Gasa

Gasa is both a small town and Bhutan's least populated district, tucked into a valley in the far north where the country's high peaks begin in earnest. It's best known to Bhutanese and visitors alike for Gasa Tshachu, a cluster of natural hot springs a short walk below the town, long regarded as having healing properties and a popular destination for Bhutanese pilgrims, especially in winter.

Gasa Dzong, one of the more compact fortress-monasteries in Bhutan, sits above the town and was historically an important defensive structure guarding the approach from Tibet. Beyond the dzong and hot springs, Gasa functions primarily as a staging point for trekkers heading further north to Laya, Lingshi, and beyond, marking the endpoint of the popular Laya-Gasa trek.

The wider Gasa region, extending up toward Laya and Lunana, is dominated by glaciated peaks and is a stronghold of traditional yak-herding life relatively untouched by mass tourism.

Gasa town is reachable by road, roughly a 5–6 hour drive from Thimphu via Punakha, making it accessible without trekking — though most visitors combine it with a trek onward to Laya. The hot springs are a short walk from the town itself.

Winter (December–February) is a particularly popular time for Bhutanese visitors seeking the hot springs' warmth, while spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) offer the clearest mountain views and the best conditions for trekking onward toward Laya.