Thimphu One Day Tour with Hike
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Thimphu One Day Tour with Hike lets you experience the cultural highlights of Bhutan’s capital city, Thimphu. The capital city of Bhutan holds many cultural treasures. Located in a verdant valley surrounded by mountains, Thimphu is the political and economic heart of Bhutan. Dotted with hilltop monasteries, traditional fortresses, ancient Buddhist shrines, and busy market squares, there’s so much to see and explore in Thimphu.
Your tour begins with an inspiring early morning hike to the sacred Dodeydra Monastery, which lies on a hill towards the northwestern part of the city. This beautiful monastery, dating back to the eighteenth century, stands on a rocky cliff. A split on the rockface is said to hold a sacred manuscript called Dodey Kenzang, containing the teachings of Lord Buddha. Your tour begins with an inspiring early morning hike to the sacred Dodeydra Monastery, which lies on a hill towards the northwestern part of the city. This beautiful monastery, dating back to the eighteenth century, stands on a rocky cliff. A split on the rockface is said to hold a sacred manuscript called Dodey Kenzang, containing the teachings of Lord Buddha.
The trail follows a steep path across a verdant hill filled with grand views of the Thimphu Valley and the rivers flowing through it. After a brisk hike of about two or three hours, you will reach the monastery. The monastery has three ancient temples dedicated to the past, present, and future Buddhas. The Dodeydra is an active monastery and an important learning center for Tibetan Buddhist studies. You can interact with the young monks and explore the monastery. Later, you will descend via the same route and get back to the city by vehicle.
The rest of the day will be spent exploring the major attractions of Thimphu: the National Memorial Chorten, Taschichho Dzong, Buddha Dordenma, and the Royal Takin Preserve. Another destination on your itinerary is the magnificent Dechen Phodrang Monastery, also known as the Palace of Great Bliss. Housed in a twelfth-century fort, the monastery is an important learning space for young monks. You will wrap up your fascinating Thimphu One Day Tour with Hike with an interesting visit to a traditional hand-made paper factory, where you can learn about the process of making traditional paper from the bark of trees.
The trip's price depends on the type of services chosen by our clients and the group size. The cost of each trip we organize is different because we see travelers as individuals having their own particular needs and preferences.
Get ready for an incredible journey tailored to your interests and preferences, whether you're looking for a budget-friendly adventure or a luxurious getaway. Leave the planning to us as we take care of all the details, ensuring your dream trip becomes a reality. You can relax and focus on creating unforgettable memories that will stay with you forever.
| Day | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Morning hike to Dodeydra Monastery - 5 to 6 hours hike /6.5 km (both ways) |
Dodeydra Monastery, Bhutan
Your hike will begin in the morning. After a hearty breakfast at your hotel, you will meet your guide and head towards the trailhead of the Dodeydra Monastery Hike. The drive to the Dechenling Gompa, the trailhead of your hike, takes about twenty minutes. You will start your trek from the beautiful Dechenling Gompa. The trail climbs steeply as soon as you start your hike. As you go higher, the views open up, and you will be able to enjoy a bird's-eye view of the capital city. There are resting sheds built along the way where you can pause and catch your breath while enjoying the scenic views. After crossing a charming little wooden bridge built over a mountain stream, you will take a steep hike and finally reach the monastery.
Surrounded by pristine forests, this ancient monastery is an important institute of Buddhist studies. About one hundred and eighty monks receive education at this monastery. Built on the face of a rocky cliff, the Dodeydra Monastery lies nestled in a forested hill. The monastery has temples dedicated to the past, present, and future Buddhas, ancient shrines, a museum, and a shedra, or learning center, for Buddhist monks.
The monastery was founded in the eighteenth century by the thirteenth Je Khenpo or the Chief Abbot of Bhutan. The gompa holds shrines dedicated to the female deities of health and wealth. The main shrine of the monastery is a three-story temple that houses holy relics and exquisite paintings of Lord Buddha.
After spending some time at the monastery, you will walk down to the trailhead and drive to the city. Depending on your pace, you can complete the hike (both ways) in five or six hours. The hike is moderately difficult. The trail has some really steep sections, which can turn muddy and slippery during bad weather.
After your hike, you will visit the Tashichho Dzong and the Dechen Phodrang Monastery. The Tashichho Dzong is one of the most important and historic buildings in Thimphu. The throne room of the Bhutanese king, government offices, and a monastery are all housed inside the beautiful dzong.
Close to the Tashichho Dzong is the Dechen Phodrang Monastery, which you will visit next. The monastery, which lies on a secluded hill, is known as the Palace of Bliss. The monastery is housed in an ancient dzong, or fort, dating back to the twelfth century. Dechen Phodrang Monastery was established as a learning center in 1971 to provide education to young monks. At present, the monastery imparts education to more than 400 novice monks.
After a tour of the monastery and engaging with the friendly monks, you will head to the city and visit the National Memorial Chorten. Built in the memory of the third king of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the vase-shaped white chorten looks stunning. Inside the chorten are three floors where one will find paintings and photographs of the late king as well as statues and relics of Buddhist deities. The grassy lawn surrounding the church is a popular place for locals to hang out. You can observe the local people walking around leisurely or sitting in groups chatting.
Later in the day, you will be driven to the top of Kuensel Phodrang Hill, where the gilded statue of Buddha Dordenma sits. The statue, which rises to a height of 56 meters, is the largest statue of Lord Buddha in the country. From Buddha Dordenma, you will be able to savor fantastic views of Thimphu and the surrounding mountains.
You will next visit the Royal Takin Preserve, the home of Bhutan's national animal, the takin. With the head of a moose and a body of bison, the takin’s appearance very unique.
You will wind up your Thimphu tour with a visit to a traditional handmade paper factory, where you will observe the process of traditional paper making. Bhutanese paper, or Deh Soh, is made from the bark of Dekap and Daphne trees. The Bhutanese traditional paper has been in use for centuries. They were used for writing religious manuscripts as well as official documents. These days, Deh Soh is used to make souvenir items like greeting cards, notebooks, lamp shades, etc. You can try your hand at creating your own customized handmade paper at the factory.
You will be dropped off at your hotel after your Thimphu One-Day Tour with Hike gets over.
Please feel free to contact us if you wish to explore more places in Bhutan. We have a range of cultural tours as well as trekking itineraries that might interest you.
