Bhutan’s dzongs are multifaceted places of worship, governance, royal palaces, and fortified military structures. Their distinctive fortress architecture is found across Bhutan and Tibet, and they are invariably sited in places of strategic importance, protecting valleys and the people who live there.
Paro Taktsang - the Tiger’s Nest - clings with an ethereal delicacy to the cliffside in Paro Valley, and is the most iconic dzong of them all. Built around a sacred cave in 1692, it is said that Guru Rimpoche flew here from Tibet on the back of a tigress shaped demon. You can walk in wonder through the complex of four temples and eight caves, making your way through this mystical site via a series of stone staircases and wooden bridges.
The tsechu - Bhutan’s dynamic religious festivals - take place in the courtyards of the dzongs, always on the 10th day of the month, by way of the lunar calendar. These vibrant celebrations give remote rural communities the chance to bond and showcase Bhutan’s colourful costumes, masked dancers, and drummers. Experience all of the splendour by taking part in the largest tsechu in either Thimphu or Paro.
