Discover Mongar: Dzong, Monasteries and Hikes

Mongar is a stop on Bhutan’s main east–west highway between Bumthang and Trashigang, offering access to Phrumsengla National Park and several hikes. Alongside this connection to nature and outdoor activities, Mongar has a distinctive townscape, the architectural history of Mongar Dzong and religious traditions in the surrounding area. In and around Mongar, you can encounter different perspectives, from the townscape behind the old bazaar to an annual festival tradition.

Mongar’s Townscape and Architectural History

Behind Mongar’s old bazaar stand concrete high-rises, each with a traditional shop on the ground floor. The bazaar provides the focal point; the buildings behind it combine a striking architectural form with traditional commercial use. This juxtaposition is a specific detail to notice in Mongar: it brings both the building layout and the use of the ground floors into view.

Mongar Dzong was built in the 1930s using traditional dzong construction methods, without architectural drawings or nails. This places the building in a specific historical period and highlights a distinctive feature of its craftsmanship. By contrast with the concrete high-rises behind the bazaar, which stand out for their ground-floor traditional shops, the dzong foregrounds historic construction methods. This gives culturally curious travellers two distinct architectural themes to explore in Mongar: its townscape and its building history.

Religious Traditions in the Surrounding Area

In the area around Mongar, people from Mongar and Trashigang gather once a year at Drametse Lhakhang for a religious festival on the tenth day of the Bhutanese calendar. It is known by the names Kaggsol Chenmo, Trel Da Tshechu and Daw Drugpai Choep. The calendar date is an important planning guide: if you would like to include the festival in your trip, check the dates for the relevant year.

Another religious site in the surrounding area is Yakang Lhakhang, about a 20-minute walk from Mongar and privately run. The monastery was founded by Lama Sangdag, the sixth son of Terton Pema Lingpa. It houses spiritual treasures and sacred objects attributed to Terton Pema Lingpa. This connects the monastery to Pema Lingpa in two distinct ways: through the founder’s family relationship and through the attribution of the objects. For those interested in culture, this offers two aspects of the tradition: the monastery’s founding story and the religious significance of the treasures attributed to it.

Ruins, Nature and Choosing Where to Stay

The Mongar–Bumthang road offers a different perspective on the wider area: as you drive down towards Lingmenthang, you can see the ruins of Zhongkar Dzong. They stand on a hill overlooking Themnangbi. In this scene, the hillside setting and the view of Themnangbi shape the perspective; Mongar Dzong, by contrast, is defined by its historic construction methods.

Access to Phrumsengla National Park and several hikes adds a focus on nature and outdoor activities to the cultural themes. If you are looking for a holiday rental, this comparison can help you choose where to stay: consider whether Mongar’s own townscape and architectural history, the religious traditions in the surrounding area, or access to hikes should shape your stay. This can help you decide which of these aspects of Mongar best fits your travel plans.

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