Discover Bhutan
Four days in the Last Shangri-La, Thimphu's fortresses, Paro's paddy fields and the soft climb to Tiger's Nest.
A retreat of contrasts
Bhutan is rightly known as the Last Shangri-La. The Himalayas protected this kingdom from the rest of the world and left it blissfully untouched, and the Drukpa Kagyupa sect of Mahayana Buddhism gave it a rich culture and fascinating history.
This is a country of rolling hills and towering crags: magnificent mountains, dense forests, pure air, inspiring architecture and superb art. Travelers encounter its full glory through strategic fortresses known as dzongs, ancient temples and stupas, prayer flags fluttering along high ridges and the warm smile of its people.
Four unhurried days move between Thimphu, the capital where ancient and modern meet, and Paro, the green valley of farmhouses and terraced paddies that leads to the famous Tiger's Nest.
What makes it unforgettable
Tiger's Nest Hike
A soft four-hour hike to Taktsang Monastery on a ledge above an 800m drop.
Memorial Chorten
A Tibetan-style monastery with golden spires and bells, built in 1974.
Tashicho & Paro Dzongs
Two of Bhutan's finest fortresses, one the king's office, one a heap of jewels.
Folk Heritage Museum
A three-storied traditional house showing how rural Bhutan lives today.
National Museum
Over 3,000 works of Bhutanese art inside the conch-shaped Ta-dzong watchtower.
Kyichu Lhakhang
One of the oldest temples in the country, built in the 7th century.
Farmhouse Dinner
An evening with a local family, home cooking and hot stone bath country.
Paro Airport Transfers
Met on arrival and driven the winding hour to Thimphu, and back out again.
Prayer flags on a high ridge, mist in the pines, and a monastery that looks like it is holding on to the sky.
Your 4 Days in Bhutan
- Day 1
Arrive Paro, on to Thimphu
Pick up at Paro International Airport and lunch in the city, then a winding hour's drive to Thimphu. Bhutan's capital rests in a lush valley of hills and rice paddies and fuses ancient and modern: the stately 350-year-old Tashicho Dzong, the gold-spired Memorial Chorten and the slate carvings of Simtokha Dzong sit beside cafes and quiet streets.
StayThimphu
- Day 2
Explore Thimphu
Begin at the Memorial Chorten, built in 1974 to honor the third King. Continue to the Folk Heritage Museum for a glimpse of traditional Bhutanese life, the National Institute of Zorig Chusum and the National Library. Watch handmade paper being made at Junghi Paper Factory, visit the National Institute of Traditional Medicine and its herb gardens, and end at the Bhutan Postal Museum.
StayThimphu
- Day 3
Thimphu to Paro
Drive to Paro, gateway to Bhutan at 2,200 metres, where quaint farmhouses scatter across emerald terraced fields. Visit the National Museum inside the circular Ta-dzong watchtower, said to be shaped like a conch shell, with bronze statues and paintings gathered from across the country. Then Paro Dzong, also called Ringpung Dzong, fortress on a heap of jewels.
StayParo
Day 4Tiger's Nest & Farmhouse Dinner
Drive to Satsam Chorten for the soft hike to Taktsang Monastery, the Tiger's Nest, perched on a ledge with a sheer 800m drop over the Paro Valley. The hike takes about four hours return, with the option of another hour up to the monastery itself. Later visit Kyichu Lhakhang, a 7th century temple, and close with dinner at a farmhouse hosted by a local family.
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