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An Orchid Tour Itinerary. (May-August)
Day 01: Paro, Bhutan – Thimpu

Arrive Paro International Airport. Drive to capital City Thimphu. Evening at leisure.
Overnight in Thimphu

Day 02: Thimpu

Full-day sightseeing in Thimphu Valley. visits includes: National Library, which holds a vast collection of Buddhist texts and manuscripts, some dating back several hundred years, as well as modern academic books mainly on Himalayan culture and religion; Institute for Zorig Chusum (commonly known as the Painting School) where students undertake a six-year course on the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan; National Institute of Traditional Medicine, where the medicinal herbs abundant in the kingdom are compounded and dispensed, and traditional medical practitioners are trained; National Memorial Chorten: The building of this landmark was envisaged by the third king, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, as a monument to world peace and prosperity. Completed in 1974 after his untimely death, it is both a memorial to the Late King (“the father of modern Bhutan”) and a monument to world peace. The paintings and statues inside the monument provide a deep insight into Buddhist philosophy; Tashichhodzong: This impressive fortress houses the secretariat building, the throne room of His Majesty, the King and various government offices. It is also the summer residence of the Chief Abbot and central monk body; Folk Heritage and National Textile Museums: These museums, both of which opened in 2001, provide fascinating insights into Bhutanese material culture and way of life. Handicrafts Emporium: This government-run enterprise displays a wide range of beautifully hand-woven textiles and craft products. It also carries a small collection of books on Bhutan, Buddhism and Himalayan culture.
Evening at leisure.
Overnight in Thimphu

Day 03: Thimpu - Punakha

Drive up to Dochu-la pass (3,088m/10,130ft) stopping briefly here to take in the view and admire the chorten, mani wall, and prayer flags which decorate the highest point on the road. on a clear day  the following peaks can be sighted from this pass (left to right): Masagang (7,158m), Tsendegang (6,960m), Terigang (7,060m), Jejegangphugang (7,158m), Kangphugang (7,170m), Zongaphugang (7,060m) a table mountain that dominates the isolated region of Lunana, and finally, Gangkar Puensum, the highest peak in Bhutan at 7,497m.  Many terrestrial orchids like Cypripedium tibeticum,cypripedium guttatum,C.himalaicum, Paphiopedilum fairrieanum etc. can be spotted at higher elevation.  lunch at Punakha town, and continue on to short hike in dense forest of Taashithang to hunt for more species of tree orchids. Here you are likely to see many different species of tree orchids.
overnight stay.


Day 04: Punakha-Wangduephodrang.

 Walk by Punakha Dzong (built by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1635) and Walk around the Dzong surrounded by the beautiful Jacoranda plants.Drive to Wangduephodrang, a journey approximately 1 hour, engulfing the majestic view of the Wangduephodrang Dzong leading you to your night halt . After lunch drive further till Nobding, to find more species of wild orchids. If you are lucky you will also see the grey and the Golden Languor’s and the Rhesus Monkey between Wangdi and the Nobding. The road winds steeply up to the pass, through coniferous forest.
Overnight in Wangdue

Day 05: Wangdue-Trongsa.
Drive to Tongsa across Pele-la pass (3,300m/10,830ft), the traditional boundary between east and west. The pass is marked by a large white chorten and prayer flags. There is an abrupt change in vegetation at this point, with mountain forest replaced by high altitude dwarf bamboo, Junipers, Dog wood Rhododendrons etc. Stop  at Chendebji Chorten, patterned on Kathmandu’s Swayambhunath Stupa, with eyes painted at the four cardinal points. It was built in the 18th century by Lama Shida from Tibet, to cover the remains of an evil spirit that was subdued at this spot. Arrive Tongsa late afternoon.
Overnight in Tongsa

Day 06: Trongsa-Langthel

Morning visit to Trongsa Dzong, a massive structure (built by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1647) and climb up a steep path to visit the Ta Dzong (watchtower), dedicated to the epic hero, King Gesar of Ling. Then drive towards Langthel to find some epiphytic or lithophytic orchids like Pholidita pallida, pleione hookeriana giving beautiful whitish-green or whitish tinged pink flowers and whitish pink with yellow disc and purple spots etc and many more epiphytic orchids like Agrostophyllum callosum flowering during the same time of the year. Drive back to Trongsa by late afternoon.
Overnight in Tongsa


Day 07: Trongsa-Punakha

 Drive to Punakha, stopping along the way at Tongsa for lunch, which will be served in a local restaurant famous for its cuisine.
Overnight in Punakha

Day 08: Punakha-Paro

 Drive to Paro. You will find more medicinal Plants and orchids on way to Paro.
Overnight in Paro.

Day 09: Paro - Depart

Drive to the airport for  onward destination.

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Cypripedium himalaicum

 

Cypripedium tibeticum

 

cypripedium guttatum
 

Paphiopedilum fairrieanum

 

lithophytic

 

pleione hookeriana
 
 
 

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