Drukgyel Dzong

Drukgyel Dzong stands at the head of the Paro valley, built in 1649 by Tenzin Drukdra on the instruction of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to mark Bhutan's victory over an invasion from Tibet. Its name means the fortress of the victorious Drukpa. The dzong guarded the northern route into the valley for three centuries until a fire destroyed it in 1951, leaving the stone and rammed earth walls standing as they are today; restoration has been under way since 2016.

On a clear morning Jomolhari rises directly behind the ruins, which is why the stop here is usually made early in the day, on the way to or from the Tiger's Nest trail.