BHUTAN - The kingdom of stillness

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For those who seek silence, beauty, and spiritual luxury beyond the predictable, Bhutan offers a path less travelled - a journey into a kingdom that lives, breathes, and believes in stillness.

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A hidden sanctuary in the sky: High in the folds of the Eastern Himalayas lies a kingdom seemingly untouched by time. Bhutan, mysterious, contemplative, and cloaked in mist, feels more like a myth than a modern nation. This tiny landlocked country, cradled between the ancient powerhouses of India and China, has long guarded its sacred traditions, unspoiled forests, and quiet spiritualism with unwavering pride. Bhutan doesn’t chase the world; it preserves its soul.

For the ultra-discreet traveller, this is spiritual luxury. Bhutan offers not the ostentation of five-star excess, but something far more rare: a presence. It is a country where mountain air smells of pine and incense, where crimson-robed monks chant in candle-lit sanctuaries, and where the silence carries a weight that somehow lightens the soul.

This is not a country where one arrives accidentally. Tourism is tightly regulated by the government’s pioneering “High Value, Low Volume” policy, ensuring that each visitor treads lightly - environmentally, culturally, and spiritually. Instead of mass-market resorts and over-touristed landmarks, Bhutan offers forested retreats, heritage-rich lodges, and a cultural immersion so intimate, so authentic, it quietly humbles even the most jaded globetrotter.

Time here bends and slows. Days begin with the sound of temple bells echoing through emerald valleys and end with prayers whispered beneath the Himalayan stars. This is a quiet recalibration of the soul, similar to a deep exhale after years of holding your breath.

*IMAGE: Department of Tourism, Bhutan, Marcus Westberg*

Amankora: A pilgrimage in five chapters

There is no better way to experience Bhutan’s deep serenity than through Amankora, Aman’s circuit of five luxury lodges across the country’s central valleys. This isn’t simply accommodation, but a pilgrimage in comfort, curated for reflection, intimacy, and spiritual depth.

Each lodge offers a unique expression of Bhutanese culture and landscape, yet all are connected by Aman’s signature aesthetic: minimalist architecture, flawless discretion, and reverent design. The name itself - Aman meaning “peace” in Sanskrit, and kora, a “circular pilgrimage” in Dzongkha - perfectly captures the essence of the journey.

In Thimphu, Bhutan’s understated capital, Amankora is cocooned within a blue pine forest, its structures blending seamlessly into the landscape. The lodge’s stone walls and wood-burning stoves exude warmth, while its library, spa, and private dining rooms invite stillness. Mornings might begin with a private hike to Cheri Goemba, a 17th-century monastery shrouded in mist, followed by a blessing from a monk or a herbal foot soak upon your return. Afternoons might be spent with a master weaver, learning the symbolic intricacies of handwoven kira or gho garments.

The scenic drive to Punakha - over the Himalayan Dochula Pass - is more than a route; it's a moving meditation. Punctuated by 108 chortens and panoramic views, it’s a soul-stirring transition into the subtropical valley below. Amankora Punakha occupies a traditional farmhouse once used by the Queen Mother. Here, days unfold gently: outdoor yoga beside rice paddies, riverside picnics, visits to Punakha Dzong with its whitewashed walls rising like a fortress of light, and candle-lit hot stone baths prepared under the stars.

In Gangtey, the setting becomes even more remote and more mystical. The lodge overlooks the Phobjikha Valley, where rare, black-necked cranes winter amid swaying grasses and sacred forests. This is the land of long walks, tea by floor-to-ceiling windows, and long silences broken only by birdsong. Nearby, the 17th-century Gangtey Monastery invites guests to observe young monks chanting their morning lessons.

In Bumthang, often called the spiritual heart of Bhutan, Amankora is a short walk from ancient temples and relics believed to hold the ashes of saints. The energy here feels ancient, almost mythic. You’ll explore monasteries where butter lamps flicker in stone chambers and monks chant centuries-old mantras with solemn grace. The stillness is profound.

Finally, in Paro, you prepare for Bhutan’s most iconic experience: the climb to Taktsang Monastery, known as the Tiger’s Nest. Clinging impossibly to a cliffside 3,000 feet above the valley floor, this sacred site is equal parts physical challenge and spiritual gift. Amankora’s private guides pace the journey according to your breath rather than your watch – ensuring moments of deep connection instead of exhaustion. The reward? Tea with panoramic views and a heart cracked open.

Six senses Bhutan: A journey of the senses

If Amankora is Bhutan’s spiritual pilgrimage, then Six Senses Bhutan is its immersive wellness odyssey. With five lodges spread across the same five valleys - each uniquely designed to reflect its surroundings - Six Senses offers sensorial storytelling through architecture, rituals, and holistic wellbeing.

At Six Senses Thimphu, perched on a mountain ridge above the capital, you’re enveloped in contemplative grandeur. The architecture, inspired by a dzong fortress, frames vast courtyards and quiet pathways. Arrival begins not with check-in but with a juniper purification ritual, followed by a wellness consultation that sets the tone for your stay. From here, your journey unfolds: forest bathing through pine trails, guided breathwork, reiki healing, and deeply restorative massages using wild-foraged herbs.

In Punakha, the “flying farmhouse” is one of the most striking properties in the kingdom. Suspended above rice terraces and the Mo Chhu river, it’s a design marvel and a spiritual sanctuary. Days here feel dreamlike - floating in a cantilevered infinity pool as prayer flags flap in the breeze, or dining beneath the stars after a silent river blessing.

Gangtey is where time halts completely. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls dissolve the boundary between you and the sacred valley, allowing the outside world to breathe into your suite. At dawn, monks chant blessings just across the valley, and you might find yourself sipping ginger tea in silence, watching cranes dance through mist.

Each lodge is attended by a GEM (Guest Experience Maker) - your personal host and curator, fluent in both comfort and culture. Want a sunrise picnic on a mountaintop? A spontaneous prayer ceremony for a loved one? A one-on-one with a local lama? Simply whisper the desire.

Rituals, silence, and the sacred

Although spectacular, Bhutan is not defined by its vistas but by its spiritual pulse. This is a land where devotion is woven into the fabric of daily life. Prayer wheels spin on every corner, temples flicker with butter lamps, and the air hums with the low drone of mantras.

Luxury properties here offer something rare: access to authentic, unscripted rituals. You may find yourself lighting 108 butter lamps in a hillside monastery, each flame representing a prayer for healing. You might sit in a private puja ceremony, monks chanting your name in blessings while you sit on the temple floor, hands folded, breath held.

There’s the quiet ritual of hoisting prayer flags at a mountain pass, each bearing your intentions to be carried on the wind. Or perhaps a sacred astrology reading, delivered in a wooden room by a lama whose lineage traces back centuries. These are not performances for tourists, they are glimpses into a way of life still deeply intact.

And sometimes, the most profound moments are unplanned: a shared silence with a monk, a spontaneous smile from a child in a remote village, or a moment of reflection as mist curls across the mountains like prayer.

Nourishment from the land

In Bhutan, food is medicine, memory, and mindfulness combined. Meals are nourishing and inspired by the earth. Ingredients are almost always seasonal and local, grown in lodge gardens or sourced from nearby villages.

Start your day with fresh yak yogurt, herbal infusions, and warm buckwheat pancakes. At lunch, you might try ema datshi, a chilli and cheese dish that is Bhutan’s unofficial national treasure, paired with nutty red rice and wild mushrooms foraged nearby. At night, menus often include grilled river trout, roasted root vegetables, or momos - delicate dumplings filled with nettles, cheese, or spinach.

Both Amankora and Six Senses offer private dining that is as soulful as it is sophisticated: farm-table breakfasts with mountain views, outdoor tandoor feasts, or candle-lit dinners in 17th-century farmhouses where every creak of the floorboards tells a story.

Even beverages reflect the spirit of place: from wild tea infusions to Bhutanese whiskey and a curated selection of organic wines.

Leaving lighter

There is no place quite like Bhutan. In a world of louder, faster, shinier, Bhutan invites you to slow down, strip back, and rediscover the sacred in simplicity.

You won’t leave Bhutan with flashy souvenirs or crowded camera rolls. Instead, you’ll leave with something rarer: the memory of stillness, the echo of mountain bells, the scent of pine and incense, and the feeling of being entirely present. Bhutan doesn’t change for its visitors. But if you let it, it will change you.

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