Overview
Take a trip to Thimphu on your Bhutan Vacation
When travelling on Bhutan vacations, you will naturally head to Thimphu, the largest city in Bhutan. Ranging 2,248-2,648 metres above sea level, in the hills of Thimphu Valley and along the banks of the Thimphu Chuu River, the city was established in 1955, with the king then declaring it Bhutan’s capital in 1961. For centuries before, Thimphu Valley had previously supported small settlements in the region.
Home to the Bhutanese Royal Family, the Royal Government and Judiciary and to several foreign missions, Thimphu is considered Bhutan’s political and economic centre, with agriculture and livestock being its dominant industry. An excursion to Punakha, just over 70kms away from Thimphu and famous for its rice farming, illustrates the abundance of this fertile land.
Within Thimphu’s various districts are monasteries, Dzongs (fortresses), and other culturally- rich, historic sites scattered throughout, as well as modern libraries, museums, and galleries, all to be enjoyed on a Bhutan vacation.
The National Memorial Chorten, found in the heart of Thimpu, was built in 1974 to honour the third king. Adorned with golden spires and bells, this white structure is considered the most visible religious landmark of Bhutan.
Continuously undergoing massive development, tourism on a Bhutan vacation is heavily regulated as Thimphu tries to preserve its cultural heritage and the fragile ecology of Thimphu Valley.
With the long-term objective of making Thimphu a ‘dream city’ by 2027, Thimphu has so far done an excellent job of maintaining and blending its cultural heritage with modern expansion.
The National Memorial Chorten, found in the heart of Thimpu, was built in 1974 to honour the third king. Adorned with golden spires and bells, this white structure is considered the most visible religious landmark of Bhutan.
Continuously undergoing massive development, tourism on a Bhutan vacation is heavily regulated as Thimphu tries to preserve its cultural heritage and the fragile ecology of Thimphu Valley.
With the long-term objective of making Thimphu a ‘dream city’ by 2027, Thimphu has so far done an excellent job of maintaining and blending its cultural heritage with modern expansion.
At a Glance
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Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN)What do the experts say?
You should absolutely attend a tshechu festival when visiting Bhutan, especially the one in Paro or Thimphu. These religious dance festivals are colourful, energetic, spiritual, and deeply rooted in local community life.
I love how Bhutan feels alive with spirituality—every valley has temples, fluttering prayer flags, and quiet paths.
View of Tashichoedzong - The 17th century fortr...
Sunrise in Thimphu
Tashichoedzong
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Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
ThimphuRainy
31°C / 87°F
156mm / 6.1"
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ExcellentBased on 5,219 ReviewsThe booking processs was really easy. Katie was very communicative and was very responsive. Every change we asked for, she quickly replied. The room arrangements had a small hiccupp but Katie fixed it within minutes! All the excursions were a blast and well planned.
The trip was a bucket list trip and was everything we hoped for. Alison MAllan Birkett at Goway has been an absolute godsend! Over the past year, he has helped me plan numerous vacations—especially honeymoons—and has been an incredible partner every step of the way.
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I truly appreciate everything Allan does and highly recommend him to anyone looking for exceptional service. Thank you, Allan, for always being thereBrooke EcholsOur 2-week trip to Normandy, Switzerland and Italy after we disembarked from the Queen Mary 2 in Southampton in mid-May was superb. Michael Keon did an amazing job of putting together highlights for us to see and visit with the short time we had. All the train reservations, private and small group tours and transportations were very well coordinated, on time, and usually exceeded our expectations. Drivers were courteous and knowledgeable. Mike did a wonderful job getting everything coordinated, in spite of our almost “last minute” booking. I booked a month-long trip through GOWAY back in 1989 for Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, and they were superb then. So I tried them again, and found the entire organization to be even better. Mike was quick to respond to any questions that came up regarding booksings and times, regardless of the 6-hour time difference. Just superb! Although we had a nasty experience in Milan, GOWAY was very responsive and saw to our requests and our needs. Again, Michael Keon is the person who coordinated our travel. I will ask for Mike when I travel again with GOWAY. I recommend GOWAY highly. PJ WheelerA BIG THANK YOU to Goway Travel, Brooke Theron and all of the partners onsite. Our trip to Africa was incredible, memories that will last forever.
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E&DI recently went on an African Safari with my brother-in-law and sister and another couple who I knew. The entire experience was absolutely unbelievable. The complete details were flawlessly coordinated from the transfers to the breathtaking lodges. Our guides Peter showed us Kenya and Maulid Tanzania were very knowledgeable and very sharp eyes for finding the animals.
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We had several sundowners in the bush really added to a magical experience with beautiful sunsets.
I would highly recommend Goway to all my friends, they will not be disappointed.
Thank you to Bijal for the excellent African Safari that you put together for us. You were wonderful.Nancy HayWe enjoyed our trip very much. I was very pleased by the hotel, tours, and itinerary selections that Alice Teramoto made for us. It was all well organized and easy to follow.
Thank you very much for helping us have a great experience in Peru.INEverything was planned perfectly. The excursions were so small and personal. Ask for Mark! I have already planned another trip back to the Oregon wine country with Mark. Claire
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