Culture · Punakha, Bhutan
Punakha Dzong and the rivers that meet below it
Cross the cantilever bridge over the Mo Chhu, walk through the three courtyards of Bhutan's most photographed dzong and finish on the riverbank at the confluence with the Pho Chhu.
Photo: L Shyamal · CC BY-SA 3.0 · CommonsPunakha Dzong's full name, Pungthang Dewa Chhenbi Phodrang, means 'palace of great happiness'. The Zhabdrung ordered it built in 1637 and his architect, Zowe Palep, is said to have seen the plan in a dream and built it without drawings. In 1639 a chapel was added to hold arms captured from defeated Tibetan forces. The 7th Dalai Lama donated a brass roof, and fires, an 1897 earthquake and floods have damaged it many times since.
You enter by the covered cantilever bridge over the Mo Chhu and a steep wooden stair. The dzong has three courtyards: the first for administration, the second and third for monks, with the main assembly hall and its gilded statues of the Buddha, Guru Rinpoche and the Zhabdrung. The Machey Lhakhang, holding the Zhabdrung's embalmed remains, is closed to visitors. The 2004 restoration, funded largely by India, added more than 200 new religious images.
Come in mid-afternoon when the light falls on the white walls and the jacaranda flowers in April and May. Afterwards walk down to the riverbank at the southern tip of the dzong, where the clear, glacier-blue Pho Chhu joins the greener Mo Chhu. Dress modestly and keep to the visitors' areas.
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Trips through Punakha
Do this on a trip
Each of these trips stops in Punakha. Tell us and we keep a slot for this day.
Photo: Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Comfort
Central Bhutan to Bumthang, 12 nights
Private car with driver
Photo: Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Comfort
Paro, Thimphu and Punakha in comfort, 6 nights
Private car with driver
Photo: Afifa Afrin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Saver
Bhutan saver with Phobjikha farmhouse, 7 nights
Shared jeep or bus to Jaigaon, then shared vehicle with licensed guide
Photo: Afifa Afrin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Saver
Bhutan by road from Siliguri, 6 nights
Shared jeep or bus to Jaigaon, then shared vehicle with licensed guide
Questions
Before you book
Why is Punakha Dzong important?
It was Bhutan's seat of government until 1955, the place where the first king was crowned in 1907 and where every king has been crowned since. It holds the remains of the Zhabdrung, unifier of Bhutan, and is the winter home of the central monk body.
When does the jacaranda flower at Punakha Dzong?
Usually from late March to May, with the peak in April. The mauve flowers line the approach and courtyard edges. Exact timing varies with the year's warmth.
Is Punakha Dzong open in winter?
Yes, though the monk body is in residence from roughly November to April, and some areas close for prayers and the February–March festivals. Your guide will know the day's rules. Check current status before you travel.