Punakha Dzong
A great dzong at the meeting of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1637 and 1638, the second oldest and second largest in Bhutan. It holds the Rangjung Kharsapani and the remains of the Zhabdrung himself and of Pema Lingpa.
- Where
- Punakha, Punakha, Bhutan
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 27.5819, 89.8631
Get the Punakha Dzong stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Punakha Dzong. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Punakha volume with your photos and a note.
Near Punakha Dzong
Chimi Lhakhang 6.3 km
A temple on a round hillock near Lobesa in the Punakha valley, founded in 1499 by the lama Ngawang Chogyal. It is tied to his cousin Drukpa Kunley, the Divine Madman, and couples come here to pray for children.
Wangdue Phodrang Dzong 12 km
A dzong on a ridge above the meeting of the Punatsang Chhu and Dang Chhu, the seat of Wangdue Phodrang District. It houses a Buddhist monastic community along with district offices, and looks over the road into central Bhutan.
Dochula Pass 15 km
A mountain pass on the road from Thimphu to Punakha, crowned by 108 memorial chortens built by the eldest Queen Mother, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck. The Druk Wangyal Lhakhang stands beside them, and on clear days the view runs to the snow peaks of the Himalaya.
Chagri Monastery 21 km
A monastery high above the head of the Thimphu valley, founded in 1620 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the founder of the Bhutanese state. It is reached on foot from the road end, crossing a covered bridge over the river before the climb.
Tango Monastery 22 km
A monastery 14 kilometres north of Thimphu near Cheri Mountain, founded in the 13th century and rebuilt in its present form by Tenzin Rabgye in 1688. Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal meditated in its cave in 1616, and its chief deity is the wrathful Hayagriva.
Pangri Zampa Monastery 22 km
A Buddhist monastery just north of Thimphu that serves as a college of Bhutanese astrology. Monks here study the traditional calculations used across the kingdom to read the calendar and the stars.
Dobji Dzong 24 km
A dzong on a ridge above the highway from Thimphu to Haa, a few kilometres south of Chuzom, where the Paro and Thimphu rivers meet. It now houses a monastic school of about 35 monks and appeared in the 2003 film Travellers and Magicians.
Dechen Phodrang Monastery 24 km
A Buddhist monastery at the northern end of Thimphu whose name means Palace of Great Bliss. It sits above the city at the head of the valley road and today serves as a monastic school for young monks.
More hidden gems in Punakha
Questions
Where is Punakha Dzong?
Punakha Dzong is in Punakha, Punakha, Bhutan. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Chimi Lhakhang (6.3 km), Wangdue Phodrang Dzong (12 km), Dochula Pass (15 km).
How do I get the Punakha Dzong stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Punakha Dzong and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Punakha volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Punakha Dzong before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Punakha volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.