Trongsa – The Birthplace of Bhutanese Kings

A town that holds high historical and political value in the Land of Thunder Dragons, Trongsa sits atop an enchanting ridge in the central part of Bhutan. This historical town was once the seat of power of Bhutan’s Wangchuck Dynasty that ruled the country in 1907. Even till date, there is a political tradition that the heirs to the throne of Bhutan should first become the ‘penlop’ (governor in local language) or Trongsa.

A town that overlooks the captivating gorges of Mangde Chhu, Trongsa is also economically very important to Bhutan. This is the region that connects eastern and western parts of the country.

This town has several impressive tourist attraction points. The Trongsa Dzong, Trongsa Watchtower, and Museum are some of the must visit tourist attractions in Trongsa. Also, come December or January, this town hosts a five days’ festival called the ‘Trongsa Tsechu’ to commemorate the arrival of Guru Rimpoche in the 8th century.

Best Time to Visit Trongsa: Winter (December to February) and Spring (March to May)

How to Reach Trongsa

By Air

Paro International Airport is the only international airport and ideal choice to reach Trongsa by air. You can fly to this airport from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, Bodhgaya Airport in Gaya (Bihar), Bagdogra Airport in Siliguri (West Bengal), and Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati (Assam).

Once you arrive at Paro International Airport, you can take a 234km (6 Hours) drive through Bumthan-Ura Highway to reach Trongsa by road.

By Train

To reach Trongsa by train, you should book your train tickets to either New Jalpaiguri, New Alipurduar, Hasimara, or Siliguri Town railway stations as these are the closest Indian railway stations to Bhutan. After arriving at any of these railway stations, you should take a roadway journey to Jaigaon town in Alipurduar district of West Bengal. From this town, you can enter Bhutan through Phuentsholing town, and continue driving along the Thimphu-Phuentsholing Highway to reach Trongsa by road. This part of the drive will cover around 330km (9 Hours).

By Road

There are two different routes to reach Trongsa by road: Phuentsholing-Trongsa or Gelephu-Trongsa.
To reach Trongsa by road through Phuentsholing, you should make it to West Bengal’s Jaigaon town. Once in this town, you can enter Bhutan through Phuentsholing town, and drive along the Thimphu-Phuentsholing Highway to reach Trongsa (330km / 9 Hours).

To reach Trongsa by road via Gelephu, you should reach out to the Bongaigaon town in Assam; Gelephu is around 50km (1 Hour) from this town. From Gelephu, you should continue driving along the Wangdue-Tsirang Highway for around 301km (8 Hours) to reach Trongsa by road.

Places to Visit in Trongsa

Chendebje Chorten

Kuenga Rabten Palace

Trongsa Dzong Fortress

Ta Dzong

Kuenga Rabten

Semji Village

Things to Do in Trongsa

Cultural tours

Local sightseeing

Monastery visits

Village tours