EASTERN BHUTAN

Mongar district covers an area of 1,954 sq.kms with elevations ranging from 400m to 4,000m and has a population of about 38,000. The landscape is spectacular with stark cliffs and deep gorges set amidst dense conifer forests. The region is known for its weavers and textiles and fabrics produced here are considered some of the best in the country. As you travel to this district you can pass through forests filled with countless varieties of rhododendron. On clear days you can even catch a glimpse of Gangkhar Puensum (7541 meters), the world’s highest unclimbed mountain.
Mongar Dzong is one of the newest Dzong and was only constructed in 1930. However, it was constructed the same way as all dzongs in the country, with any nails or plans. It is located on a small gently sloping area just above the town. A visit to Mongar Dzong demonstrates how traditional Bhutanese architecture has continued to thrive through the centuries.. Read More

Lhuntse is the ancestral home of our Kings and hosts several of the sacred sites of pilgrimage in the country. It is located 77km from Mongar (3 hours’ drive) and is one of the most isolated districts in Bhutan. The region is famous for its weavers, and their distinctive textiles are generally considered to be the best in the country. Kurtoep women are especially adept at weaving a textile called Kishuthara. Even girls as young as seven years are already familiar with the weaving techniques and culture in this area. Women are found weaving in group and men take care of the farm works.
Lhuntse Dzong was constructed in 1654 by Trongsa Penlop Chogyal Minjur Tempa and this mighty fortress, popularly known as Lhundub Rinchentse sits upon a hill overlooking the Kurichu River and the town. Today the dzong is the administrative and the religious Centre of the district. Read More

Trashiyangtse was established as a Dzongkhag only in 1992. It is at an elevation of 1750-1880 meters and two hours drive from Trashiyangtse till the enormous white Chorten Kora welcomes you to Tashiyangtse Dzongkhag. Bumdeling to the north is home to wintering black-necked cranes and to Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory, the national butterfly of Bhutan. Important religious sites are found all over the district including Pemaling in the alpine area, Rigsum Gonpa, Dechenphodrangney and Ombaney (the Taktshang of East Bhutan) between 2000 and 3000m, and Gongzaney and Gom Kora along the Drangme Chu (800-900m). Read More

Trashigang is the Jewel of the East. It spans the easternmost corners of the kingdom, skirting up to the edge of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is the country’s largest district, with an altitude ranging from 600m to over 4000m.Trashigang town is also the principle market place for the semi-nomadic people of Merak and Sakteng, whose unique way of dress stands out from the regular Bhutanese Gho and Kira.
Trashigang Dzong or ‘The Fortress of the Auspicious Hill’ was built in 1659, to defend against Tibetan invasions. It is located atop a spur overlooking the Dangmechu River. According to legend, upon seeing the Dzong, Tibetan armies remarked that the Dzong was “not on the ground. It is a Sky Dzong” before retreating to Tibet. Due to its location Trashigang Dzong is one of the most strategically placed Dzongs in Bhutan that had control over the eastern region for over 300 years. Read More

The name Pemagatshel means a “Lotus Garden of Happiness” and over half of the small Dzongkhag is under the cover of broadleaf and coniferous forests and most of the remainder is farmland. The main crop grown in the region is Maize (Corn) but Potatoes, Oranges, Bananas and other fruits are also cultivated. Slash and burn agriculture (Tseri) was once the dominant agricultural practice in the district but nowadays most farmers have orchards and sell much of their crops. Read More

Samdrup Jongkhar town is one of the oldest in Bhutan as it shares its border with Indian State of Assam. This border town is a bustling with locales and shopkeepers and hawkers from across the border. There are several well-maintained hotels, most of which serve a good mix of Bhutanese, Indian and continental cuisine. As a border town, Samdrup Jongkhar is often used as the entry point for merchants and tourists entering Eastern Bhutan overland. In the past Samdrup Jongkhar was the main trading center for the Bhutanese and it is still a convenient exit town for tourists who have arranged to visit the neighboring Indian state of Assam. It also houses the oldest cinema theatre in the country that is popular among the Assamese from across the border for the Bollywood films it screens. This Dzong serves as the administrative center of the district and is one of the newest Dzongs to have been built in the country. Read More