Cycling Across Bhutan

Rinpung Dzong, meaning "fortress on the heap of jewels," was constructed in 1644 under the directive of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. Renowned as one of Bhutan’s most impressive dzongs, it exemplifies traditional Bhutanese architecture. Its inward-sloping walls create a formidable structure that stands high over the town, visible from vantage points throughout the valley as a striking white monolith.

Built in 1646, Rinpung Dzong has long been one of Bhutan's strongest and most significant fortresses, often used to protect the Paro Valley from Tibetan invasions. It withstood the 1897 earthquake, but after catching fire in 1907, it was rebuilt in 1908. Historically, it served as the National Assembly's first meeting hall, and today it houses a monastic school and government administrative offices.

Just west of the dzong, down the hill, is the Nyamai Zam, a traditional cantilever timber bridge crossing the Pachu River. An earlier version of the bridge was once dismantled to safeguard the dzong. Visitors can cross this bridge to reach the parking area near Ugyen Pelri Palace, with access to the main Paro market. The Paro Tshechu festival, highly popular with tourists, is also celebrated here.

The Ta Dzong, now the National Museum of Bhutan, is a unique cylindrical structure shaped like a conch shell. Built in 1649 by Langonpa Tendzin Drugpa, the first Governor of Paro and half-brother of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, it served originally as a watchtower to guard Paro Rinpung Dzong against invasions. Its strategic location right above the fortress provided an ideal vantage point.

In the past, the dzong served as the center of both state administration and spiritual life in the Paro Valley. The watchtower's design includes six spiral floors descending from the top, with stone walls two and a half meters thick. During its time as a watchtower, it not only accommodated soldiers but also held prisoners of war.

In the 1950s, the Bhutanese government undertook a complete renovation of the building to adapt it as a museum for the national collections. It opened to the public in 1968.

Today, the museum includes the main Ta Dzong building with six floors of exhibits and a secondary exhibition space in a modern structure located uphill. The ground floor offers a flexible gallery space for temporary and rotating exhibits.

The National Institute for Zorig Chusum, located in Thimphu and Trashi Yangtse, was founded in 1971 by the Government of Bhutan to preserve and promote Bhutan’s traditional arts. The term "Zorig Chusum" means "Thirteen Crafts," reflecting the institute’s comprehensive instruction in Bhutan's traditional skills: Painting (Lhazo), Sculpting (Jinzo), Wood Carving (Shagzo), Calligraphy (Yigzo), Paper Making (Dezo), Bronze Casting (Lugzo), Embroidery (Tshemazo), Weaving (Thagzo), Carpentry (Parzo), Masonry (Dozo), Bamboo and Cane Work (Tshazo), Gold and Silversmithing (Trozo), and Blacksmithing (Garzo).

These crafts were formalized in the 17th century under Desi Tenzin Rabgye, incorporating religious and administrative practices developed by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who defined Bhutan’s unique cultural identity. Influenced by Buddhism, Zorig Chusum became deeply embedded in Bhutanese tradition, serving not only as utilitarian and decorative arts but as symbols conveying cultural values.

At the institute, students undergo 4- to 6-year training, and their handcrafted items can be seen and purchased in Thimphu’s markets.

Changangkha Lhakhang, a compact and historic temple complex, sits on a ridge extending toward central Thimphu from the eastern hills. Founded in the 13th or 14th century by Nyima, son of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo—who introduced the Drukpa Kagyu Buddhist tradition to Bhutan—it is likely the oldest temple in Thimphu, predating Bhutan’s unification in the 17th century.

Parents often visit the temple to seek blessings for young children from the deity Genyen Domtsangpa, protector of children born in Thimphu’s national hospital. The temple’s main object of reverence is a large bronze statue of Avalokiteśvara in Mahakarunika form, believed by some to be "self-arisen," while others attribute its creation to a Newa artisan.

The complex is arranged along the ridge, with the main temple facing a courtyard with a protective deity’s shrine, known as the Gönkhang, which houses images of Genyen Domtsangpa and other protector deities. The surrounding walls enclose a circumambulatory path featuring prayer wheels and slate carvings of Kagyu lineage Buddhas and lamas.

The main temple's interior is divided, with one section open to public viewing and the other reserved for sacred images and relics. Only Bhutanese men may enter the Gönkhang, as it contains Bhutan’s oldest surviving murals. Behind the temple, paths lead to terraces with stupas, offering panoramic views over Thimphu in three directions.

Punakha Dzong, often hailed as Bhutan's most beautiful fortress, is especially enchanting in spring when the blooming lilac jacaranda trees enhance its whitewashed walls. Built in 1637, it served as Bhutan's capital until the 1950s and remains the winter residence of the monastic body. Known for its historical and religious significance, this dzong is where Bhutan’s kings are crowned.

Legend says Guru Rinpoche predicted the dzong’s location at the “trunk” of an elephant-shaped hill at the confluence of the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu rivers. Initially, a smaller structure, Dzong Chung, housed a Buddha statue here in 1326. Expanded in the 17th century by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, Punakha Dzong is named Pungthang Dechen Phodrang, meaning Palace of Great Happiness.

The dzong spans 180 meters in length and 72 meters in width, featuring a six-story central tower (utse) crowned by a gold dome. With three courtyards, it is unique among Bhutan’s dzongs, containing sacred relics, including the Rangjung Kharsapani, a revered image of Chenresig central to the annual dromchoe festival.

Visitors enter via the Bazam bridge, rebuilt in 2008. Defensive features include steep wooden stairs designed to retract and a massive wooden door closed each night. Noteworthy areas include the kunrey (assembly hall) with exquisite murals and gold statues of Buddha, Guru Rinpoche, and the Zhabdrung. To the north, Dzong Chung offers blessings from a Sakyamuni statue, while nearby lie a royal palace and a cremation ground. Punakha Dzong remains a vibrant symbol of Bhutan's spiritual and cultural heritage.

The Wolakha Nunnery, also known as Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery, is a newly constructed traditional nunnery located on a 1,550-meter hilltop in Punakha, Bhutan, directly opposite the historic Chimi Lhakhang. Though consecrated in 2010, the site, called Omalatsekha, has deep spiritual roots, having been visited by notable Buddhist masters, including Guru Rinpoche and Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. In the 1990s, Bhutan’s 69th Je Khenpo, Geshey Gendün Rinchen, predicted that a monastery would rise at this sacred location.

Yab Dasho Ugyen Dorji and Yum Thuiji Zam, the maternal grandparents of Bhutan’s King, petitioned for a large-scale nunnery in this area. With the King’s approval, groundbreaking began on September 11, 2008, and by October 2010, the central statue, an eleven-faced Avalokiteshvara, was completed and consecrated by the 70th Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Chhoeda.

The nunnery, located on the southeastern spur of the mountain that also houses Talo Monastery and Nalanda Buddhist Institute, overlooks the Punakha Valley. The architectural layout includes a central rectangular lhakhang (temple) with perpendicular walls, adorned with a red khemar band and topped with a multi-tiered jabzhi roof. Nearby is a white-washed stupa, modeled after Kathmandu's Bodnath Stupa, ringed with niches depicting 84 mahasiddhis, 16 arhats, and prominent figures of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage. Surrounding these structures are dormitories and facilities supporting about 170 resident nuns, fostering both spiritual practice and traditional education in Bhutan’s monastic landscape.

Chendebji Chorten, an 18th-century stupa located 41 km west of Trongsa at 2,430 meters altitude, is a revered site in Bhutan. Built by Lam Oensey Tshering Wangchuk in the Nepalese style of the Boudhanath stupa, it was constructed to subdue the demon Ngala, believed to be entombed beneath it. This chorten is part of the Chorten Lam, a sacred path connecting Bhutan’s chortens, and includes a prayer wall, or mani stone, adding to its spiritual ambiance.

Every year, from the 21st to the 25th day of the ninth lunar month, a festival is held here, attracting pilgrims and visitors to celebrate its historical and religious significance.

Trongsa Dzong, Bhutan’s largest fortress, dominates a ridge over the Mangdi Chuu River and historically served as the seat of power for central and eastern Bhutan. Strategically located, it controlled the only route between east and west, establishing the authority of the Trongsa Penlop (Governor), a role all Bhutanese kings assume before ascending to the throne. This imposing structure, visible from afar, is a masterpiece of Bhutanese architecture, with multi-level buildings cascading down the hillside.

Trongsa Dzong is also the site of the vibrant annual Trongsa Festival, held in December or January. Now the administrative center of Trongsa District, the Dzong remains a central symbol of Bhutan’s history and heritage.

Kurjey Lhakhang, a sacred temple complex in Bumthang Valley, is named for the "kurjey" or body imprint of Guru Rinpoche, preserved in a cave within its oldest temple. Just 2.5 km from Chakhar Lhakhang, Kurjey comprises three significant temples, each rich with spiritual and cultural history.

The first temple, Guru Lhakhang, was built in 1652 and features symbols of Guru Rinpoche’s legendary battle with the demon Shelging Kharpo, including a hidden statue and a sacred crawl-through passage for purification. The upper floor houses 1,000 statues and the meditation cave where the Guru left his imprint.

The second temple, Sampa Lhundrup Lhakhang, was added in 1900 by Bhutan’s first king, Ugyen Wangchuck, and displays a towering 10-meter statue of Guru Rinpoche along with murals of guardian deities. The third temple, built by Queen Ashi Kesang Wangchuck in 1984, is surrounded by 108 chortens and showcases vibrant murals.

Nearby, Zangto Pelri Lhakhang offers a 3D depiction of Guru Rinpoche’s paradise. Each June, the Kurjey tsechu festival celebrates the Guru's victory over evil with colorful masked dances and the display of the Guru Tshengye Thondrol thangka, drawing pilgrims and visitors to this sacred site.

Jampa Temple, also known as Jampé Lhakhang or the Temple of Maitreya, is an ancient and revered temple in Bumthang, Bhutan. Built in 659 CE, it is one of 108 temples constructed by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in a single day to subdue a demoness believed to be obstructing the spread of Buddhism. These temples, spread across Tibet, Bhutan, and nearby regions, were placed on various points of the demoness's body.

Among the most significant of these temples are Jokhang in Lhasa, Kichu in Paro, and Jambay Lhakhang in Bumthang. Other temples in Bhutan, such as Könchogsum in Bumthang, Khaine in Lhuntse, and two in Haa District, are thought to be part of this original group, though many have been lost over time.

Jambay Lhakhang holds particular historical and spiritual importance, having been visited by Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) and later restored by King Sindhu Raja. It has undergone various repairs and reconstructions over centuries, preserving its legacy as one of Bhutan’s oldest and most sacred sites.

Jakar Dzong, also known as Jakar Yugyal Dzong, is a historic fortress in Bumthang District, central Bhutan. Overlooking Jakar town in the scenic Chamkhar Valley, this dzong is one of Bhutan’s largest, with a circumference over 1,500 meters. Founded by Yongzin Ngagi Wangchuk in 1549, the dzong’s location was chosen based on a legendary white bird’s auspicious roosting, giving it the name “castle of the white bird.”

Built as a spiritual center and defensive fortress, Jakar Dzong played a significant role in eastern Bhutan’s history. It became the residence of Bhutan’s first king in 1646 and was officially named Yuelay Namgyal Dzong to commemorate a victory over the Tibetan ruler Phuntsho Namgyal. During the 17th century, Tibetan forces twice attempted to conquer the dzong, damaging it, though it was later restored by the Trongsa Penlop. Sanctified by Tenzin Rabgay, Jakar Dzong remains a symbol of Bhutan’s cultural heritage and spiritual resilience. Its first Dzongpon, Longwa, was believed to be the reincarnation of King Sindhu Gyab, fulfilling a prophecy by Guru Rinpoche.

Membartsho, or "Burning Lake," in Bhutan's Tang Valley near Bumthang, is a sacred site where Pema Lingpa, Bhutan’s renowned tertön (treasure revealer), discovered hidden teachings, or *terma*, of Guru Rinpoche in the 15th century. According to legend, Pema Lingpa had a vision of a temple beneath the lake and famously proved his authenticity by diving in and returning with treasure and a still-lit lamp.

This serene site is a revered *Ney*, or powerful spiritual place, known for its tranquil energy. Dr. Karma Phuntsho describes Ney as places where spiritual energies aid in deepening practice, attracting seekers. Enlightened beings are believed to see the hidden temple below. Pema Lingpa prophesied the creation of a learning center for women in the Tang Valley, now realized by Pema Tekchok Choling Nunnery, Bhutan’s first Buddhist university for women, established in 2000 by Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche.

Membartsho is decorated with *tsatsas*—sacred clay offerings. However, visitors must exercise caution due to slippery rocks and a strong current; since 2011, five people, including a tourist and guide, have drowned here. The nunnery’s caretakers maintain offerings, adding to the lake’s enduring spiritual allure.

Mongar Dzong, built in 1930 in Mongar, Bhutan, is a notable example of traditional Bhutanese architecture, constructed without modern plans or nails. Unlike older dzongs strategically perched on high ridges, Mongar Dzong is situated on a gentle slope overlooking the town, symbolizing a unique architectural adaptation. Mongar itself is the main trade and travel hub of Eastern Bhutan, with most travelers and merchants passing through and often staying overnight.

A visit to Mongar Dzong offers insight into Bhutan’s enduring architectural methods, showcasing the country’s cultural heritage that continues to thrive in modern times.

Trashigang Dzong, built in 1659 in eastern Bhutan, is a historic fortress situated atop cliffs overlooking the Drangme Chhu and Gamri Chhu rivers. Established by Chhogyal Minjur Tampa under Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal’s orders, it deterred Tibetan invaders, who dubbed it a "Sky Fortress." Expanded by Gyalsey Tenzin Rabgye and named by Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, it now serves as both a district headquarters and a monastic center. The dzong is famous for hosting the annual four-day Trashigang Tshechu festival, attracting locals from 15 gewogs.

Trashigang Dzongkhag, one of Bhutan's largest districts, shares borders with Mongar, Samdrup Jongkhar, Pemagatshel, Trashi Yangtse, and India’s Arunachal Pradesh. Covering 3,066 sq. km, it ranges from 600m to 4,500m in elevation, with a temperate climate and 77.87% forest cover. The Dzongkhag has a population of 45,518 and serves as a cultural and administrative hub, showcasing Bhutan's rich heritage against a stunning mountainous landscape.

Yongla Monastery, a historic Nyingma Buddhist site in Pema Gatshel, Bhutan, was established in the 18th century by Kheydrup Jigme Kundel, under instruction from his teacher Jigme Lingpa. Located on a mountaintop visible from the highway connecting Samdrup Jongkhar and Pema Gatshel, the site is renowned for its spiritual heritage and scenic prominence. Jigme Kundel named it “Yongla” following a prophetic journey from Tibet, inspired by the affirmation “Yong Yong” (“Yes, Yes”) from Khandro Dechen Gyalmo, who accompanied him.

Originally a meditation center, Yongla Monastery later grew to include a nunnery, reflecting the widespread appeal of Jigme Kundel’s teachings. The current lhakhang was rebuilt in the 1980s, with 16 successive abbots having overseen the monastery’s legacy. Today, Yongla remains a significant pilgrimage destination, celebrated for its cultural and religious importance in Bhutan.

The Chökyi Gyatso Institute (CGI) in Dewathang, Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan, founded by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in 1990, is a leading Buddhist college and active monastery. Established to fulfill his grandfather Lama Sonam Zangpo's vision, CGI educates over 160 monks in Buddhist philosophy and upholds traditional practices, including annual ceremonies from the lineage of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. Following extensive renovations completed in 2015, CGI has become a ‘shedrub’ where monks both study and practice Buddhism.

CGI promotes sustainability through a Zero Waste policy and partnerships with Lhomon Education (LME) and the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative (SJI), encouraging organic offerings over packaged goods. The institute’s innovative curriculum, developed by Drubgyud Tenzin Rinpoche, combines traditional Dharma with secular studies, integrating arts, environmental education, and classes in math, science, and English, creating socially aware and engaged monks. CGI exemplifies forward-thinking monastic education and environmental stewardship in Bhutan.