Bhutan East-West Highway: Trongsa to Trashigang

Scenic road chapters

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Trongsa

   Trongsa is where Bhutan keeps its spine. The enormous dzong, sprawling down a ridge above the Mangde river gorge, was founded in the seventeenth century, and it is the ancestral seat of the royal family, whose first kings governed from here before ruling the whole country. Tradition says the crown prince still serves as governor of Trongsa before taking the throne. From the road, the building appears and disappears across the valley for a long time before you actually arrive, because the highway has to wriggle all the way round the hillside to reach it.

   Read the complete Trongsa write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Trongsa is where the day begins. Next is Bumthang.

2. 2. Bumthang

   Bumthang is not a single valley but a cluster of four, high in the middle of Bhutan, and it is regarded as the country's spiritual heartland. The main town, Jakar, lies at about 2,600 metres, and is a small place with a big dzong, the Yuedrel Tse, standing on the ridge above the town, as well as one of the country's oldest temples, Jambay Lhakhang, which is said to date from the seventh century. Other temples, such as Kurjey Lhakhang and Tamshing, hold a place in the history of Buddhism in Bhutan, and the valley is full of stories about the saint Guru Rinpoche, who is said to have meditated here.

   Read the complete Bumthang write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Bumthang comes up about 67 km into the recorded legs. Next is Trashigang.

3. 3. Trashigang

   Trashigang is as far east as the highway goes in Bhutan, and it feels like it. The town clings to a steep hillside above the Gamri river, with its whitewashed dzong, a fortress-monastery from the seventeenth century, perched on a spur overlooking the valley, and houses stacked on the slopes in terraces. It is the administrative centre of one of the largest districts in the country, and the market on weekends draws people from the surrounding villages, many wearing the distinctive dress of their communities.

   Read the complete Trashigang write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   The route ends here after 346 km.