Cultural Tours · Classic Bhutan · Easy
Into the Cultural Heartland
- Paro
- Thimphu
- Punakha
- Phobjikha
- …
West to centre — from Paro across the Black Mountains to Trongsa and the ancient temples of Bumthang.
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Central Bhutan · 2,200 m
Trongsa
The ancestral seat of Bhutan's royal family, guarding the old route between east and west.
Trongsa Dzong, sprawling down a ridge above a deep gorge, is the largest and one of the most impressive fortresses in the kingdom.
Cross Pele La into central Bhutan and the country changes. The roads empty, the valleys deepen, and after hours of winding through forest you round a corner to see Trongsa Dzong strung along a ridge above a gorge so deep you cannot see the river at its base.
For centuries every traveller between east and west had to pass through this fortress, and whoever controlled it controlled the country. It was from Trongsa that the Wangchuck family rose to unite Bhutan; the first King was Penlop of Trongsa, and the crown prince still holds that title today.
The dzong is enormous — more than twenty temples within its walls — and the Ta Dzong watchtower above has been turned into one of Bhutan’s most engaging museums. It is well worth a night here on the way to Bumthang.
Things to see
- 01
Trongsa Dzong
Built from 1647 onwards, a labyrinth of courtyards, temples and passageways cascading down the ridge.
- 02
Ta Dzong museum
The restored watchtower above the dzong, now a museum on the history of the Wangchuck dynasty.
- 03
Chendebji Chorten
A Nepali-style stupa beside the river, on the road from Pele La.
- 04
Pele La pass
The 3,400-metre pass crossing the Black Mountains, home to yak herders and dwarf bamboo.
Things to do
- Explore the dzong with time to see its many temples
- Learn the story of the Trongsa Penlops at the Ta Dzong museum
- Look out for golden langurs in the forests on the road south
- Visit during the Trongsa Tshechu in winter
Local tips
- The drive from Phobjikha to Trongsa crosses Pele La and takes about four hours — we break it at Chendebji.
- The heir to the throne traditionally holds the title of Trongsa Penlop before becoming King.
Journeys that include Trongsa
Cultural Tours · Nature & Wildlife · Moderate
The Grand Crossing — West to East
- Paro
- Thimphu
- Punakha
- Phobjikha
- …
The whole kingdom, end to end — from Paro across the central valleys to Trashigang, leaving through Samdrup Jongkhar.
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