Several good day excursions are possible from Thimphu, all of which must be arranged through your licensed Bhutanese tour operator as part of your permit package.
Paro is the obvious first choice — a 54 km drive west (about 1.5 hours) to the valley that holds Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest monastery clinging to a cliff face above the pine forest. The town has its own dzong and a clutch of medieval temples, and Bhutan's international airport sits at the valley floor.
Punakha, the old winter capital, is a two-hour drive over the Dochu La pass. Punakha Dzong, set at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, is the most beautiful fortress-monastery in the country, and the drive there through rhododendron forest is as memorable as the destination.
Closer to the city, Dochu La Pass at 3,100 metres makes a worthwhile half-day stop in its own right, its 108 chortens framing the high Himalaya on clear winter mornings. Simtokha Dzong, the oldest dzong in Bhutan, is just 5 km south of the centre and easily combined with any trip down the valley.
