Bhutan - The Last Shangri La
So here I am, with another
travel tale, taking you all to Bhutan, the Land of Thunder Dragon.
By the way, does anyone know
the reason why it is called “The Last Shangri-La”?
Shangri la is a place where
everything is perfect and exactly how a heaven is supposed to be. Amazingly
Bhutan has conserved its resources so well and used its resources so wisely
that it has been called the last Shangri La due to its richness and a sense of
attachment the country has for its nature and environment.
I chose to visit Bhutan during
March since the weather is pleasant during this time of the year. Few of my
friends had already shortlisted what places needs to be covered and when we sat
down to check with whom this can be done. First name that came to mind -
WonderfulWorld. Yes, this is the same travel group with whom I did Spiti last
year. So, without any second thought, me and 3 of my crazy friends made our
bookings and set off on a memorable journey of a lifetime.
Day 0 – Sunday 2nd
March – Kolkata
We had our flights to Bhutan on
Sunday early morning at 8 am. So, we planned to reach the day before, roam
around Kolkata and then hit the bed soon for the early morning flight.
We were 4 of us who reached
from different parts of India to Kolkata. My flight reached around 10:30 am in
the morning from Bangalore. We checked into a hotel and then post lunch set out
for Kolkata Sight-seeing.
We first asked the driver to
take us to the famous Howrah Bridge and then Kali temple. We got to taste some
Kolkata delicacies like Phuchka, Jhaal Muri, Mishti Doi which tasted Yumm. It
was already late by this time, so we got back to hotel, had early dinner and
slept.
Day 1 – Sunday, 3rd March –Get
Set Go Bhutan
Woke up early in the morning to
take a flight to Paro. I was amazed by seeing the colorful boarding pass which
really built up the spirit of my trip.
One peculiar feature about this
journey to Paro is, the flight provides opportunities to see spectacular views
of the great Himalayan peaks, the highest being Mount Everest. And we were told that for an unobstructed
view, grab a seat on the left side of the aircraft. Needless to say, we did the
same J. And it was worth it. We had no words to explain what
we saw.
We reached Thimphu at 11:00 Am
and we were welcomed by our host, local guide and driver.
The plan on our arrival day was
to visit a bridge en-route Thimphu, check out into Pedling hotel and look out
for some nice places to have lunch.
Our first stop on the drive
from airport in Paro to Thimphu was Tachogang
Lhakhang Bridge. You can consider this stop as a warm up exercise for legs
since you need to hike down a bit and take a walk over the suspension bridge. Across
the bridge you will get to see a prayer bell and a small monastery. This is a
handmade chain bridge and when you enter the monastery you can see the chains
hooked. Once you are inside the monastery, you can see the view of the valleys
surrounding the place and the colorful prayer flags on the bridge which you
will feel that this place is worth a stop.
We spent some time here and
then started off to Thimphu. Travel time from Paro to Thimphu is an hour or so.
Second Stop - We were put up in
Pedling hotel in Thimphu. And post freshening up a bit, we set out to take a
stroll around Thimphu downtown so that we can look out for good place to eat. Finally,
we found one place where we could have good Bhutanese Food (My bad I don’t
recollect the name. Next time will make sure to note down the name of the
eateries as well). One important tip for everyone. In Bhutan by default they put Ema(Chilli) in every dish. So ensure you tell them to prepare all food items without Ema if you dont eat spicy food.
Third Stop – We had one place
to cover today as part of our package which is Thimphu Dzong. You guys must be wondering what is the difference
between Dzong and Monastery. I too had the same question and I asked this to
our guide out of curiosity. Dzong is a fortress which is mainly for official
purpose and a court of justice along with temple. Monastery is built for prayer
and meditation only. Please keep this mind since I am going to take you all on
a journey with lot of Dzongs and Monasteries.
Thimphu Dzong is a place where
the current king was crowned. First look of this Dzong with Bhutan Flag
fluttering was really a perfect picture moment. Guide told us that this is the
place where monarch works and center of Buddhism for religious scholars. We
were amazed by the picturesque surroundings. The temple architecture is very
impressive and while we were watching we could suddenly see a group of security
personnel marching inside the Dzong and getting some people out marching the
same way. Guide told us that this is the traditional flag ceremony which
happens daily. The flag is hoisted at 9 in the morning and brought down at 5 in
the evening. Since it was the Dzong closing time, we were lucky enough to see
this ceremony.
Evenings are cooler in Bhutan
during this time of the year. So, we headed back to our Hotel Pedling, had
dinner there and got a good sleep in the chilly weather.
Day 2 – Monday, 4th March - Thimphu Sight Seeing
We had a packed day today with
lot of places to visit and we were told to be ready by 9 am post breakfast. And
yes, we were all ready before time.
First stop was the Cheri Monastery,
and this was a hike. So basically, Tiger’s nest was kept on the last day so
that we could prepare our body by doing such small treks all week along. But
trust me it really helped.
Drive from hotel to the base camp
of Cheri Monastery was about 30 minutes.
Upon reaching the base camp, we
packed our backpacks with water bottles, gloves, cap and some light snacks also
ensuring to keep them light. Then started our hike to the monastery which the
guide said usually take 50 to 90 minutes, depending on your speed. The hike is good
walk through the woodlands there is no trail as such but it’s a moderate trek
for first timers. After approximately an hour and half, we made it to the
monastery. This monastery overlooks the picturesque Thimphu Valley and hence
the view is breathtaking. Monastery is small and we quickly paid a visit to
this and took a parikarma(round) of the temple. This place is not flocked by
tourists unlike other places and hence it was very peaceful. Hence, we could
take our time to walk around the monastery, click pictures and start our trek
back to base camp.
We were back to the base camp
by 2 PM where in a delicious lunch was served to us along the riverside which
was overwhelming. But there were lot of dogs there as our lunch buddies waiting
to have food with us. This was indeed very memorable for me which I had not experienced
in any of my trips before. So, thanks to Wonderful World for that J.
Second Stop – Post lunch, we
set out to visit Buddha Dordenma Statue. Since it is on the hilltop, you will
be able to see this statue from anywhere in Thimphu. And we were curious to
know about the place from the day is we arrived in Thimphu. This place is
awesome since you get a panoramic view of Thimphu city. It was very chill, so
we had to put on our woolen jackets and go inside the monastery.
So here was the time to visit
this place closely. Once you go inside, you will find lot of small buddhas kept
on the shelves. The artwork on the walls are stunning. One of the best I have
seen so far.
Third Stop – We next stopped at
Thimphu Post office where in we can get a personalized stamp done and send
postcards home. The post cards collections weren’t that great. So, without
wasting much time, we then headed to our hotel.
It was dinner time and we were
looking for good dine-outs. Our trip lead had made good research around the
Thimphu streets the day before and had told us that Zombala is a must visit
place to taste momos. So, we next headed there and relished some yummy momos.
We were told by our tour lead
that next day is a long day and we will be driving throughout. Hence, we need
to start early, so that we can take breaks in between and stretch our legs. So,
post a delicious dinner, we just hit the bed so that we could wake up early
next day.
Day 3 – Tuesday, 5th March –
Gangtey and Phobjikha Valley
We
checked out from Pedling Hotel Thimphu and started our journey to Gangtey which
would be roughly 7–8 hours.
En-route
we saw wide varieties of flora like Japanese Cherry blossom, peach blossom,
rhododendrons. And we were really thrilled clicking their pictures.
Half
way in our journey, we drove past Dochula Pass and stopped here to get a
magnificent view of the Himalayan range. Unfortunately, it was very cloudy and
we couldn’t get to see them. So, we thought of trying our luck during our way
back. We then walked across to see 108 stupas. Everybody was thrilled to see
snow and before we could even think I could feel one big snow ball hit me by my
beloved buddies. We really had fun playing in snow like kids. Some were busy
making snow man. So, for people who had seen snow for the first time, this
place totally justified it. Our trip
lead had a hard time, getting back all of us in our vehicle.
We
had lunch on the way and reached Gangtey at around 5 pm in the evening. We
checked into Hotel Dewachen which is a total luxury in that valley none of us
expected. View of the valley from the hotel is truly amazing.
We quickly
freshened up and took a stroll across the hotel. But it started getting more
and chiller during late evenings. So, we rushed back to hotel. Heaters are
provided in the rooms which are very much required since nights are going to get
more and more cold. Bukhari (local heater) is also kept in the room where in
the housekeeping staff will light the logs before sleeping so that there is
warmth in the rooms. We had dinner at the hotel only. There was WiFi here which
was not at all expected. So, we all informed our families of our well-being and
hit the bed with double blankets for a comfy sleep.
Day 4 – Wednesday, 6th March –
Getting Mesmerized in Gangtey
Today was the hike day along
the pine forest. Post breakfast, we all set off on our vehicle to Gangtey
Monastery. The plan was to hike down post monastery visit so that we could get
to experience the view of the serene valley.
Drive to Gangtey Monastery from
our hotel was around half an hour. While driving, we were lucky enough to spot
black necked cranes which our guide told us that they are the winter visitors
to Phobjikha Valley. Gangtey Monastery is on hill top of the valley and ardent
trekkers usually trek up and down.
We decided only to trek down the valley. It
was very chill at the Monastery and we could feel some snow spells there. Since
Gangtey is usually not planned by many people, you will find very less or no tourists
in this place. So, it was easy for us to take a quick tour of this monastery
and get back to our vehicle.
We quickly picked our backpack
with some essentials and then set off on a leisure trek down through the pine
forest to our hotel. This pleasurable walk provides opportunity to get nice
feel of Phobjikha valley. My travel buddies had a good time collecting pine
cones en-route.
At the other side of the valley, our vehicle was waiting for
us. So, we quickly got into the vehicle since we were hungry and were craving
for lunch. Post lunch we relaxed a bit and took a stroll down the hotel. We
were lucky enough to see some snow showers along the walk which made up for it.
Day 5 – Thursday, 7th March – Punakha(Warm Zone of Bhutan)
We checked out from Dewachen
hotel and set off to Punakha which is roughly 3 hours’ drive from Gangtey. On
the way we again got lucky to view some more cherry blossoms and Rhododendron.
Upon reaching Punakha town, it
was time to pull off our woolens since the weather was very warm here. After
two days of chill weather, this was a breather for us. Really loved the
weather.
Our first stop in Punakha was
Chimi Lakhang temple which is called the temple of fertility. As the name
explains, it is believed that any childless couple who visits here is blessed
with a baby. The priest inside the temple showed us an album containing
photographs of couples who were blessed with baby post visiting this temple. Our vehicle stopped us at the parking point, and
we had to climb few steps up to the Temple. The first thing that we encountered
as we walked up the little incline is a huge prayer wheel and few more steps up
you will see a big tree.
While descending back, we
walked back through the paddy fields to the Pan Village for some quick lunch.
Post lunch, we got into our
vehicle for our second stop - Punakha Dzong. This is a temple which is built at
the confluence of two rivers – Mochu (Female river) and PhoChu (Male River).
The wooden bridge, the lake, the tall steps at the entrance it’s a magnificent
sight. The Dzong itself has three large courtyards. So, you will need at least
an hour to see everything. We were pretty late during the closing time so the
security guard literally chased us outside the Dzong so that they could close
it. So indeed, it was a memorable experience for us.
Tourists usually stop here for
River Rafting. But we chose not to do it since there were hardly any currents
in water. Probably rainy season will be the best time to enjoy this activity
here.
We set off to our final stop of
the day which was Zhingkham Resort. This resort is on the hilltop of Punakha. So,
you will get a view of Punakha town and the lit up Punakaha Dzong from here. It
is breathtaking to watch this from your rooms both day and night view.
Day 6 – Friday, 8th March –
Way to go Paro
Post breakfast, we set off to
Paro which is roughly 4.5 hours by drive.
Our first stop was the oldest
Dzong of Bhutan – Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. I know very difficult to spell that is the reason I took a pic so that it will help me while writing :-). We reached around 12 PM and all
the monks were praying. So, without disturbing their prayers we quickly took a
look of the Dzong and started on our journey to Paro.
We reached Paro town by lunch
time. After a good lunch, we went to a nearby souvenir shop who apparently also
gives us Bhutanese dresses to wear on rental basis. We had already conveyed
this wish to our guide on our arrival day only. So it was time now to drape
ourselves in Bhutanese attire. Ok let me explain you a bit on the dresses they
wear here. Men wear Gho and Women wear Kira. We all got dressed ourselves in
Kira’s and clicked more pictures for remembrance. We then picked up some souvenirs in this shop
and took a stroll down Paro town.
Finally reached our last hotel
of trip – Tashi Namgay Resort in Paro. Location of this hotel is spectacular
with a river flowing in the front and airport on the other side.
But since
there are very less flights flying, you will not hear any sound of the same. We
were given a surprise at the hotel. There was a dance performance specially for
us by some of the Bhutanese folk artists. We were given the list of dance
performances with an explanation of what they mean. They started performing in
the same sequence. Finally, in the last dance, we all were invited to join
them. And we really had fun dancing along.
Post dinner we had to sleep
early since we had to wake up early next day for the most awaited Tiger’s next Trek.
Day 7 – Saturday, 9th March –
Most awaited day – Hike to Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest)
Tiger’s Nest is Bhutan’s most
iconic landmark and religious site.
We had to start our day early
so our guide had informed us to be ready by 8 am. We set off on our vehicle to
reach our base camp by 8:30 am. The hike starts at the
bottom of the mountain, right at the car park. There will be people selling
souvenirs and hiking poles and you can hire a horse here if necessary. For
people who cannot hike up the top, there are horses, but they will only take
you till the cafeteria. Post this point till the monastery, you will have to
hike on your own.
At a moderate pace you can be
up there within 2 hours and back within three hours.
During trek we asked our guide the
reason behind this place being named Tigers Nest. It is believed that a former
wife of an emperor in Tibet became a great disciple of Guru Rinpoche
(Padmasambhava). She transformed herself into a tigress and carried Guru on her
back from Tibet to the present location of Taktsang in Bhutan. In one of the
caves here, Guru then performed meditation subsequently, the place came to be
known as the “Tiger's Nest”.
Once you clear the trees that
surround the parking lot, you get your first glimpse of the Tiger’s Nest. There
it is, perched on the cliff, high off the valley floor. This first look will
just boost up the excitement in you and legs will start moving at a faster
pace.
Don’t miss to look around the valley while trekking since every stop you take for break the view is just breathtaking. The trek offers great views of this sacred monastery perched precariously on a sheer rock face 3,000 feet above the valley floor.
Don’t miss to look around the valley while trekking since every stop you take for break the view is just breathtaking. The trek offers great views of this sacred monastery perched precariously on a sheer rock face 3,000 feet above the valley floor.
The hike up to the cafeteria,
which is at about the halfway point, takes most people between one and two
hours. We reached cafeteria and took a short commercial break there. Post this
upto the first view point, the hike is moderate. But after this point, the hike
becomes very steep with the trek path only having steps to climb up and down
till the monastery. This was the toughest part for me.
Finally by taking multiple
short stops, we reached Monastery around 11:30 AM. Our guide asked us to leave
our phones, camera and bag at the Security and we set off on temple tour. There
are 4 temples on top which is also a meditation center. Also, there is an interesting
cave where tigress meditated. You can trek down the cave and see the
place. This was another thrilling
experience for us.
We started our hike back by 1
and reached base camp by 3:30.
There weren’t much food options
in the base camp, so we went back to the same place we had lunch previous day
in Paro. Our guide had already pre-ordered momos for us. So, we hogged our
lunch since there was still climax left for this trip – Hot Stone Bath. This
was very much required for us after a day long trek. Appointments were already
booked for us, so we had to hurry after lunch.
Arrangement of hot stone bath
was made in a homestay along the country side. We were given our allotted rooms
and we saw that there were two bath tubs kept in each room. We can lay down on
one side of the bath tub. There is wall and there are people who will put hot
stones/water based on our instructions on the other side of the tub. We could
see hot water in the bath and some stones on the other side of bath tub already
kept. The heat of the water, medicinal herbs and the minerals released from
stones all combined are believed to have many health benefits. One can soak in
the water for about an hour or two after a tiring day. We also were there for an
hour and after that body gave up. But trust me it is very refreshing. I
recommend everyone to do this after tiger’s nest hike.
We reached our hotel Tashi
Namgay Resort, had dinner and good sleep.
Day 8 – Sunday, 10th March –
Departure Day – Kar Din Che La Bhutan(Kar Din Che La=Thankyou in Bhutanese)
Post breakfast we started back
to Paro Airport to take our flight to Kolkatta bidding good bye to our guide
Dorgy, Driver Namgey, Lovely Bhutanese people and the place which is really
Shangri La (Heaven on Earth).
I am so happy that one more
place from bucket list is ticked off now. In recent years, Bhutan has
gained the title to be the “Happiest Country”. And you shall feel the vibes of
happiness all around you – as soon as you’ll entire Bhutan. With lofty
Himalayan mountains, vibrant varieties of flora, the aroma of Momos, hike upto
the monasteries amidst great woodlands, Ema Datshi (Chill Cheese), colorful
prayer flags and huge Dzongs -Bhutan can never fail to mesmerize the
visitors. Trust me, you shall return back much more happier 😊
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