Bhutan - Lindsay Brown [118]
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THIMPHU TO PHUENTSHOLING (172KM)
The trip by car from Thimphu to Phuentsholing takes about six hours. The route follows the first road in Bhutan, built in 1962 by Dantak, the Indian border-roads organisation, and it’s still the most important road in the country. Road crews will be widening the road until 2010, eventually cutting travel time to around four hours.
The first stage of the trip is from Thimphu to Chhuzom (31km, one hour). Click here for a description of this route (as travelled in the opposite direction, ie from Chhuzom to Thimphu).
Chhuzom to Chapcha
23km / 45 mins
The road drops quickly, following the Wang Chhu south from Chhuzom. You can see the road to Haa climbing on the opposite side of the valley. The road passes beneath Dobji Dzong, which sits atop a promontory high above the river. Staying near the banks of the river, the road passes the settlement of Hebji Damchu (2020m). About 4km further on is the tiny Hotel Damchu, which has a huge parking lot and almost no business. Here the road starts climbing away from the river, making several switchbacks as it makes its way out of the valley.
Finally the road crests a ridge and passes the Chapcha Bjha (Chapcha Rocks), as you squeeze between a vertical rock face to the left and an equally vertical sheer drop to the right. Cross the Chapcha La to reach the Dantak road construction camp at Chapcha (2450m).
Chapcha to Chhukha
34km / 1 hour
As you wind around the huge side valley from Chapcha look back to see the small Chapcha Dzong and, on a cliff far above to the right, the dramatic-looking Thadra Ney Lhakhang, built into the side of a rock face. The road switchbacks steeply down through lovely forest to the large Tachhong Zam (Most Excellent High Bridge) and the immigration checkpost of Tanalung. It then climbs the side of a steep forested slope 10km to Bunakha (2270m), where the Tourist Hotel Bunagu ( 08-460522; set meal Nu 260) caters to travellers who have booked in advance. The restaurant has a log-cabin feel, pleasant balcony seating and clean toilets.
From Bunakha the road passes a lovely waterfall to the goemba of Chhukha Rabdey. There is a large monk body here, which is expected to move into the district dzong when it is built in 2008. The monks perform the Chhukha tsechu each April. A few kilometres further on, in the lower part of Tsimasham (formerly Chimakothi) at 2210m, is the Karma Hotel ( 08-478221; r Nu 150), which has food and, across the road, renovated rooms. The Karma Transport buses stop here for lunch.
As the road switchbacks down to the Chhukha hydroelectric project the air gets thicker and warmer. Several side roads lead down to the dam site and the intake structures that divert the river into seven tunnels bored though the hill. The Chhukha and nearby Tala hydroelectric projects produce electricity for all of western Bhutan, with enough surplus to export to India.
Beyond the basic Deki Hotel & Bar there is an immigration checkpoint at the Thegchen Zam (Strong High Bridge), which takes the road to the west side of the Wang Chhu. This is the mid-point between Thimphu and Phuentsholing, both around 95km away.
Chhukha to Gedu
38km / 1 hour
The road climbs to a lookout over the Chhukha project. The turbines are hidden inside the hillside (the entry is marked by a white needle-like monument), but you can see the transformers and the transmission station. Beside the distribution station is the yellow-roofed Zangto Pelri Lhakhang and the old Chhukha Dzong. Beyond the lookout is the first of several roads leading to the new (2007) 1020MW Tala hydroelectric project. This road leads 8.5km to the intake structure where water is diverted into a 22km-long tunnel.
The rest of the climb is over the ridge that separates the Wang Chhu valley from the Torsa Chhu drainage. The road passes the unfortunately named road construction camp of Wangkha, then climbs to a memorial chorten that commemorates an important official who died here in a road accident.