Discover Paro Valley with its verdant rice paddies and idyllic farmhouses through authentic experiences curated by Amankora. Explore the dramatic ruins of the 17th-century Drukyel Dzong fortress and one of the Kingdom’s oldest temples, Kyichu Lhakhang. Marvel at the historic treasures of the National Museum and wander through quaint Paro town sampling freshly brewed beer and dumplings known as momos. Start your days with open-air yoga, breathing in the fresh pine-scented air, and savour picnics and a farmhouse lunch prepared by a former cook of the royal family. Of course, the famous Tiger’s Nest also awaits, the revered temple that gazes over this spectacular valley from its cliffside perch.
The four-to-five-hour hike to Tiger's Nest is more than worth the effort, rewarding hikers with breathtaking views all along the way. Built high above the valley floor around the cave where Guru Rinpoche first meditated, this sacred 9th-century Buddhist site today consists of four temples and a monastery. Choose to celebrate your descent with a private BBQ in a riverside meadow at the foot of the cliff.
Embark on a cultural tour of Paro Valley amid the town’s traditional farmhouses restored to accommodate convivial cafes, art galleries, artist studios and shops filled with curiosities. Delve into the treasures of the National Museum housed within the historic watch tower of the imposing Rinpung Dzong – ‘Fortress of a heap of jewels' – before visiting the 15th-century Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang. This unique, stupa-shaped temple is renowned for its paintings showing the progressive stages of Tantric Buddhist philosophy and the most important deities of the Drukpa Kagyupa School.
Savour a hearty lunch prepared by a former cook of the royal family enjoyed with local Ara rice wine in a traditional Bhutanese farmhouse, before a visit to 8th-century Kyichu Lhakang, one of Bhutan’s oldest temples.
As the sun rises across Paro Valley, join it in the sky on a helicopter ride over pristine forests and remote hamlets towards the Bhutan-Tibet border. Drink in panoramic views of the Himalayas then land at the base of Mount Jomolhari – Bhutan’s second highest peak. Here a delicious continental breakfast will await you, set between Jomolhari’s glacier-fed twin lakes with majestic peaks all round.
Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the oldest and most sacred temples in the Kingdom, dating back to the 7th century when Buddhism first blossomed in Bhutan. Absorb the peace and solitude of this special place as you light 108 butter lamps – each representing one of the mortal desires overcome to achieve Nirvana. This meditative offering of light to the deities demonstrates gratitude and the dispelling of the darkness of ignorance.
Nestled in the foothills where pilgrims begin their journeys in the shadows of the iconic Tiger’s Nest, Amankora’s log cabin offers a breathtaking prelude or a cosy finale for hikes up to the legendary monastery. Accessible via a hidden path just moments from the main hiking trail, the quaint cabin is surrounded by a verdant pine forest which opens onto tranquil lawns with sweeping vistas of the monastery structures that appear to precariously cling onto the dramatic cliffside.