Tourists attractions in Punakha valley

The Punakha valley lies at an altitude of 1242 m and is the old capital of Bhutan. This valley is approximately 120 Km away from the Paro International Airport (Paro valley). The beautiful Dochu La Pass at 3140 m is on the way to Punakha and has 108 stupas. One can get the most spectacular view of the Himalayan range from this pass. Punakha Dzong was built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal between two rivers. It is also the winter residence of the Je Khenpo, the chief Abbot of Bhutan. Several fires have ravaged the building through the years. The Dzong still houses many artifacts and the preserved body of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. In the early spring, an annual festival is held in Punakha Dzong.

The Dochula pass at an altitude of 3140 m is located on the way to Punakha from Thimphu valley. The pass is a popular location among tourists as it offers a stunning 360 degree panoramic view of the Himalayas. The view is especially scenic and clear in the winter days. The snowcapped mountains form a majestic backdrop to the tranquility of the 108 stupas. The annual Druk Wangyel festival is held here on the 13th December.

Bhutanese families enjoy visiting the pass during holidays and weekends to picnic and simply enjoy the scenery. It is common to see families and groups of friends seated amongst the chortens, enjoying a packed lunch. For tourists this is an ideal location to capture beautiful pictures of the Himalayan mountain range during clear, warm days. It is a highly recommended and one of the best places to visit in Bhutan.

A nature recreational park, established in the year 2004 to preserve the rich natural biodiversity of the area. The area has been delineated for protection and development into a site for ecotourism and nature education. Despite its small size, the park has a very good assortment of wild flora and fauna. A unique attraction of the Park is the rhododendrons. Of the total 46 species that grow in Bhutan, 40 species are found here. The annual Rhododendron festival is held here in early Spring.

29 species of Rhododendrons grow naturally in the area and 11 have been planted in the garden. The Park also has 114 species of ferns, as well as numerous wild orchids. The Park also hosts Bengal tiger, Red panda, leopard, musk deer, sambar deer, Himalayan black bear and many more. It is a haven for bird watching with more than 220 species being recorded.

Of all the religious figures of Bhutan, perhaps no one is as popular as Drukpa Kuenley or The Divine Madman. Chimi Lhakhang, also called ‘The Temple of Fertility’ was built in his honor. Legend has it that Lama Kuenley subdued a demon of the region with his ‘magical thunderbolt of wisdom’. He was known as The Divine Madman for his unorthodox ways of teaching Buddhism often with sexual overtones. (For a very unique and interesting festival in Bhutan, visit our Jambay Lhakhang festival page).

He is also the saint who advocated the use of phallus symbols that even today adorn Bhutanese paintings and houses. The temple is believed to bless couples who seek fertility and children. The monastery is the repository of the original wooden phallus that Drukpa Kuenley brought from Tibet. It is used to bless people who visit the temple on pilgrimage, particularly women seeking blessing to beget children.

This Dzong stands majestically at the confluence of the Pho Chu and Mo Chu rivers. It was constructed in the year 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The dzong houses the sacred relics of the southern Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The sacred remains of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and the Terton Pema Lingpa (From Bumthang) are also preserved here. It was the administrative centre and the seat of the Bhutanese government until the year 1955. Today, it is still the winter residence of the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) and the monastic body of Bhutan. Set against a spectacular backdrop, the architecture of the dzong is simply awe inspiring. The annual Punakha tshechu festival is held here which is unique and different compared to Thimphu tshechu festival and others.

Nalanda Buddhist Institute is a situated in the western region of the Punakha Valley. In the native language, the word “Nalanda” stands for endless knowledge. The 9th Je Khenpo, Shakya Rinchen founded the college in the year 1957. Nalanda Institute with its religious and historic influence has become one of the must visit places in Punakha Valley.

The village of Talo sitting at an altitude of 2,800 m is scattered along the slopes of a hill. Also, the women of Talo are particularly known for their striking good looks. The Talo Goenpa, in the snowy peaks, overlooks the Punakha valley as it sits on a mountain ridge. For centuries, this ancient spiritual center has stood guard over the valley below. The monastery was founded in the year 1767, in the year of the fire pig, according to the Bhutanese calendar.

The Bazam, the wooden roofed cantilever bridge, leading to the dzong was built in 17th century. It is perched above the rapid Pho Chu River. The Punakha Suspension Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan, spanning between 160 m. Draped with prayer flags, the bridge connects the town of Punakha and the spectacular Punakha Dzong. The locals mainly use it as an entry to the Dzong.

For some time after the flood in 1996, the Punakha Dzong could only be reached by travelling 15 kilometers downstream to Wangduephodrang. Later, a steel cable bridge was installed close to where the old bridge used to be. The new bridge was designed and built in the year 2008. It was financed by Pro Bhutan, while a Swiss engineering company provided technical expertise.

This Nunnery is perched on a hilltop overlooking the beautiful Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang. Surrounded by lush green pine forests the nunnery complex is a true expression of Bhutanese architecture portraying strong traditional values.

This Nunnery was built as a Buddhist College for nuns and currently houses about 120 nuns. The nunnery complex is a religious school and also houses a meditation centre for nuns. The Centre also strives to provide life skills such as tailoring, embroidery, sculpting and Buddhist Thangka paintings. (The oldest nunnery in Bhutan is Kila Gompa built in the 9th century on the way to Haa valley).

Tourists can take advantage of the tranquil ambience and immerse in meditation programs. They can also observe the spiritual lives of nuns while they learn a variety of skills.

This village situated along the banks of Pho Chu and Mo Chu looks straight out of a postcard. The Ritsha village is surrounded by paddy fields, meandering rivers and looming hills. This village is famous for its production of red and white rice. One can take a stroll along the paddy fields and learning about traditional farming methods used in the village. Besides, you can also trek, bike and do rafting and other bunch of things one can do in this village.

A short hike takes one to Khamsung Yuelley temple, built by Her Majesty the Queen Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck. Perched high on a hill on the bank of the river, the Chorten houses paintings belonging to Nyingmapa Traditions. The temple dominates the upper Punakha Valley with views across the Mo Chu and up towards the peaks of Gasa.

The village of Limbukha is easily accessible through feeder roads from Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang. The village provides some spectacular views of the Punakha Dzong and the Mo Chu and Po Chu rivers.

Limbukha is also known for its love of peace. Legend has it that during medieval wars, the people of Limbukha always volunteered as peace negotiators. This is also depicted during the annual festival called ‘Serda’. During this festival, the men are found carrying peace flags instead of swords and fireworks. Trek from Punakha to Limbukha will take about 5 hours and is a distance of about 14 Km.

Rinchengang village is perhaps the most clustered village in Bhutan. Also, it is one of the oldest villages in Bhutan as it dates back to the Shabdrung era.

The settlers in the village, back in the day, were skilled in the traditional method of stone masonry. And so, it was them who built the old Wangdue Phodrang Dzong that stood for over 480 years.

In earlier times, the place was known as ‘Drinchen-Gang’ meaning ‘Grateful Valley’. Grateful for the contributions the people there made in building the dzong. With time, Drinchengang changed to Rinchengang as we know it today. To get to the village, it is a 20-minute uphill walk from the road head.