18 Attractions to Explore Near Membartsho

The Jampa Temple or Temple of Maitreya is located in Bumthang in Bhutan, and is said to be one of the 108 temples built by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in 659 CE on a single day, to pin down an ogress to earth forever.

Könchogsum Lhakhang, also known as Tsilung, is a Buddhist monastery in central Bhutan. The temple was founded, according to the saint Pema Lingpa as far back as the 8th century and in 1039, Bonpo Dragtshel, a tertön, discovered texts which had been buried by Padmasambhava in this location. According to legend, the king of the water deities was said to have risen out of the lake beneath the temple and offered Dragtshel a stone pillar and scroll.

Tamzhing Lhündrup Monastery in Bumthang District in central Bhutan is a Nyingma gompa in Bhutan. Its temple and monastery are remarkable for their direct connection to the Bhutanese tertön and saint, Pema Lingpa and his tulkus. It is now the seat of Sungtrul Rinpoche, the current speech incarnation of Pema Lingpa.

Kurjey Lhakang also known as the Kurjey Monastery, is located in the Bumthang valley in the Bumthang district of Bhutan. This is the final resting place of the remains of the first three Kings of Bhutan. Also, a large tree behind one of the temple buildings is believed to be a terma that was left there by Padmasambhava.

Ura Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan. The Ura Lhakhang is situated in the middle of Ura village in Bumthang. The temple is about the size of the National library at Kawajangsa Thimphu. It was built in 1986 on the site of an old temple which was in a bad condition. It is a two-story temple constructed in a traditional Bhutanese style and is dedicated to Guru Rimpoche, it also houses three sanctuaries.

Ngang Lhakhang is a Buddhist monastery in the Choekhor Valley of central Bhutan. It is located not for from Draphe Dzong, which was the residence of the Choekhor Penlop who was ruling the valley before the Drukpa conquest in the 17th century. Also known as the "Swan temple", Ngang lies on the right side of the valley. It is a private temple, built in the 16th century by a Tibetan lama named Namkha Samdrip

Thrumshing La, also called Thrumshingla Pass and Donga Pass, is the second-highest mountain pass in Bhutan, connecting its central and eastern regions across the otherwise impregnable Donga range that has separated populations for centuries. The pass is often closed during winter due to heavy snowfall. It is one of the major tourist attractions in Bhutan.

The dzong is a massive structure with many levels, sloping down the contours of the ridge on which it is built. Due to the dzong’s highly strategic position, on the only connecting route between east and west, the Trongsa Penlop was able to control effectively the whole of the central and eastern regions of the country from here.

Lhuentse Dzong is a dzong and Buddhist monastery in Lhuentse District in eastern Bhutan. It lies on the eastern side of the Kuri Chhu and is perched on a spur at the end of a narrow valley. The Dzong was initially known as Kurtoe in the then-isolated Lhuentse District. It is the ancestral home of the House of Wangchuck.

It was built in the 18th century by Lama Zhida, to cover the remains of an evil spirit that was subdued at this spot. Legend says that the evil spirit manifested as a gigantic snake.

Chorten Kora stupa was built by Lama Ngawang Loday in 1740 where the demon was subdued and it was designed similar to Nepal’s Boudhanath stupa. The festival call Chorten Kora is different from any other festival in Bhutan as there are no dances yet lots of people gather to rejoice the festival from all over Eastern Bhutan and from east-west part of India .

Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the North Eastern part of Bhutan. The revision of Protected Area System in 1993, merged Kulong Chhu Wildlife Sanctuary and the Bumdeling conservation area and gazetted in 1994 to be called as Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary. It has an area of 1520.61 km2 .

"Mo" means female and "Chhu" means water or river, so this is the "Female River.". The Mo Chhu flows generally southward to Punakha in central Bhutan, where it joins the Pho Chhu from the northeast. The confluence of the two rivers is right below the Punakha Dzong which is a treasure trove of experiences as activities like Rafting and Kayaking are carried out here.

Gom Kora is a small Lhakhang in the north of Trashigang about 21 km away. It is also a gateway to Trashiyangtsi. Before it got its name as Gom Kora it was called as Gomphu Kora, Gomphu meaning ‘a sacred meditation site of Guru Rinpochhe’ and Kora meaning ‘Circumambulation’.

Trashigang Dzong or ‘The Fortress of the Auspicious Hill’ was built in 1659 to defend against Tibetan invasions. This imposing fortress is strategically situated high atop a spur overlooking the Dangmechu River.

It is famously known as the “Fertility Temple” and is mostly visited by several childless couples from in and around Punakha District. It has become a popular tourist destination with visitors flocking in from all across the world to witness the unusual traditional and cultural ceremonies performed here.

Punakha Dzongkhag has been inextricably linked with momentous occasions in Bhutanese history. It served as the capital of the country from 1637 to 1907 and the first national assembly was hosted here in 1953. Punakha Dzong is not only the second oldest and second largest dzong but it also has one of the most majestic structures in the country.

Manas National Park is a national park, UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, a Project Tiger reserve, an elephant reserve and a biosphere reserve in Assam, India. Located in the Himalayan foothills, it is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan. The park is known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife such as the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur and pygmy hog. Manas is famous for its population of the wild water buffalo.