Samdrup Jongkhar

Known as the ‘Eastern Gateway to Bhutan’, Samdrup Jongkhar district is located at elevation ranges of 200 to 3500 meters and shares borders with the Indian state of Assam. The population of Samdrup Jongkhar is largely dominated by Sharchops in the upper regions and by Lhotshampas in the lower. The road from Trashigang to Samdrup Jongkhar connects the eastern and southern regions of the country, a connection link that that has immensely benefitted the Bhutanese population through trade across the Indian border. Samdrup Jongkhar is one of the main trading centers for the Bhutanese and it is still a convenient exit town for tourists who have arranged to visit the neighboring Indian state of Assam or just flying in and out of Guwahati Airport in Assam. In the earlier past, many British Political Officers stationed in Sikkim took the route from Samdrup Jongkhar to enter into Bhutan. Samdrup Jongkhar Dzong is one of the newest dzongs to have been built in the country. Unlike other dzongs that are built on strategic locations atop mountains or between rivers, the Samdrup Jongkhar Dzong is built on a flat and fairly wide-open area. The Samdrup Jongkhar Dratshang, the residence of the monk body, the Zangdo Pelri, a beautiful three storied stupa in the heart of the town which serves the ...