Recommended Experiences

Taktsang, or the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, is Bhutan’s most famous attraction and one of its most sacred sites. Perched on the side of cliff some 600m above the Paro Valley, the only way to get close is on foot. It’s a steep walk uphill to reach the monastery's gates, but it’s worth the effort to capture that classic image and to enjoy the stunning views.

Bhutan is renowned for its amazing festivals that assault the senses with a riot of noise and colour. Festivals, or tsechus, bring together the religious and secular in spectacular celebration and are the highlight of the year in towns and villages across the country. The Paro and Thimphu festivals are the centrepiece occasions but smaller, more intimate tsechus are held in most towns and villages.

The fertile valleys of Bhutan offer numerous opportunities for delightful day walks. The valleys around Paro, Thimphu, Punakha and Haa are criss-crossed with paths and dotted with small villages and chortens, whilst the central Bumthang region has many monasteries and temples to discover.

During the winter months, the Gangtey (Phobjika) Valley becomes home to hundreds of rare Black-necked cranes who migrate here from Tibet. These majestic birds are revered in Bhutan and enjoy protected status. There’s even a festival to celebrate their arrival every November.

Spectacular Punakha Dzong, set at the confluence of two rivers, is one of Bhutan’s most beautiful cultural sights. The renovated interior is an impressive showcase of traditional Bhutan architecture and craftsmanship.

Thimphu is a great place to shop for handicrafts and find out more about the ancient methods used to make them. To discover Bhutan's 'living national art' of weaving visit the National Textile Museum, call in to the Voluntary Artists Studio to see the work of local artists, or learn how paper is made during a visit the Handmade Paper Factory.

The Druk Path follows an ancient mule path between Paro and Thimphu, taking five days to wind through magnificent mountain scenery of virgin forest, high ridges, pristine lakes and panoramic views. Nights are spent ‘under canvas’ giving a real taste of adventure and splendid isolation.

The curious looking takin is the national animal of Bhtuan and legend has it that the takin was created by the Divine Madman, Drukpa Kunley, when he combined the head of a goat with the bones of a cow! It actually looks more like a moose crossed with a small cow but see for yourself at the Takin Reserve close to Thimphu.

Trek across the Rodang La in eastern Bhutan and you may hear the whistle of the Migoi - the Bhutanese yeti. And if you don't encounter this elusive creature here, try the Migoi National Park instead, it's the only yeti reserve in the world.

Take to the trail beyond the towns and valleys of Bhutan and you can enjoy fantastic trekking amidst some of the finest mountain scenery in the world. You can trek north into the high Himalaya, go south to remote Dagana or trek in the east of the country where few visitors ever venture.