Punakha

Punakha is the least elevated of Bhutan's central valleys and is famous for its benign climate in which fruit trees flourish within sight of the snow-crested Himalayan Mountains. The valley is about 3 hour's drive from Thimphu town and is famous for the picturesque Punakha Dzong which is one of the most photogenic Dzongs in Bhutan.

Punakha is a Dzongkhag (district) in Bhutan. The Dzong (Fortress) located close to Kuruthang town is also the ancient capital of Bhutan.

Getting There
All tourists need to get special permission to visit Punakha which is issued from Thimphu. From Thimphu, the Dechhem Lam (Road) will take you to Simtokha from where tourists have to take a diversion towards the north. The road from Simtokha winds into pine forests and through small villages for 20 Km and then opens miraculously onto the northern ridge of the mountains. About 30 km from Thimphu you would be passing through Dochula, a 3150-meter pass which is also the highest point in the drive. The view over the Himalayas at Dochula Pass, at 10500 feet (3150m), is one of the most spectacular in all of Bhutan. Within sight of the alpine snow is a magnificent canvas of colour - a profusion of red, pink, white, yellow and purple rhododendron blossoms splashed amongst the soft green of wild herbs, and forest trees. The road throughout has dense virgin forests on both sides. From Pajo a left turn would soon take to you Punakha.

What to See
The Punakha Dzong is the main attraction around here. The Dzong is also known as Pungtang Dechen Photrang Dzong. This Dzong was constructed in 1631. The Dzong is located on a spit of land just above the junction where the rivers Pho Chu and Mo Chuu meet to form the river Sankosh. The Dzong remains the main attraction for tourists visiting Punakha. In 2011 the Dzong was the site for the royal wedding of Bhutan. The Dzong is also the centre of the administrative district of Punakha.

Kuruthang
Just a couple of kilometres before the Punakha Dzong lies Kuruthang town. The small town with well-organized roads is a nice place for evening shopping.

Wangdue Phodrang Dzong
The Wangduphodrong Dzong is located about 15 km from the Punakha Dzong. This Dzong was also built in the year 1638. It overlooks the Sankosh River from a hilltop. The Dzong was in ruins and was being rebuilt with support from the Indian government. However, on 24th June 2012, a fire destroyed the entire Dzong. The Bhutan government is planning to reconstruct it again. Bhutan had submitted the Dzong to be considered a World Heritage Site before the accident occurred.

Khamsum Yuley Lakhang
This is a temple built by the Bhutanese queen that is about 8 km ahead of Punakha Dzong. After the motorable road, you need to hike for about half an hour to reach here.