Experience a Unique Holiday in Bhutan With Divine
Divine curates highly personalised itineraries and unique travel experiences within Bhutan for you. We will ensure you are exploring at your own pace and seeing the sorts of cultural and natural attractions that interest you most on your curated private experience of Bhutan.
Here are some of our beyond the classics recommendations while in Bhutan:
Hot Springs & Stone Baths
In Bhutan, hot springs are known as Tshachus and are found all over the Kingdom. The medicinal properties of these hot springs have been used by the Bhutanese people for centuries to cure various ailments ranging from arthritis to body aches and even sinuses. It is a popular tradition among Bhutanese to visit hot springs during the winter months.
Festivals
Festivals or 'tsechus' are a major part of Bhutanese life and offer a unique cultural insight into this Himalayan Kingdom. They are held annually in various temples, monasteries and dzongs throughout the country. Their colourful masked dancing and bright costumes offer wonderful photo opportunities and are popular with tourists.
Two of the most popular Tshechus in the country are the Paro and Thimphu Tshechus in terms of participation and audience. Besides the locals many tourists from across the world are attracted to these unique, colorful and exciting displays of traditional culture.
Bhutan with Kids
There are quite a lot of activities that you can do in Bhutan with children aged 6 and older for families who love to explore and discover together.
There are short nature walks of one or two hours available to families with young children that keep everyone occupied with their dramatic landscapes. The pristine forests, outdoor camping with BBQ and walking in tandem with yaks carrying logistical items provides a wow experience for everyone.
Besides archery, which is probably a bit tricky for smaller hands, the other local sport is darts, but it’s played with bigger darts with no sharp ends exposed, which are then thrown at boards and other targets. This can be played all over the country in towns and villages and can be arranged for families through guides.
You can light lamps in most of the temples during the evening for a cultural experience or have a splash around in the Po Chu River at Punakha, which is great fun for kids.
Black Necked Cranes
Black-necked cranes in Bhutan are winter visitors during late October to mid February to the Phobjikha Valley. They arrive from the Tibetan Plateau, where they breed in the summer. They visit the Phobhjikha valley in large numbers, which is a declared protected area for the cranes, and also to other valleys in smaller numbers in central and eastern Bhutan.
On arrival in Phobhjikha they are seen to circle Gangteng Monastery three times as if practicing kora and repeat this act as they begin their return to the Tibet Autonomous Region іn early spring.
Brewery and Cheese Factory
The Red Panda Brewery and Swiss Cheese Shop comes with an interesting story. In the 1960s, a young Swiss man called Fritz Maurer came to live in Bumthang and established a small cheese production, producing Emmenthal and Gouda using state-of-the-art cheese making machines. Next door is the brewery, the Red Panda, and produces pale straw-coloured Hefeweizen.