The valley view
White walls above forest.
Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0
Trongsa Dzong is the largest fortress in Bhutan, standing on a spur above the gorge of the Mangde River in the centre of the country. Its white buildings step down the slope, so from the road it looks like a small city hanging on the mountain. Almost everyone crossing the country stops here, and it is among the finest sights on the long mountain road. The first temple here was set up in 1543 by the lama Nagi Wangchuk. In 1647 his great-grandson Ngawang Namgyal built the first dzong, which was enlarged several times in the 18th century, with a temple added in 1715 and a whole complex in 1771. It was damaged in the 1897 Assam earthquake and later restored. Bhutan placed it on its UNESCO tentative list in 2012. From across the valley you see rows of white walls and red roofs stretching above the forest, topped by a tall white tower. Closer up are carved timber and painted windows, and near the entrance a covered wooden bridge. Above the dzong stands the Ta Dzong tower, which holds a museum and overlooks the whole scene. It is about 200 km by road from Thimphu, 5 to 7 hours according to sources, and about 68 km from Jakar, around two hours. Cover your shoulders and knees, wear shoes for the many steps and do not take photos inside the temples. Foreign visitors also pay a Sustainable Development Fee of about 100 US dollars a night, and entry is usually arranged through a company with a licensed guide.
White walls above forest.
A museum above the fort.
A covered way at the entrance.
Above the Mangde River gorge, Trongsa, central Bhutan
Wikipedia calls it the largest in Bhutan, and says Jakar may be too.
About 200 km, and sources give 5 to 7 hours depending on the road.