mountain pass
Dochula Pass
A 3,100 m pass on the Thimphu-Punakha road crowned by 108 memorial chortens. On clear days the roadside terrace unveils a panorama of Bhutan's snowcapped eastern Himalaya.
10 km · about 20 min drive
AsiaBhutanThimphu District
Thimphu
Thimphu District, Bhutan · Asia
About Thimphu
Thimphu works well as a base: 25 minutes from Paro, 49km from Phobjikha Valley.
Thimphu is in Thimphu District, Bhutan, with about 99,000 people. The nearest town is Paro, about 23 km away.
Thimphu ( tim-POOH; Dzongkha: ཐིམ་ཕུག་ [tʰim˥.pʰu˥]) is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replaced by Thimphu as the capital in 1955, andRead more
in 1961 Thimphu was officially declared the capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan by the 3rd Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
The city extends in a north–south direction on the west bank of the valley formed by the Wang Chhu, which flows out into India as the Raidāk River. Thimphu is the fifth highest capital in the world by altitude and the highest capital in Asia, ranging from 2,248 metres (7,375 feet) to 2,648 metres (8,688 feet). Unlike many capitals, Thimphu does not have its own airport, instead relying on the Paro Airport, accessible by road 52 kilometres (32 miles) away.
Thimphu, as the political and economic center of Bhutan, has a dominant agriculture and livestock base, contributing to about 45% of the country's GNP. Tourism, though a contributor to the economy, is strictly regulated, maintaining a balance between tradition, development, and modernization. Thimphu contains most of the important political buildings in Bhutan, including the National Assembly of the parliamentary democracy and Dechencholing Palace, the official residence of the King, located to the north of the city. The city’s development is guided by the "Thimphu Structure Plan, 2002–2027", an urban plan aimed at protecting the fragile ecology of the valley. Some development has been supported by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
The culture of Bhutan is reflected fully in Thimphu, through literature, religion, customs, national dress code, monastic practices, music, dance, and media. The annual Tshechu festival, held in September or October according to the Bhutanese calendar, is a major event featuring mask dances known as Cham dances, performed in the courtyards of the Tashichho Dzong.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Thimphu?
Within an hour or so of Thimphu: Dochula Pass (10 km), Punakha Dzong (25 km), Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang) (28 km), Tiger's Nest Viewpoint (28 km).
Are there any good drives near Thimphu?
The nearest famous roads are Dochula Pass, Chele La and Nathu La.
Where is Thimphu?
Thimphu is in Thimphu District, Bhutan, about 23 km from Paro.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 98,676
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Bhutan
- Region
- Thimphu District
- Timezone
- Asia/Thimphu
- Coordinates
- 27.4661, 89.6419
Tags
Worth the detour from Thimphu
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
Punakha Dzong
Bhutan's most beautiful fortress-monastery at the confluence of two rivers, the winter capital of the country's monastic body.
25 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang)
A sacred Buddhist monastery clinging to a sheer cliff face 900 meters above the Paro Valley floor.
28 km · about 30 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Tiger's Nest Viewpoint
A viewpoint on the trail to Paro Taktsang, looking across a forested gorge at the monastery clinging impossibly to a 3,000-foot cliff face.
28 km · about 30 min drive
mountain pass
Chele La
Bhutan's highest motorable road at 3,988 m, a narrow asphalt climb through hemlock and rhododendron forest between the Paro and Haa valleys, with prayer flags in their thousands at the top.
31 km · about 35 min drive
national park
Phobjikha Valley
A wide U-shaped glacial valley at around 3,000 m where several hundred black-necked cranes winter from late October to March, circling Gangteng Monastery on arrival and departure.
49 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Thimphu
- Right hereDochula PassA 3,100 m pass on the Thimphu-Punakha road crowned by 108 memorial chortens. On clear days the roadside terrace unveils a panorama of Bhutan's snowcapped eastern Himalaya.
- 28 kmTiger's Nest ViewpointA viewpoint on the trail to Paro Taktsang, looking across a forested gorge at the monastery clinging impossibly to a 3,000-foot cliff face.
- 31 kmChele LaBhutan's highest motorable road at 3,988 m, a narrow asphalt climb through hemlock and rhododendron forest between the Paro and Haa valleys, with prayer flags in their thousands at the top.
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