Top 7 Places to Visit for your Bhutan Photography Tour

Located in the southern foothills of the Himalayas, Bhutan is one of the last hidden treasures in global tourism. Lying nestled between the high Tibetan plateau and the plains and jungles of northeast India’s States of West Bengal and Assam, this small Buddhist kingdom is renowned as the last Shangri La and the Land of the Thunder Dragon.

And with more than 70% of the country dedicated to remain as untouched forests and virgin landscapes, there are few places on the planet that can offer the photographic opportunities that this tiny kingdom gives to aspiring photographers. A land where Gross National Happiness comes before Gross National Product, Bhutan is filled with locations of stunning beauty, both natural and man-made, that make any photographer’s portfolio outstanding.

Top 1: Tiger’s Nest Monastery on the Cliff

Renowned as one of the most fascinating and interesting monasteries on the planet, the Taktshang Monastery is also known as the Tiger’s Nest, an unusual name that comes from its unusual history. Located to the north of the city of Paro, the monastery sits perched precariously on a narrow ledge more than 900 meters up the cliff face of the mountain. It is a must-go-to destination during your Bhutan tour.

First constructed in 1692, the monastery was built on the site of some of the country’s most sacred Buddhist meditation caves, which form part of the legend of Guru Rinpoche in Bhutan. It is said that, on his first visit to Bhutan in the 8th century, Padmasambhava flew to the country on the back of a flying tigress that was his former consort, Yeshe Tsogyal.

The hike up the trail passes through some stunning forestry on the mountainside, and has some of the best views of the monastery itself, which actually lies on the mountain next to the one you hike up. For tourists wanting to get the best shots of the monastery, the best time of year is from March to May and September to November, when the weather is at its best and the skies are clear.

Top 2: National Museum of Bhutan

While the National Museum is an exciting visit for tourists to Bhutan, the building itself is just as important as the cultural artifacts inside. The museum is inside the reconstructed Ta Dzong, in Paro, which lies just above the more ancient Rinpung Dzong.

The museum is the most important cultural museum in the kingdom, and was commissioned in 1968 by the third Druk Gyalpo, the Dragon King, Jigme Dorje Wangchuck. The museum was created to house some of the finest specimens of Bhutanese art in the country’s long history, and to preserve the ancient traditional culture of the kingdom for future generations. The museum contains more than 3,000 works of art from Bhutan’s history, which represents more than 1,500 years of Buddhist and Bon history and cultural heritage.

The Ta Dzong itself was built as a fortress to protect the famous Rinpung Dzong and the town from invasion from the north. Constructed in the middle of the 17th century, the Dzong was built to protect from the Indian and Tibetan invaders that were regularly raiding the region at the time.

While the inside of the Dzong is not available for photos, the stunning outside of the building is, and you can get some great shots of this ancient fortress from the surrounding fields. Mornings in the spring and autumn are the best time for photos, as the skies are clear and you can get a better view of the true beauty of this circular fortress.

Top 3: Dochula Pass in the Cloud

The road that connects Bhutan’s two most important towns, Punakha and Thimphu, is the location of the famous Docula Pass. One of the highest road passes in Bhutan at 3,100 meters above sea level, the pass is a popular place for Bhutan photo tour, where you can photograph the mountains of the Himalayas to the north. However, for those that travel to the pass, you also get to see the beauty of the 108 Memorial Chortens. Built on the orders of the Queen Mother in honor of the 108 soldiers that died defending Bhutan against Assamese rebels from India, the Chortens are built in concentric circles around the central chorten.

To the side of the chortens, on the other side of the road behind the small café, sits the Druk Wangyal Dzong, built to look after the chortens. The best shots of the chortens are taken from the hillside behind the Dzong, from where you can get a view of the most number of chortens in one shot.

Top 4: Punakha Dzong Known as the Most Beautiful Monastery of Bhutan

Renowned as the single most beautiful Dzong in Bhutan, the famous Punakha Dzong is also one of the most important of this unique Himalayan kingdom’s many fortress monasteries. The Dzong lies at the confluence of the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu rivers in the Punakha Dzongkhag. Built in the early 17th century, the large Dzong is accessed by crossing the hanging bridge over the Mo Chhu, one of the most famous suspension bridges in Bhutan.

The beauty of this amazing Dzong is enhanced by its surroundings, with the rivers flowing past on two sides and the entire outer wall lined with beautiful Jacaranda trees. In the spring, these trees bloom with their stunning lilac blossoms, and make the area around the Dzong one of peaceful contemplation and serene strolls along the outlying paths. Set against the backdrop of the Himalayas to the north, the monastery cannot be photographed inside, as with all Bhutanese Dzongs and religious buildings. However, with the wonderful scenery and the innate beauty of the Dzong itself, you will be so enthralled with just taking photos of the outside. And for that perfect shot of the monastery’s mysticism, look for the dying of the light, when the Dzong appears shrouded in shadow and as mysterious as it is beautiful.

Top 5: Phobjikha Valley Enclosed by Mountains

The Phobjikha is renowned as one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan, and for good reason. Located to the southeast of Thimphu, in Wangdue Phodrang Dzongkhag, this area of outstanding natural beauty is known for its breathtaking views and pristine landscapes and scenery. The rich and fertile valley is filled with green trees and plants, and the lush grasses are some of the best grazing in the kingdom.

The valley is also home to the renowned Gangtey Goemba, also known as the Gangteng Monastery. A renovated temple complex that originally dates back to the early part of the 17th century, the monastery sits on a small hillock in the valley, and is one of the country’s oldest monasteries. One of the dream destinations for photographers to Bhutan, the monastery can be photographed at any time of the year. However, if you can catch the rare black-necked cranes circling the monastery in November or March, you are extremely lucky. The cranes only do this when they first arrive for winter and when they leave for Tibet in the spring.

Top 6: Trongsa Dzong in the Mystical Misty Valley

Located in the Trongsa Dzongkhag, on a ridge above the misty valleys of the region, Trongsa Dzong is the largest fortress in Bhutan and was first established in 1543. The original building was built over in 1647, and was known as the Chökhor Rabtentse Dzong. The headquarters of the local government of Trongsa Dzongkhag, the Dzong is also the traditional seat of the Wangchuck Royal Family.

The Dzong sits perched on a spur of rock that overlooks the many ravines of the Mangde Chhu Gorge, one of the most beautiful gorges of its kind in the Himalayas. Often cited as the most strikingly located Dzong in Bhutan, the shots of the Dzong often include the sheer drop to the south, which falls away into the misty depths of the ravines.

Top 7: Bumthang Valley with the Fabulous Natural and Rural Scenery

Made up of four separate valleys, known as Tang, Chhume, Ura and Shekhar, the Bumthang Valley is one of the most famous destination in Bhutan, and a popular place for trekkers as well as photographers. Located to the east of Thimphu and Trongsa, this very green and rural location has some of the most outstanding mountain views in central Bhutan. It is also a spiritual hub in Buddhism in Bhutan, and is home to many important monasteries and temples.

The stunning natural scenery of the valley is the main reason people photograph here, and the beauty of this natural landscape will take your breath away. The best time for photos is spring and autumn, from March to May and September to November, and it is well worth spending a couple of days here to get the best shots.

Conclusion

There are thousands of photo opportunities when traveling to Bhutan, and these are just a few of the most popular and striking sites that you can find to photograph in the kingdom. And while these are popular with photographers of all calibers, there are plenty of other places that you can find that are both less popular and often less crowded. But if you are looking for those perfect shots of what it means to be Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, then these are the best places to be.