Our first stop today will be the impressive Ta Dzong - the ancient watchtower above the Paro Dzong which now houses the National Museum. The museum houses some of the ancient Buddhist status besides housing finest thanka, scrolls. It also houses Bhutan animals, birds and other interesting Bhutan way of life. Then, we will visit the Paro Dzong, which houses the District Administrative Office and the Monk Body of Paro District. The Paro Dzong, known as the "Heap of Jewels" in the Bhutanese was built in 1646 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel.

THIMPHU: Our first stop this morning will be the impressive Memorial Chorten - build in memory by the Queen Mother for her late husband, the third King of Bhutan. We will visit Takin, Bhutan's national animal, School of Arts and Crafts, national library (under renovation), Folk Heritage Museum, Textile Museum, handicrafts emporiums, weekend markets (if in weekend), temples and probably archery, the national sport.

THIMPHU to PUNAKHA: After breakfast you will drive to Punakha, with a stop en route at Dochu La (3,100 meters), where on a clear day you can get spectacular views of the Himalaya. Drive to see the fortress of Wangdiphodrang and begin following the Puna-tsang chhu up towards Punakha. On the way to Punakhah, we will stop at Metsina to take a 40-minute walk through the rice fields to Chimi Lakhang, a temple which is a famous for fertility blessing. After the hike, we will proceed to Punakha for night halt.

PUNAKHA to PARO: This morning before we start our drive back to Paro, we will first drive toward Punakha Dzong to visit the most famous and historical Punakha dzong, the ancient capital of Bhutan, the massive dzong built at the confluence of the Po (male) and Mo (female) Rivers, was built in 1632 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and is the winter home of the central monk body. The monk body moves from Thimphu to Punakha during the winter months. After visiting the Dzong, we proceed to Paro with lunch stopover at the Do- Chu La Pass. After lunch, proceed to Paro (if you want, you can have one final stop at Thimphu ). Evening at your leisure.

PARO: This morning we drive the winding road beside the Pa Chu (chu means river or w at er) to Satsam Chorten. From this point, we begin the challenging hike to Taktsang - "The Tiger's Nest." A vantage point directly across a gorge from the temple can be reached in about 2 hours. This magical monastery clings to a vertical granite cliff 2,000' above the valley floor. Legend says that Guru Padmasambhava flew to a cave on this cliff riding a tiger - hence the name - to meditate. The tiger was actually his favorite consort, Yeshe Tsogyel, whom he transformed to a flying tiger for the purposes of this journey. They meditated in the cave and when the Guru left he instructed that the monastery be built. Nothing like a day hike to finish your wonderful stay in Bhutan.

After breakfast, we return to the airport for your departure from the Land of the Thunder Dragon. We hope that you had wonderful time in Bhutan.