Historical Places
Bhutan landscape is dotted with massive Dzongs (fortresses), ancient monasteries and simple yet attractive farm houses.
In every valley one would come across Dzongs which are actually massive ancient fortresses. These are almost everywhere in Bhutan- steep ridges, between rivers etc. Dzongs were created for defense purposes to provide stability and security and these have done that over the years. Nowadays Dzongs in Bhutan are utilized by the district administration and clergy.
Dzongs were made without any plans, drawings and nails. The design of each Dzong is unique but the layout is the same. It was Gyelwa Lhanangpa, a monk from Dresung in Tibet who introduced Dzongs in Bhutan in the 12th century.
Bumthang-
The element of spirituality is very much evident in Bumthang valley which is considered as the spiritual heartland of Bhutan. The place is dotted with numerous monasteries and spiritual sites and is drenched with history and mythology showcasing the culture and tradition of Bhutan. Kurjey Lhakhang (associated with Guru Rinpoche), Jampey Lhakhang (built in the 8th century) and the historic Jakar Dzong are the important temples of Bumthang valley that has immense historical significance.
Dzongkhag (Paro)-
Lying at an elevation of 2,280m, Paro offers tourists many ancient historical sites. These include the Paro Dzong, the National Museum (Ta Dzong), and the ruins of the 17th century Drugyal Dzong which was destroyed in a devastating fire of 1951. Another popular spiritual heritage site is the Tiger's Nest or the.
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Temples
Monasteries-
There are lots of monasteries in Bhutan which bears testimony to the fact that Bhutanese people are spiritual in nature. More than 2,000 monasteries exist in Bhutan and some of them are quite ancient. Monasteries act as a spiritual centre for important festivals/ceremonies for village communities. A distinguishing feature of a monastery is the maroon band near its top portion or a golden pinnacle (sertog) atop the building. Some monasteries have monk quarters and some have hermitages built around or near them.
Chortens (Stupas)-
The countryside of Bhutan has thousands of chortens or stupas and many more are being still built. Chortens can be categorized into eight different forms or styles. According to legend when a traveler passes through a chorten he/she gains blessings. The National Memorial Chorten in Thimpu is one of the important chortens of Bhutan and is dedicated in the memory of Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the third king of Bhutan.
Wildlife Sanctuary
Almost 35 percent of the country comprises national parks and wildlife sanctuaries and each is unique where one can witness many endangered animals, birds and plants.
Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park-
Covering an area of 1,300sq.km this centrally located park which was formerly known as the Black Mountain National Park is the second largest in Bhutan. It comprises high permanent ice peaks, low conifer and broadleaf forests.
The prominent animals of this park are musk deer, Himalayan black bear, golden langur, rare clouded leopard, the red panda and the Royal Bengal tiger. The tiger population here is about 20% of Bhutan's total tiger population. There are also 391 bird species and out of these seven are highly endangered species. The Phobjikha valley lies in the buffer zone of this park and every winter 260 black necked cranes come here to make it their winter habitat.
TrumshingLa National Park-
This park covers an area of 768 sq. kms and is comparatively new as it was set up in July 1998. This forest is basically alpine and subtropical broadleaf with animals like snow leopards, tigers, red pandas and also rare plants. There are also 341 species of birdlife here in this park. Birdwatchers will find this park very exciting. Tourists will love its breathtaking scenery and the natural habitats of animals.
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Ethinic Tour
Bhutan is known for its arts and crafts. There are thirteen types of arts and crafts known as the art of Zorig Chosum and these include carpentry, blacksmithing, weaving, sculpting etc. There are two Zorig Chosum institutes, one in Thimphu and the other in Trashi Yangtse in eastern Bhutan.
Textiles-
Bhutan textiles are very popular and are renowned for their distinctive natural patterns. Each region of Bhutan has design that is exclusive to that region. The vegetable dyed wool weaves called yathra is a specialty of Bumthang. Similarly Lhuentse is famous for the exquisite pure silk weavings known as Kishuthara. Bhutanese weavers are mostly women who live in remote location and adept in creating visually stunning textiles. These textiles thus become prized collections among collectors.
Paintings-
Paintings of Bhutan are religious by nature and these are anonymous as most paintings come without the signature of the artist who created it. Bhutanese traditional paintings include the lhazo (traditional paintings) and thangkhas (highly stylized geometric scroll paintings of Buddhist iconography using mineral paints). Sometimes other symbolic motifs are also used. These adorn both the interiors and exteriors of Bhutan houses.
Sculptures-
Sculpting is also very popular and Bhutanese sculptors are well known. They make clay statues of Buddhist figures for important monasteries. Clay is known as jinzob in Bhutan. One can see this art expressed in the form of statues and ritual objects in the numerous monasteries of the Himalayan kingdom. Some fine central statues are quite tall and may sometimes be as high as three floors.
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