Dungkar is the ancestral home of Bhutan's Wangchuck royal family. The hilltop naktshang (manor) above the village belonged to Jigme Namgyal, the father of the first king, who consolidated power from this remote valley before his son was crowned in 1907.
The drive in is rough — a full day from the dzong on a poor track, often requiring a 4WD — and visits should be arranged in advance through a Bhutanese guide. The reward is a quiet, atmospheric site with little tourist development and a strong sense of the country's recent history.