Paro

Paro: The Most Spectacular Gateway to Bhutan

Your adventure begins in Paro, a peaceful and open valley with a spectacular gateway and entrance to Bhutan. Paro has the distinction of being the only region in Bhutan with a landscape peaceful enough for an international airport. If Paro is the only part of Bhutan you experience, it will leave you with magnificent impressions, the clean mountain air, the gentle flow of the Paro Chhu river, and the sight of natural beauty before you. Its fertile soil has brought abundance to its population for generations. Moreover, the valley is dotted with traditional, elegant farmhouses, showcasing the classic Bhutanese architectural style.

Above all else is Rinpung Dzong, the ‘Fortress on a Heap of Jewels’, a notable example of classical dzong architecture from a traditional cantilever bridge. This fortress home to government offices and a monastic community once served as a formidable defensive site during invasions. Just up the hill from um of the fortress lies Ta Dzong or the ancient watchtower, now turned into the National Museum. It is here where the historic depiction of the kingdom can be enjoyed with a fine collection of artifacts such as remarkably detailed religious paintings called thangkas, weapons from a past era, and cultural artifacts representing Bhutan.

However, the spiritual and visual high point of Paro and often the highlight of any tour in Bhutan is Taktsang Lhakhang, better known as Tiger’s Nest Monastery, which seemingly rests on the sheer granite cliff face 900 meters above the valley floor. The pilgrimage to get there, a trek through fragrant pine woods strewn with prayer flags, is also a fabulous experience in itself. Getting to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery itself gives you a sense of closure and the endless views allow Paro to justify itself as an essential component of any itinerary claiming to be the best of Nepal and Bhutan.