Places to visit in Bhutan
11 places most Bhutan trips are built around, in the order a first visit usually takes them. Five days by air covers Thimphu, Paro and the Tiger's Nest hike; six days adds Punakha over the Dochula pass, or pays for the drive in and out when you enter by road from Siliguri; seven or eight days fits Punakha with the Gangtey valley or Chele La on the road route; eleven days crosses back into India for Gangtok and Darjeeling.
- Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang): The monastery on a cliff 900 metres above the Paro valley, a hike of about three hours up and two down; the last morning of most trips.
- Paro: Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum: The fortress-monastery above the river and the round watchtower above it that holds the museum.
- Buddha Dordenma: The 51-metre seated Buddha on the hill above Thimphu, with the valley spread out below.
- Tashichho Dzong: Thimphu's fortress, the seat of government and the monastic body, open to visitors in the evening after office hours.
- Memorial Chorten: The white stupa in Thimphu where townspeople circle with prayer wheels through the day.
- Dochula Pass: The 3,100-metre pass between Thimphu and Punakha with its 108 chortens and, on a clear morning, the Himalayan range.
- Punakha Dzong: The most beautiful of the dzongs, at the meeting of two rivers, reached over a covered wooden bridge.
- Chimi Lhakhang: The temple of the Divine Madman across the paddies from Punakha, a short walk through the village of Sopsokha.
- Phobjikha (Gangtey) Valley: The glacial valley where black-necked cranes winter from late October to mid-February, with the Gangtey monastery above it.
- Chele La Pass: The highest road pass in Bhutan at about 3,800 metres, between Paro and the Haa valley, with prayer flags and yaks.
- Kyichu Lhakhang: One of the oldest temples in the country, in the Paro valley, from the seventh century.
