On arrival at Paro International Airport, representatives from NELJORE JOURNEYS will welcome you and escort you to the hotel

Paro is a beautiful pristine valley nestled at an altitude of 2200m above sea level. It is adorned with stretches of paddy fields, meadows, and pine forests, dotted with settlements and small municipalities. The suburbs, the sloping fringes, and the mountains are enclaves blessed by Guru Padmasambhava and many great saints. Paro also houses the renowned Tiger’s Nest/Taktshang.

After a good lunch, we will get a good soak in the traditional whetstone bath at a farmhouse and head into evening for welcome dinner of meet and greet.

Hot stone bath
After arrival, hot stone bath is a great way to unwind and soak. It is a traditional Bhutanese way of soaking in hot water, heated using medicinal stones that are toasted in the fire till it turns amber color. The amber stones are then dunked in wooden tub in a side partition. The other partition of the tub is the heated water prepared with medicinal herbs such as artemisia.

After breakfast, we will have session one with Lama till lunch break. Morning retreat will be on heart and practical advices on Analytical and Resting Meditation.
After a good lunch, we will visit Paro Kyichu, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan built by Songtsen Gampo.

Paro Kyichu and Memorial house of Dilgo Khentse RinpocheM
Paro Kyichu, the beginning of Vajrayana Buddhism taking root in the Himalayas, is one of the oldest temples in the Himalayan region, built in the 7th century by King Songtshen Gampo on the same day as 108 other temples, to pin down a sleeping demoness who was obstructing the spread of dharma in the Himalayas.

After breakfast, we will have session II with Lama till lunch break. Todays morning retreat will be on meditation on the four immeasurables.

After lunch, we will go to the sacred Dra Karpo Site of Gururinpoche for circumambulation.

Dra Karpo stands as a sacred pilgrimage site, graced by Guru Rinpoche during his second visit to Bhutan, where by rakshas have been subdued by splitting a rock in which it was hiding. Gurinpoche left many imprints and later Yeshi Tshogyal, Namkhai Nyinpo, Thangtong Gyalpo and many masters meditated here. It located on a cliffside in southern Paro, at about 2,650m and is 4 kms taking approx. 15 minutes drive from base.

Circumambulating the Drakarpo’s entire sacred hill a 108 rounds is said to purify all obscurations and obstacles to the ultimate path of buddhahood.

Today the path is paved with stone slabs and is a popular kora site. One round of kora takes approx. 20-25 minutes.

After breakfast, we will drive to Chelela Pass, which is a mountain pass located between Paro and Haa districts at an altitude of 3988m above sea level.

It is located 35kms from Paro. It is the highest motorable point in Bhutan and is a breathtakingly serene spot for prayer flag hoisting and sang offerings. We will practice mountain smoke offering. You may prepare prayer flags to hoist after the smoke offering. Prayers flags can be bought from Paro Town with the help of the guide.

Afterwards, we will enjoy lunch picnic with Lama and spend an easeful afternoon time with Lama.

After breakfast, drive towards Phobjikha Valley. On the way drop by Druk wangle Chorten, Punakha Dzong and Fertility Temple.

108 Stupas at Druk Wangyal Chorten:
On the way to Punakha, we stop at Dochula pass, perched at an elevation of 3100 meters above sea level. On this pass, on the hillock stands 108 stupas known as the Druk Wangyal Chorten, built under the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen Mother Azhi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck to honor the gallantry of His Majesty the Fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuk If the weather is clear we get a stunning panoramic view of the snow capped Himalayan peaks stretching from west to east and breathe crisp, fresh air.

Punakha Dzong
Punakha, located at an altitude of 1200m above sea level, is one of the most beautiful places with a lower elevation and warmer climate compared to most of the places in the western-central-eastern belt of Bhutan.

Built in the 17th century at the confluence of two rivers the male and female river, the Punakha Dzong is one of the most iconic cultural and spiritual sites in Bhutan, displaying the unparalleled craftsman ship of Saint Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.

Punakha was the capital of Bhutan from medieval times till 1955, following which the capital was shifted to Thimphu, the current capital of Bhutan. Overnight in Punakha

The Divine Madman’s Fertility Temple:
The Fertility Temple is a rare site of intrigue and wonder for people from within and outside Bhutan.

In the 14th century, the Tibetan saint Drukpa Kuenley, known for his maverick approach to spiritual pursuits, earned the name “Divine Madman.”

His phallus was symbolic of wisdom and liberation, and thus, with his phallus combined with skillful means, he subdued a demoness residing on Dochu La Pass, where he trapped the demoness into a rock that now stands as a stupa next to the Temple.

The temple houses a phallus brought from Tibet by Drukpa Kuenley and it is said that women seeking to conceive a child/children must get blessed by the phallus. The phallus thus became a symbolic object of worship and blessings so much so that it is widely seen as paintings and wooden carvings on walls of traditional Bhutanese houses. Souvenirs of the phallus are sold in almost every handicraft and souvenir shops across Bhutan.

After lunch, transfer to Phobjikha. Overnight in Phobjikha.

Phobjikha is an alpine valley of breathtaking view with a wide stretch of meadow, meandering stream, and surrounded by pine forests, nestled at an altitude of 3000m above sea level.

Phobjikha serves as the winter roost of magnificent Black Necked Cranes that fly all the way from the Tibetan plateaus and arrive in Phobjikha in late October to early November and fly back in March every year.

Within Phobjikha valley, 163 square kilometers of land has been declared a protected area, managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN), primarily to protect the black-necked cranes and other endangered species of plants and animals.

Also nestled on a ridge overlooking the valley is the majestic Gangteng Monastery, which is one of the most important seats of the Nyingma sect of the School of Buddhism. Every year as the cranes arrive, they circle the monastery three times before landing in the valley, and the same is done when they fly back to Tibet.

Visit Gangteng Monastery followed by a brisk hike through the valley. After lunch transfer to Paro. Overnight in Paro.

Undertake the inevitable pilgrimage to Tigers Nest. It will be all worth the wait.Taktshang is one of the most spiritual and cultural wonders and iconic landmarks of Bhutan, revered and sacred, perched on a steep rocky cliff above the valley.

Named one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in the Himalayan region, it is almost synonymous with Guru Rinpoche after he founded it in the eighth century. Positioned at 800m (2,600 feet) above the valley and 2,950m (9,678 feet) above sea level, it offers a phenomenal experience to pilgrims and hikers.

Practice Gururinpoche’s Barche Lamsel, Sampa Lhundrup and Seven Lines prayers. Make offerings of butterlamp and sit for 10 minutes. Overnight in Paro.

This is the last day of the pilgrimage, it will be easeful today. If you would like to buy souvenirs, Paro town has numerous shops selling local and Himalayan handicrafts, locally made organic food products, thangkas, etc.

In the evening, attend closing dinner with Lama to celebrate the smooth completion of the pilgrimage. If you have songs to offer, jokes to share or stories to tell, you can prepare for this eventful fun night of celebration.

After a nourishing breakfast to close our time together, you will be driven to Paro International Airport. Wish you a safe return to your homes.