Highlights of Bhutan: Paro, Thimphu, Punakha & Phobjikha

Today you explore Thimphu, the world's only capital without a single traffic light, where a white-gloved policeman still directs the gentle flow by hand. You climb to the vast golden Buddha Dordenma, one of the largest seated Buddhas anywhere, gazing serenely over the whole valley, then visit the National Memorial Chorten, circled all day by devout pilgrims spinning prayer wheels. You meet the curious takin, the national animal, at its forest preserve, and browse the fascinating textile and folk-heritage museums and the traditional postal museum, where you can make a stamp of your own face. As evening falls, you tour the majestic Tashichho Dzong, glowing gold in the low light and home to the throne room and central monk body. Return to your hotel to savour the relaxed rhythm of the capital. Rest well, ready for the Dochula Pass tomorrow.

Today you journey east from Thimphu towards the warmer, lower valley of Punakha, climbing first to the beautiful Dochula Pass at over 3,000 metres. Here 108 white memorial chortens rise in tiers on a hilltop hung with prayer flags, and on a clear morning a breathtaking wall of snow-capped Himalayan peaks fills the horizon; you pause for butter tea and photographs amid the mountain air. Descending through lush forests of rhododendron and fern, you reach the fertile Punakha valley, its terraced fields and river confluence far warmer than the capital. You visit the charming Chimi Lhakhang, the hillside fertility temple of the eccentric 'Divine Madman', reached on a gentle walk through rice paddies and a village famous for its playful painted symbols. Settle into your hotel by the river. Rest well amid the warmth and beauty of Punakha.

Today you explore the beautiful Punakha valley, the ancient winter seat of Bhutan's kings. You visit the magnificent Punakha Dzong, widely held to be the loveliest fortress-monastery in the country, set gracefully where the father and mother rivers meet; you cross a traditional wooden bridge to its whitewashed walls and step into vast courtyards where a great bodhi tree grows and jacaranda blooms lilac in spring, past galleries of exquisite painting and a golden assembly hall. You then walk out to one of the longest suspension bridges in Bhutan, swaying high above the clear river amid a river of fluttering prayer flags, with beautiful views along the valley. In the afternoon you might stroll through terraced fields or visit the hilltop Khamsum Yulley temple. Return to your riverside hotel as the light softens. Rest well beside the beautiful Mo Chhu.

Today you journey deeper into the mountains to the glacial Phobjikha valley, one of the most serene and beautiful places in Bhutan. You climb again through forests of oak and rhododendron, crossing into the broad, glacier-carved bowl of Phobjikha (Gangtey), a wide sweep of golden marsh grass and grazing land ringed by dark forested hills. This protected valley is the winter home of the rare black-necked cranes, which fly in from Tibet each year, and even the power lines here are buried underground to keep their skies clear. You visit the beautiful Gangtey monastery on its ridge, a major seat of Buddhist teaching, and learn about the cranes at the small conservation centre. As evening falls over the wide, silent valley, you settle into a cosy lodge or farmhouse. Rest well amid profound Himalayan tranquillity.

This morning you savour the luminous calm of the Phobjikha valley, walking the gentle Gangtey nature trail that winds down from the monastery ridge through meadows, past a chorten and small villages, to the valley floor, with wide views across the crane grounds. If you visit in winter you may glimpse the elegant black-necked cranes themselves. You then begin the long, scenic drive back west, recrossing the Dochula Pass with another chance at the Himalayan panorama, and continuing through Thimphu to the Paro valley, arriving in the late afternoon. Paro is a beautiful, broad valley of emerald rice fields, traditional farmhouses and the winding river, watched over by its great dzong. Settle into your hotel and rest your legs. This evening, enjoy a warming Bhutanese dinner. Rest well, gathering your strength for tomorrow's climb to the Tiger's Nest.

Today you make the iconic pilgrimage to Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest, the most famous and sacred site in Bhutan. You set out early and climb a beautiful forest trail of blue pine hung with fluttering prayer flags, gaining height steadily (ponies can be hired for part of the ascent). At a teahouse viewpoint the golden-roofed temples appear across a deep chasm, clinging impossibly to a sheer granite cliff 900 metres above the valley, where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated. The final stretch descends past a waterfall and climbs stone steps into the monastery itself, its shrines fragrant with butter lamps and deeply peaceful. The setting is breathtaking and profoundly moving. You descend in the afternoon, tired and elated, perhaps pausing at the trailside teahouse. This evening, celebrate your achievement with a farewell farm-house dinner. Rest well after an unforgettable day.

After a relaxed breakfast, you enjoy a final morning in the beautiful Paro valley before your flight. You visit the imposing Rinpung Dzong, the 'fortress on a heap of jewels', crossing its traditional covered wooden bridge, and climb briefly to the ancient watchtower above that houses the National Museum, with its beautiful collection of thangkas, masks and artefacts. You might stroll Paro's charming main street of painted timber shopfronts for a last look at handicrafts, or make a final offering at Kyichu Lhakhang. Then you are transferred to Paro airport for your onward departure, taking off amid the peaks on another spectacular flight. You leave having experienced the very best of Bhutan, its giant Buddha, its river-confluence dzong, its crane valley and its cliff-clinging monastery, all warmed by gentle hospitality. The kingdom's serenity and beauty stay with you long after you land. Depart already dreaming of return.