Paro Distric
Paro is perhaps the most beautiful valley in traditional culture and scenery and so far all travelers to the Kingdom should visit it. This beautiful Paro valley is about 2250m above the sea level. It is located in the western part of Bhutan. This beautiful Paro valley is about 2250m above the sea level. Paro is believed to be one of the first valleys to have received the influences of the Buddhism. The wide and fertile Paro valley has both an ancient and a modern face. It is home to some of the oldest and most revered temples in the kingdom of Bhutan. It also boasts the only International Airport in the country. The valley also offers the calm of the countryside, the beautiful landscapes, scenic and scattered villages and other historic buildings.
Major Tourist Attractions in Paro Valley
It is located on the edge of a 3100m tall cliff overlooking the Paro Valley. The hike up this monastery is about two and half hour accent and is worth climbing or hiking to this monastery. It was first built in 1692 at a cave where Guru Rinpoche meditated in the 7th century A.D.
Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel built Paro Rinpung dzong in the year 1645. Paro Rinpung Dzong’ (the fortress of a heap of jewels). It is one of Bhutan’s most impressive and well-known dzongs. It serves as a central monastic and administrative seat of the Paro district.
Drukgyel Dzong is located at the end of the paved road, 14kms from Paro town was built in the year 1649 to commemorate the victory over Tibetan invaders in 1644. Once the Tibetan invasions are over, this Dzong became a major trade route with Bhutanese and the Tibetans.
It is one of the two most sacred and the oldest temples in Bhutan, built in 7th century by Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo (the 33rd Tibetan king, who is also the manifestation of avoloketeshivara, commonly known to Bhutanese as Chenrize).
Tachogang Lhakhang is located near the Paro-Thimphu highway and was built by the renowned iron bridge builder Drupthob Thangtong Gyalpo in the 14th century. One can also see and iron bridge, a masterpiece of the great iron builder himself.
Paro National Museum was one time a watchtower built to defend the Rinpung Dzong during inter-valley wars of the 17th century. Ta Dzong has been functioning as the National Museum since 1967.
Kila Gompa is located below Chelela on the road to Haa. It is about 27km from Bongdey, Paro. The journey to this Goenpa will discover the lives in self-imposed isolation and the lives of our nuns (women and girls pursuing the religious activities).