23 Buddhist Temples to Explore in Bhutan

The white tower of Chhoeten Lhakhang, situated southeast of Paro's town square, tells a story. A perfect example of beautiful Buddhist artwork, Chhoeten Lhakhang displays a statue of Jowo Sakyamuni in the middle of the chapel. The sculptures of Guru Rinpoche and Chenrezig in the chapel add glory to the Lhakhang.

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.

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 .

Dechen Phrodrang. meaning "Palace of Great Bliss". is a Buddhist monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan.The monastery contains a number of important historical Bhutanese artifacts including 12th-century paintings monitored by UNESCO and a noted statue of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal on the upper floor. In the downstairs chapel, there is a central Sakyamuni Buddha.

Drukgyal Dzong was a fortress and Buddhist monastery, now in ruins, located in the upper part of the Paro District, Bhutan. The dzong was probably built by Tenzin Drukdra in 1649 at the behest of Ngawang Namgyal, Zhabdrung Rinpoche, to commemorate victory over an invasion from Tibet. It is listed as a tentative site in Bhutan's Tentative List for UNESCO inclusion.

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’.

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.

Jangtsa Dumgtseg Lhakhang is a Buddhist temple in western Bhutan. The temple is notable as it is in the form of a chorten, very rare in Bhutan. It is located on the edge of a hill between the Paro valley and the Dopchari valley, across the bridge from Paro. The Buddhist iconography depicted in the Chorten is considered a unique repository of the Drukpa Kagyu school

IT was the first and the oldest Buddhist monastry in Bhutan. It is also known as Karbandi Goemba and situated at an elevation of 400 meters. The view form this monastry is truly astonishing.

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.

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.

Kyichu Lhakhang is an important Himalayan Buddhist temple situated in Lango Gewog of Paro District in Bhutan. It is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, originally built in the 7th century.

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.

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

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.

A large Buddhist monastery and fortress. It houses the district's Monastic Body and government administrative offices of Paro.

A temple in the foot of a tall mountain, with an iron bridge offering a unique adventure while visiting.

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.

Tashichho Dzong was first constructed in 1216 A.D. by Lama Gyalwa Lhanangpa where Dechen Phodrang now stands above Thimphu. In 1641, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal acquired it but finding it too small, he built another one, known as the lower Dzong. The dzong is located close to Thimphu town, next to the banks of the Wang Chhu River. It is an impressively large structure, surrounded by well-kept lawns and beautiful gardens.

One of the most prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site. The temple complex is located in the cliffside of a huge mountain, accessible only by hiking.