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Bumthang (Jakar)
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Bumthang (Jakar)

Bhutan's Spiritual Heartland

Plan this trip
2 daysIdeal stay₹2,200From / night₹600Food / day₹500Entry

Four high valleys around the town of Jakar (2,600 m) with the oldest temples in the country: Jambay Lhakhang (7th century), Kurjey Lhakhang with Guru Rinpoche's body print, Tamshing, and the Burning Lake (Mebar Tsho). Swiss cheese, local beer and apple brandy, buckwheat pancakes, and walks between villages. Seven to eight hours' drive from Punakha, or a short domestic flight from Paro when Drukair flies it.

Highlights

  • Jambay Lhakhang and Kurjey Lhakhang
  • Mebar Tsho (Burning Lake)
  • Jakar Dzong above the town
  • Tamshing Lhakhang murals
  • Village walks in Chhoekhor and Tang valleys
  • Local cheese, beer and buckwheat
  • Jambay Lhakhang Drup in autumn
  • Ura valley day trip

Things to do

  • Jambay Lhakhang and Kurjey LhakhangMorning · 2h 30m
  • Tamshing Lhakhang and the walk across the riverAfternoon · 2h
  • Mebar Tsho (Burning Lake) in Tang valleyAfternoon · 3h
  • Jakar DzongMorning · 1h
  • Cheese and brewery visit in ChhoekhorAfternoon · 1h 30m

Tours & tickets

Tours & tickets in Bumthang (Jakar)via GetYourGuideTours & tickets in Bumthang (Jakar)via Klook

Tourisma may earn a small commission if you book — it never changes your price.

When to go

Best time: March – May, September – November

Worth knowing

Monsoon: Landslides on the East-West Highway

June to August is Bhutan's monsoon. Landslides and roadworks close the Lateral Road for hours at a time, especially between Punakha and Trongsa and over Thrumshing La; a 7-hour drive can take a day. Keep a spare day before your flight home, start drives early, and expect clouds over the mountain views. Leeches on forest trails.

Heads up

Jambay Lhakhang Drup and Bumthang's Autumn Festivals

Bumthang's autumn festivals (Jambay Lhakhang Drup, Jakar Tshechu) fall in October or November and fill Bumthang's small hotels; book ahead.

Worth knowing

Snow on Thrumshing La and Yotong La

From December to February snow can close Thrumshing La (3,750 m, Bumthang–Mongar) and Yotong La (Trongsa–Bumthang) for hours or days until the road is cleared. Nights in Bumthang drop well below freezing; keep a spare day if you are crossing to the east.

  • Jambay Lhakhang Drup — One of Bhutan's oldest festivals at the 7th-century Jambay Lhakhang, known for the midnight fire ceremony (mewang) and the naked dance (tercham). Bumthang's rooms fill with the Thimphu tshechu crowd moving east; book early.