91�Թ�

There’s a quicker way into Bhutan now. Druk Air flies twice a week from Dubai to Paro, and with flight frequency set to increase, this is the most efficient route from London. It does involve the slight inconvenience of changing terminals and re-tagging luggage in Dubai, but that quickly fades once you’re in the air again.

Landing in Paro is still a feat. Only about fifty pilots in the world are qualified to fly into one of the most technically challenging airports on Earth. As the aircraft threaded its way between Himalayan giants, Mount Everest emerged above the clouds, almost at eye level. The descent is awe-inspiring. A moment when you sense you are leaving one kind of world for another.

From Paro, the road to Thimphu takes just over an hour. Smooth and scenic, it winds into a capital that has gently expanded across its valley floor since my last visit. Despite its growth, the majority of new construction remains beautifully aligned with Bhutanese architectural tradition.

We began our Khamsa, a “royal stroll” through Bhutan’s most iconic valleys, with Six Senses, who have thoughtfully placed five lodges across the country’s central and western heartlands. Each property is designed to reflect the character of its setting and to offer a different lens into Bhutanese life. Our first stop was Six Senses Thimphu, known as the Palace in the Sky. The lodge rests high above the city, with bird’s-eye views over the Thimphu Valley. It is serene and elegant, the kind of place that lets the landscape do the talking.

Thimphu remains the only capital city in the world without traffic lights. At the central roundabout, the white-gloved traffic policeman still directs cars with the same theatrical flourish I remembered. He manages the junction like a dancer.

During a visit to the Great Buddha Dordenma, which is considered the world’s largest seated Buddha, we found ourselves swept into a tide of red-robed pilgrims attending a religious festival. Thousands moved together in quiet reverence. The air shimmered with the sound of chants, the flicker of prayer flags, the clack of colourful beads. The moment felt both monumental and deeply personal.

To reach the central valleys of Bumthang, we took a 25-minute domestic flight from Paro on an ATR aircraft. Best described as a rollercoaster ride, the flight was well worth it. It spared us a long road journey and offered dramatic views into Bhutan’s interior.

Bumthang is made up of four sweeping valleys, each rich with temples, monasteries, fortress ruins, a small market street, and trails for hiking and mountain biking. We saw no other tourists anywhere during our stay. It felt magical. Quiet. Untouched.

We stayed at Six Senses Bumthang, also known as the Forest Within a Forest. The lodge is cocooned in nature, surrounded by birdsong and a rushing river. Privacy and comfort are absolute. The food was fresh and beautifully prepared, the wine selection thoughtful, and the spa deeply restorative. Every detail was designed for rest, a place to settle the body and clear the mind.

Leaving Bumthang by road, we crossed two high mountain passes at over 3,400 metres. Along the way, we stopped at Trongsa Dzong, the longest fortress in Bhutan and historically the original seat of the royal family. The adjacent watchtower has been transformed into a museum, offering stories of Bhutanese royalty and spiritual heritage. A light lunch at the Waterfall Café made for the perfect pause before our descent into Gangtey also known as the Phobjikha Valley.

Gangtey is a long, open valley ringed with alpine meadows and pine-covered slopes. Wildflowers grow alongside potato and buckwheat crops. Hilltops are crowned with temples, nunneries and monasteries. The valley is best known as the winter home of the rare Tibetan black-necked cranes, which are protected, revered and loved by all.

In a show of quiet conservation, all electrical wires run underground across the valley to safeguard the cranes’ flight paths. It is said the birds circle Gangtey Goempa monastery three times on arrival from Tibet, and again before their return north in spring.

We stayed at Six Senses Gangtey, also known as the Birdwatching Bridge. Positioned high above the Black Necked Crane Visitor Centre, the lodge offers extraordinary views across the valley. Each suite has a private balcony and a telescope to watch the cranes in winter, or simply gaze into the horizon.

From Gangtey, our journey led us to Punakha, the lowest of Bhutan’s valleys. On the way, we stopped at the Temple of the Divine Madman, where Bhutanese couples come to receive the phallus blessing, believed to bring the arrival of a baby or two. Humorous and sacred all at once, the experience was both touching and unforgettable.

Punakha Dzong sits at the meeting point of two rivers, framed by jacaranda trees in full bloom. We visited the three vast courtyards and the inner temple, taking in its layered architecture and gentle flow. Afterwards, we crossed Bhutan’s longest suspension bridge before returning to the riverbank.

There, the hosts from Six Senses Punakha welcomed us with pomegranate martinis and delicious treats. The sun dipped behind the fortress, casting golden light across the water. It was one of those moments that seems impossibly cinematic, until you realise it’s real.

The next day began at dawn. We hiked through rice paddy fields and quiet villages to reach a monastery perched on a hilltop. There, we joined young monks aged between six and twenty-six for breakfast. We spoke about their routines, their studies, and their shared love of football. The conversation drifted from prayer to Premier League. It was warm, unguarded and beautifully human.

Our final journey took us back across the Dochu La Pass, with its 108 stupas draped in fluttering prayer flags. Arriving in Paro, we enjoyed a delicious lunch with a fifth-generation rice farmer in his family farmhouse. Together, we made our own prayer flags, sending our hopes and intentions into the wind.

On our penultimate day, we rose early to hike to the legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery. Clinging to a cliffside at 3,120 metres, it is one of the most awe-inspiring sites I have ever encountered. The climb is steep but steady, winding through pine forest and prayer wheels. Standing at the edge of the monastery, the view over the Paro Valley was astonishing.

Back at Six Senses Paro, we eased into the afternoon with spa treatments and a butter lamp lighting ceremony at a nearby monastery. That evening, we gathered for our final dinner, a spectacular celebration held among ancient stone ruins.

Flaming torches lit the scene. Prayer flags fluttered overhead. Traditional singing and masked dancers filled the air with music and movement. A whole leg of lamb, slow-cooked over charcoal, was served alongside grilled vegetables and fresh salads. It was a farewell I will never forget.

Bhutan doesn’t ask you to do more. It asks you to notice more. It offers stillness without stagnation, joy without performance, beauty without spectacle. It reminded me that progress isn’t always about motion. Sometimes, it’s about returning — to nature, to ritual, to self.

I came back to see what had changed. And in doing so, I saw more clearly what has never needed to.

Speak to Ayesha Cronin, our Asia Specialist, to begin planning your journey through Bhutan for 2025 or 2026. Call +44 (0) 2039 933538 or make an online enquiry.