Want to visit Bhutan?

The largest city and capital of Bhutan, attracting tourists with various attractions. The main one is the Fortress of Blessed Religion (Trashinchho Dzong), built in 1216 as a Buddhist monastery where 2000 monks lived. In the middle of the last century, the temple was rebuilt after a fire and turned into a government center that housed the king's office. Another amazing attraction is the Thimphu Chorten Memorial Stupa, which is an important religious site not only in the capital but also in the whole country. The chorten, built in traditional Tibetan style, has a classical shape with its altar. Believers circumambulate the stupa clockwise, spinning prayer wheels to fulfill all their wishes. The stupa was erected in 1974 in memory of the third king of Bhutan.

It is an old winter capital located in the valley of the Wangdu River. The city has a mild climate due to which subtropical plants such as bananas, oranges and cacti thrive here. The area is home to the winter residence of Je Kempo, the head of Buddhism in Bhutan. One of the main attractions of Punakha is Punakha Dzong, a monastery that is located at the confluence of two mountain rivers, the Mo Chu and Pho Chu. The way to the temple is via a footbridge over the Mo-Chu River. At Punakha Dzong you can see a large bodhi tree, a traditional Tibetan stupa, a library with 108 volumes of Kanjur (Tibetan canon written in gold letters) and the mausoleum of the founder of the kingdom of Bhutan.

The only city in Bhutan with an international airport, it is considered one of the hardest to reach in the world. The city is a major religious and cultural center of the kingdom. It is home to Bhutan's main Buddhist shrine, the Tigress Nest Monastery. It is located on a steep slope at an altitude of 3000 meters and consists of seven temples and monks' huts. To reach it, you have to go halfway on foot or on horseback and then climb up on your own. Tigress Nest was destroyed by fire in 1998 and was not rebuilt until 2005. This monastery is one of the few that can be visited in Bhutan.

Another major religious center located in the territory of Tibet. It houses an ancient temple built in the 7th century, the Jambay Lhakhang. According to legend, King Songtsen Gampo ordered 108 monasteries to be built in one day to nail to the ground all the body parts of a demoness who was covering Tibet and the Himalayas, thus preventing the spread of Buddhism. Jakara is also home to the Kurjey Lhakhang Monastery, which preserves the body imprint of the famous guru Padmasambhava. This complex consists of three small royal monasteries and a large chorten, so it is a must visit when traveling to this region.