Taktsang Monastery, Bhutan

Known as the Tiger‘s Nest, Taktsang commemorates the meditation cave of Guru Rimpoche, the Buddhist saint who brought the Tibetan Buddhist faith to Bhutan in the 8th century.

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Join Trip Leader Gary McCue on this hiking-oriented overland journey across the heart of Bhutan and into a remote and restricted area of India’s Arunachal Pradesh. Our cross-country explorations take us from Paro and Thimphu to the serene cultural world of Bumthang, whose sweeping valleys and forested mountainsides shelter centuries-old monastic complexes and religious retreats, then into eastern Bhutan, where few groups venture. Crossing into India’s Arunachal Pradesh, we visit Tawang, a hill station and Tibetan Buddhist enclave that was closed to foreigners for decades, before ending our journey in Gauhati, capital of Assam state. Day hikes to the most important and interesting cultural sites as well as remote and rarely visited temples and meditation retreats, plus Gary’s incredible knack of sharing his knowledge in fascinating ways, make this an extraordinary adventure we won't soon forget.

Highlights

  • Complete a grand traverse of Bhutan, ending in Arunachal Pradesh, India
  • Explore Bumthang’s numerous monasteries and meditation sites, and the Tibetan Buddhist enclave of Tawang
  • Meet a diverse collection of ethnic peoples and enjoy their hospitality

Details

  • 22-day trip begins in Paro, Bhutan, and ends in Gauhati, India
  • 3 nights in deluxe hotels, 7 nights in rustic lodges, 11 nights camping
  • All meals included
  • Rugged road travel, day hikes of 1-4 hours, altitudes up to 13,700 feet

Tour Costs

$8695 (10-15 members)
$9195 (6-9 members)

Single supplement: $1550
Internal airfare: $835 (Bangkok/Paro and Gauhati/Calcutta/Bangkok, subject to change)

Departures & Leaders

Sep 29-Oct 20, 2010  Gary McCue

Suggested Reading

Reading list, click here.

Itinerary at a Glance

Days 1-4
Paro, Bhutan / Thimphu / Punakha

After exploring the temples and dzong of Paro and hiking to Taktsang, Bhutan’s iconic cliffside “tiger lair” hermitage, we head to Punakha. While here we visit the Punakha Dzong, a grand 17th century fortress built at the auspicious conjunction of the Mo Chu and Pho Chu rivers.

Days 5-10
Bumthang

Our journey continues as we cross several passes and visit the impressive Trongsa Dzong en route to Bumthang, the heart of Bhutan. The Bumthang valleys have a rich cultural history with Tibetan Buddhist sites dating back to the 7th century. While here we visit several monasteries, including a grand group of four gompas gathered along the Bumthang River, and hike to sites of interest, including meditation sites of Guru Rimpoche, who helped bring Buddhism to Tibet.

Days 11-14
Into Eastern Bhutan / Tashiyangtse / Tashigang

It’s back on the road again, as we continue into the wilds of Eastern Bhutan. We cross the Ura La pass (11,810') and, weather permitting, enjoy views of the huge snowy summit of Gangkar Punsum (23,750'), the highest peak in Bhutan. In Tashiyangtse, we visit Dametsi gompa, the largest and most important monastery in Eastern Bhutan, and in Tashigang, the second largest settlement in Bhutan after Thimphu and a melting pot for the various ethnic groups that inhabit this part of Bhutan, we explore Tashigang Dzong and hike to Saling village, renowned for its high quality of weaving.

Days 15-17
Samdrup Jongkhar / Into India

Passing through dense forests of broad-leafed tress and bamboo, we reach the sub-tropical climes of Samdrup Jongkhar (770'). We cross the border and enter India, heading past extensive agricultural lands and tea plantations, then into the Himalayan foothills near the Arunachal Pradesh border to the Dirang valley (5,300'), a Monpa tribal area that was once part of a large kingdom called Monyul that lasted from about 500 BC to 600 AD.

Days 18-19
Tawang

Climbing higher again, we cross the Se La pass (13,700') and descend to Tawang (10,000'), where we visit the monastery, one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in India. In addition to its immense chanting hall, it is known for the Parkhang, the printing house where religious texts are prepared from hand carved wood blocks, and its large collection of prayer texts stored in the library. Tawang is also where the current 14th Dalai Lama initially stayed in April 1959 after being forced to flee from the Chinese invasion forces in Tibet. While here we also visit a traditional Monpa village and Komebu, a boulder cave where Guru Rimpoche is said to have meditated.

Days 20-22
Gauhati

We head across the Assam plains to Gauhati, the capital of Assam on the shores of the Brahmaputra River. Depart on Day 22 via Bangkok.

This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure