Eastern Bhutan

Mongar

Elevation 1,620m

The journey from Bumthang to Mongar is one of the most beautiful in the Himalayan crossing the 3,800 m high Trumshingla pass. Mongar marks the beginning of eastern Bhutan. The second largest town in the sub tropical east, Mongar, like Trashigang further east, is situated on the side of a hill in contrast to other town of western Bhutan which are built on the valley floor.

Trashigang

Elevation 1,151m

Trashigang, the largest district of Bhutan, is a 3.5-hour drive from Mongar and 547 km from Thimphu. The historic Trashigang Dzong, atop a vertical hill above the Sherichu River, is a fine example of the strategic role that these monastic fortresses played in keeping enemies out in ancient times.

The Trashigang town has cleverly expanded up the steep mountainside to provide basic essentials for the large population that comes long distances to shop here. Half an hour’s drive from Trashigang is Kanglung, a new town that has grown around the country’s only college, offering undergraduate degrees to about 1,000 students.

Trashi Yangtse

Elevation 1,830m

A 3.5-hour drive from Trashigang is Trashi Yangtse, the eastern home of the Black-Necked Crane, bordering the Indian district of Arunachal Pradesh. Both Bhutanese and local tribes from across the border enjoy the Chorten Kora festival at Trashi Yangtse.

Source: Tourism Council of Bhutan