12 best things to do in Bhutan

People decide to visit the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan for many reasons. Some are drawn by the mountains and pristine environment, others to the rich spiritual heritage of its Buddhist monasteries and temples, and some visitors by a simple curiosity to experience one of the world's least visited and most exclusive countries.

Whatever brings you here, your fondest memories of Bhutan won't just be the spectacular sights but the interactions you have with the Bhutanese people and their unique perspective on the world. However long your trip is, try to fit in as many of the following experiences as possible. We've chosen them carefully to give the most well-rounded and insightful feel for Bhutan and they will undoubtedly result in lifelong memories.

1. Chow down on red chilies and pink rice

Brace yourself for Bhutanese cuisine – it packs a serious punch. The national dish of ema datse consists solely of chili peppers and soft cheese, proving that chilies in Bhutan are not just a condiment but an entire main course. You'll have plenty of opportunities to try ema datse, from toned-down versions in hotel buffets to the head-blowing original served up in local restaurants, but all are served with nutty-flavored local pink rice. Wash it all down with a cup of sudja (Tibetan-style tea made with salt and butter) for a classic Bhutanese meal.

Planning tip: If you don't like spicy food, it's a good idea to stick to tourist-oriented restaurants. However, if you're willing to brave the heat, ask to taste some of your guide's food at any of your lunch stops, as they'll be tucking into the genuine article, from wind-dried beef to fiddlehead ferns.

2. Attend one of Bhutan’s spectacular tsechu festivals

Bhutanese festivals are an essential part of both the nation's cultural identity and its social calendar – try to time your trip so you can attend at least one. The main festivals, known as tsechus, are religious masked dances held in the courtyards of the country's medieval dzongs, with monks donning demon- or animal-head masks to perform Buddhist parables or exorcism-like portrayals of death and rebirth. Many festivals culminate with the unveiling of a huge building-sized religious embroidery that is said to offer spiritual liberation to anyone who sees it. This is Bhutan at its most exotic and photogenic – don't miss out.

Planning tip: Apart from religious festivals, Bhutan also has several secular mountain festivals, such as the Royal Highlander Festival, which feature music, dancing and traditional games like yak riding or wrestling.

3. Trek to Jhomolhari Base Camp

Bhutan offers some incredible treks through some of the most dramatic and least-visited corners of the Himalaya. Without a doubt, one of the most spectacular (and popular) destinations is Jangothang, aka Jhomolhari Base Camp, a campsite at the base of a ruined fort that offers jaw-dropping views of the eastern face of the 7314m-high (23,996ft) Jhomolhari peak.

Five of Bhutan's most popular treks intersect at the camp and many groups spend two nights here acclimatizing, so it's a real mountain crossroads. Dawn views of the mountain, as it turns from inky grey to a blush of pink and then sparkling white in the full sun, are a Himalayan highlight.

Detour: There are fabulous day hikes from Jangothang to the twin lakes of Tshophu and the base of Mt Jichu Drakye – it's worthwhile adding an extra day to your itinerary here if possible.

4. Have your horoscope read by a Bhutanese astrologer

The Changangkha Lhakhang on the hillside above central Thimphu has been renowned for its protective blessings since its construction in the 12th century. Bhutanese bring their newborns here to receive auspicious names, offering in return bottles of milk and rice wine to the red-faced, horse-headed protector Tamdrin.

Tell the resident astrologer monk your birth date and he will consult divination charts to recommend the best kind of protective prayer flags for you or the most auspicious dates to make a weighty decision or start a new venture. You'll then receive a sacred thread to tie around your neck. It can be a powerful moment and one that blurs the line between tourist and pilgrim.

Detour: After a visit to Changangkha head down to one of the Buddhist supply shops in Norzin Lam to stock up on prayer flags, protective amulets and juniper-scented incense.

5. Indulge in a traditional Bhutanese medical treatment

Bhutan has a complex system of medical diagnosis that blends Chinese, Tibetan and Indian systems with an ancient understanding of medicinal herbs. Thimphu's National Institute of Traditional Medicine offers a free traditional diagnosis, made via the measuring of your pulse and the appearance of your tongue, and can recommend a course of treatments that range from oil massage to moxibustion. It's an interesting window into a different way of perceiving health issues and is also an incredibly relaxing way to end a day's sightseeing.

Planning tip: Several top-end spas and hotels offer traditional Bhutanese treatments and massage, notably Spirit Sanctuary outside Paro, Namseling Boutique Hotel in Thimphu and Termalinca south of the capital.

6. Deck yourself out in traditional Bhutanese attire

One of the most eye-catching things about the Bhutanese is their use of traditional dress in everyday life. Dress for men consists of a colorful robe known as a gho, worn with a woven belt, knee-high socks and a white inner liner, while women wear a woven skirt called a kira and an embroidered silk jacket. It's a beautiful, colorful statement of identity and fashion, and the highest quality woven kira and gho can cost thousands of US dollars.

If you are attending a festival, it's well worth investing in your own traditional attire; your fellow festival goers will love you for it and invite you to an endless series of photos and picnics. You'll need help learning how to put it on but once you crack it you'll have a beautiful outfit for life.

Planning tip: You can buy off-the-peg outfits at many shops in Thimphu, or get a made-to-measure suit at the Sephub Gyeltsen Tsongkhang shop if you have a few days to allow.

7. Hike up to the iconic Taktshang Goemba, the Tiger's Nest

The one excursion that every visitor to Bhutan has on their wish list is the half-day hike up through pine forests to Taksthang Goemba, the iconic Tiger's Nest Monastery, in the upper Paro Valley. The spectacular gold-roofed temple sticks miraculously to the side of a dramatic cliff and centers on a cave that Buddhist saint Guru Rinpoche meditated in for three months after flying to the site on the back of a tigress. The temple is a two-hour uphill hike, so try to make the climb in the morning when the sun is less strong, and leave it until the end of your trip when you are better acclimatized.

Detour: Fit hikers can continue above Taktshang to explore the timeless collection of shrines and temples that look down dramatically over the Tiger's Nest for a different perspective on the site.

8. Walk ancient paths on the Trans Bhutan Trail

The Trans Bhutan Trail is a newly rebuilt 403km-long (250 miles) walking path that traverses Bhutan from east to west. Used over the centuries by traders, messengers and government officials it sticks to the forests, villages and valleys of the middle hills rather than the high mountains – there are some wonderful day hike sections to try out. One of the most scenic and accessible sections is in the Paro Valley, climbing the eastern flanks to reveal sublime views of Paro Dzong.

Detour: Other popular sections of the Trans Bhutan Trail include rhododendron forests on either side of the Dochu La pass or a spectacular and strenuous day hike from the Haa to the Paro valleys.

9. Join pilgrims on a visit to a sacred site

Bhutan is rich in pilgrimage sites that are connected to Buddhist saints who visited, meditated or performed miracles in these sacred spots many centuries ago. At many of these sites, you can join fellow pilgrims on a pilgrim path, marveling together at stone marks left by demons, rubbing your joints against sacred rocks to ward off aches and pains, and squeezing yourself through narrow rock openings as a form of karmic test. It's a wonderfully leveling and unifying experience.

When you get to a shrine you can expect to be blessed with a holy relic or receive a blessing in the form of a colored thread that you tie around your neck. Listen to tales of flying saints, take in the beautiful, silent landscape, and share a picnic with your fellow pilgrims; it's the perfect Bhutanese experience.

Planning tip: There are dozens of pilgrimage sites to choose from in Bhutan; our favorites include Dzongdrakha Goemba, Drak Kharpo or Chumphu Ney, all in the Paro Valley.

10. Catch a live band in a dive bar in Thimphu

For a look at the modern face of Bhutan that most short-term visitors don't see, dedicate a day to Bhutan's only city, Thimphu. Watch Bhutanese punks practice their skateboarding moves in Clocktower Square and then dine on global foods from Korean and Japanese to Indian or Thai.

Once you're full, head to the Drunken Yeti Bar to chat with switched-on locals over a Bhutanese-brewed Red Panda weissbier, before moving on to a rock concert at Mojo Park, the city's best music venue. On a Saturday you can go clubbing late into the night at clubs like Space 34. You'll find all these places friendly, welcoming and fascinating chances to meet young Bhutanese people.

Planning tip: For upcoming live events check out the social media pages of Mojo Park, Naughty Pigs or Space 34.

11. Soak up the atmosphere in a rural farm stay

If you want to break out of Bhutan's tour group bubble, nothing beats a night in a traditional, family-run farmhouse or homestay. The accommodation is simple – often limited to a mattress on the floor in a wood-walled room decorated with traditional Buddhist symbols – but you don't come here for the extensive minibar.

Head instead to the family kitchen for a cup of butter tea served with traditional snacks of fried rice and corn, and chat with the owners as they prepare an authentic Bhutanese meal in front of you. Most will even give you an impromptu cooking course.

Planning tip: Combine a farm stay with a soak in a traditional hot-stone bath; a coffin-shaped wooden tub whose Artemesia-scented water is heated by river stones superheated in a fire. It's both supremely relaxing and medically beneficial.

12. Watch arrows and insults fly in a traditional archery match

Bhutan's national obsession is archery and you'll likely see young men honing their skills in open spaces across the country. The traditional game is played with bamboo bows over what looks like an impossibly long distance but most interesting for visitors is the good-natured rivalry that rears its hilarious head during competitions.

Opposing teams do their level best to put off their rivals with rude jokes and mock insults, while successful archers raise their arms in a celebratory dance after a winning shot, just to rub their opponents' noses in it.

Planning tip: One of the best places to see an archery match is at Thimphu's Changlimithang Archery Ground, notably at the weekends. Even if there's no match scheduled there's normally a couple of people practising here and a shop sells traditional bamboo arrows.