Bhutan’s healing culture unfolds through Sowa Rigpa, where herbs from highlands and lowlands, hot stone baths, and spiritual rituals form a holistic wellness tapestry. At Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, doctor-led consultations, herbal teas, and therapies balance air, bile, and phlegm, while forest bathing, meditation in dzongs, and blessing ceremonies help visitors disconnect and rediscover inner peace in this Land of Medicinal Herbs.
“We have an herb for everything.”
I am staring at a wall stacked with shelves that hold small glass bottles. It may well be a lab, except these bottles hold herbs and shoots, foraged from the highlands and lowlands. I peer closely at the labels: rhododendron, curcuma, rosehip and sea buckthorn. And finally at the end, the one fungus that has followed me throughout my travels in East Asia, cordyceps or caterpillar fungus.
I am in Bhutan and these herbs are my introduction to the kingdom's healing flora. These herbs are an integral part of the wellness offerings at the Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary — they aren’t there for décor, but make their way into soothing and healing teas, in artisanal bath soaps (that guests choose when they enter), and in traditional wellness treatments.
Beyond sourcing, medicinal herbs used in our wellness treatments come from both the highlands and lowlands of Bhutan. We work closely with local collectors who follow sustainable harvesting methods, seasonal timing, and accurate plant identification rooted in Sowa Rigpa principles. Each herb is carefully inspected for aroma, colour, and vitality upon arrival before being used for herbal blends and treatments.
“Our approach is guided by Sowa Rigpa [Bhutanese Traditional Medicine] principles—supporting balance between body, mind, and energy through nature’s intelligence. Herbs are not used as isolated ingredients but as part of personalised treatments, often combined with therapies such as herbal compress, hot oil application, moxibustion, and acupressure,” says Kelsang Dorjigkss, a doctor at Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary.
Wellness and healing are paramount to the experience at Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary. And, across the kingdom of Bhutan.
One of the ancient names for Bhutan is 'Menjung' or 'The Land of Medicinal Herbs.' These herbs are just one of the traditional wellness methods passed down generations. The land of monks, meditation and happiness is the best place to find inner peace. “Bhutan itself is the most exclusive wellness offering. The authenticity, pristine nature, slow pace and simplicity of life is what define it. It is not the extravagance that makes these experiences exclusive, but the opportunity to disconnect from the melee of everyday life and reconnect with what truly matters,” says Damcho Rinzin, Director, Department of Tourism, Bhutan.
Earlier this year, Bhutan’s Department of Tourism curated signature ‘wellness journeys’ to help travellers restore their inner balance, and heal the mind and body.
During my stay in Bhutan, I learned that it is easy to find inner balance and a sense of wellness, and self-care in the country. And, you don’t always need a ‘treatment’ for it.
At Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, immediately after checking in, I am informed about my doctor consultation. It is a mandatory aspect for anyone staying at the sanctuary, the start of their wellness journey. Dorjigkss is a traditional physician or drungtsho, a doctor of Bhutanese Traditional Medicine. An integral part of basic healthcare in the country, Bhutanese Traditional Medicine, is a holistic combination of herbal remedies, diet, physical therapies and spirituality. Dorjigkss tells me that the human body is composed of three main elements: air, bile and phlegm. It is only when all three are in order, in fine balance, that a person is healthy.
The simplest test is a pulse check. Dorjigkss checks my pulse, on both hands, and in minutes, gives a diagnosis. Through just my pulse (and some basic questions), he correctly diagnoses my digestive issues, and anxiety. The remedies he suggested are simple: drink a lot more water and have more fluids, in the form of soups or herbal teas.
BSS is the rare place that has a doctor on site. But, for others seeking to avail the benefits of this traditional medical system, a visit to the Institute of Traditional Medicine Services in Thimphu is a must. There’s a museum on site detailing the herbs, plants, minerals and stones that are used in medicines. There’s a clinic on-site where doctors check your air, bile and phlegm and suggest remedies.
One of the most beloved expressions of Sowa Rigpa is the hot stone bath (dotsho) — in it, carefully chosen river stones are heated and placed in a chamber of a wooden tub filled with water infused with artemisia leaves. These stones are what makes the bath ‘hot.’ It is believed that the bath is beneficial because of the minerals released from the stones, and the meditative, soothing properties of Artemisia — together they ease aches and pains, help with relaxation, stomach disorders and joint issues.
There are versions of these baths across Bhutan, in luxury resorts and in homestays and farmstays.
At Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, the river stones are carefully washed and prepared before use, and artemisia leaves are sourced locally. “Artemisia is a deeply respected plant in traditional healing systems, known for its cleansing, warming, and balancing properties,” says Dorjigkss. “The leaves are then naturally dried and used in moxibustion, herbal compresses, hot stone therapies, and healing teas, depending on the treatment.”
Bhutan’s commitment to wellness is deeply woven into community life. An example of this is the Tshewang blessing ceremony, which is a prayer ritual led by a Bhutanese monk in a temple. While this is a specific ceremony, I also encounter prayers and blessings everywhere else.
Across Bhutan, every visit to a hotel or a resort involves a small prayer. A small room is set aside, with an altar lit with incense, and plied with offerings. Sometimes, there’s a monk on hand to lead a short prayer, after which he touches a scroll on my forehead as a blessing. As protection, they tie a thread or protection cord (sungkü) around my wrist — red to represent the Buddha of Longevity or Amitāyus. It’s a short meaningful ceremony, and leaves me feeling immensely grateful.
Many traditional healing and wellness practices incorporate prayer, meditation, positive intention, and spiritual reflection as complementary elements of the healing process, says Rinzin. “In Bhutan, healing is often viewed not solely as a physical process but as one that engages the mind, emotions, and spirit together. This holistic perspective is an integral part of Bhutan’s wellness philosophy,” he adds.
Yoga, meditation and mindfulness sessions are on offer at many resorts and hotels across Bhutan. But, nothing beats a meditation session at the country’s dzongs. These fortresses are now administrative offices, house museums, and host cultural events and rituals; they contain shrines within them. Besides being absolutely beautiful historic places, a visit to the shrines is always an uplifting experience. Quiet, peaceful, scented only with incense, and lit with butter lamps, they radiate a calm energy.
I find this peace at Rinpung Dzong in Paro, which juts out of the hillside overlooking the river and Paro city. At the beautiful Punakha dzong, shaded by jacaranda trees, I stand in awe of the majesty of the place. Mediation is not just a seated posture, but it is about awareness and being in the moment.
Bespoke tour operator, &Beyond, organises tours that include meditating at the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, a stunning Bhutanese stupa built to promote global peace and ward off negative forces, a private meditation beside the Mo Chhu River, and guided meditation inside the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery followed by a blessing ceremony with the resident Lama.
One of the greenest countries in the world (70 per cent is covered in green), Bhutan is the ideal place to abandon yourself to shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. Realistically, this Japanese practice is about surrendering yourself to nature.
My forest bathing happens without intention. At Do Chula pass, after admiring the 108 chortens (memorial stupas), I go on a nature walk nearby. There’s a small garden that blends into rhododendron forests. I breathe in lungfuls of air, enjoying the brisk cold and watching the mist covered mountains and treetops. It is truly magical. Though the walk is strenuous, I feel light, almost happy.
Other places in Bhutan to enjoy forest bathing are at the Phobjikha Valley, with its dense blue pine forests; at Genekha village near Thimphu, which has an annual mushroom festival in August that involves foraging in the forest; at the Jigme Dorji National Park (JDNP), which is the second largest natural preserve in the country and rich in cultural and biological diversity; and at Bumthang among its ancient cypress and juniper trees.
I do it all: forest bathing, hot stone baths, short hikes, and quiet contemplation at spiritual sites. I didn't go out seeking wellness in Bhutan, because it surrounds me everywhere.