Not to miss

Phobjika Valley

Phobjika is a glacial valley on the western slopes of the Black Mountains. It borders the Black Mountains National Park which is one of the most important wildlife preserves in the country because of the large flock of rare, endangered black-necked cranes that winter there.

These birds have a special place in Bhutanese folklore and you can learn more about the cranes at the Crane Observation and Education Centre and view their roosting place. It's an awesome spectacle at dusk when all the birds from the valley congregate for the night.

Permanent residents of the valley include muntjaks (barking deer), wild boars, sambars, Himalayan black bears, leopards and red foxes. WWF has assisted in setting up the Khebethang Nature Study Centre in Phobjikha village, near the foot of the valley.

Nearby, Black Mountains National Park is a vast area still in its natural state. It has an impressive array of plant species, and animals found there include tigers, Himalayan black bears, leopards, red pandas, gorals, serows, sambars, wild pigs and golden langurs.

To get to Phobjika, take the main road to Wangdue Phodrang, and then turn off down a dirt road for a further 13km (8mi). Thimphu to Phobjika is 94km (58km).

Thimphu

Thimphu lies in a beautiful, wooded valley, sprawling up a hillside on the bank of the Thimphu Chhu river, and it is the only world capital without traffic lights. Despite recent development, Thimphu retains its charming, medieval feel thanks to its brightly painted, elaborately decorated facades.

Thimphu is a cornucopia of Bhutanese culture. Dominating the horizon is the imposing Trashi Chhoe Dzong(Fortress of the Glorious Religion) which was completely renovated in the 1960s to become the symbol of the capital. It now houses the offices of the king and the central monk body.

Back in town, the most visible religious structure is the National Memorial Chorten, containing numerous sacred religious paintings and tantric statues. For many, this is the focus of their daily worship. The Weekend Market, in the centre of Thimphu, is an ideal spot to experience an urban and rural blend as villagers jostle with well-heeled Thimphu residents for the best bargains. Nearby, the Changlimithang Stadium is the national archery ground, where you can see competitors participating in the kingdom's national sport, complete with traditional garb, colourful behaviour and entertaining rituals.

Dechenphu Lhakhang

To reach Dechenphu Lhakhang involves a short climb up a stone staircase to an elevation of about 2660m (8725ft). The imposing tall, red goenkhang (chapel) is dedicated to the powerful deity Gyenyen and is said to be able to supply weaponry for an endless number of soldiers. Many of the paintings in the adjoining goemba (Buddhist monastery) have been restored.

Taktshang Goemba

Taktshang is the most famous of Bhutan's monasteries, perched on the side of a cliff 900m (2952ft) above the floor of Paro valley, where the only sounds are the murmurs of wind and water and the chanting of monks. The name means 'tiger's nest'; Guru Rinpoche is said to have flown to the site of the monastery on the back of a tigress.

On 19 April 1998 a fire (which some say was arson) destroyed the main structure of Taktshang and all its contents. It had already suffered a previous fire and was repaired in 1951. Reconstruction started on an auspicious day in April 2000 at a great cost and the rebuilt site was reconsecrated in the presence of the king in 2005.

Bumthang

It sounds like a blues bar in America's deep south, but Bumthang is the spiritual heartland of Bhutan and home to its most ancient and precious Buddhist sites. Bumthang encompasses four major valleys; the main one, Choskhor, is home to the most important dzongs, temples and palaces. Jakar is at the foot of the Choskhor valley and likely to be your base.

Further along Choskhor valley, the temple of Jampa Lhakhang was built in 659 and hosts one of the kingdom's most spectacular festivals, the Jampa Lhakhang Drup, in October. Kurjey Lhakhang is named after the body print of Guru Rinpoche, which is preserved in a cave inside the oldest of the three buildings, which has stood since 1652.

If you're feeling dzonged out and have had your fill of old, sacred buildings, take to the countryside. Here, the great majority of Bhutanese live as they have for thousands of years.