The Kingdom of Bhutan is a place of soaring 7,000-metre Himalayan peaks, glacial river valleys and evergreen forests.
Bhutan, high in the Himalayas between the Tibetan Plateau and India, is one of the most remote and pristine environments on Earth.
Amankora comprises five lodges dotted across this ancient land.
Ancient Buddhist traditions remain vibrant, affected little by modern life.
Amankora tailors itineraries for both spirituality seekers and outdoor enthusiasts. Enjoy a meal at a rural village farmhouse or among monks at a 12th-century temple; hike to the Tiger’s Nest monastery; or trek an isolated peak.
All five Amankora Lodges feature traditional dzong-inspired architecture, with gently sloping roofs and wood-panelled interiors.
Paro Lodge showcases the surrounding blue pine trees – and
Mt Jomolhari, soaring over 7,300 metres.
Surrounded by forests and orchards, the five Lodges comprise 72 suites fusing rustic elements with contemporary design.
Bumthang is home to 29 temples and monasteries, and is a treasure-trove of Bhutan’s art and painting traditions. The 16-Suite Amankora Bumthang
rests adjacent to the Wandichholing Palace, within the town of Jakar in the Choekhor Valley.
In the little-visited Phobjikha Valley near the village of Gangtey, the 8-Suite Amankora Gangtey is set on a forested knoll with scenic views of the valley floor and the 16th-century Gangtey Goemba monastery.
Part of an important wildlife reserve, the valley is home each winter to a flock of 300 endangered black-neck cranes. Suite interiors are identical to those of Amankora Thimphu, each enjoying a view across the valley.
At an elevation of 2,250 metres, Paro Valley is the entry point for most journeys through the Kingdom.
Surrounded by pine forests, the 24-Suite retreat contrasts rustic elements with contemporary design.
Guest Suites offer a combined lounge and bedroom furnished with a king-size bed, banquette window seat,reading chair and traditional bukhari wood-burning stove.
Reached via a suspension bridge over the Mo Chhu River, the Amankora Punakha Lodge incorporates a traditional Bhutanese farmhouse built by a former Je Khenpo.
The 8- Suites are identical in design to those of Amankora Paro, with views across an orange orchard and rice terraces.
An array of Bhutanese, Western and Indian dishes are served across all five Amankora Lodges, using local ingredients such as yak meat and fresh honey from the Bumthang Valley.
Private dining can be arranged both inside and outside the Lodges, whether for an intimate dinner or group celebration.
Focusing on Himalayan plant- and herb-based therapies, treatments at Amankora’s five Spas, spread across the five Lodges, offer a wholly Bhutanese experience.
Interiors are scented with cedar wood – used as a Buddhist incense as well as a traditional remedy – while massages, scrubs and baths soothe the senses.
A hot stone bath can be taken in a candlelit stone hut near Amankora Gangtey, where bamboo sliding doors reveal mesmerising views of the valley, and some of Amankora’s Lodges.
Homemade yoghurt, Bumthang honey and oranges rebalance and clarify the complexion, and the treatment includes a pressure-point massage.
Guided excursions through the valleys of Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha and Bumthang offer the chance
to experience a remote kingdom, with vast forests, dramatic inclines and 7,000-metre peaks.
Treks range from short valley walks to testing full-day hikes over mountain trails, punctuated by wildlife and abundant greenery.
Setting off from Amankora Punakha, this hike among rice paddies and lush forests offers dramatic views of the surrounding temples and landscape.
This trail, behind Amankora Gangtey, rises through Tokha village and upward amid bamboo shoots and an old forest to Khelikha.
Ascend from Amankora Paro to the ancient monastery – where Buddhism is said to have arrived in Bhutan – on a four-hour hike that can include horses or mules.
The imposing structure, built in 1857 as the Kingdom’s first palace, has monks in residence and can be visited throughout the year.
AMANKORA
Paro, ThimphuPunakha, GangteyBumthang Kingdom of Bhutan