Mongar: Dzong, Culture and the East-West Route

Mongar offers different points of reference for planning your trip: the East-West Road, a distinctive architectural history and religious sites nearby. The townscape also features a specific architectural detail. If you are looking for a hotel, you can first consider what role Mongar should play in your itinerary. The following aspects will help you put the town and its surroundings in context.

Mongar on Bhutan’s East-West Road

Mongar is a stop on Bhutan’s main east-west road between Bumthang and Trashigang. The town also provides access to Phrumsengla National Park and several hikes. These offer different points of reference for planning your trip: the road connection describes Mongar’s role between the two towns, while the park and hikes provide other options for your stay. If you are looking for hotels in Mongar, this can help you first decide whether the town fits into your itinerary.

A detail of Mongar’s townscape

Behind Mongar’s old bazaar stand concrete multi-storey buildings, each with a traditional shop on the ground floor. The combination of multi-storey buildings and shops on the ground floor offers a specific glimpse of the townscape. This aspect complements Mongar’s role as a stop on the East-West Road: rather than focusing on onward travel, it draws attention to the town’s architecture. Both the road connection and the townscape therefore offer different perspectives on Mongar as a destination.

Dzong and religious sites

Mongar Dzong was built in the 1930s using traditional dzong construction methods, without architectural plans or nails. Its historic construction makes the dzong a specific cultural point of reference. It provides a historical context and a distinctive detail about how it was built, alongside the nearby religious sites, which have other historical and religious associations.

Yakang Lhakhang is a privately run monastery about a 20-minute walk from Mongar. It was founded by Lama Sangdag, the sixth son of Terton Pema Lingpa. The monastery houses spiritual treasures and sacred objects attributed to Terton Pema Lingpa. The approximate walking time helps put it in perspective; if you are planning a visit, it is best to check access in advance.

Drametse Lhakhang is also located nearby. Once a year, people from Mongar and Trashigang gather there for a religious festival on the tenth day of the Bhutanese calendar. It is known as Kaggsol Chenmo, Trel Da Tshechu and Daw Drugpai Choep. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the specific dates for the year you intend to travel.

The ruins of Zhongkar Dzong

Another point of reference is the view of the ruins of Zhongkar Dzong. They are located on a hill overlooking Themnangbi and can be seen from the Mongar–Bumthang Road as you descend on the road to Lingmenthang. The view from the road and the view from the hill describe the location of the ruins from two related perspectives. This helps you place the site in its surroundings by considering its visible relationship to the road and to Themnangbi, without confusing it with Mongar Dzong in town.

Discover more destinations: Punakha, Paro.

Go to the main travel overview: Bhutan.