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Travel Guide To Gasa In Bhutan

Gasa is the most northern district in Bhutan. Gasa is a six-hour ride from Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, and three hours from Punakha. Landslides are very common on the route. I was delayed two hours going to Gasa because of a landslide and almost three days as I was leaving.

The only tourists that seem to visit this beautiful area of Bhutan (except me) are the adventurous folk attempting the Laya – Gasa Trek.

It’s a shame, so few tourists make it to Gasa. One of the most impressive Dzong’s in Bhutan is located here, and some fantastic natural hot springs are also found here.

Even the Royal Bhutan family have a private hot spring up here.  The whole Gasa District is an environmentally protected area of Bhutan, with the Jigme Dorji National Park being the jewel if the region.

The park holds a wide variety of rare wild animals like Snow leopard, musk deer, Himalayan black bear, red panda, sambar, barking deer, Indian leopards, and marmot. Sadly I didn’t see any of those animals during my visit.

Gasa Dzong.

Locally known as the Tashi Thongmon Dzong, the fortress served as a defending barrack in the seventeenth century to protect against invasion from Tibet.

This fortress is different from the other nineteen historical Dzongs in Bhutan. The design here has a circular shape and three watch towers that are placed at strategic points to overlook the valley.

Parts of the Dzong were damaged by fire in 2008 and are slowly being rebuilt; most of it is rebuilt now, with only the main tower still under reconstruction.

Gasa Dzong as seen on a rainy day

Gasa Dzong as seen on a rainy day.

The main wall at this Dzong is different from other Dzong since this one is round

The main wall at this Dzong is different from other Dzong since this one is round.

Can clearly see that the main wall is round on this Dzong.

You Can clearly see that the main wall is round on this Dzong. No dog can piss on the corner on this wall.

The main courtyard inside the Dzong.

The main courtyard inside the Dzong.

The view over the valley as seen from the Dzong

The view over the valley as seen from the Dzong

Reconstruction undergoing on the main tower inside the Dzong

Reconstruction undergoing on the central tower inside the Dzong

The monks living area inside the Dzong.

The monks living area inside the Dzong.

Gasa Hot springs.

The other main sight in Gasa is the amazing hot spring, that is located on the valley’s floor next to the river. It’s a twenty-minute drive on a newly constructed road or a fifty-minute hike from the Dzong to reach the hot springs.  The only accommodation in the area is also located near the springs.

There are about a dozen new guesthouses built here, with a few more currently being built. The guesthouses are built in a traditional way and very basic, but they do have a western toilet.

There are also two small shops here that sell only the most basic and important of necessities like beer, whisky, noodles and soft drinks!

Gasa accomandation, the only one in the area in northern Bhutan.

A few of the newly constructed huts in the area, the only accommodation options in Gasa.

The hot spring is located another ten-minute walk from the guesthouse. The hot spring complex was destroyed by a massive flood on the Mo Chhu river in 2008 but was re-opened in late 2011.

After the flood, a small Stumpa and temple were built in the area to protect the hot springs from future floods.

The small stumpa and temple that was built to protect the area from future floods.

The small stumpa and temple that was built to protect the area from future floods.

Gasa hot springs

The door to the right leads to the Royal Family’s private hot springs; us normal people have to use the complex on the left side.

There are three different houses for tourists in the complex. Two of them have two hot springs inside. One is over twenty-six degrees Celcius, the second one over thirty-four degrees Celcius. The last building only holds one hot spring, which is also the warmest one by far, with a temperature of up to forty degrees and more.

The structure that´s built around each hot spring, it keep´s you "dry" even when raining outside:)

The structure that’s built around each hot spring, it keeps you “dry” even when raining outside:)

The hot spring pool, it´s a lot cleaner in reality then it shows on the photo.

The hot spring pool, it’s a lot cleaner in reality then it shows on the photo.

Two of the complexes hold two hot springs inside, the small section on the right is more sallow and made for kids.

Two of the complexes hold two hot springs inside, the small section on the right is more shallow and made for kids.

 

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Gasa, the northernmost district of the country adjoins the districts of Punakha, Thimphu and Wangdue Phodrang and with Tibet to its north. This starkly beautiful region with elevations ranging from 1500 to 4,500 metres experiences extremely long and cold winters and short but beautiful summers. It has the smallest population with just about 3000 inhabitants. This region is inhabited by the Layaps, nomadic herders with a unique culture. Their main sources revenue come from trading products made from their yaks, such as yak hair textiles, cheese, butter and yak meat

Sarah Carlin

Tuesday 7th of May 2019

Beautiful photos. I worked in Gasa for a year as a teacher in Damji village in 2012. Certainly a special place.

Christian L.

Saturday 11th of May 2019

I loved Gasa, and I'm kinda jealous you were able to live there, did you do any hikes in the area?