Most travellers come to Bhutan for one reason.
They come to climb to the Tiger’s Nest monastery, to stand on that iconic ledge above Paro Valley, and to say they have seen one of the world’s wonders.
Yet the Bhutan that stays with you lies beyond that first path.
It unfurls across high passes hung with prayer flags, through forests where orchids and rhododendrons bloom, and into the further valleys of Gangtey and Bumthang.
“As soon as you step off the plane, the intense weight of your busy life dissipates,” wrote Louisa Thompson, our Middle East & Australasia expert. “You instantly feel a sense of peace.”
Follow the road east and you may find, as she did, that the most remarkable experiences lie where few others go.
The Valley of Cranes
Phobjikha Valley was our first stop, a high glacial bowl where the mountains seem to lean in close and the air carries a hush.
“Walk out of the airport, and you stand there completely gobsmacked by the sheer size of the mountains surrounding you. It’s mesmerising,” Louisa reflected.
From late October through February, this valley becomes the winter home of the endangered black-necked cranes. Their arrival is a celebrated event, their annual circling of the 17th-century Gangtey Monastery an omen of good fortune.
“We were very lucky. The weather hadn’t been optimal, but we managed to see a couple of the cranes before their migration back to Tibet, which usually begins by early March,” she added.
From Gangtey Lodge, our base for exploring the valley, we quickly discovered that this was more than a place to sleep.
Perched on a hillside overlooking the entire Phobjikha Valley, the lodge offers uninterrupted views of the glacial bowl below. The design is an elegant reflection of a Bhutanese farmhouse, with hand-carved timber beams, flickering fireplaces, and deep, inviting leather armchairs that draw you in from the cold.
Featured on BBC’s Amazing Hotels, the property offers a cocoon of comfort after long days at altitude.
“After a four-hour hike up Kayche La Pass, at 3,600 metres, it was a welcome relief to come back to the comforts of the hotel,” Louisa admitted. “Although sleeping at altitude is sometimes tricky, even if you’re totally exhausted.Top tip: limit your caffeine and salt intake when you’re at altitude.”
The Road East
Bhutan is a country of shifting altitudes and changing rhythms.
Driving towards Bumthang, each bend in the road reveals an entirely new world.
“As you come into warmer climes, the whole landscape changes once again. Lilac jacaranda, flame trees, orchids, banana trees, magnolia. And, of course, rows and rows of prayer flags,” Louisa recalled.
At every mountain pass, her driver, Vishnu, became an unspoken guide through these transitions.
“It was reassuring to know Vishnu was there, looking out for us as we navigated the precipitous roads,” she added.
This is the Bhutan that moves at a different pace. You surrender to its rhythm, or you miss its essence entirely.
The Spiritual Heart
Bumthang, often called Bhutan’s spiritual heartland, rewards those who travel further still.
Its broad valleys hold some of the kingdom’s oldest temples and monasteries, their histories braided from myth and memory.
We climbed to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, a temple completed in 2004 at the request of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck.
Designed according to ancient Bhutanese principles of architecture and sacred geometry, the chorten was built to ward off negative forces and promote peace and harmony throughout Bhutan and the world.
Butter lamps glowed in the dim light. Prayer flags danced above the Punākha River far below.
“I’ll admit, after several days I wondered if I might feel ‘templed out’. But Bhutan has a way of surprising you—each visit revealed something new, something deeply personal,” Louisa shared.
Beyond the temples, it was the everyday that lingered.
An orchard lunch beneath cloudless skies. The murmur of monks’ chants carried on the wind. The easy hospitality of those who live close to land and spirit.
“What I loved most about Bhutan was how few tourists we saw,” Louisa noted. “Until the end of our trip, when we climbed Tiger’s Nest, we had hardly seen anyone else. A rare and very special thing to encounter.”
A Kingdom in Balance
Bhutan remains one of the world’s few carbon-negative countries. More than seventy percent of its land is forested. Wildlife, from tigers to takins and red pandas, still thrives in these valleys.
“It is a nature lover’s paradise,” Louisa observed.
Yet change is coming. The younger generation is looking outward. The moment to experience Bhutan’s most remote valleys as they are today may not last.
“This is one of the most relaxed places on earth,” she added. “My advice is to try and go now, before the Western world encroaches on this little kingdom of serenity.”
For those willing to journey further, Bhutan still offers the rarest of travel experiences. A place where the mountains speak softly, and where off the beaten track still truly exists.
In the words of the Tibetan yogi Jetsun Milarepa, “There are, in the heart of the Himalayas, some strange marketplaces where one can barter the whirlwind of life for infinite wisdom.”
Perhaps it is here, in Bhutan’s further valleys, that wisdom still waits.
Ready to journey beyond the Tiger’s Nest?
If you’d like to speak with Louisa, connect with our Asia team, or discover more inspiration on Bhutan’s lesser-known valleys, we’d love to hear from you.
Call us on +44 (0)2039 933538, or make an online enquiry to start planning your own path through the Land of the Thunder Dragon.
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