Bumthang District
The spiritual heartland of Bhutan
Bumthang District is Bhutan's spiritual heartland, a cluster of four valleys holding some of the country's oldest and most sacred temples. Jambay Lhakhang, believed founded in the 7th century, and Kurjey Lhakhang, built around a cave where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated, anchor a district often described as the birthplace of Bhutanese Buddhism.
Reached by road from Wangdue Phodrang, Bumthang is the cultural core of Central Bhutan.
Curated Experiences
Our journeys in Bhutan.
Popular Attractions
6 places
Attraction
Jakar Dzong
Fortress of the white bird
Attraction
Kurjey Lhakhang
Where Guru Rinpoche left a body imprint
Attraction
Jambay Lhakhang
One of Bhutan's oldest temples
Attraction
Tamshing Lhakhang
Temple of the good message
Attraction
Mebar Tsho (Burning Lake)
Bhutan's sacred 'burning lake'
Attraction
Ogyen Choling Palace Museum
A noble family's ancestral estate turned museum
Culture
People & Culture
Bumthang's valleys support Bhutan's main buckwheat and apple-growing region, and the district's temples remain active pilgrimage sites rather than museum pieces, hosting some of the country's most important annual tsechu festivals. Mebar Tsho, the "Burning Lake", is revered as the site where 15th-century treasure-revealer Pema Lingpa discovered sacred relics.
Activities
Things to Do
Visit Jambay Lhakhang and Kurjey Lhakhang
Visit Jakar Dzong, overlooking the valley
Visit Mebar Tsho, the Burning Lake
Visit Tamshing Lhakhang's original wall paintings
Visit the Ogyen Choling Palace Museum
Travel Information
Best Time to Visit
June–August & October–November
Other Districts in Central Bhutan
Stories from Bumthang District
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