On your arrival at Paro, the only International Airport in Bhutan, our guide and driver will receive and escort you on your first adventure into the ‘Kingdom of Thunder Dragon’. As it is considered auspicious, you'll begin by visiting Kyiichu Lhakhang located just a few minutes drive from the main town of Paro. Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan. It is believed to have been built in 659 A.D. by King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet in his mission to build 108 such temples across the Himalayan region to subdue the spirit of a demoness that was causing obstruction to the spread of Buddhism.

The National Museum of Bhutan is located in Paro just above the Rinpung Dzong (administrative headquarter of Paro district) was established in 1968. It is housed in an ancient watchtower called Paro Ta Dzong (Ta Dzong means “watchtower fortress”) built in 1649. It displays hundreds of ancient Bhutanese artifacts and artworks including traditional costumes, armour, weaponry and handcrafted implements for daily life. The collection at the National Museum preserves a snapshot of the rich cultural traditions of the country. After this, we will visit Paro Dzong.

Paro Rinpung Dzong (Rinpung Dzong means “fortress of the heap of jewels”) was built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel in 1646 and established as the administrative and monastic center of the western region. Today, the Dzong serves as the office of the governor of the Paro district and head of the district monk body in Paro. A great annual festival known as Paro Tsechu is held in Rinpung Dzong from the eleventh to the fifteenth day of the second month of the traditional Bhutanese lunar calendar (usually in March or April of the Western calendar). From there, we take a short walk to the traditional wooden cantilever bridge built across the Paro river (Pa Chhu) just below the Dzong. The roofed wooden cantilever bridge is built in a traditional style and this type of bridge is called Bazam. Spend some leisure time around Paro town and drive to Paro Village View Homestay or overnight.