Fly over to the dragon kingdom Paro passing by Mountains of 5500 meters to Paro. This flight offers you a mesmerizing aeronautical feat and offers exciting descent into the kingdom. Paro is a beautiful valley and is home to many of Bhutan’s oldest monasteries and temples, and the country’s only international airport. The flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular mountain flights in the world, with a constantly changing panorama of some of the highest mountains on earth including Mount Everest, Mount Kanchenjunga, and Mount Chomolhari and Jitchu Drake peak. Paro Airport has been described as “the most difficult commercial airport in the world”. 1980 meter runway length presents a double challenge, due to the extremely low density altitude at the site. So, only a handful of well experienced pilots are certified to operate commercial airplanes here thus, making least number of flights in a day. After immigration and custom formalities, check out from the departure lounge. There you will meet one of the representatives of Nature Trail Travels & Tours, Trekking & Expedition who will greet you and then escort you to your respective hotel where you will stay overnight. After lunch, at the hotel there will be an orientation on Bhutanese etiquette and description about the trip by our guide. This day we will take easy to acclimatize to the altitude.
On the second day of our tour, we will have a short hike up to Taktsang monastery. Clinging to the cliff walls 3120 meters above sea level, the Tiger’s Nest Buddhist temple complex is a wonder to behold. Taktsang is a prominent sacred Buddhist site and temple complex perched on the edge of upper Paro Valley. It is also known as the Tiger’s Nest. History unfolds as we hike and run to the summit, learning the stories of this holy and magical place high up on the mountain slopes along the way. Legend has it that the great Guru Padmasambhava flew to this spot on back of a tigress and meditated in a cave during the 8th century. When the Guru finished his meditation, he instructed that the monastery to be built. The temple was built around the cave and is a hallowed shrine for Bhutanese pilgrims. The area around the monastery offers stunning views of majestic mountains and emerald green valleys. The spectacular view along the way and the historical sites draw many tourists to this imposing monastery. In addition, guests will have an impressive opportunity to hang prayer flags in the immediate vicinity of the monastery. Prayer flags symbolize happiness, long life, prosperity, luck and offer karmic merit to all sentient beings.
This morning enjoy an exhilarating drive to Punakha via Dochu La Pass at an altitude of 3,088 meter through stunning valleys and chir pine forest. On a clear day, you will see a breathtaking view of the snow-capped eastern Himalayas and also a magnificent distant view of the Gasa Dzong from this spot. Here you’ll see the wild ginseng species along the old trading route and as we descend, discover the forest with Silk cotton trees and Jacaranda.
SCHEDULED PROGRAM
10:00 AM Packet Pick Up (ending at 2:00PM)
02:00 PM Mandatory Pre-Race Briefing
03:00 PM Personal R&R Time
05:00 PM Private 1-1 & Small Group Coaching Sessions
07:00 PM Group Dinner & Motivational Talk
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES IN PUNAKHA INCLUDE:
Visit to Punakha Dzong
Visit the Chimi Lhakhang
Hike to Khamsum Yule Namgyel Chorten
Visit to Dalay Goemba/Nalanda Buddhist College
Visit to Talo Monastery
Bhutan is the best place to run a marathon. There is no better location than the marathon route to contemplate the breathtaking beauty and at the same time the complexity and ultimate fragility of the unique and rarely visited ecosystem of Bhutan!
SCHEDULED PROGRAM
05:30 AM Bus Depart Damchen Resort Parking Lot
08:00 AM Race Starts
01:30 PM Pho Chu Suspension Bridge Cut Off
03:00 PM Race Finish Cut off
05:00 PM Awards Celebration – Punakha Dzong
As the sun rises over the mountain, awaken the morning after the race to the crisp Himalayan air, rejoicing in our triumphs of the previous day’s race. After an appetizing breakfast, we drive to Thimphu and proceed for sightseeing tour around Thimphu and remaining places of Paro.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THIMPHU INCLUDE:
Visit to National Memorial Chorten
Visit to Changangkha Temple
Visit to Drubthob Monastery
Visit to National Library
Visit to Rinpung Dzong
Visit to Motithang Takin Sanctuary
Visit to Tashichho Dzong
Following a last early morning breakfast, we transfer the one-hour drive from Thimphu to the Paro International Airport where we depart for our onward flight back to Bangkok, Thailand.
Don’t miss this truly once-in-a-lifetime experience for intimate and exhilarating sense of adventure in the Kingdom of Bhutan!
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