Jambay Lhakhang Drup Festival Tour (8 Days / 7 Nights)｜Bhutan

Day 1: Arrival at Paro – Transfer to Thimphu (1.5 hours)
Arrive at Paro International Airport. Meet your guide with a traditional Bhutanese welcome.
Drive along the Paro–Thimphu highway through pine forests and riverside valleys.
En route, stop at Tamchog Lhakhang Bridge – a 15th-century iron chain bridge.
Visit Buddha Dordenma Statue, Tashichho Dzong, and Crafts Bazaar in Thimphu.
Evening: Orientation session on Bhutanese culture and the upcoming Jambay Lhakhang Drup festival.
Overnight: Thimphu

Day 2: Thimphu Sightseeing – Drive to Trongsa (6 hours)
Morning visit to Memorial Chorten, Folk Heritage Museum, and Textile Museum.
Scenic drive through Dochula Pass (3,100m) — offering 108 chortens and panoramic views of the eastern Himalayas.
Descend into the subtropical valleys of Wangdue and Pele La Pass.
Arrive in Trongsa, the ancient seat of Bhutan’s royal family.
Evening: Walk around Trongsa Dzong and explore local markets.
Overnight: Trongsa

Day 3: Trongsa – Bumthang (3 hours)
After breakfast, visit Trongsa Dzong and Ta Dzong Watchtower Museum.
Continue through mountain passes and pine forests into Bumthang Valley – the spiritual heartland of Bhutan.
Visit Jakar Dzong and Kurjey Lhakhang, where Guru Rinpoche meditated.
Evening: Short village walk in Chamkhar Valley, interacting with locals.
Overnight: Bumthang

Day 4: Jambay Lhakhang Drup Festival – Day 1
Attend the Jambay Lhakhang Drup Festival, one of Bhutan’s most sacred celebrations.
Witness mask dances (Cham) performed by monks and villagers symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.
Participate in ritual fire blessing (Mewang) for purification.
Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere with locals in traditional attire and food stalls.
Overnight: Bumthang

Day 5: Jambay Lhakhang Drup – Day 2 (Fire Dance Night)
Morning: Visit Tamshing Lhakhang (home of the spiritual treasure revealer Pema Lingpa).
Afternoon: Attend the highlight of the festival — the Tercham (Naked Dance) performed at midnight to bless barren women and cleanse sins.
Optional: Experience a local hot stone bath in a farmhouse after the festival.
Overnight: Bumthang

Day 6: Bumthang – Punakha (6–7 hours)
Scenic drive back westward, descending into the warmer Punakha Valley.
En route, stop at Chendebji Chorten (a Nepal-style stupa).
Evening: Visit Punakha Dzong, one of the most beautiful fortresses in Bhutan, at the confluence of Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers.
Overnight: Punakha

Day 7: Punakha – Paro (4 hours)
Morning hike to Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple of the Divine Madman.
Drive to Paro via Dochula Pass; enjoy Himalayan views and tea stops.
In Paro, visit Rinpung Dzong and Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.
Overnight: Paro

Day 8: Paro – Tiger’s Nest Monastery – Departure
Early morning hike to the iconic Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest Monastery), perched dramatically on a cliff.
Return to Paro for last-minute shopping.
Transfer to the airport for departure with the blessings of Bhutan.