Taktsang was rebuilt after a fire on 19 April 1998 damaged the main building and killed a monk; the restoration, overseen by the government and the fourth king, cost about Nu 135 million and was completed in 2005.
Source: Paro Taktsang
Valley in Bhutan
Paro
Bhutan's front door, with the Tiger's Nest on its cliff
Paro is the broad valley at 2,250 m that holds Bhutan's only international airport, the Rinpung Dzong and, 10 km up the valley, the Tiger's Nest on its cliff. Most trips start or end here. Give it two to three nights: one full day for Taktsang, one for the dzong, museum and Kyichu Lhakhang.
Photo: xiquinhosilva · CC BY 4.0 · CommonsParo is where most visitors first touch Bhutan, either stepping off a plane that has threaded between ridges into the 2,235 m airstrip or arriving by road from Phuentsholing via Chhuzom. The valley is wide by Bhutanese standards, with red rice paddies, apple orchards and farmhouses painted with lotus and dragon motifs. The town itself is one main street of painted wooden shopfronts, a few cafes and handicraft stores, with the Paro Chhu running below.
The landmarks sit close together. Rinpung Dzong, consecrated in 1646 by the Zhabdrung, rises above a covered cantilever bridge. On the hill behind it the round watchtower of Ta Dzong, built in 1649, has housed the National Museum since 1968. North of town, Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the two oldest temples in the country. At the head of the valley the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong, burnt in the early 1950s, are being rebuilt.
Then there is Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest, at 3,120 m on a cliff about 900 m above the valley floor. It is the hike everyone remembers. We suggest doing it on your last full day, after a few nights at 2,200–2,300 m, when your legs and lungs have adjusted. Paro also makes the base for the drive over Chele La to Haa and the start of the Druk Path trek to Thimphu.
Say it like a local · DzongkhaTaktsang
tiger's lair; one of 13 such caves linked to Guru Rinpoche
What to do in Paro
Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest
A 4–6 hour return hike from the car park at about 2,600 m to the monastery at 3,120 m. The trail passes a water-driven prayer wheel, a cafeteria viewpoint and a 60 m waterfall. Phones and cameras are deposited before you enter the shrines.
Rinpung Dzong
The 'fortress on a heap of jewels' houses Paro's monk body and district offices. Walk down to the covered cantilever bridge below it. Scenes from the 1993 film Little Buddha were shot here, and the Paro Tshechu is held on the Deyangkha ground beside it.
National Museum in Ta Dzong
The 17th-century watchtower above the dzong was converted into the National Museum in 1968 and holds more than 3,000 works of Bhutanese art, from bronzes and thangkas to masks and textiles. Entry is about Nu 300.
Kyichu Lhakhang
Said to have been founded in 659 by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo, this is one of Bhutan's oldest temples. Two orange trees in the courtyard are said to fruit all year. Come at 8 am to see elderly villagers turning the prayer wheels.
Drukgyel Dzong
Built in 1649 to mark victory over a Tibetan invasion and nearly destroyed by fire in the early 1950s, the 'fortress of the victorious Drukpas' is being rebuilt after a 2016 announcement. On clear days Jomolhari shows above it.
Field notes
What most guides miss about Paro
Before dawn on the last day of the Paro Tshechu, a giant thongdrel of Guru Rinpoche's eight manifestations is unrolled on the dzong wall and taken down early so that sunlight never falls on it.
Source: Rinpung Dzong
Flights into Paro are allowed only under visual flying conditions and in daylight, and the approach passes peaks of about 5,500 m, so only a small number of specially certified pilots operate here.
Source: Paro International Airport
Experiences
Three days worth having in Paro
Photo: Original: Nina R from Africa Derivative work: … · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Paro · 5–6 hours return
Hike to Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest
The classic Bhutan day: a steady climb of about 500 m from the car park to the cafeteria viewpoint, then on to the mona…
Entry Nu 1,000–2,000; pony uphill ₹800–1,200
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Paro · 3 hours
Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum on foot
Walk from the town across the covered cantilever bridge, up through the dzong's courtyards and on to the round Ta Dzong…
Dzong Nu 500–1,000; museum Nu 300
Photo: David Broad · CC BY 3.0 · Commons
Paro · 1.5 hours
Morning prayer wheels at Kyichu Lhakhang
One of Bhutan's two oldest temples, a few minutes north of Paro town, where villagers walk circuits and spin prayer whe…
Entry Nu 500–1,000; taxi ₹300–500
Real prices
What things cost in Paro
ItemIndicative 2026
Taktsang entryNu 1,000–2,000 (DoT list shows Nu 2,000; check current status)
Pony to the cafeteria, uphill only₹800–1,200
National Museum entryNu 300
Plate of ema datshi with red rice₹200–400
Licensed guide, per day₹2,500–3,500
Simple certified hotel, double₹2,500–4,500 a night
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
How to reach Paro
Air
Paro International Airport is 6 km from town. Drukair and Bhutan Airlines have flown from Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra, Guwahati, Kathmandu and Bangkok; routes and fares change, so check current status before you travel.
Bus
Public buses link Paro with Thimphu and Phuentsholing, but tourists must travel with a licensed guide beyond the first checkpoint, so most visitors use the operator's vehicle. Ask your operator if a public-bus leg with your guide is possible.
Road
Phuentsholing to Paro is about 150 km and 5–6 hours via Chhuzom. Thimphu to Paro is about 55 km and 1 h 15 min. Haa to Paro over Chele La is about 65 km and 2.5–3 hours.
Where to stay
Sleeping in Paro
Saver travellers use the simple tourist-certified hotels along the main street and the airport road, with doubles around ₹2,500–4,500 and heating that varies, so ask. Comfort travellers do well at Zhiwa Ling Heritage near Satsam Chorten, a hand-built Bhutanese-owned hotel with a temple inside, or at Le Méridien Paro Riverfront on the river. Signature options are COMO Uma Paro on a pine-covered hill above town and Amankora's Paro lodge, set in a blue pine forest near the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong.
Photo: Xiaojun Deng · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Mid
Heritage hotel · Paro
Zhiwa Ling Heritage, Paro
A hand-built Bhutanese hotel at Satsam Chorten in the Paro valley, opened in 2005 after five years of work by Bhut…
₹14,000–25,000 a night for a double with breakfast (indicat…
Photo: xiquinhosilva · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Luxury
Resort · Paro
COMO Uma Paro
A 29-key resort on a pine-covered hill above Paro town, on a 37-acre estate a short drive from the airport. Rooms,…
From about ₹55,000 a night for a double (indicative)
Photo: xiquinhosilva · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Luxury
Lodge · Paro
Amankora
Aman's circuit of five lodges in Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey and Bumthang, designed to be travelled in sequenc…
From about ₹1,50,000 a night for a suite, full board (indic…
Trips that stop here
See Paro on a trip
Photo: Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Comfort
Bhutan · 12 nights · sleeps to 3,000 m
Central Bhutan to Bumthang, 12 nights
Private car with driver
From, per person₹1,44,000Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Photo: Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Comfort
Bhutan · 6 nights · sleeps to 2,320 m
Paro, Thimphu and Punakha in comfort, 6 nights
Private car with driver
From, per person₹78,000Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Photo: Afifa Afrin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Saver
Bhutan · 7 nights · sleeps to 3,000 m
Bhutan saver with Phobjikha farmhouse, 7 nights
Shared jeep or bus to Jaigaon, then shared vehicle with licensed guide
From, per person₹40,000Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Photo: Afifa Afrin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Saver
Bhutan · 6 nights · sleeps to 2,320 m
Bhutan by road from Siliguri, 6 nights
Shared jeep or bus to Jaigaon, then shared vehicle with licensed guide
From, per person₹34,500Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Photo: Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Signature
Bhutan · 8 nights · sleeps to 3,000 m
Bhutan by Amankora lodges, 8 nights
Private car with driver
From, per person₹6,50,000Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Photo: Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Signature
Bhutan · 7 nights · sleeps to 2,700 m
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Six Senses and COMO Uma Paro, 7 nights
Private car with driver
From, per person₹3,75,000Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Questions
Paro, answered
How many days do I need in Paro?
Two to three nights. One day for the Tiger's Nest hike, one for Rinpung Dzong, the National Museum and Kyichu Lhakhang, and an optional day trip over Chele La to Haa. If you fly in, spend your first nights in Thimphu or Punakha and come back to Paro at the end for Taktsang.
Is Paro good for acclimatisation?
Yes. At about 2,250 m, Paro is high enough that some people feel short of breath on stairs on day one, but low enough to adjust in a day or two. Save the Taktsang hike to 3,120 m for later in the trip. Talk to your doctor if you have heart or lung conditions.
What is the entry fee for Tiger's Nest?
The Department of Tourism's monument fee list shows Nu 2,000 for Taktsang, while some operators quote Nu 1,000. The ngultrum is at par with the rupee. Fees are paid on site or through your operator. Check current status before you travel.
Can Indians fly into Paro and get a permit on arrival?
Yes, as we understand it. Indian nationals with a passport or voter ID can get the entry permit at Paro airport, paying the ₹1,200 per night SDF. Applying online in advance through your operator is faster. Your permit must list districts beyond Paro and Thimphu that you will visit. Check current status before you travel.
What is the best time to visit Paro?
March to May for flowering orchards, rhododendrons and the Paro Tshechu, and October to November for clear skies and harvest colours. Winter is clear and cold with low prices. July and August are rainy and the Taktsang trail turns muddy.
Are there ATMs in Paro?
Yes, several bank ATMs on the main street and at the airport, though foreign and Indian cards do not always work. Indian rupees are accepted widely at par in shops and restaurants. Carry ₹100–500 notes and some cash for monument fees and tips.
What does a day in Paro cost on a budget?
For an Indian traveller sharing a guide and vehicle with three others: SDF ₹1,200, a simple hotel on twin share ₹1,500–2,000, meals ₹700–1,000, a share of guide and car ₹1,500–2,500, and entry fees. Plan ₹5,000–7,000 per person per day, more on Taktsang day.
Is Paro safe at night?
Paro is a small, quiet town and is generally safe in the evening. Streets are dark outside the centre, so carry a torch, and watch for stray dogs, which bark at night. Restaurants close early, often by 9 pm, outside the bigger hotels.
Can I visit Haa from Paro in a day?
Yes. Haa is about 65 km over Chele La at 3,988 m, roughly 2.5–3 hours each way. Leave early for clear views of Jomolhari from the pass, visit the White and Black temples in Haa and return by evening. Haa must be on your permit, and the pass can see snow from December to March; check current status before you travel.