Thimphu Trips & Tours

Many parts of Bhutan feel like an otherwordly, glorious paradox, and perhaps none more so than the capital city, Thimphu. Surrounded by forested mountains and spread out along the Raidāk River, it was barely more than a village when the King declared it the face of ‘new’ Bhutan in 1961 and it exploded into life. Today, it’s slowly modernising and you’ll spot the famous ‘traffic light’ policeman alongside cool cafes and restaurants, shops selling handmade paper and traditional arrows alongside cellphone credit, and red-robed monks sipping lattes. We recommend wandering the crooked streets to the Textile Museum, Folk Heritage Museum and the National Library, before heading to the Tashichho Dzong, the seat of Bhutan’s government and royal offices – and completely nail-free! Then, hike to Cheri Goemba, the first monastery in the country, to complete a rather eccentric but lovely stay.