Mongar

The drive from Bumthang to Mongar is one of the great Himalayan road journeys: up through fir and rhododendron forest to Thrumshing La, then down more than 3,000 metres through dense subtropical jungle and cliffside road sections near Namling, where waterfalls pour across the road.

Unlike most Bhutanese towns, Mongar is built on a hillside rather than a valley floor. Its dzong, rebuilt in the 1950s, was constructed without plans or nails — the traditional way. Mongar is the base for visiting Lhuentse, Dramitse and the weaving villages of Khoma, and for birding in Thrumshing La National Park.