The drive from Gangtey to Punakha was similar, scenery-wise, to the previous day and as it was only about 2 hours, we took a more leisurely pace, stopping for more waterfalls and macaque photos. We even saw a yellow-throated marten!
As we got closer to Punakha the hills got drier and warmer and we started to see cacti and jacaranda trees. Punakha is at 4200′ making it easier to breathe!
Our guide picked ACHO DAKA for our lunch – it was (mostly) a set menu, but we were able to pick a few dishes this time. We tried two mains: a ‘dried pork’ curry that had pork belly pieces and medium spice, and a paneer curry that was also delicious. Per usual the mains came with white rice, spicy potato chili cheese and a forgettable soup, At one point, the owner came by to chat with us which was fun.
One of the more risque places we had seen other travelers posting about, the fertility temple (Chimi Lhakhang), was underwhelming to us. I mean sure, there are phallic symbols painted on many of the town buildings, but that’s not unusual in Bhutan. The grounds were not as nice as other spots we had visited, as they generally felt run down and were under construction. The story of the divine madman, Lama Drukpa Kunley, a the 15th-century Tibetan magician, saint and exponent of ‘crazy wisdom’ seemed interesting though!
On our way back through town, Leandra had our guide stop for some canned beer (figuring it would be cheaper than getting it through the hotel). We also stopped for a view of Wangdue Phodrang Dzong (fortress), said to be built on the back of a sleeping elephant.
We enjoyed breakfast at the hotel with many, many birds. The day started very overcast, which meant less sun on our hikes and rafting but the threat of rain lingered.
The hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chörten was great as it featured lots of flowers and butterflies plus views of rice fields. Along the way we tried wild raspberries from a bush on the trail and a peach from locals selling fruit by the prayer wheel.
The temple itself had three levels with a lot of erotic art on the third, plus some great views across the valley, even with the clouds.
After we finished our hike, a guide and inflatable raft from Whitewater Bhutan Adventures was waiting to take us on our 4.5 mile journey down the Mo Chu river. We never needed to paddle but got very, very wet! It took Leandra a few minutes to get settled in, but she eventually enjoyed herself. On our float down the river we got to see waterbirds including ibis, lapwings, a kingfisher; plus views of the valley and bridges too.
We enjoyed an outdoor lunch nearby at Urd Restaurant with a great view of the Punakha Dzong. We opted for a vegetarian Indian meal this time, paneer butter masala (not spicy) and malai kofta (medium spice). Accompanied with rice and Bhutanese naan (dense, not as fluffy as the Indian version) Bonus: the small squirrels playing in the adjoining cotton tree, and learned about soap tree nuts!
The three inside courtyards of the Punakha Dzong were probably the most ornate we had seen so far on the trip. The first is the largest and hosts a very old tree, revered painting, and government offices; the second is midsize and more detailed with monks quarters, and the third has an assembly hall and temples and was the most ornate, inside and out.
The view of the fortress from the north with it’s jacaranda trees was one of our favorite photos from the trip.
Next, we took a quick detour to cross the oldest suspension bridge in Bhutan, with parts from the 17th century!
Our last stop for the day was a monastery/orphanage, Nyenzer Lhakhang, for milk tea and planting a tree. While it was interesting to hear about how this place takes in orphaned or abandoned male children and provides free education and boarding, it felt a little forced as an “experience.” Hearing the dungchen practice was a nice bonus.
