Paro Rinpung Dzong

Rinpung Dzong, the fortress on a heap of jewels, was built in 1644 on a spur above the Paro valley and does what every Bhutanese dzong does: it houses the district administration in one half and a monastic body in the other, around a central tower, behind massive inward-sloping whitewashed walls. The approach is across Nyamai Zam, a traditional covered cantilever bridge over the Paro Chhu, then up a paved ramp. Inside are courtyards, galleries with painted cosmological murals, and assembly halls; a watchtower above, the Ta Dzong, now holds the National Museum. The dzong is the setting for the Paro Tshechu each spring, when a giant appliqué thangka is unrolled before dawn and masked dances fill the courtyard for several days.

What you actually see

• The covered bridge - the traditional cantilever crossing below the dzong.
• Courtyards and galleries - painted murals and monastic quarters inside.
• The central tower - the utse rising through the middle of the complex.
• The Paro Tshechu - masked dances and the unrolled thangka in spring.

When to go

March to May and September to November for clear weather. The Paro Tshechu falls in spring, usually March or April, and is the single best time to be here, though the valley fills and accommodation books out well ahead.

Honest expectations

Foreign visitors travel on a paid daily package with a licensed guide, which sets both the cost and the itinerary. Parts of the dzong are administrative offices and closed. Photography is not allowed inside temples. Dress must cover shoulders and knees, and hats come off.

Nearby

Kyichu Lhakhang lies north; the Ta Dzong museum is directly above.