Bhutan does not sell itself on volume. Independent travel is not permitted for most nationalities: visitors book through a licensed operator, travel with a guide, and pay a Sustainable Development Fee for each night in the country on top of everything else. The fee has been revised more than once in recent years, so check the current figure and the current rules before you plan around them.
The effect of that policy is the thing people notice. Bhutan receives a fraction of the visitors that its Himalayan neighbours do, the monasteries are working religious buildings rather than attractions, and the valleys are not crowded.
One road, four valleys
The country runs east to west along the Himalayan foothills and the tourist route follows a single highway through a sequence of valleys, each a few hours from the next on winding mountain roads.
Paro has the international airport, the Tiger's Nest monastery on a cliff face at 3,120 metres, and the Paro Chhu valley floor at around 2,200.
Thimphu, an hour east, is the capital: a city of about 115,000 with no traffic lights, the weekend market and the largest dzong.
Punakha, three hours further over a 3,100-metre pass, drops to 1,200 metres, which makes it warmer and greener, and it holds the most beautiful dzong in the country at the confluence of two rivers.
Gangtey and Bumthang are further east again, into the black-necked crane valley and the oldest temples in Bhutan.
Most trips do Paro, Thimphu and Punakha over five to seven nights. Going further east adds days rather than hours.
The six below are grouped by valley.
Paro
The arrival valley, and the Tiger's Nest.
Paro Grand Resort occupies a traditional farmhouse and courtyard above the Paro valley, with a stone-walled main building, a bukhari stove in each room and an all-inclusive arrangement covering excursions and guiding. It is the most refined stay in Bhutan.
Paro Grand Resort
Paro valley · 5★ · $$$$
A stone farmhouse and courtyard with guiding included
Search hotels in BhutanCOMO Uma Paro sits on a ridge above Paro with a spa, a strong wellness programme and views down the valley to the dzong. It is the most comfortable hotel in the country.
COMO Uma Paro
Above Paro · 5★ · $$$$
Ridge position with a spa and views to the dzong
Check availabilityParo Heritage Hotel occupies a purpose-built Bhutanese-style building near the airport, constructed without nails in the traditional method, with a temple in the grounds. It is the best value in Paro.
Paro Heritage Hotel
Paro valley · 4★ · $$$
Built in the traditional method without nails
Search hotels in BhutanThimphu
The capital, an hour east.
Taj Paro Resorts And Spa occupies a building in central Thimphu with Bhutanese-inflected interiors, a spa and the most convenient position for the dzong and the market.
Taj Paro Resorts And Spa
Thimphu · 5★ · $$$
Most convenient base for the capital's dzong and market
Check availabilityPunakha
Three hours and a mountain pass east, 1,000 metres lower and considerably warmer.
Six Senses Punakha sits above the Punakha valley on a hillside with a farmhouse-style lodge, a spa and views down to the rice terraces and the river. It is the best-sited hotel in the country.
Dhensa Resort occupies a position on the valley floor with a smaller room count, a garden and a short walk to the suspension bridge. It is the value pick in Punakha.
Dhensa Resort
Punakha valley floor · 4★ · $$$
Small and garden-set near the suspension bridge
Check availabilityWhat we have left off
The tented camps and the smaller guest houses along the route are excluded. Bhutan has a growing number of both and they are not hotels at the standard this guide applies.
What to do
Walk to the Tiger's Nest. It is about five hours return from the car park, climbing roughly 900 metres to a monastery on a cliff at 3,120 metres, and it is the reason most people come. Start early and take it slowly; the altitude is real.
Visit a dzong. Punakha Dzong at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu is the most beautiful building in the Himalayas and it is a working administrative and monastic centre.
Time it around a tshechu if you can. The masked dance festivals run in different valleys at different times of year and they are religious events rather than performances.
Walk the Punakha suspension bridge, one of the longest in the country, and the rice terraces below Chimi Lhakhang.
Eat ema datshi, which is chillies and cheese and is the national dish, and understand that Bhutanese food is genuinely hot.
Practical notes
Paro's airport is one of the more demanding commercial approaches in the world and only a small number of pilots are certified for it. Flights come from Delhi, Kathmandu, Bangkok, Singapore and Dhaka, and they are weather-dependent.
March to May and September to November are the best windows: clear skies, and the festivals. Winter is cold, clear and quiet at lower altitude. Summer is the monsoon.
Everything runs through your operator: guide, driver, itinerary and permits. Confirm the current Sustainable Development Fee and entry rules well before booking, since they have changed repeatedly.
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Questions people actually ask
Can you travel independently?
Most nationalities cannot. A licensed operator, a guide and a nightly fee are required. Check the current arrangements, which have been revised more than once.
Is the Tiger's Nest hike hard?
Five hours return, 900 metres of climb, at altitude. Fit walkers manage it comfortably; it is not a stroll.
How many valleys should you do?
Paro, Thimphu and Punakha in five to seven nights. Going further east adds days.
When should you go?
Spring or autumn for clear weather and the festivals.