Situated at 2285m above sea level, the capital city of Bhutan, Thimpu, is an engaging blend of the old and the new. Just over 30 years ago, it was built by the late king Jigme Dorje Wangchuk replacing the ancient capital of Punakha. The capital's most striking visual landmark is the magnificent Tashichho Dzong, which is the seat of the Royal Government and the Central Monastic Body. A number of institutions in Thimpu such as the Royal School of Performing Arts, the School of Traditional Painting, the National Textile Museum and the Institute of Traditional Medicine offer the visitor an insight into Bhutanese culture. 

Located at an altitude of 4430 ft above sea level, Punakha was once the winter capital of Bhutan. It is still being used as the winter home to Bhutan’s spiritual leader and the monks of Thimpu and Paro. Blessed with temperate climate and fed by the Phochu (male) and the Mochu (female) rivers, it is in the most fertile valley and best red rice growing region of the kingdom. During clear weather one can get a splendid view of the distant snow-capped Himalayan peaks at Docha La (pass) on the Thimpu-Punakha road. It takes about two and half hours by road to reach Punakha from Thimpu. 

Paro, the winter capital of Bhutan, is 52 km away from Thimpu. With patchwork fields, willow glades, trout-filled streams and scattered hamlets, Paro is located in the most attractive of Bhutan’s valleys. Bursting with colour and tradition, a dramatic dzong overlooks this town, while hamlets and isolated farms dot the countryside. The houses here are considered to be among the most beautiful in the country.

The valleys of Trongsa and Bumthang are separated by the Yuto La pass. Bumthang has its own unique geographical feature that separates it from all other regions. Composed of four smaller valleys, the deeply spiritual region of Bumthang is shrouded in religious legend. The valley is home to the sacred Jampa and Kurjey monasteries. Bumthang is also the traditional home to the great Buddhist teacher Pema Lingpa to whom the present monarchy traces its central lineage. The Bumthang Tsechu (festival) along with the Paro and Thimpu Tsechu are the most popular festivals in Bhutan. 

This is the last town on the highway before it enters central Bhutan. Sitting on the top of a hill, its formidable dzong is the town’s most visible feature. In the 17th century, Wangdi played a crucial role in unifying western, central and southern Bhutan. The town itself is little more than an enlarged village with well-provided shops and hotels. The drive along the road from Wangdi to Trongsa takes one through the prettiest scenery in Bhutan, passing through forests and villages before climbing to Pele La pass on the Black Mountain ranges into the Trongsa valley. South of the highway is the Gangtey Gompa, an old monastery dating back to the 17th century.