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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250330
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250413
DTSTAMP:20260425T023253
CREATED:20240620T233735Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260120T180300Z
UID:4790-1743292800-1744502399@events.artwolfe.com
SUMMARY:Festivals of Bhutan Photo Journey 2025
DESCRIPTION:Prayer flags\, Paro Valley\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Young Buddhist monks practice chanting traditional prayers in a monastery situated high in a remote Bhutanese mountain valley. One of my most memorable experiences was witnessing the amazing focus and dedication of the two hundred or so young monks as I quietly moved among them. Drums and long deep-toned horns accompanied the chanting\, adding to the sense of mystery.\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Art wolfe on location in Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Dancers performing in the Paro “Tsechu” or annual religious Bhutanese festival\, Paro\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Musicians taking part in the Paro “Tsechu” or annual religious Bhutanese festvial\, Paro\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Monks in prayer\, Paro Valley\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Dancers performing in the Paro “Tsechu” or annual religious Bhutanese festival\, Paro\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Monks\, Paro Valley\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Portrait\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Prayer flags\, Paro Valley\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Tsechu Dancers\, Paro Dzong\, Bhutan\nCloaked in long\, colorful costumes\, a troupe of Bhutanese dancers resemble spinning tops as they celebrate at a Buddhist festival or tsechu in the courtyard of Paro Dzong.\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Portrait of a Bhutanese girl\, Paro Valley\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Monks at a temple\, Paro Valley\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Farmer tilling his field\, Paro Valley\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Young monk stokes an outdoor fireplace\, Paro Valley\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Dancers at a Buddhist festival\, Paro\, Bhutan\nDeer dancers wear traditional costumes for New Year’s celebrations.\n\nCanon EOS 5D Mark II\, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens\, f/14 for 1/250 second\, ISO 400\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Paro Valley village\, Bhutan\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Taktshang or Tiger’s Nest Monastery\, Paro Valley\, Bhutan\n				\n		\n\nBhutan provides a stunning array of photographic opportunities- mountainous landscapes\, ancient temples and monasteries\, lively\, colorful festivals\, a timeless Buddhist culture and fascinating people. \nConsistently ranked in the top ten “must see” destinations in the world\, the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is truly unique. A cradle of Buddhism that clings to its traditional ways\, the country only recently opened its doors to foreign travelers. Thoughtful policies to protect the nation against mass tourism still limit visits to a fortunate few. But this stunningly beautiful country isn’t trapped in the past. Red-robed monks check their cellphones. And the well-educated\, fun-loving locals are both well-informed yet deeply protective of the pristine environment and their cultural heritage. This happy harmony of ancient and modern is what makes Bhutan such an endlessly fascinating Shangri-La. \nThen there’s the sensational photography! The sublime mountain landscapes with snow-capped peaks soaring above emerald forests and chartreuse rice fields… The monasteries teeming with monks in flamboyantly crimson and yellow robes… The flutter of prayer flags and the blurring whirl of prayer wheels… And\, of course\,  the riotous religious festivals for which Bhutan is famous! \n \n  \nReserve Your Spot Today \n \nLed by Art Wolfe\n\nLimited to 10 participants\nTransportation and Accommodation\nAll meals\, lodging\, and transportation specified on the itinerary are included. The flight to Bhutan from Bangkok and back is included\, but you are responsible for your international flights. \nItinerary\nFestival dates are determined by the lunar calendar and have recently been confirmed!\n \nDay 1 Sunday March 30th Bangkok (D)\nArrive Bangkok International Airport. Welcome to Bangkok! Transfer to the hotel via a free 24-hour shuttle bus. \nThis evening there will be a welcome dinner with Art Wolfe and his assistant instructor Gavriel Jecan. \nAccommodation: Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel (or similar) \nDay 2 Monday March 31st BKK-Paro – Thimphu (B\,L\,D)\n\nDay one Guests are greeted for their morning arrival in Paro\, Bhutan\, and drive to thimphu for 1hour 30 minutes where Art and our guides will share special locations and subjects to photograph such as an artful array of prayer flags and valley landscapes. \nOvernight stay in Thimphu. \nDay 3 Tuesday April 1st Thimphu – Gangtey (B\,L\,D)\nAn early morning departure will start the day to capture scenic moments along the way to Gangtey. Traveling through Dochula Pass and Wangdue affords a number of stops to photograph a variety of subjects. \nTwo-night stay in Gangtey. \nDay 4 Wednesday April 2nd  Gangtey (B\,L\,D)\nIn Gangtey\, we’ll visit the spring home of the black-necked cranes\, which arrive in the valley in mid-October. Art will also guide the group to special hike through village with some monks for special photography then everyone will return to the cranes to experience conditions at different times and light. \nDay 5 Thursday April 3rd  Gangtey – Bumthang (B\,L\,D)\nAfter breakfast\, the group drives further to Pelela Pass and then on via Chendibji and Trongsa filming locations and subjects along the way. In Trongsa\, we’ll enjoy lunch and visit the largest dzong in the country. After lunch\, we continue the drive to Yotongla Pass and gradually descend to the Chumey and Jakar Valleys. \nThree-night stay in Bumthang. \nDay 6 Friday\, April 4th Bumthang and Surrounding Towns (B\,L\,D)\nWith Bumthang as a base\, Art will take everyone to sights on the outside of town before returning back in the early evening. Special temples and palaces take up the morning filming and after lunch\, everyone will be at their leisure to explore Chamkhar and Jakar towns. In the evening\, those interested can go back with Art to film the candlelight prayers conducted by the local monks. \nDay 7 Saturday\, April 5th Bumthang and Surrounding Towns (B\,L\,D)\nWe’ll pack a lunch and drive to the scenic Ura Valley for the day to see rural Bhutan with scenic farm houses and communities. \nDay 8  Sunday\, April 6th Bumthang – Punakha (B\,L\,D)\nThe group drives to Punakha with a lunch stop and photographing in Chendibji town. After lunch\, we’ll continue on to Punakha. \nTwo- night stay in Punakha. \nDay 9 Monday\, April 7 Punakha (B\,L\,D)\nA morning visit to the local\, but vibrant\, weekend market starts this day and the group will move on to visiting one of the most beautiful dzongs in Bhutan\, the Punakha Dzong. After lunch\, we drive back through the valley to continue photographing rural sites and unique flora. \nDay 10 Tuesday\, April 8 Punakha – Paro (B\,L\,D)\nToday\, we return to Paro stopping in Wangdue along the way to photograph and then Thimphu for a lunch stop. Those interested can join Art to watch and photograph an evening archery match. \nTwo-night stay in Paro. \nDay 11 –Wednesday\, April 9 Paro festival. (Paro Festival April 08 -12th) (B\,L\,D)\nPhotographing the sights of Paro selected by Art Wolfe will follow lunch and continue through the early evening. \nDay 12 – Thursday\, April 10 Paro Festival (B\,L\,D)\nThis is the first official day of the annual Paro Festival. With permissions\, Art will position everyone for photographing the colorful dance festivities in the Paro Dzong. \nDay 13 Friday\, April 11 Paro (B\,L\,D)\nWe’ve saved the most scenic for the last and a chance to stretch our legs with a trek up to Taksang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery that the monks pilgrimage to. For those who prefer a horseback trek to this site\, we can facilitate this request. The rest of the day will be at the leisure of the group to photograph in the town of Paro along with Art. \nOvernight stay in Paro. \nDay 14 – Saturday\, April 12—Paro – Departure (B)\nFollowing breakfast\, our Bhutan arrangers will transport all participants to the Paro International Airport for their departures. \nDeparture Day \nReserve Your Spot Today \nServices Included\n\nAccommodations (twin sharing basis) as indicated above in the itinerary.\nAll meals noted on the itinerary.\nServices of Air Conditioned Van\nServices of English speaking guide escort accompanying the trip\nEntrance fee to visit monuments.\nServices of local English guides during city sightseeing (as required)\nMineral water during all meals\, transfers\, drives and sightseeing (available in vehicle)\nDaily Sustainable Development Fee Required by Bhutan\n\n*Note: We will make every effort to connect you with a roommate should you like to share a room. However\, if we’re unable to make a match\, the single supplement will apply. \nServices Not Included\n\nAny international Airfare\, travel insurance or medical insurance. (health insurance is mandatory and travel insurance is highly recommended)\nAnything not mentioned in inclusion above.\nTipping to accompanying escort is not included in our quote.\nAny expenditure of personal nature like alcoholic drinks\, Fruit shakes\, sodas\, laundry\, telephone calls\, or internet\nAnything ordered from room service at any hotel including mineral water (other than what being offered by the hotels on their compliment).\nAny sudden increase in price due to steep hike in fuel cost\, change in government tax policy or for any reason beyond our control like acts of god\, natural calamity\, law and order situation\, riots etc and any forced change in itinerary for any unforeseen situation or reason beyond our control.\n\nShare:\n				Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)\n				Facebook\n			\n				Share on X (Opens in new window)\n				X\n			\n				Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)\n				LinkedIn\n			\n				Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)\n				Tumblr\n			More\n				Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)\n				Pinterest\n			\n				Share on Reddit (Opens in new window)\n				Reddit\n			\n				Share on Pocket (Opens in new window)\n				Pocket
URL:https://events.artwolfe.com/event/festivals-of-bhutan-photo-journey-2025-2/
LOCATION:Bhutan\, United States
CATEGORIES:Travel with Art,Workshops
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ORGANIZER;CN="Art%20Wolfe%20Inc":MAILTO:info@artwolfe.com
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