Thimphu District
Bhutan's capital district and seat of government
Thimphu District is Bhutan's capital district and seat of government, home to Thimphu city, the only capital in the world without traffic lights. The valley holds the towering Buddha Dordenma statue overlooking the city, the Tashichho Dzong fortress-monastery that houses the throne room of Bhutan's king, and the National Memorial Chorten, one of the most visited religious monuments in the country.
As the gateway to Paro and the rest of Western Bhutan, Thimphu is where almost every Bhutan itinerary begins or ends, combining government buildings, markets and monasteries within a single walkable valley.
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Our journeys in Bhutan.
Categories
Points of Interest
13 places
Attraction
Tashichho Dzong
Fortress of the Glorious Religion
Attraction
Buddha Dordenma
Giant golden Buddha overlooking the capital
Attraction
National Memorial Chorten
Thimphu's spiritual heart
Attraction
Motithang Takin Preserve
Home to Bhutan's national animal
Attraction
Dochula Pass
108 memorial chortens and, on a clear day, a full Himalayan skyline.
Attraction
Changangkha Lhakhang
Thimphu's oldest temple
Attraction
Centenary Farmers Market
Thimphu's weekend market buzz
Attraction
Folk Heritage Museum
A window into rural Bhutanese life
Attraction
Tango & Cheri Monasteries
Hillside monasteries north of the capital
Temple / Religious Site
Wangditse Lhakhang
A hilltop temple above Thimphu, reached on one of the city's easiest walks
Attraction
National Institute for Zorig Chusum
Thimphu's painting school, where students learn Bhutan's thirteen traditional arts
Attraction
Clock Tower Square
Thimphu's central square, around a painted four-faced clock tower
Market / Shopping
Thimphu Craft Bazaar
A row of around 80 bamboo stalls selling handmade Bhutanese crafts on Norzin Lam
Culture
People & Culture
Thimphu is home to Bhutan's Ngalop majority and a growing mix of migrants from across the country drawn by government and business jobs. The Centenary Farmers Market draws vendors from surrounding valleys every weekend, and the Folk Heritage Museum preserves rural Bhutanese domestic life for a city that has urbanised rapidly in recent decades. The Motithang Takin Preserve protects Bhutan's national animal, the takin, in a natural forest setting on the city's edge.
Activities
Things to Do
Visit Tashichho Dzong, seat of Bhutan's government and monastic body
See the giant Buddha Dordenma statue overlooking the valley
Visit the National Memorial Chorten
Spot the takin, Bhutan's national animal, at Motithang Takin Preserve
Cross Dochula Pass for a full Himalayan skyline on a clear day
Browse the Centenary Farmers Market
Hike to Tango or Cheri Monastery
Travel Information
Best Time to Visit
March–May & September–November
Other Districts in Western Bhutan
Stories from Thimphu District
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