PHUNTSHOLING

At an altitude of 1000 m, 175 km from Thimphu lies the southern gateway to Bhutan. Visitors arriving by road from Sikkim or Darjeeling, or arriving by flight from Bagdogra in West Bengal will have to enter Bhutan via this border town: the town of Phuentsoling, Bhutan.  It is a thriving commercial centre and from here heading northwards by the winding roads of the Himalayan foothills through tropical forests and isolated villages leads you finally to an altitude of 8000 feet to the valleys of Thimphu and Paro.

Places of Interest:

• Kharbandi Gompa: Offering a magnificient view from its garden of the plains of Phuentsoling and India all the way to the horizon stands this monastery five kilometres from Phuentsoling. It was founded in 1967 by the Royal Grandmother, Ashi Phuntsho Choedron and stands high above the Bengal plains.