Paro
A river valley in the western Himalaya, a fortress above the rooftops, a monastery on a cliff, and a runway that only a handful of pilots are cleared to fly into.
- Arrival
- Paro International · PBH
- To the town
- About 3.5 km from the runway
- Private jets
- By prior approval, daylight only
- Best time
- March to May · October to November
The city
The valley where Bhutan begins.
Every international arrival in western Bhutan comes down through the mountains into Paro, and the town has kept its old shape. Rinpung Dzong, raised in 1645, still houses both the district offices and a monastic community; the round watchtower above it, built four years later, now holds the National Museum on seven floors. Thimphu, the capital, is about 54 km away by road.
The Department of Tourism calls the country a year-round destination, but the seasons pull in different directions. Spring is the time of blossom; autumn is the season of feasts and festivals, and the Paro Tshechu is held in the courtyard of Rinpung Dzong. From late June to late September the monsoon closes in, and winter is dry, with frost across much of the country.
- Taktsang The Tiger’s Nest, built in 1692 on a cliff face high above the valley, at 3,120 m.
- Kyichu Lhakhang A small temple dated to 659 and credited to the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo.
- Chele La The highest road pass in Bhutan, at 3,988 m, between the Paro and Haa valleys.
Arriving
A daylight runway between the peaks.
Paro is one of two international airports in Bhutan, with Gelephu in the south. Its runway lies in a narrow valley with peaks around it, and the airport works from sunrise to sunset only, in good visibility.
- Kathmandu 55 min
- Delhi 1 h 55
- Kuala Lumpur 4 h 15
- Jakarta 5 h 45
- Nairobi 8 h 40 long-range jet
When to go
March to May, and October to November.
A mountain valley climate with dry winters and a wet summer. The monsoon runs from late June or July to late September and brings more than 400 mm a month at its height. Spring and autumn are the seasons the Department of Tourism picks out: nature in bloom from March to May, festivals in the autumn, and October and November already dry.
- 7° J 9
- 9° F 10
- 12° M 34
- 15° A 81
- 17° M 180
- 18° J 416
- 18° J 549
- 18° A 406
- 17° S 259
- 16° O 84
- 12° N 11
- 10° D 5
Where to stay
Lodges in the valleys.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- Zhiwaling Heritage Forty-five rooms in hand-painted cottages, with its own temple and archery ground.
- Six Senses Bhutan Lodges in five valleys, the one at Paro in the old stone architecture of the valley.
- Amankora Five lodges strung across the country, the Paro one close to Kuenga Chhoeling Palace, with wood-burning stoves and no televisions.
- Gangtey Lodge Twelve rooms below Gangtey Monastery, each with a fireplace and a bathtub facing the mountains.
-
Zhiwaling Ascent Twenty rooms on the upper edge of the capital, with a rooftop terrace over the valley.
Where to dine
Where to dine in the valley.
No MICHELIN Guide covers Bhutan. These are the dining rooms of the valley’s luxury lodges, one of them picked by Outlook Traveller.
- Bukhari Outlook Traveller Bhutanese and international COMO Uma Paro
- Jangkho Signature restaurant, Six Senses Bhutan Seasonal, garden produce Six Senses Paro
- Amankora Paro Dining Room Signature restaurant, Amankora Bhutanese and Western Amankora Paro, below Drukgyel Dzong
Flying to Paro?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.