Wangdue Phodrang Dzong

Bhutan

Crowning a long ridge said to resemble a sleeping elephant, this great fortress commands the valleys below — risen once more, in full glory, from the ashes of a decade past.

Set dramatically atop a high ridge above the confluence of the Punatsang and Dang rivers, Wangdue Phodrang Dzong was founded in 1638 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to command the trade routes of central Bhutan. < cite index="28-1">Devastated by fire in 2012, the dzong has since been rebuilt to its former stature</cite> and, < cite index="29-1">ten years on, once again adorns its fabled hill,</cite> its whitewashed walls, carved timberwork and richly painted lhakhangs restored with painstaking craftsmanship. From its ramparts, the view sweeps across the valleys that made it so strategic. Among the most storied dzongs in Bhutan, Wangdue Phodrang Dzong Bhutan — known widely as Wangdi Dzong — is central to things to do in Wangdue Phodrang and places to visit in Wangdue. Plan your visit via the official Bhutan Tourism portal: bhutan.travel.

March to May and September to November for clear skies, or the autumn Wangdue Tshechu for masked dances and festivity.

Climb the uphill track to the great prayer wheel at the entrance, dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered to enter the temples, and pause on the ramparts for the commanding valley views — pair it with nearby Punakha, a short drive away.

This attraction can be easily woven into BreakBag Holidays' customised Bhutan tour packages, pairing Wangdue Phodrang Dzong with Punakha Dzong, the suspension bridge and central Bhutan's valleys.

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