Deep Dive Into History At National Library Of Bhutan

Description

Established in 1967, the National Library of Bhutan is mostly an attraction for tourists because of its majestic *Dzong* like architecture. It is located the capital of Thimpu with its verdant mist-clad valleys and quaint streets.

It was established to meet the crucial purpose of preserving ancient *Dzongkha*and Tibetian texts. The *Dzongkha* or "Royal language" is the indigenous name for Bhutanese whose dialects are spoken by nearly half a million people in Bhutan. The shelves of this library are full of unbound pages of scriptures, stacked between wooden plates and wrapped in cloth. On the top floor, you can find copies of colonial letters sent by Bhutanese officials to British surveyors. It houses several old records and around 7000 old photographs depicting Bhutanese people and the royal family. Two of its most precious displays include the "Seven Treasuries" and "The collected works of Padma Karpo". The Seven Treasuries is a complete set of printing blocks for the manuscript by the famed monk Longchegpa. The collected "Works of Padma Karpo" on the other hand is a  complete set of xylographic printing blocks by the Kunkhyen Padma Karpo.

These printing blocks are used to create religious texts. The library is home to nearly 9000 printing blocks of this kind. The 6100 books that it holds include the largest book in the world which weighs over 68 kg and is two meters tall. The library also has texts relevant to Mahayana Buddhism and a rich collection of lithographs from whence scriptures and prayer flags were printed in the old days. So if you are a culture enthusiast with a love for ancient books, make sure you give this library a visit. 

Highlights :
• All taxes, fuel surcharges and service fees included
• Hotel pickup and drop-off included from the city hotels
• Informative, friendly and professional guide
• Great overview and orientation of the visit
• Guide services for a more personalized experience

Activity :
• Sightseeing & Soft Adventure

Transport :
Air-conditioned transport with driver
• 01 to 03 persons - Sedan cars - Indian make cars like Toyota Etios or Maruti Swift Desire
• 03 to 05 persons - SUV cars - Toyota Innova or similar
• 06 to 10 persons - Tempo Traveller with 10 seats
• 11 to 18 persons - Mini coaches with 18 seater
• 19 to 42 persons - Coaches with 27 or 42 seater
All the vehicles are air-conditioned

Pickup and Departure :
Pick up from mentioned city Centre, Railway Station or your city hotel.
Drop at mentioned city Centre, Railway Station or your city hotel.

• Tour Duration : Half-Day - 4-5 hours
• Guide : English speaking guide included
• Assistance : Yes
• Entrance fees included  : Yes
• Vehicle : Air-conditioned
• Driver with a phone : Yes
• Tour Starts Time : 0900 hrs.

Additional :
• Confirmation will be sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability.
• Child below 5 years is free.
• No strict dress code is enforced at tour sites except for places of worship, shorts or sleeveless tops are not recommended.
• We recommend comfortable walking shoes and sunglasses/sunscreen during the visit.
• Entrance fees to the monuments are not included and are to be paid directly. Any camera or video camera fees, if any, are to be paid directly

Timings :
09:00 Am to 05:00 Pm

Things To Carry :
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Comfortable footwear

Advisory :
Special Holidays will not be liable for any dispute arising out of the rental between customer and vendor, guide or any service provider

Confirmation Policy :
The customer receives a confirmation voucher via email within 24 hours of successful booking Rate is based on minimum 2 person sharing. We reserve the right to cancel in case minimum no. of customers required for the visit on any date is not met.

Cancellation Policy :
• If cancellations are made 30 days before the start date of the visit, 25% of the total tour cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
• If cancellations are made 15-30 days before the start date of the visit, 50% of the total tour cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
• If cancellations are made within 0-15 days before the start date of the visit, 100% of the total tour cost will be charged as cancellation fees.

Refund Policy :
•The applicable refund amount will be processed within 15 business days

You are required to furnish correct Email address. As a customer, you agree to accept email as a means of communication and delivery of Travel vouchers and confirmation of your booking. In doing so, you agree not to hold www.specialholidays.com liable for any non-receipt of travel voucher or email confirmation.
As an additional measure to avoid any misuse of the credit card and to protect our customers, we may request for photocopies of your credit card (back and front) and a Credit Card Authorization Payment Form to exclude the possibility of any misuse. As a customer, you agree to cooperate and provide the necessary documents in case required.