The Black Necked Crane Trail

Your guide will meet you at Paro airport once you have cleared customs and collected your luggage. As you are driving towards the main downtown area of Paro you will notice the magnificent white dzong, or fort, dominating the valley. Our trip takes in many of these stunning dzongs. In ancient times they served as fortresses against invading armies, most often arriving from Tibet, and are usually sited in prime strategic locations, so as to see the enemy's approach.

Before dinner we will take a stroll around the main shopping precinct of Paro. Speak to your guide if you would like to use the ATM or exchange money into the local currency.

Overnight in Paro. Altitude: 2,280 metres

This morning we will drive to Thimphu, one of the world's smallest capital cities and the only one without traffic lights. The National Memorial Chorten is a good place to start our exploration of the city as it is usually busy with locals circumambulating the main buliding. Built in 1974, this Tibetan style chorten is a memorial to the 3rd King, who died in 1972. Jigme Dorji Wangchuk is known as the king who began the modernisation of Bhutan.

From here we'll drive a short distance to the Motithang Takin Preserve, where Bhutan's odd looking but endearing national animal can be seen. They are best described as having the head of a goat and the body of a cow. These shy and gentle animals are notoriously hard to spot in the wild so this enclosure in Thimphu is often the closest even the Bhutanese can get.

We will also visit Tashichho Dzong, where Bhutan's biggest festival, the Thimphu Tshechu takes place. It is the summer residence of the main monk body - in winter they relocate to warmer temperatures and lower altitude in Punakha. Tashichho dzong houses the throne room and offices of the king. The king's extremely modest palace can be seen from Tashchho dzong.

We will also visit Buddha Dordenma, the 51-metre high seated statue of the Buddha that overlooks the Thimphu Valley. A relatively new structure in Thimphu, it was completed in 2015 although work around the site is continuing. The statue holds over 125,000 smaller statues of the Buddha inside.

Overnight in Thimphu. Altitude: 2,320 metres.

Driving time: 1½ hours.

Today we drive to punakha, via the gorgeous Dochu La, one of Bhutan's most scenic high passes. If the weather is clear we may get to see the incredible mountain views from this 3,140 metre pass. Some 108 chortens have been built at Dochu La by the queen mother in 2005 and make an impressive sight. Wandering among them is a complete pleasure - serene, beautiful and with brilliant views.

After this we travel down to sub-tropical Punakha, at the relatively balmy altitude of 1,300 metres. After lunch we will visit Chimi Lhakhang, known as the temple of the divine madman. Drukpa Kunley is a revered figure for his unorthodox methods of teaching Buddhism, using songs, humour and profanity to challenge the well established preconceptions of 15th century Bhutan. Childless couples come here to be blessed and the temple contains a lovely photo album of the babies that were born as a result of those blessings. The walk to Chimi Lhakhang is a gentle one that takes us through the rice paddies past many houses painted with phalluses in honour of the divine madman.

After this we plan a visit to Punakha dzong, built in 1637 at the confluence of two rivers. It is accessed by a wooden bridge over the Mo Chu, or Mother River, which is usually teeming with trout. The dzong has several lovely courtyards connected by narrow passages. The intricate painted woodwork, gilded doorways and fine Buddhist artwork suggest the dzong deserves its reputation as the most beautiful in Bhutan. It served as the seat of government until the 1950s before Thimphu was established as the capital.

If time permits we will also visit the Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten. The walk itself is an uphill climb through the paddies with increasingly stunning views as you ascend. The chorten itself is in a picturesque location atop a hill. It gets even better when you climb to the rooftop of the chorten and take in views of the entire valley.

Overnight in Wangdue Phodrang. Altitude: 1,240 metres.

Driving time: 3 hours.

Today we travel to the Phobjikha Valley, home to the rare and endangered black necked cranes. These large birds, whose wingspan can exceed two metres, fly to this valley every November to escape the harsh winters of Tibet. Lots of work has been done to educate locals as to how to best ensure their survival. The Black Necked Crane Information Centre is the hub for all activity related to the cranes. We will visit the centre during the afternoon.

Late afternoon is a good time to walk the short easy grade Gangtey Nature Trail. Black necked cranes can often be sighted in farmers' fields along the route. The trail takes us into beautiful pine forest with fine views of the valley and hopefully more cranes. It is enchanting to hear the call of the birds as they fly down to gather on the valley floor.

Overnight in Phobjikha Valley. Altitude: 2,900 metres.

Driving time: 2½ hours.

The Black Necked Crane Festival takes place at Gangtey Goemba today so that's where we will go. The festival started in 1998 giving locals and visitors a chance to celebrate the arrival of these wonderful birds to this remote valley in Bhutan.

In summer the cranes breed on the Tibetan Plateau but they travel to Bhutan during winter to escape the very cold temperatures and higher altitude of Tibet. Much has been done to preserve their habitat, thanks in part to the Royal Society For Protection Of Nature (RSPN), who successfully lobbied to have the electricity grid put underground, so as to protect the sensitive environment where the cranes roost.

The festival will feature masked dances, folk songs and dramas, usually with a black necked crane theme. Many of the local school children perform, as will the monks from the goemba. It is believed that the cranes bring prosperity so prayers will be offered to give thanks for their continual migration to the Phobjikha Valley.

There will be time to wander around the small village that surrounds Gangtey Goemba.

Overnight in Phobjikha Valley. Altitude: 2,900 metres.

Today we will be travelling to Trongsa, a remarkably steep village built on the side of a gorge. The dzong here is one of the most interesting in Bhutan and the views over the gorge from the end are simply wonderful. Trongsa dzong has been gradually added on to since construction began in 1543 and it now has a number of layered courtyards connected by stone staircases. There are many nooks and crannies to explore. Watch out for the resident monkeys.

If time permits we can visit the small but interesting Royal Heritage Museum, built in a tower above the dzong, housing a number of interesting artifacts, including a replica of the raven crown worn by all of the kings of Bhutan at their coronation. It also has a cafe and a small shop.

Driving time: 4½ hours.

Overnight in Trongsa. Altitude: 2,180 metres.

Today we will drive further east into the traditional heartland of Bumthang, made up of four valleys. We plan to stop at the weaving centre at Zungney village, where traditional yathra is woven. Yathra are hand spun, hand woven woollen texrtiles, usually featuring motifs typical of the Bumthang region.

Our destination is the town of Jakar, in the Chokhor valley. Jakar translates as 'white bird'. The site of the dzong here is said to have been chosen after an auspicious white bird landed in this spot in the 16th century. We can expect some excellent views of the valley when we visit the dzong this afternoon.

After this we will drive to Kurjey Lhakhang, a culturally significant complex comprising of three temples. Its location is quite striking, with its backdrop of pine trees on the hill behind and its large forecourt where the annual tshechu, or festival, is held. The first temple, the Guru Lhakhang is the oldest, built in 1652. It is the holiest of the three as it contains the meditation cave where Guru Rinpoche left a body imprint in the rock. The second temple was built in 1900 by Ugen Wangchuk, who became the first king of Bhutan. The third temple was constructed in 1984 by Ashi Kesang Wangchuk, wife of the third king.

Overnight in Jakar. Altitude: 2,580 metres.

Driving time: 3 hours.

There will be dramatic mountain views as we drive towards Mongar. We can also expect to see roadside waterfalls and beautiful forest along the way. The road crosses two high passes, the highest of which is the Thrumshing La, 3,750 metres above sea level. If the weather is clear we can expect to see brilliant vistas of the Eastern Himalayas but even in cloudy weather the views of the gorgeous valleys and the cypress and pine forests are pretty photogenic. There are also a couple of great stopping off points from where Gangkhar Puensum, Bhutan's highest mountain at 7,541 metres, can be seen.

After the Thrumshing La the altitude lessens and we drive through picturesque farmland before climbing once more to the small town of Mongar.

Overnight in Mongar. Altitude: 1,600 metres.

Driving time: approximately 8 hours.

Our destination today is the small, busy town of Trashigang, the main commercial hub in Eastern Bhutan. It is a market town and the Brokpa people, from the villages of Merak and Sakteng, located further east to Bhutan's border with India, come here to trade. Brokpas have a distinct style of dress, unlike the usual kira or gho that most Bhutanese wear. They can be recognised by their red tunics and black felt hats with long tufts. They are semi-nomadic yak herders and come to towns like Trashigang to trade products such as yak butter.

In the afternoon we will take a short drive towards Radhi, known for its beautiful weaving. We will visit Pema Lhundup Handicrafts that sells handwoven and hand dyed silk and cotton textiles. Nearby, above Rangjung village is the impressive modern Yoesel Chholing Monastery, which we also visit.

Overnight in Trashigang. Altitude: 1070 metres.

Driving time: 3½ hours plus 1½ hours.

Today we head north to Trashiyangtse. En route we will visit an important  and beautiful temple, Gom Kora, in a scenic location beside the Dangme Chu river. The full name of this site is Gomphu Kora. Gomphu refers to sacred sites associated with Guru Rinpoche ("Precious Master") and Kora means 'circumabulation'. Pilgrims from all over Bhutan come to circle the large, sacred rock formation that contains a cave where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated.The temple here also contains a number of interesting objects relating to Guru Rinpoche.

In the afternoon we will visit Chorten Kora, a stunning, brilliant white stupa, built in the 18th century in the style of the Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu as well as the picturesque old dzong. 

Overnight in Trashiyangtse. Altitude: 1,700 metres.

Driving time: 2 hours.

Today we head further north to the Bomdeling Wildlife Sanctuary, in the Bomdeling Valley, the second winter nesting ground in Bhutan for the black necked cranes. This large sanctuary also contains some 3,000 odd households and tracts of farmland. Careful management by the locals has seen an overall increase in the number of cranes arriving in this remote location, although this area usually sees fewer cranes than the Phobjikha Valley, around 150 birds. It is also a home to some of Bhutan's most elusive animals: the snow leopard, the red panda, the Royal Bengal tiger and the Himalayan musk deer.

Many culturally significant sites can also be found inside the sanctuary: Rigsum Gompa, the mystic Singye Dzong and Dechenphodrang Lhaghang– maybe the most scenic monastery in the country. Some of these are only accessible by walking so speak to your guide.

Overnight in Trashiyangtse. Altitude: 1,700 metres.

Driving time: 2hours.

This morning we will visit the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, a school dedicated to vocational training for students in the thirteen traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan, including thangka painting, wood carving, metalwork, embroidery and sculpture among others. We will take one last stroll around Trashiyangtse village before starting our drive back to Trashigang.

Overnight in Trashigang. Altitude: 1,070 metres.

Driving time: 2 hours. 

This morning we will travel to the small airport at Yongphula for our wonderful, scenic flight back to Paro. We will be flying alongside the incredible eastern Himalayan range, including Gangkhar Puensum, Bhutan's highest mountain, reaching 7,570 metres in elevation. It is the world's highest unclimbed peak. Closer to Paro we can glimpse the snowy dome of Jomolhari (7, 314 metres) and the pointed spire of Jichu Drake (6,990 metres) nearby.

Once we are back in the Paro Valley we will explore some of the ancient temples and the superb dzong. Near to the dzong is the National Museum, housing a good collection of statues, masks and other Buddhist artifacts. The section devoted to flora and fauna is both informative and interesting, as Bhutan is known as a biodiversity hotspot and has a huge number of species for its tiny size.

Overnight in Paro. Altitude: 2,280 metres.

No trip to Bhutan would be complete without a visit to one of the world's most spectacular monastery, the Tiger's Nest. It's a reasonably tough walk to go all the way to the top, around two to three hours up, but it's well worth the effort. There is the option of walking only to the cafeteria, which also has wonderful views and takes around an hour to reach.

In the afternoon we will do some last minute shopping and wander around the main downtown area of Paro.

Overnight in Paro. Altitude: 2,280 metres.

This morning your guide and driver will transfer you to Paro airport for your departure from Bhutan, where we will say our final goodbyes. There are a couple of cafes and an excellent bookshop at the airport - a good way to use up your leftover ngultrum.

We hope you have enjoyed your time spent in the wonderful Kingdom of Bhutan.

The Tiger’s Nest is one of the most beautiful temples in the world because of its incredible location. It is spectacularly perched on the side of a sheer cliff and it’s a solid uphill hike to get there but the views are worth every step.

Thimphu is one of the world's smallest capital cities but has seen rapid growth in the last few years. It has no traffic lights, just a white-gloved policeman to conduct traffic. Thankfully traffic jams are rare and the main centre is still small and easily negotiated. The city sits in the Thimphu Valley, fringed by forests and mountains, protected by a 51-metre high golden statue of the Buddha.

The rambling layout of Trongsa Dzong makes it the most interesting in Bhutan. It has been added on to over the years since construction first began in 1543, resulting in a building of many layers. Lovely courtyards are connected by stone staircases, with many intriguing nooks and crannies for exploring. If you walk all the way to the end of the dzong you'll be rewarded with wonderful views of the gorge and the river.

This lovely, easy-grade walk around the Phobjikha Valley begins at the Black Necked Crane Information Centre, the hub for all things to do with these endangered birds that fly here from Tibet every winter. From the centre we head down the road and skirt the valley, enjoying vast open views. The trail then rises to a beautiful pine forest that leads to the village and finally Gangtey Monastery. 

Paro is the gateway to Bhutan. Its wide valley makes it the most suitable location for Bhutan’s only international airport. The valley is dominated by the view of the magnificent dzong, or fortress, which is the site of one of Bhutan’s most popular festivals. Above the dzong sits the National Museum, home to some fine examples of Buddhist art and sculpture, as well as a room dedicated to Bhutan’s flora and fauna.