Western Bhutan · about 1,250 m

Punakha

A warm valley where two rivers meet below the grand Punakha Dzong.

Punakha was Bhutan's capital until the 1950s. Its dzong sits where the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers meet and is one of the most beautiful buildings in the country. The lower altitude makes the valley warm in winter and green with rice terraces in summer. Nearby are Chimi Lhakhang, the suspension bridge and the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten hike.

Highlights

Punakha Dzong
Chimi Lhakhang
Punakha suspension bridge
Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten
Rice-terrace walks

Tours that visit Punakha

Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) monastery built into a sheer rock cliff above a forested valley

Best seller

Culture · 7 days / 6 nights

Cultural Discovery

Paro, Thimphu and Punakha: dzongs, monasteries, a farmhouse lunch and the Tiger's Nest hike.

Thimphu · Punakha · Paro

Carved and painted wooden windows rising above a stone courtyard inside a dzong

In depth

Culture · 10 days / 9 nights

Heart of Bumthang

Central Bhutan's oldest temples, Trongsa Dzong and a cheese-making visit.

Thimphu · Punakha · Trongsa · Bumthang · Paro

Dancers in bright traditional costume performing on an open field before a festival audience

Autumn festival

Festival · 9 days / 8 nights

Jambay Lhakhang Drup

Bumthang's midnight fire blessing and masked dances in central Bhutan.

Paro · Punakha · Bumthang