Day 2(25th December) Travel to Punakha.

Before we head to Punakha, we can visit a few places in Thimphu until lunch. Bhutan Post: It is one of the oldest public organizations in Bhutan. The building houses some of the antique stamps and also some pictures which talks about Bhutan almost half a century ago. Here we can make stamps using our pictures. Traditional Paper Making Factory we can also drive across the Thimphu river and visit the Traditional paper making factory. Here we can observe how the barks of daphne is turned into traditional papers. The process is still indigenous. Changangkha Lhakhang (temple) One of the oldest temples in Thimphu valley situated on top of a knoll with commending views of the valley below. This place has a special magical atmosphere with its prayer flags floating in the wind and its feeling of riding above the hurly-burly of the city. This was built in 15th century by one of descendants of Phajo Drukjom Shigpo, the founder of Drukpa School in Bhutan. The main statue inside the temple is that of the god of compassion. Folk Heritage Museum: This museum houses some of the most conventional and classical household items of Bhutanese way of living. It showcases the most traditional way of living. It provides an insight into the lives of Bhutanese in the past and rural areas. Post lunch we will drive to Punakha Dochu La Pass (3150 m) We can enjoy the spectacular views of the Eastern Himalayan Mountain ranges. Take a walk around the 108 stupas which decorates the pass. The 108 chortens were built by the present Queen Mother of Bhutan Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over Indian militants. The chortens were built as a gratitude to the fourth king of Bhutan. Crossing Dochu La Pass, we shall be descending down into the valley of Wangdiphodrang and Punakha. These valleys have different natural vegetation with different way of living compared to Thimphu. The valleys are filled with rice fields and adorned with beautiful temples and prayer flags. We can see paintings of phalluses on the walls of the houses. There is so much myth behind this culture which is exclusively prominent in these valleys.