Festival
Jambay Lhakhang Drup Festival Tour
Ten days to Bumthang for the festival of fire at one of Bhutan's oldest temples, with cranes in Phobjikha on the way.
Price on request
Cultural
To Bumthang and Back in 10 Days
West to the centre by road through Trongsa, three nights among Bumthang's temples, and a flight back over the mountains to Paro.
- Length
- 10 days / 9 nights
- Grade
- Easy
- Best months
- March to May and September to November
- Price
- Price on request
Overview
Ten days reach the centre of the country. Beyond Phobjikha the road crosses Pele La, runs for an hour within sight of Trongsa Dzong, and comes down at last into Bumthang, the group of high valleys where Buddhism first took root in Bhutan.
You travel out by road, because the road is half the reason to go, and come back by air. The flight from Bumthang to Paro takes about 25 minutes and saves two days of driving. It depends on the weather, and we say below what happens when it does not fly.
Bumthang has more festivals than any other district. If your dates are free, ask us what is on: several fall in October and November.
Highlights
- Trongsa Dzong, strung along its ridge above the gorge
- Jambay Lhakhang and Kurjey Lhakhang, among the oldest and holiest temples in Bhutan
- A day in the Tang valley, with the Burning Lake and the manor of Ogyen Choling
- Phobjikha valley and Punakha Dzong on the way out
- The Tiger's Nest, saved for the end
Route
- Thimphu
- Punakha
- Phobjikha
- Bumthang
- Paro
Day by day
Day 1 Arrive in Paro, drive to Thimphu
An hour's drive brings you to the capital. The rest of the day is light: the Memorial Chorten, and the Buddha Dordenma on its hill for the view.
- Drive
- 54 km, about 1 hour
- Night in
- Thimphu
- Meals
- L, D
Day 2 Thimphu
A full day for the town. The crafts school and the Textile Museum in the morning; Changangkha Lhakhang and the takin preserve after lunch; and Tashichho Dzong in the early evening, when the civil servants have gone home and the courtyards are quiet.
- Night in
- Thimphu
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 3 Thimphu to Punakha
Over Dochu La, with a stop among its chortens, and down to the Punakha valley. You walk out across the fields to Chimi Lhakhang and spend the afternoon in Punakha Dzong.
- Drive
- 76 km, 2 to 3 hours
- Night in
- Punakha
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 4 Punakha to Phobjikha
The hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten comes first, while it is cool. Then the road climbs out of the valley and turns off to Phobjikha, where you visit Gangtey Goenpa and follow the nature trail through the pines.
- Drive
- 75 km, about 2 hours
- Night in
- Phobjikha
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 5 Over Pele La to Trongsa and Bumthang
The longest drive of the journey and one of the finest. Pele La marks the old boundary between western and central Bhutan. On the far side the road follows a deep valley, and Trongsa Dzong appears across the gorge long before you reach it.
You stop to walk through the dzong and to see the museum in the watchtower above, then carry on over one more pass to Jakar, the main town of Bumthang.
- Drive
- About 5 hours of driving
- Night in
- Bumthang
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 6 The Chokhor valley
The temples of the main valley are close enough to link on foot. Jambay Lhakhang dates from the seventh century. Kurjey Lhakhang is built around a rock that holds the imprint of Guru Rinpoche's body. A footbridge leads across the river to Tamshing, founded by the treasure-finder Pema Lingpa.
Jakar Dzong, on its ridge above the town, is best in the late afternoon.
- Night in
- Bumthang
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 7 The Tang valley
A day's excursion into the least visited of Bumthang's valleys. On the way you stop at Mebar Tsho, the Burning Lake, a pool in a narrow gorge where Pema Lingpa is said to have found sacred treasures. At the head of the valley stands Ogyen Choling, a manor house whose family have turned it into a museum of how a noble household once lived.
- Drive
- 40 km each way, about 1.5 hours
- Night in
- Bumthang
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 8 Fly to Paro
The flight from Bumthang to Paro takes about 25 minutes and crosses the country you spent four days driving through. In Paro you visit Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum.
Domestic flights are cancelled when cloud sits on the passes. If that happens we drive back instead, which takes two days, and rearrange the rest of the trip around your departure.
- Drive
- About 25 minutes by air
- Night in
- Paro
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 9 The Tiger's Nest
The walk to Taktsang, four to five hours there and back. In the afternoon, Kyichu Lhakhang.
- Night in
- Paro
- Meals
- B, L, D
Day 10 Depart from Paro
Transfer to the airport.
- Meals
- B
What is included
Included
- The Sustainable Development Fee, US$100 a night for each adult at the current rate
- Visa fee of US$40 and the visa application made for you
- 9 nights in hotels, in a twin or double room
- All meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 10
- A licensed English-speaking Bhutanese guide throughout
- A private vehicle and driver, including airport transfers
Not included
- Flights to and from Paro
- Travel insurance
- Entry fees at monuments and museums
- Drinks, laundry, tips and personal spending
Practical details
- Accommodation
Hotels in Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha, Bumthang and Paro. Outside the two main towns hotels are small and family-run.
- Meals
Breakfast and dinner at your hotel and lunch at a local restaurant on the way. Tell us about any dietary need when you book; vegetarian food is easy everywhere.
- Transport
A private vehicle with a driver for the whole trip. The road is paved and winding, so drives are slower than their distance suggests.
- Guide
One licensed guide stays with you from arrival to departure. A guide is required by the authorities inside dzongs and monuments.
- Visa and permits
We apply for your visa once the trip is confirmed; it is normally issued within five working days. You need a passport valid for at least six months. See our pages on the [visa](/bhutan-travel-guide/visa/) and the [Sustainable Development Fee](/bhutan-travel-guide/sustainable-development-fee/).
Questions about this trip
Do I need a visa for Bhutan?
Yes, unless you are an Indian national, in which case you need an entry permit instead. The visa costs US$40, is applied for online, and is normally decided within five working days.
When you book with us we make the application for you. You send a scan of your passport, which must be valid for at least six months, and a recent passport photo. See Bhutan visa and entry permits.
What is the Sustainable Development Fee?
A fee every visitor pays to the government of Bhutan for each night in the country. It is US$100 a night for adults and US$50 for children aged 6 to 11; children under 6 pay nothing. Indian nationals pay Nu. 1,200 a night.
It is paid with your visa application. When you travel with us we collect it with the tour payment and pass it on. See the Sustainable Development Fee.
Are domestic flights in Bhutan reliable?
Domestic flights link Paro with Bumthang, Yonphula and Gelephu. The flight from Bumthang to Paro takes about 25 minutes and saves a long day on the road.
They depend on the weather in the mountains, and the days on which they fly change with the season. If a flight is cancelled, the journey is made by road instead.
How hard is the walk to the Tiger’s Nest?
It is a steady uphill walk on a wide path, not a climb, and most people in ordinary health manage it. Allow four to five hours there and back. The monastery is at about 3,120 m, so you will feel the altitude; go slowly and drink plenty of water.
That is why our itineraries keep it for the end, after several days in the country. A teahouse halfway makes a good turning point for anyone who would rather not go on. See hiking to the Tiger's Nest.
Places on this trip
More tours
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