Mindful metropolis
April 22, 2025 - Gelephu Mindfulness City marks Bhutan's bold expansion of Gross National Happiness, promoting well-being, biodiversity, and innovation. Join Six Senses Bhutan for your own five-valley Khamsa or Royal Stroll.
Bhutan’s commitment to happiness has shaped its national identity for decades. It is therefore not surprising that, under the stewardship of His Royal Highness Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, this small Himalayan kingdom is charting a radically different course when it comes to urban development. At a time when many modern cities are grappling with overcrowding, pollution, and social disconnection, Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) on Bhutan’s southern border with India is rethinking how it should look, function and serve the needs of residents.
“This is what we call Gross National Happiness 2.0,” explains Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay about the 21-year plan to stop what he describes as an “existential brain drain.” While megaprojects like Saudi Arabia’s linear city “The Line” also reimagine urban form, Bhutan’s approach stands apart for its resolute preservation of Bhutanese nature and culture, even as it becomes a cradle for human-scale development and innovation.
Turning engineering into art and the forces of nature into power
Unlike conventional urban planning that often begins with economic zones and infrastructure grids, GMC starts with the 35 rivers and streams flowing through the region. These crisscrossing waterways don’t represent obstacles to be tamed, contained, or diverted. They form the very arteries of the city's design. Bjarke Ingels, the project’s acclaimed architect, expresses this as, “a vibrant tapestry of interconnected ecosystems and lively neighborhoods,” which also incorporates a national park and wildlife corridors.
The city will be structured around a series of timber bridges housing essential urban functions. Also in the plans are a university, healthcare facilities offering both Eastern and Western medicine, spiritual centers, markets for local goods, and hydroelectric infrastructure to power the entire city on clean electricity. The Sankosh Temple-Dam will lead up to an elevated temple or “21st-century Tiger's Nest”—homage to Bhutan’s most iconic cliffside monastery – a manmade monument to the divine possibility of a sustainable human presence on earth.
Ground-breaking (Salang tendrel) ceremonies have taken place for numerous projects, including the international airport, international school, and Gelephu Chorten. These ceremonies seek permission from the Naga spirits that live in the water and earth to rearrange the soil.
The project’s forward-thinking nature was underscored during the 2024 Bhutan Innovation Forum, which brought together Nobel laureates and global thought leaders to support King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s vision. The city will function as a Special Administrative Region with its own government and legislative independence – a bold experiment in governance as well as urban design.
The Six Senses Khamsa (or “Royal Stroll”)
While GMC represents Bhutan's future, you don’t need to wait to experience the magical kingdom today. The 11th-century Tibetan yogi Jetsun Milarepa once said, “There are, in the heart of the Himalayas, some strange marketplaces where one can barter the whirlwind of life for infinite wisdom.” How you go about this is your own path to follow, but if you come to Six Senses Bhutan, you’re guaranteed a warmhearted hello.
With five lodges spread across scenic and culturally significant locations – Thimphu, Paro, Punakha, Gangtey, and Bumthang – you can experience the different facets of Bhutanese culture and terrain.
Travel from the cultural richness of Thimphu, the kingdom’s capital, to the pristine wilderness of Gangtey Valley, known for its rare, black-necked cranes. From the mist-shrouded valleys and rice paddies of Punakha to the pine-forested mountains of Paro, each lodge is thoughtfully integrated into its surroundings, offering a window into Bhutan’s approach to conservation and well-being.
The wellness experiences are equally immersive: traditional hot stone baths, guided meditation sessions with monks, and farm-to-table dining sourced from local producers. You can also take part in environmental initiatives, such as tree planting and sustainable farming, and community connections, including spending a memorable morning with the young monks at the Chorten Nyingpo monastery.
Bhutan is simultaneously one of the world’s most traditional societies and one of its most experimental when it comes to reimagining development paradigms. Why not embark on a journey across the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon and enjoy up to three nights with our compliments, plus enriching experiences through our Seasonal Discovery offer.