Trongsa Dzong: We headed out early on our return trip to Thimpu. Our first stop on the way back was at Trongsa Dzong, where we had a great view of the valley and the rice patties carved into the mountain slopes.
After a stop to see a prayer wheel housed in a small building and constantly turned by a small mountain stream, we came across another group of monkeys. A short while after our encounter with the local wildlife, we stopped for lunch.
Punakha Dzong: After lunch, we headed for Punakha, a small detour off the road taking us to Thimpu, to see the Punakha Dzong. The Punakha Dzong sits at the confluence of two rivers and contains a large courtyard inside dominated by a very big tree and used for the cremation ceremonies of many important people. The temple within the dzong is very impressive in both its size and in the intricacy and detail of its paintings and statues.
Having made our last stop for the trip, we returned to Thimpu for a late dinner with our hosts, planned out the following day, and retired for the night.