Presented by: G Adventures
G Adventures and the David Suzuki Foundation are teaming up to auction off a limited number of seats to experience Bhutan’s Tsechu Festival with David Suzuki.
Join award-winning scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster David Suzuki on a special once-in-a-lifetime adventure to the captivating Kingdom of Bhutan at its most colourful time of year: the annual Tsechu festival. This unique opportunity is limited to 20 passengers, and will have one departure date only.
Explore Bhutan with David Suzuki, as well as meet and interact with local people, learn about Buddhism, and visit a number of ancient temples, monasteries and shrines, while also doing good by making Planeterra’s community development work possible.
Proceeds from this auction will be donated to the Planeterra Foundation, G Adventures' non-profit Foundation that invests and supports environmental and social solutions in the places where people travel. Planeterra helps support local education, health, small business development, emergency relief, and conservation work in thirteen countries across the globe. Part of the purchase price also includes a $1,000 donation to the David Suzuki Foundation.
The trip will include the following:
Day 1 Bangkok - Arrive at any time, an arrival transfer is included.
Day 2 Paro (1B,1D) - Catch our flight to Bhutan where we visit Ta Dzong, an ancient watchtower, which now houses the National Museum. Later in the evening take a walk around the main street of Paro’s main shopping district.
Day 3-4 Paro festival (2B,2L,2D) - Spend 2 days experiencing the sights and sounds of the Tshechu festival putting you in the middle of the colourful mask dances and religious art forms of Bhutan. The dances known as Cham, are said to bring blessings upon the onlookers, to instruct them in the teachings of the Buddhist dharma, to protect them from misfortune and evil influences. It is a spiritual festival where visitors are most welcome and it is believed one gains merit by attending. In the afternoon of Day 4 we also do some Paro valley sightseeing.
Day 5 Bumthang (1B,1L,1D) - Flight to the Bumthang Valley where we visit the sacred Kurjey Lhakhang cave and the Zangdopelri monastery. After we hike to the Tamshing Monastery (one of the oldest monastic schools). We also visit Jambay Lhakhang and Jakar Dzong - the administrative centre and institute for Monks.
Day 6 Bumthang (1B,1L,1D) - After breakfast drive over the Shengthala pass and hike through the dense forest of pine trees and rhododendrons until you reach the Ura valley. The trail descends a series of bends for 35 minutes until you finally reach Ura Lhakhang amidst the village of Ura. Visit with the Ura people who raise Yak and Sheep and farm Potatoes. Enjoy a picnic lunch, then drives back to Bumthang. This evening we visit the Chamkhar Bazar.
Day 7-8 Gangtey (2B,2L,2D) - Enjoy the scenic drive to Gangtey in the Phobjikha Valley, thought to be the most beautiful valley in the Himalayas. On Day 8, walk to the monastery of Gangtey Goempa, which holds the most scared relics of Bhutan. Also visit the Community School of Gangtey, where we sit with the students through one of their classes, then enjoy a walk across Phobjikha Valley and into the Khewa Valley, where we visit an old temple and offer a donation.
Day 9 Punakha (1B,1L,1D) - Continue on to Punakha, the ancient capital of Bhutan where we take a short hike to Punakha Dzong, a monastery and fertility shrine. Later, walk through rice terraces and forest to Khamsum Yueley Chorten, a shrine built by the Queen of Bhutan.
Day 10 Paro (1B,1L,1D) - Drive to Wangdue and a hike to Chhimi Lhakhang, visiting radar Nye and monastic central of Wangdue valley. Continue on to Thimphu for lunch and a visit to the National Memorial Chorten andt the Drubthob Goempa Nunnery and Institute of Traditional Medicine, where old healing arts such as acupuncture and herbal remedies are still practiced. Also visit the Folk Heritage Museum and Textile Museum, where the art of traditional weaving is still kept alive. Continue to Paro for the evening.
Day 11 Paro (1B) - Flight back to Bangkok where we enjoy our final evening.
Day 12 Bangkok (1B) - Depart at any time. A transfer to the airport is included.
***Note: International flights to/from Bangkok, Thailand are not included
How Can You Join Us?
As space on this trip is extremely limited, G Adventures is hosting a silent auction with proceeds benefitting Planeterra and David Suzuki Foundation. The starting bid is set at $6,000/person.
Full trip details can be accessed through G Adventures here.
