about Bumthang "Religious Heartland of Bhutan"​
​
Home to four beautiful mountain valleys and an array of ancient monasteries and temples, Bumthang takes its place as the most historic of all districts in Bhutan. Considered to be the spiritual centre of the Himalayan Kingdom, Bumthang is a beautiful place to visit if one has a keen interest in religion, spirituality and history. Directly translating to "Beautiful Field", the region gets its name from Jambay Lhakhang. Spanning over 4500m it is known to be the religious heartland of the kingdom with several old monasteries and Buddhist temples.
Bumthang is one among the twenty districts (Dzongkhangs) comprising of four valleys of Ura, Chumey, Tang and Choekhor. Endowed with the most picturesque views of the Ura La Pass, rhododendron forests surround the valley at a slightly higher altitude.When in Bumthang, there is a lot to be accomplished. Apart from visiting the major sightseeing spots like the Kurjey and Tamshing Lhakhang; one must go trekking up the mountainside or taste the beer, cheese and buckwheat delicacies the region has to offer. If not, you can check out the palace museum or head to the burning lake of Bhutan. Bumthang hosts the Bhutanese nomad festival every year in February.
Accessibility to Bumthang :Bathpalathang Airport
You can either get to Bumthang through Paro Airport or the domestic airports like Gelephu Airport, or Yonphula Airport. Otherwise the drive from Thimphu to Bumthang will take around 7hrs 30 mins. It will take about 4 hours to drive from Trongsa to Bhutan.
Things to Do in Bumthang
​
The Scenic Town of Jakar - The scenic town of Jakar is a delight for tourists. It’s often an overnight destination for travelers. Jakar features undulating terrain with ancient Buddhist temples and apple trees. Visitors can get a panoramic view of Trongsa Dzong with its background of beautiful clouds.
​
The Bumthang Valley - Check out the Bumthang Valleys of Choekhor, Tang, Chumey and Ura. Each valley has its distinct ambience and dialect. It offers some of the best sceneries in Bhutan with its lush green environment and peaceful vibes. The landscapes are breathtaking and provide a natural environment for you to relax and slow down.
​
Kurjey Lhakhang - Kurjey Lhakhang is a very sacred site. It has three revered temples, Guru Lhakhang, Sampa Lhundrup Lhakhang, and Ka Gon Phor Sum Lhakhang, surrounded by 108 chorten walls. Guru Rinpoche meditated there, and there’s even a colossal statue of him. Here, tourists can explore the faith, tradition and culture of Bhutanese people. There are elaborate paintings of important deities.
​
The Kurjey Tshechu Festival - This famous one-day festival is celebrated in Kurjey Lhakhang with cham dances. This annual masked-dance festival is usually in June and it is performed by the monks of Kurjey Lhakhang. On the final day, there will be unfurling of the giant thongdrel featuring Guru Rinpoche.
​
The Jambay Lhakhang Festival - This interesting festival features Terchham (Naked Dance), a ritualistic naked dance on fire and is celebrated for five days. It takes place at the Jambay Lhakhang Temple. The festival is performed to suppress demons in the Himalayan region. The temple has more than 100 statues of goddesses and gods in addition to the relic of Buddha.
The Palace of Wangdichholing - This palace was built in 1857 on the site that used to be a battle camp. The palace is the principal residence of the first king of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck and served as a summer residence for the second king, Jigme Wangchuck. Today, it’s converted into a monastic school. The palace is a sleek grand building with five giant prayer wheels inside square chortens.
​
​
Tamshing Goemba - Tamshing Goemba, formerly known as Tamshing Lhendup Chholing is a Buddhist monastery in Chokhor Valley. It was built in 1501 by Pema Lingpa and considered the most important temple of Nyingma. The entrance to the temple is via a courtyard lined with monks quarters, and in the chapel, there are three thrones for the three incarnations (body, mind, speech) of Pema Lingpa. The primary statue in the main temple is the inner sanctuary of Guru Rinpoche flanked by Jampa and Sakyamuni Buddha.