Rare · +250 XP Best time to visit: Mar–Apr · Oct–Nov Daily spend ~$280

Bhutan

A daily fee, a required guide, and monasteries on cliffs. The restrictions are the reason it still feels like this.

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Fast facts

Bhutan in ten slides

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

Bhutan in ten 1 / 11

Bhutan in ten

A kingdom in the Eastern Himalayas

A landlocked country in South Asia bordering the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast, a democratic constitutional monarchy. Swipe or use the arrows.

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

The flag

A dragon out of the country's own name

The flag features the Druk, a dragon from Bhutanese mythology. It alludes to the name of the country in Dzongkha, Druk Yul, the Thunder Dragon Kingdom, and to the Drukpa Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, the dominant religion.

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

Where it sits

Thirty-eight thousand square kilometres

38,395 km²

Bhutan covers 38,394 square kilometres with a population of over 800,000, which places it 133rd in land area and 160th in population. Thimphu is the capital and largest city, and close to a seventh of the population lives there.

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

Original: Nina R from Africa Derivative work: UnpetitproleX · CC BY 2.0 · Commons

The one peak

Which mountain has nobody stood on top of?

The Himalayas in the north hold peaks above 7,000 metres, and one of them is a record no other mountain can take. Tap for it.

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY 2.5 · Commons

The first millennium

A school of Buddhism that came from Bengal

Bhutan and neighbouring Tibet saw the spread of Buddhism, which began in South Asia in the lifetime of the Buddha. In the first millennium the Vajrayana school reached Bhutan from the southern Pala Empire of Bengal. The Je Khenpo heads the state religion.

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons

The sixteenth century

The valleys made into one state

During the sixteenth century Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal unified the valleys of Bhutan into a single state.

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons

Nineteen oh seven

A king chosen unanimously

1907

Power struggles between the rival valleys of Paro and Tongsa led to civil war in the 1870s, and Ugyen Wangchuck united the country after the rebellions of 1882 to 1885. In 1907 he was unanimously chosen as hereditary king by the Lhengye Tshog.

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons

Two thousand and eight

A parliament, and a legislature before it

In 1953 King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck established a 130-member National Assembly to promote a more democratic form of governance. The 2008 Constitution established a parliamentary government with an elected National Assembly and a National Council.

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons

Say hello

Dzongkha, in the mountains

727,145

Dzongkha is the official language. The 2022 census counted 727,145 people, at about 20.4 to the square kilometre. The wildlife is notable for its diversity, the Himalayan takin and the golden langur among it. There is no Dzongkha phrasebook here.

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

אבנר אילנאי · CC-BY-SA-4.0 · Commons

Money

The ngultrum, and the rupee beside it

$4,710

The currency is the ngultrum, used alongside the Indian rupee. Income per head is about $4,710 nominal and $19,255 at purchasing power parity, and the Human Development Index score for 2023 is 0.698.

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

Original: Nina R from Africa Derivative work: UnpetitproleX · CC BY 2.0 · Commons

Go deeper

Where to next

Thimphu is the capital and largest city, Paro is the other town listed here, and the Himalayas run along the north of the country. The bookable Bhutan is below.

Start a trip here →Browse flights Browse hotels Browse things to do

Wikipedia · 4 Sep 2026

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When to go

Best time to visit Bhutan: Mar–Apr · Oct–Nov

Checked 22 Aug 2026

Clear Himalayan air between the monsoon and the cold.

Cities

Where people go in Bhutan

Paro3 days is about right
Thimphu2 days is about right

Landmarks

What people go to see in Bhutan

Thimphu

Temple · Thimphu

Buddha Dordenma statue

Great Buddha Dordenma is a gigantic Shakyamuni Buddha statue in the mountains of Bhutan celebrating the 60th anniversary of fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The statue houses over one hundred thousand smaller Buddha statues, each of which, like the Great Buddha Dordenma itself, are made of bronze and gilded in gold.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 31 Dec 2025

אבנר אילנאי · CC-BY-SA-4.0

Square · Thimphu

Thimphu

Thimphu is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replaced by Thimphu as the capital in 1955, and in 1961 Thimphu was officially declared the capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan by the 3rd Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 23 Jul 2026

Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0

Museum · Thimphu

Thimphu

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 23 Jul 2026

Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0

Temple · Thimphu

Thimphu

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 23 Jul 2026

Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0

Park · Thimphu

Thimphu

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 23 Jul 2026

Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0

Fortress · Thimphu

Tashichho Dzong

Tashichho Dzong is a Buddhist monastery and fortress on the northern edge of the city of Thimphu in Bhutan, on the western bank of the Wang Chu. It has traditionally been the seat of the Druk Desi, the head of Bhutan's civil government, an office which has been combined with the kingship since the creation of the monarchy in 1907, and summer capital of the country.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 1 Sep 2026

Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0

Paro

Ruins · Paro

Drukgyal Dzong

Drukgyal Dzong, also known as Drukgyel Dzong, is a fortress and Buddhist monastery, located in the upper part of the Paro District, Bhutan. The dzong was built by Tenzin Drukdra in 1649 at the behest of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, to commemorate victory over an invasion from Tibet. While ruling as the second Paro Penlop, Drukdra named the fortress Drukgyal Dzong, 'The fortress of the victorious Drukpas'.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 2 Aug 2026

Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 4.0

Temple · Paro

Kyichu Lhakhang

Kyichu Lhakhang, is an important Himalayan Buddhist temple situated in Lango Gewog of Paro Dzongkhag in Bhutan.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 1 Aug 2026

Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY 2.5

Museum · Paro

Paro, Bhutan

Paro is a town and seat of Paro District, in the Paro Valley of Bhutan. It is a historic town with many sacred sites and historical buildings scattered throughout the area. It is also home to Paro International Airport, Bhutan's sole international airport.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 25 Aug 2026

Christopher Michel · CC BY 2.0

Fortress · Paro

Rinpung Dzong

Rinpung Dzong, sometimes referred to as Paro Dzong, is a large dzong - Buddhist monastery and fortress - of the Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school in Paro District, Bhutan. It houses the district Monastic Body as well as government administrative offices of Paro Dzongkhag. It is listed as a tentative site in Bhutan's Tentative List for UNESCO inclusion.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 1 Aug 2026

Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0

Temple · Paro

Paro Taktsang

Paro Taktsang is a sacred Vajrayana Himalayan Buddhist site located in the cliffside of the upper Paro valley in Bhutan. It is one of thirteen Tiger's Nest caves in historical Tibet in which Padmasambhava practiced and taught Vajrayana.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 1 Aug 2026

Original: Nina R from Africa Derivative work: UnpetitproleX · CC BY 2.0

Where to stay

Sourced stays

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Things to do

Sourced experiences

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Getting there

Fly to Bhutan

One airport to land at

Paro PBH

Search flights to Paro →

Practical

The facts you look up on the plane

All essentials →

Driving

On the left

Checked 21 Aug 2026

Plugs

C / D / F / G / M

IEC · World Plugs · checked 21 Aug 2026

Voltage

230V

Checked 21 Aug 2026

Currency

BTN · Bhutanese ngultrum

ISO 4217 · checked 22 Aug 2026

Hello

Kuzu zangpo

Checked 21 Aug 2026

Tipping

Guides and drivers are tipped at the end of a tour; nothing is expected in restaurants.

Checked 10 Aug 2026

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