Tours & Treks
Our Cultural Tours | A typical day
8:00 A.M.
Breakfast time. Joined the rest of the group for breakfast. Our guide ran us through the program for the day. We were going on a hike to the very sacred Tiger’s nest temple in Paro. We were told to wear comfortable walking shoes and use lots of sun block.
9:00 A.M.
The drive to the end of the road took about 30 minutes.
9:30 A.M.
The hike to a tea shop almost midway took us 1 and ½ hours. And it was a further hour to the temple. While distributing bottled water to us, our guide reminded us that it was not a race and that we were to walk on our own pace. There were ponies for those of us who couldn’t walk. Oh, by the way, the hike was uphill on quite a steep slope.
10:00 A.M.
The sun was out and I was beginning to feel hot. As I was peeling off my fleece, John from our group, he was from Colorado, caught up with me. He pointed out that the oak looked very different from the ones that grew back home. After admiring the view of the lush valley down below, we continued our hike.
10:30 A.M.
Our guide asked me how I was doing and offered to carry my back pack. Being a 55 year old woman, he was obviously concerned. He pointed out a green shrub that was used to treat cold and cough by indigenous doctors. He said they were also very good insecticides and were used to polish the wooden floors inside temples. Now I know where the beautiful reddish colors on the temple floors come from.
11:00 A.M.
At the tea shop. What a view of the temple. The temple, on the face of a cliff, was built in the 1400’s and it was difficult to imagine how they’d have built it back then. Even today, with all the modern equipment, it looks almost impossible. After reenergizing myself with tea and cookies, and using the facilities, it was time to go further up.
12:00 A.M.
In the Tiger’s nest temple, the most scared of all the temples in Bhutan. As I stepped inside I could immediately sense a lot of positive energies around me. Our guide led us into a cave temple where in the 8 th century a famous Tantric master flew here on a tiger and meditated in the cave. That’s where the name of the temple came from. It was very interesting to listen to him as he pointed out various motifs on the richly decorated walls and ceilings. He taught us how the Bhutanese prayed, and what they prayed for. The Bhutanese believe in putting others before oneself. They aspired to become selfless. A monk offered us holy water to wash away the impurities within us.
In Bhutan, what goes up must go down. Time to head down to the tea shop for lunch.
1:00 P.M.
Lunch at the tea shop. We were served with the local red rice, potatoes with cheese, wild fiddle heads, chanterelle and lettuce. The food, which was cooked on a wooden stove tasted amazingly delicious.
3:00 P.M.
Back on the bus. As I looked up at the temple, clinging precariously on the menacing cliff, I felt a great sense of achievement.
3:15 P.M.
One more stop before heading back to the hotel. The Kyichu is the oldest temple in the country and it was the most beautiful Buddhist temple that I ever visited. We were invited to sit down on the floor. Looking down upon us was a huge statue of the Tantric master, the Guru, with his slight frown. Our guide lit some butter lamps which he said was for the peace and happiness of all sentient beings.
4:30 P.M.
Home sweet home. Back at the hotel and we were served tea and coffee. Our guide asked our group if anyone wanted to go downtown with him for a beer. Only John had the energy to join him. I wanted to take a nap and catch up on “Beyond the sky and the earth”.
7:00 P.M.
Dinner in the restaurant. The restaurant has a huge iron fire place and to hear the wood crackle as our guide told us stories about magic and mysticism, it felt almost out of this world.
