Punakha
Bhutan’s old capital where two rivers meet, a fortress between them, and a valley low and warm enough for a winter visit.
- Arrival
- Paro International · PBH
- To the valley
- About 130 km by road from Paro
- Private jets
- Into Paro, by approval
- Best time
- October to May
The city
Two rivers, one fortress.
Punakha was the seat of government until 1955, when the capital moved to Thimphu. Its dzong, raised in 1637 under Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, sits on the spit of land where the Pho Chhu and the Mo Chhu join, and the valley’s lodges are spread along the rivers on either side.
At around 1,200 m, Punakha is far lower than Paro or Thimphu: January afternoons near 19 °C, and almost no rain from November to March. The monsoon arrives in June and lasts into September; by October the valley is dry again.
- Punakha Dzong The fortress at the confluence, built in 1637, once the seat of the country’s government.
- Chimi Lhakhang A temple of 1499 on a site blessed by Drukpa Kunley, the saint remembered as the Divine Madman.
- Dochula The pass on the road from Thimphu, at 3,100 m, ringed by 108 chortens.
Arriving
Paro first, then the pass.
Flights land at Paro, about 54 km from Thimphu; from the capital the road climbs over Dochula and drops 76 km into the valley, two and a half to three hours by car.
- Kathmandu 55 min
- Delhi 2 h 00
- Almaty 3 h 05
- Manila 4 h 55
- Frankfurt 9 h 30 long-range jet
When to go
October to May.
A sheltered valley with mild, dry winters and a wet summer. From October to May highs run from about 19 to 29 °C and the rain stays low, with almost none from November to March. June to September bring the monsoon, with more than 140 mm a month at its height.
- 19° J 14
- 21° F 22
- 24° M 17
- 27° A 44
- 29° M 85
- 31° J 143
- 31° J 158
- 30° A 148
- 29° S 101
- 27° O 46
- 24° N 5
- 20° D 4
Where to stay
Lodges along the Mo Chhu.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- COMO Uma Punakha Ten rooms on a rise above the Mo Chhu, listed as five-star on Bhutan’s official tourism register.
- Amankora Punakha Reached over a suspension bridge, the lodge is built around a traditional farmhouse among rice fields.
- Six Senses Punakha One of the group’s five lodges, the one MICHELIN describes as pastoral and agricultural in feel.
- Dhensa Resort In a pine forest above the valley and the river, close to the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup nunnery.
Where to dine
Dining in the valley lodges.
No guide covers Bhutan. These are the dining rooms of the three five-star lodges in the valley, as described on their own sites.
- Bukhari Signature restaurant, COMO Uma Punakha Bhutanese, Indian COMO Uma Punakha, Kabesa
- Ari Signature restaurant, Six Senses Punakha Bhutanese, Indian Six Senses Punakha
- The Dining Room Signature restaurant, Amankora Punakha Bhutanese Amankora Punakha, across the Mo Chhu
Flying to Punakha?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.