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Bhutan

Bumthang (Jakar)

Bhutan's spiritual heartland of ancient temples and wide valleys

HeritageSpiritualCulture

Best time to visit Bumthang (Jakar)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: March to May and October to November
  • Shoulder: September and December to February, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: June to August

Planning a specific month? MarchAprilMayOctoberNovember

Bumthang (Jakar) season by season

Winter December to February Shoulder

Dec to Feb is cold with frosty nights and snow on the passes, but skies are clear and the temples have few visitors.

Summer March to May Prime time

Mar to May is pleasant and dry, with apple blossom, green buckwheat and easy walks between Jambay, Kurjey and Tamshing.

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

Jun to Aug bring heavy rain, slides on the Trongsa road and mud on village tracks; Sep is greener and calmer.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Oct and Nov are the best: crisp clear days and the Jambay Lhakhang Drup with its midnight fire blessing.

What Bumthang (Jakar) is actually like

Wooden guesthouses with bukhari stoves, local cheese, Red Panda beer and buckwheat noodles among farmers and pilgrims.

Things to do in Bumthang

The local places worth your time in and around Bumthang, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Jambay Lhakhang

    Temple · 4 km out

    One of the temples the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo is said to have built in 659; home of the Jambay Lhakhang Drup.

  • Kurjey Lhakhang

    Temple · 4 km out

    Three temples around a rock bearing the body imprint of Guru Rinpoche, enclosed by a wall of 108 chortens.

  • Tamshing Lhakhang

    Temple · 4 km out

    Founded in 1501 by Pema Lingpa, with some of Bhutan's oldest wall paintings and a chain-mail coat to carry round the shrine.

  • Wangdicholing Palace

    Palace · 1 km out

    Palace of 1857 where the first king held court, a short walk from Chamkhar town.

  • Mebar Tsho

    Lake · 9 km out

    The Burning Lake, a deep pool in the Tang Chhu gorge where Pema Lingpa is said to have found treasure holding a lit lamp.

  • Ogyen Choling

    Museum · 16 km out

    Hilltop manor in the Tang valley turned into a family-run museum of rural and religious life, with a guesthouse.

  • Bumthang Brewery

    Food · 1 km out

    Small Jakar brewery behind Red Panda, an unfiltered wheat beer; the Swiss farm nearby also sells local cheese.

Getting to Bumthang (Jakar)

Bathpalathang airport has domestic flights from Paro; by road 68 km from Trongsa, 2 to 3 h. Route permit needed

Practical ways in: flightroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
3 days
Budget
Mid-range
How busy
Quiet at its peak
Solo travel
Easy solo
Altitude
2689 m
Country
Bhutan
Coordinates
27.5492, 90.7440

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Bumthang (Jakar)?

March to May and October to November is peak season in Bumthang (Jakar). September and December to February is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid June to August. Mar to May is pleasant and dry, with apple blossom, green buckwheat and easy walks between Jambay, Kurjey and Tamshing.

How many days do you need in Bumthang (Jakar)?

3 days is the usual stay. Wooden guesthouses with bukhari stoves, local cheese, Red Panda beer and buckwheat noodles among farmers and pilgrims.

How do you get to Bumthang (Jakar)?

Bathpalathang airport has domestic flights from Paro; by road 68 km from Trongsa, 2 to 3 h. Route permit needed. Practical ways in: flight and road.

Is Bumthang (Jakar) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Easy solo.

Is there a festival in Bumthang (Jakar)?

Jambay Lhakhang Drup (Oct or Nov). Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Bumthang?

Jambay Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang, Tamshing Lhakhang, Wangdicholing Palace, Mebar Tsho and Ogyen Choling, and more. One of the temples the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo is said to have built in 659; home of the Jambay Lhakhang Drup.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Bhutan

All 15 destinations in Bhutan