Cultural
Across Bhutan, West to East
The whole width of the country in two weeks, from the Tiger's Nest to the weaving villages of the far east, leaving by road into India.
Price on request
Eastern Bhutan
Eastern Bhutan
Mongar, Trashigang and Trashi Yangtse: steep, warm, far from the airport, and the part of the country fewest visitors reach.
- Altitude
- 1,600 m at Mongar, 1,160 m at Trashigang, 1,750 m at Trashi Yangtse
- How long to stay
- Four to six nights, as part of a longer journey
- Region
- Eastern Bhutan
Beyond Bumthang the road climbs over Thrumshing La and drops, through forest and hairpins, into the east. The valleys here are deeper and narrower than in the west, the towns cling to hillsides, and maize and chillies replace rice and apples.
The east is known for weaving, for the dzong at Trashigang on its knife-edge spur, and for the two great chortens of Gom Kora and Chorten Kora on the road to Trashi Yangtse. In the hills to the east live the Brokpa, yak herders of Merak and Sakteng.
It takes commitment. The drive from Bumthang to Mongar alone is seven to eight hours, and a journey this far is usually part of a crossing of the whole country.
What to see and do in Eastern Bhutan
- Trashigang Dzong
- A fortress on a narrow spur high above the river, at the eastern end of the road across the country.
- Gom Kora
- A temple beside a huge black rock on the river bank between Trashigang and Trashi Yangtse, and the site of a spring festival.
- Chorten Kora
- A large white stupa at Trashi Yangtse, 56 km and about two hours from Trashigang.
- Mongar
- A hillside town with a dzong, and the usual night's halt after the long drive from Bumthang.
- Radhi and the weaving villages
- Villages east of Trashigang where women weave raw silk on backstrap looms.
- Merak and Sakteng
- The highland home of the Brokpa herders, inside a wildlife sanctuary.
Planning your visit
- Best time to visit
October to April, when the lower valleys are warm and dry. Gomphu Kora is in spring (16 to 18 March 2027 on the official tentative list) and the Mongar and Trashigang tshechus in early winter (6 to 9 December 2027). The monsoon months bring landslides on the high road.
- Getting there
By road from Bumthang: 198 km and seven to eight hours to Mongar, then 90 km and three to four hours on to Trashigang. Travellers can leave Bhutan by road at Samdrup Jongkhar for Guwahati in India.
Tours and treks
Trips that visit Eastern Bhutan
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