan and Nepal but only the
Nepal Tour & Trekking Service P. Ltd was offered at the best price and
Itinerary. I recommend local and international travelers to use their service.
We are a leading local tour company in Nepal. We assure you the lowest price on Nepal Tour Packages, Kathmandu Chitwan Pokhara Tour, and Trekking in Nepal. Nepal Tour and Trekking Service specialize in Cultural tour packages, Natural Beauty Packages, Pilgrimage tour, Wildlife tour packages, Nepal Adventure tour packages, Budget Nepal Tour Packages, Trekking in Nepal, Everest Base Camp Trekking, Annapurna Circuit trek, Annapurna Base Camp trek. Explore Nepal and Himalayan people with the best services with local experts with more than 24 years of experience in the tourism sector.
