A small valley town in the far northeast, known for Chorten Kora, its wood-turned bowls and the black-necked cranes of Bumdeling.
Trashiyangtse lies north of Trashigang, near the border with Arunachal Pradesh. It is a quiet, green district known for its crafts: its wood-turners make the dapa bowls prized across Bhutan, and the town has a campus of the institute that teaches the thirteen traditional arts.
Its best-known landmark is Chorten Kora, a large white stupa built around 1740 and modelled on the Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu. In winter, black-necked cranes roost in the Bumdeling valley to the north.
The whole country in one journey: from Paro and Tiger's Nest through Punakha, Phobjikha and Bumthang to the dzongs, temples and weaving villages of eastern Bhutan, leaving by road into India.
USD 3,600
Spring and autumn are pleasant. The Chorten Kora festivals are held in early spring, and black-necked cranes winter in Bumdeling from late autumn until February.
Trashiyangtse is reached by road from Trashigang, a drive of about two hours.
National dress, traditional arts, archery, festivals and a strong sense of identity: how Bhutan keeps its culture alive.
Takin, black-necked cranes, red pandas and more than 700 bird species, in a country where forests still cover most of the land.
