Cycling up the Pho Chhu River

The Pho Chhu River (or male river) is less visited than the Mo Chhu River (female river) and as such is a great valley to explore. The track is ideal for cycling, given it is exceptionally flat and receives little or no traffic. Begin from the Punakha Dzong and work your way along at your own pace (and for how far you want to go - it usually takes about an hour out and an hour back), it is then worth taking a light 30-minute walk into one of the rural villages in the valley, where you will see absolutely no other tourists. Come back for a picnic lunch overlooking the valley and ideal to see if the very rare white-bellied Heron appears. You can cycle back to Punakha, or get the bikes picked up by a vehicle.