Top 5 Places to Visit in Bhutan: The small Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan offers some major attractions. Please read this post for our Top 5 Places to Visit in Bhutan.

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Best Places to Visit in Bhutan

Bhutan is a kingdom in the eastern Himalayas in South Asia. The region features various dynamic landscapes and locations, like fortresses and remote Buddhist monasteries. There’s much to see all over the country. If you are interested in ancient relics, historic sites, traditional culture, and great hospitality, you will love Bhutan.

Bhutan’s reputation has been boosted as a popular tourist destination because of its interesting scenery and captivating history. Now that tourists are asking for a different experience from what the urban metropolis provides, they’re looking towards the mountain ranges and integral locations. These areas offer an encounter with nature, culture, and history, which is entirely different from their urban lifestyle.

From sightseeing to trekking, photography tours to cultural experiences, there’s a lot to do in Bhutan. That’s why we’ve shortlisted the Top 5 Places to Visit in Bhutan.

Rinpung Dzong is located in the town of Paro.

Rinpung Dzong

Located in Paro, the Rinpung Dzong is a fortress and Buddhist monastery called Paro Dzong. Drung Drung Gyal, who belonged to the Drukpa branch of the Kagyu School of Buddhism, founded it in the 15th Century. Two centuries later, the Zhabdrung of the period demolished Hungrel Dzong. They built a new structure from the ground up, naming it Rinpung Dzong.

A Dzong is a type of fortress found in Bhutan and Tibet. They are usually massive structures with towering outside walls that surround many inside courtyards, offices, temples, and monks’ quarters. Dzongs in Bhutan serve as administrative centers for each district of the country, acting as the district capital building along with district monastic headquarters. Dzongs in Bhutan are all elaborately built.

The expansive Rinpung Dzong comprises fourteen chapels and shrines. Just outside the platform of the main Dzong, you will find the Deyangkha Temple. Below the massive structure of the Rinpung Dzong, you’ll find a cantilever bridge over the Paro River.

If you’re lucky or scheduled your trip with festivals in mind, you can catch a glimpse of Tsechu. Tsechu is one of Bhutan’s most significant annual festivals. The event takes place in the second month of the Bhutanese Lunar Calendar from the eleventh day to the fifteenth day. Hence, you have to plan a trip around March or April. You can see beautiful masked dances depicting stories, and a procession of holy images. Rinpung Dzong is easily one of the best places to visit in Bhutan.

Motithang Takin Preserve

Bhutan has the Motithang Takin Preserve based in Thimphu to intrigue nature enthusiasts and wanderers. This is far from the usual cultural encounters at monasteries and dzongs. However, the Motithang Takin Preserve aligns with the country’s mission of conservation and sustainability.

The takin is Bhutan’s national animal. What? You don’t know what a takin is? Don’t feel too bad, as many people have not heard of the takin. A Takin is similar to a goat and an antelope and lives primarily in the eastern Himalayas of Tibet and Bhutan. They live in higher altitude areas between 1000m and 4500m above sea level. They stand between 100 and 140 cm high (39 to 55 inches) and weigh 250 kg and 350 kg (550 lbs to 770 lbs).

The Motithang Takin Preserve was initially a small zoo. Later, they converted it into a preserve, where the animals stayed in the area instead of going into the forests that surrounded the zoo. Bhutan declared the takin as its national animal because of the belief in a legend that Lama Drukpa Kunley created the animal.

The preserve is inside a pine forest that offers an excellent opportunity to trek before you see the animals. Since the zoo disbanded a long time ago, you’ll only see more tamarins here, as they are very tame, which is why they had to be put back into captivity. You can also see goats, Himalayan monals, and species like sambal deer and barking deer there. The Takin reserve is a great place to take your kids!

Bhutanese homes along the way to Pobjikha Valley

The view along the Gangte Nature Trail in Pobjikha

Phobjikha Valley

This glacial valley in Phobjikha, elevation 2900m/9500 feet, is also known as the Gangtey Valley, which takes its name from the Nyingma Sect’s Gangtey monastery. Pobjikha is located along the western slopes of the Black Mountains, adjacent to the Jigme Singye Wangchuk National Park. It is home to around 5,000 people and is about 140 kilometers east of Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan.

Winter is a unique time to visit the valley because you’ll see the black-necked cranes from Tibet roosting during the season. The majestic birds are mysterious because they habitually circle Gangtey Monastery in the final week of October, when they arrive, and when they return to Tibet. Aside from black-necked cranes, the valley hosts thirteen other species that are globally threatened.

The festival of Tsech

The festival of Tsechu also takes place here, so you’ll be able to see the brightly colored masks as they dance through the festival. From the Gangtey Monastery, you can walk across the valley and enjoy a stunning view for miles. The peaceful atmosphere will calm your nerves, and the feeling of nature around you will energize your senses.

The Hiking Trails

Numerous hiking trails throughout the Pobjikha Valley go through villages, forests, and alpine meadows. The Gangtey Nature Trail is the most popular hike, taking about 90 minutes. It begins near the Gangtey Monastery, descends towards Semchubara Village, and ends near the primary school on the other side of a metal bridge. Don’t worry…your guide will know the way! The Sashi La Nature Trail is a longer and slightly more strenuous hike, which takes about half a day to complete. This hike goes through rhododendron forests, to the village of Ramgokha, past Buddhist stupas, and through an old-growth forest. Again, your guide will know the way.

Most people only stay one night in the Pobjikha Valley, but I strongly recommend staying two nights if your schedule allows it. With two nights, you can spend a whole day hiking the many trails in the area, spend more time at Gantey Monastery, meet with locals in the valley, and have a more relaxed experience. Several friendly hotels in the valley, including the Dewachen Hotel, offer a fantastic view of the valley.

Gangte Monastery in the Pobjikha Valley

Punakha Dzong is the second largest dzong in Bhutan. It is regard as the most beautiful of all the dzongs in Bhutan.

Punakha is regarded as Bhutan’s most beautiful dzong[/ca

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Punakha Dzong

The second largest dzong in Bhutan, Punakha Dzong, is famous for its distinctive architecture and design, which is why it is regard as the most beautiful dzong in the country. Near the confluence of the Mo Chhu (Mother River) and Pho Chhu (Father River), the picturesque dzong looks like a fairytale. This is partially true since the crowning ceremony for Bhutan’s kings took place at this fortress.

Aside from being the second biggest, it’s also the second oldest Dzong in the country. Until 1955, Punakha Dzong was the seat of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Since then, the capital has been move westward to Thimphu. It is a well-known tourist site, so you can easily access it via a three-hour drive east of Thimphu. After crossing the mountain pass, the spectacular sight of Punakha Dzong will instantly enchant you. Punakha Dzong lies at an altitude of 1200 meters (3940 feet) and has a milder climate than Paro and Thimphu.

The Dzong itself was built between Pho Chu and Mo Chu, the two rivers with differently color waters from each other. Spring is an excellent time to visit, as you can see the pretty jacaranda trees blossoming in contrast to the white walls of the Punakha Dzong. It is easy to see why Punakha is list as one of Bhutan’s Top 5 Places to Visit.

Tiger’s Nest is easily the most recognizable site in Bhutan.

Along the hike up to Tiger’s Nest

[caption id="attachment_8353" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Tiger’s Nest is perched on the side of a mountain

Tiger’s Nest Monastery

The Taktsang Palphug Monastery is commonly call as the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. It is one of the most sacre sites for Tibetan Buddhism and is one of the most widely recognize sites in the greater Himalaya region, along with Lhasa’s Potala Palace. It is one of the Top 5 places to visit in Bhutan and at the top of the list for most travelers. Tiger’s Nest Monastery lies along the side of a cliff nearly 900 meters above the Paro valley. Tiger’s Nest can only be reach by hiking, as no road leads to the top.

In 1692, the temple complex at Taktsang was built near the Taktsang Senge Samdup cave. The meditation place of Guru Padmasambhava. It is said that Padmasambhava, credit with bringing Buddhism to Bhutan, meditate here for 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days, and 3 hours back in the 8th century. The hike up to Tiger’s Nest is not overly complicate and can be easily complete by anyone in decent physical shape. For most people, the hike will take between 1.5 and 2 hours to complete. You can take horses for part of the hike, but not to the top. The trail up to the monastery is well-define and has excellent views. There is a restaurant about halfway up where you can stop for tea on the way up and have lunch on the way down.

From Tiger’s Nest Monastery, you get a bird’s-eye view of Paro valley and its breathtaking scenery. The atmosphere is holy but also serene and peaceful. This certainly will be a major highlight of any journey to Bhutan.

Summary of the Top 5 Places to Visit in Bhutan

Our list of the Top 5 Places to Visit in Bhutan is just our opinion of the best places to visit. There are many more amazing places to see and experience in Bhutan. Most of the places list above are locate in Western Bhutan and can be visit as part of an 8-day journey (click link for details).

All foreign travelers going to Bhutan must be part of an organize journey that can only be arrange by a travel company. You must have a private vehicle, a driver, and a tour guide daily in Bhutan. I just want to let you know that no independent travel is permit.

For more information on the Top five Places to visit in Bhutan, including Tiger’s Nest Monastery, or to arrange a journey to Bhutan, email us at info@thelandofsnows.com.