nepal & bhutan · 2019-09-25 · western central part of bhutan, and the surrounding valley is...

Nepal & Bhutan13 Days / 10 Nights

October 2 - 14, 2020

5 Days / 4 Nights October 14 - 18, 2020

Extension to Tibet

D A Y 1 Leave USA for Paro, BhutanD A Y 2 In TransitD A Y 3 Arrival in Paro, Travel to ThimpuD A Y 4D A Y 5

Sightseeing in Thimpu

D A Y 6D A Y 7 Visit to Tiger's Nest visit D A Y 8 Fly to Kathmandu & Visit Patan and KathmanduD A Y 9 Temple Visits in Kathmandu

Kathmandu and PokharaD A Y 1 0D A Y 1 1

1

D A Y 1 2 Sarangkot, Travel to KathmanduD A Y 1 3

NEPAL & BHUTAN

Sightseeing in ThimpuSightseeing in Paro

Kathmandu and Pokhara

D A Y 1 4 DepartureBhagtapur and Kiritipur

13 Days / 10 NightsOctober 2 - 14, 2020

D A Y 1 4 Fly from Kathmandy to LhasaD A Y 1 5 Sightseeing in LhasaD A Y 1 6D A Y 1 7D A Y 1 8

Fly from Lhasa to Kathmandy/Kathmandu

Departure

2

Extension to Tibet

NEPAL - BHUTAN

Sightseeing in Lhasa


H I G H L I G H T S K a t h m a n d u D u r b a r S q u a r eT h e H i m a l a y a n M o u n t a i n s

P a t a n C i t y , N e p a lB o a t t r i p o n P h e w a L a k e i n P o k h a r a

B h a g t a p u r a n d K i r t i p u r , h i s t o r i c t o w n s n e a r K a t h m a n d uM e m o r i a l C h o r t e n i n T h i m p h u

B i r t h p l a c e o f " G r o s s N a t i o n a l H a p p i n e s s I n d e x "" T i g e r ' s N e s t " M o n a s t e r y i n P a r o , B h u t a n

L e c t u r e o n B u d d h i s m i n B h u t a n

3

E X T E N S I O N H I G H L I G H T SP o t a l a P l a c e

N o r b u l i n g k a , s u m m e r r e s i d e n c e o f D a l a i L a m a sL h a s a M u s e u m

B u d d h i s t m o n a s t e r i e s

NEPAL - BHUTAN13 Days / 10 Nights

October 2 - 14, 2020With extension:


I N C L U D E D

4

N O T I N C L U D E D

1 1 n i g h t s a c c o m m o d a t i o n w i t h d a i l y b r e a k f a s tL u n c h a n d d i n n e r s a s i n d i c a t e d i n t h e i t i n e r a r y , w i t h t w o s p e c i a l m e a l s

E n g l i s h s p e a k i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l t o u r g u i d e s i n e a c h c o u n t r yT r a n s p o r t a t i o n w i t h p r i v a t e v e h i c l e s a n d h i g h l y - r a t e d d r i v e r s

A r r i v a l a n d d e p a r t u r e t r a n s f e r s f o r s u g g e s t e d f l i g h t a r r i v a l a n d d e p a r t u r e s T w o d o m e s t i c f l i g h t s i n N e p a l ( K a t h m a n d u - P k h a r a - K a t h m a n d u )

T w o s m a l l b o t t l e s o f w a t e r p e r p e r s o n p e r d a y o n t h e b u s e v e r y d a yA l l e n t r y f e e s t o p l a c e s m e n t i o n e d i n t h e i t i n e r a r y

C u l t u r a l p r o g r a m w i t h f a r e w e l l d i n n e r i n B h u t a nP o r t e r a g e a t h o t e l s

T i p s f o r m e a l s a n d a c c o m m o d a t i o n s

I n t e r n a t i o n a l a i r f a r e sV i s a f e e s f o r N e p a l a n d B h u t a n

D r i n k s w i t h i n c l u d e d m e a l s , e x c e p t t e a o r c o f f e e f o r b r e a k f a s tG r a t u i t i e s f o r g u i d e s a n d d r i v e r s

P e r s o n a l e x p e n d i t u r e s l i k e p h o n e c a l l s , l a u n d r y a n d m e d i c a l e x p e n s e s

NEPAL & BHUTAN13 Days / 10 Nights

October 2 - 14, 2020 With extension:17 Days / 14 Nights

October 2 - 18, 2020

S U G G E S T E D F L I G H T S

6

Oct. 2 Houston to Doha

QR 714 DEP: 6:10 pm / ARR: 4:50pm on Oct . 3Oct. 3 Doha to Delhi

QR 578 DEP: 7 :45 pm / ARR: 1 :55 am on Oct 4

Oct. 4 Delhi to ParoKB 241 DEP: 11 :50 am / ARR: 3:45 pm

Oct. 14 Kathmandu to Doha

QR 645 DEP: 9:25 am / ARR: 12:10 pm

OVERNIGHT IN DOHA

Oct. 15 Doha to HoustonQR 713 DEP: 7 :50 am / ARR: 4:10 pm

Flights for Tibet extension at the bottom of this itinerary

NEPAL - BHUTAN13 Days / 10 Nights

October 2 - 14, 2020With extension:


7

A C C O M M O D A T I O N S

NEPAL - BHUTAN

Druk Hotel in Thimpu

Khangkhu Resort in Paro Yak and Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu

Fish Tail Lodge in Pokhara

13 Days / 10 NightsOctober 2 - 14, 2020 With extension:


ITINERARYD A Y 1 Friday, October 2, 2020

We will leave Houston for Paro, Bhutan.

D A Y 2In transit.

8

D A Y 3 Sunday, October 4, 2020

Upon arrival at the Paro International Airport in Bhutan, our guide will meet us and transferus to our hotel in Thimphu, the capital city. We will spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Thimphu is the capital and largest city of the Kingdom of Bhutan. It is situated in the

western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags(districts). The ancient capital city of Punakha was replaced as capital by Thimphu in 1955,and in 1961 Thimphu was declared as the capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan by His Majesty

the 3rd Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. Overnight in Thimphu Meals: D

NEPAL & BHUTAN

Saturday, October 3, 2020

With extension:17 Days / 14 Nights

October 2 - 18, 2020

9

D A Y 4 Monday, October 5, 2020There are many things to see in Thimphu, which has a population of approximately 100,00

people.

After breakfast, we will visit Kuensel Phodrang where we will feel the grandeur of theworld's largest sitting Buddha and enjoy a great bird's eye view of the Thimphu Valley. Wewill continue on to the Takin Preserve to learn about takins, the national animal of Bhutan.

The takin, also called cattle chamois or gnu goat, is a large species of ungulate found inthe eastern Himalayas. The four subspecies are the Mishmi takin, the golden takin, the

Tibetan takin and the Bhutan takin.

Whilst the takin has in the past been placed together with the muskox, the latest researchshows a closer relationship to sheep.

After lunch, we will visit the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, the school of 13 forms oftraditional arts and crafts, commonly referred as the “painting school”, to see how the new

generation of the Bhutanese artists are learning and creating.

In the late afternon or early evening, we will visit the Memorial Chorten built in 1974 tocommemorate the third King, Jigme DorjiWangchuck, popularly known as 'the father of themodern Bhutan.' The chorten or stupa is where the pious, young and old alike gather every

morning and evening to circumambulate, making it a local favorite spot. Overnight in Thimphu Meals: B-L-D

NEPAL & BHUTANWith extension:


D A Y 5 Tuesday, October 6, 2020We wi l l take a morn ing tour to the Changangkha Lhakhang , cons idered to be the

o ldest tantr ic temple of Bhutan . Changangkha Lhakhang was bu i l t in the 12thcentury by Lama Phajo who came to Bhutan f rom Ralung , T ibet .

Then , we wi l l v i s i t Z i lukha Nunnery in Drubthob , the b iggest nunnery estab l i shed

by the mult i - ta lented Lama Thenthog Gya lpo in the 15th century .

Af ter lunch , we wi l l have a lecture on Buddhism in Bhutan . We wi l l then dr ive toTash ichho Dzong or for t ress , the admin ist rat ive headquarters o f the government ,to be there at 5 p .m. Whi le the northern ha l f o f the for t ress i s set as ide for the

monks , the southern ha l f houses the of f ice o f the K ing , the Pr ime Min is ter ' so f f ice and the Of f ice o f the Gross Happiness Commiss ion .

Overnight in Thimphu Meals: B-L-D

10

Gross National Happiness (also known by the acronym: GNH) is a philosophy that guides thegovernment of Bhutan. It includes an index which is used to measure the collective

happiness and well-being of a population. Gross National Happiness is instituted as the goalof the government of Bhutan in the Constitution of Bhutan, enacted on 18 July 2008.

The term "Gross National Happiness" was coined in 1972 during an interview by a Britishjournalist for the Financial Times at Bombay airport when the then king of Bhutan, JigmeSingye Wangchuck, said "Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National

Product."



D A Y 6

Tuesday, August 11 - Khustai National Park / Ulaanbaatar

B e f o r e h e a d i n g t o P a r o , w e w i l l e n j o y t h e l o c a l f a r m e r s m a r k e t i n T h i m p h u , t h ec o u n t r y , w h e r e f a r m e r s f r o m n e a r b y v i l l a g e s s e l l t h e i r p r o d u c e .

T h e n w e w i l l v i s i t R i n p u n g D z o n g , “ f o r t r e s s o n a h e a p o f j e w e l s , ” t h e r e l i g i o u sa n d s e c u l a r c e n t e r o f P a r o . T h e d z o n g w a s f i r s t c o n c e i v e d i n t h e 1 5 t h c e n t u r y

a n d f i n a l l y c o n s e c r a t e d i n 1 6 4 6 . Overn ight in Paro Mea ls : B-L-D

11

Wednesday, October 7, 2020



PROGRAM DETAILS

Today we will go on a strenuous but rewarding hike to visit Taktsang Monastery (Tiger's Nest).

Important note: Hike to “Tiger’s Nest” Monastery is an arduous one – 2.5 hrs uphill, 1 hr at thelocation, 1.5 hrs downhill, taking practically the whole day. Travelers who do not want to do

the full hike have an option to go up half way, see the scenery and come down or visit KyichuLakhang Temple and farmhouse and return back to Paro for a leisure time.

The trail to the monastery climbs through a beautiful pine forest. We will continue at a

leisurely pace and have a picnic lunch on the way. Built in 1600s, the imposing monasteryclings to the edge of a sheer rock that plunges 2953 ft in the valley below. It is believed that

in the 8th century, Guru Rimpoche, the tantric mystic who brought Buddhism to Bhutan,landed here on the back of a flying tigress to subdue a demon. He is believed to have

meditated here and was followed by numerous Buddhist masters over the centuries. It isconsidered one of the most sacred places for Buddhists.

Time permitting, we can also visit the 7th century sacred Kyichu Lakhang Temple and a typical

farmhouse on our way.

Overnight in Paro Meals: B-L-D

12

D A Y 7 Thursday, October 8, 2020

NEPAL & BHUTAN With extension:17 Days / 14 Nights

October 2 - 18, 2020

PROGRAM DETAILSIn the morning we will be transferred to the airport to fly to Kathmandu. Upon arrival, we

will visit Patan.

The ancient name of Patan is Lalitpur, meaning “the city of beauty.” Its most photogeniccenter of attraction is its Durbar Square complex. The city is full of Buddhist monumentsand Hindu temples, with fine bronze gateways, guardian deities and wonderful carvings.

Overnight in Kathmandu Meals: B-L-D

D A Y 8 Friday, October 9, 2020

13

PROGRAM DETAILSD A Y 9 Saturday, October 10, 2020*Due to the earthquake, many buildings in Kathmandu City (old Kantipur) have eithercollapsed totally or been damaged and now are under renovation. If the renovationsare not finished until the group arrives, we will instead visit other towns around the

city.

Optional 6:30AM Mountain Flight to see the Himalayas: Tour members who want to jointhis flight will be transferred to take the one-hour flight. After the flight, return to

the hotel to have breakfast.

Kathmandu is the capital and largest city of Nepal, with a population of around 3 million. Kathmandu isalso the largest metropolis in the Himalayan Mountain region. Nepali and Newari are the most spoken

languages in the city.

Kathmandu, also known as City of Temples, stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 metres(4,600 feet) above sea level in the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley in central Nepal. The valley is

historically termed as "Nepal Mandala" and has been the home of Newar culture, a cosmopolitan urbancivilization in the Himalayas foothills. The city was the royal capital of the Kingdom of Nepal and hosts

palaces, mansions and gardens of the Nepalese aristocracy.


October 2 - 18, 2020

PROGRAM DETAILS

14

D A Y 1 0 Sunday, October 11, 2020In the morning we will have a sightseeing tour of Kathmandu, originally known asKantipur. We will visit the Durbar (Palace) Square, starting with the inner palace

complex of Hanuman Dhoka and Gorkha Durbars, the traditional seat of the Nepaleseroyalty, which were converted to museums and the Kumari Ghar (house), the

residence of the Kumari, the Living Goddess of Kathmandu.

We will also see the Kasthamandap, an unusual temple built from a single tree andalso the city's namesake. After lunch, we will visit the Boudhanath Stupa. This stupais one of the largest of its kind in the world. It stands with four pairs of eyes in thefour cardinal direction keeping watch for righteous behavior and human prosperity.Then we will visit the Pashupatinath Temple, Nepal’s most important Hindu Temple

dedicated to Shiva.

Situated amidst a lush green natural setting on the bank of the sacred BagmatiRiver, the temple was built in pagoda style and has gilded roof and richly carved

silver doors. Visitors will be permitted to view the temple from the east bank of theBagmati River. Entry to the temple is strictly forbidden to all non-Hindus.

We will have our welcome dinner at a special restaurant with Nepalese delicacies

and cultural show. Overnight in Kathmandu Meals: B-L-D



PROGRAM DETAILSTransfer to the airport to fly to Pokhara, a remarkable place of natural beauty with

several lakes and stunning panoramic views of the Annapurna Mountain Range. We willvisit International Mountain Museum, and then enjoy a boat trip on the Phewa Lake and

see the Barahi Temple, which is right on a small island on the lake. Overnight in Pokhara Meals: B-L-D

D A Y 1 1 Monday, October 12, 2020

15

D A Y 1 2 Tuesday, October 13, 2020We will have a short hike to Sarangkot to view the amazing sunrise before breakfast.

After breakfast, we will enjoy the Gurkha Memorial Museum and the Gupteswar Cave. Thenwe will go to the Tibetan Refugee Camp to visit the SOS Children's Village. In the

afternoon, we will fly back to Kathmandu.

Depending on actual flight arrival time, we may have time to drive to Bungamati, apleasant traditional Newari village dating back to the 16th century.

Overnight in Kathmandu Meals: B-L-D


October 2 - 18, 2020

D A Y 1 3 Wednesday, October 14, 2020Today we will have an excursion to the towns of Bhagtapur and Kirtipur located near

Kathmandu.

Kirtipur, a traditional Newari town, has a wonderful sense of faded grandeur thanks tothe impressive medieval temples dotted around its backstreets. When Prithvi Narayan

Shah stormed into the valley in 1768, he made a priority capturing Kirtipur to provide abase for his crushing attacks on the Malla kingdoms. Kirtipur's resistance was strong,but eventually, after a bitter siege, the town was taken. The inhabitants paid a terribleprice for their brave resistance-the king ordered that the nose and the lips be cut offevery male inhabitant in the town, sparing only those who could play wind instruments

for his entertainment. Overnight in Kathmandu Meals: B

16

D A Y 1 4 Thursday, October 15, 2020In the morning we will be transferred to the airport for our return flight to USA.



Extension to Tibet - downloadt he file

nepal & bhutan · 2019-09-25 · western central part of bhutan, and the surrounding valley is...

Documents