API students participate excursions designed to help familiarize them with the culture and surrounding areas of their host city and country. The following is a listing of potential excursions for API Thimphu programs. API may need to modify the excursions offered in a given term due to travel restrictions or health and safety concerns.

What You’ll Study

The API High School Summer Community Service program in Bhutan takes place in the Himalayan city of Thimphu. This program is a week-long community service program providing students with the opportunity to learn about the Bhutanese concept of Gross National Happiness while exploring and giving back to this culturally-rich community.

Participants will work together with young children from Bhutan, as well as environmental and community beautification or construction projects around Thimphu. The group will engage in several field trips, nature hikes, and an overnight trip as part of the program. They will assist local farmers during their peak vegetable harvesting season, and use freshly harvested produce in a Bhutanese cooking class. They will even tour a monastery, receive a water blessing from monks, and learn how to meditate - it is a truly mindful experience!

SERVICE CERTIFICATE

No academic credit is offered for this program. Upon completion of this program, students will receive a certificate documenting their hours of community service.

PROGRAM ITINERARY

Day 1

• Group flight from the U.S. to Delhi, India. Check into Delhi airport hotel as a group.

Day 2

• MORNING: Group flight Delhi, India, to Thimphu, Bhutan.
• Check into hotel.
• Welcome dinner.

Day 3

• MORNING: Morning walk at Memorial Chorten. Group safety and cultural orientation. Lecture about Gross National Happiness, 
the history of Bhutan and Bhutanese culture by a government official.
  
• AFTERNOON: Tour of Buddha Dordenma statue. Tour of Chagri Monastery. Learn about meditation from a Bhutanese monk.

Day 4

• MORNING: Morning walk at Memorial Chorten. Community service project.
  
• AFTERNOON: Tour of Tashichho Dzong. Additional community service projects.

Day 5

• MORNING: Morning walk at Memorial Chorten. Visit National Institute for Zorig Chusum art school. 
Students take part in an art class and create traditional Bhutanese art.
  
• AFTERNOON: Cooking class at ZaSa. Free time in Thimphu.

Day 6

• MORNING: Morning walk at Memorial Chorten. Bus to Punakha and Dochula Pass.
  
• AFTERNOON: Whitewater rafting and tour of Punakha Dzong.

Day 7

• MORNING: Bus to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten. Morning meditation and hike.
  
• AFTERNOON: Community service in Punakha.

Day 8

• MORNING: Bus to Paro. Stop at Dochula pass to hang prayer flags.
  
• AFTERNOON: Community service in Paro. Dinner. Free time to shop/explore the town.

Day 9

• MORNING: Community service project in Paro.
  
• AFTERNOON: Hike to Tiger's Nest monastery. Explore Paro and dinner.

Day 10

• MORNING: Community service project.
  
• AFTERNOON: Explore Paro. Bus to Kichu Lhakhang monastery. Dinner. Relax in hot stone baths.

Day 11

• Return to airport to depart to the U.S.

Day 12

• Arrive early in the morning.

Highlights

• Great opportunity to earn service hours over summer break
• Receive a certificate for hours served
• Experience the concept of "Gross National Happiness"
• Get a taste of international life