Bumthang
The high valleys of central Bhutan, reached by a small domestic strip at 2,580 metres, where the oldest temples of the kingdom and its first royal palace stand on the valley floors.
- Arrival
- Paro International · PBH
- To the valley
- Domestic flights to Bathpalathang, 2 km from Chamkhar
- Private jets
- Into Paro by approval; Bumthang is domestic only
- Best time
- March to May · October to November
The city
Temples older than the dzong.
Bumthang is a district of high valleys, Choekhor, Tang and Chhume among them, and Jakar, a town of some six thousand people at around 2,600 metres, is its centre. Above it on a ridge stands Jakar Dzong, built in 1667, whose outer walls run for more than a kilometre and a half. Below it lie temples far older than the fortress, and the palace where Bhutan’s early kings lived.
Winters are cold and dry, with January afternoons near 11 °C. Spring warms quickly, and from March to May the days reach 15 to 20 °C before the monsoon, which peaks in July at about 156 mm. By October the rain has eased, and November is almost dry.
- Jambay Lhakhang One of the 108 temples that legend says King Songtsen Gampo raised in a single night.
- Kurjey Lhakhang A temple raised around the body print of Guru Rinpoche, left, the story goes, in the rock where he meditated.
- Wangdicholing Palace Bhutan’s first palace, built in 1857 and a royal residence until the 1950s, now home to a small community of monks.
Arriving
Paro, then a short hop east.
International flights land at Paro, about 130 km west of Bumthang in a straight line. From there Drukair flies on to Bathpalathang, a domestic airstrip at 2,580 metres, two kilometres from Chamkhar.
- Kathmandu 1 h 05
- Delhi 2 h 05
- Seoul 4 h 50
- Doha 5 h 20
- Amsterdam 9 h 50 long-range jet
When to go
March to May, and October to November.
A high valley with dry, sunny winters and a moderate monsoon. Go in spring or autumn: from March to May highs climb from 15 to 20 °C, and October and November are mild and nearly rainless. July and August are the wettest months, at 140 to 156 mm.
- 11° J 6
- 13° F 11
- 15° M 34
- 18° A 67
- 20° M 94
- 22° J 98
- 23° J 156
- 23° A 139
- 22° S 89
- 19° O 57
- 16° N 7
- 13° D 2
Where to stay
Two lodges in the valley.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- Amankora Bumthang Sixteen suites in a single lodge, its courtyard shared with the old royal palace, part of the Amankora circuit that holds two MICHELIN Keys.
- Six Senses Bumthang Eight suites and a two-bedroom villa in timber and glass, set in pine forest by a stream, the easternmost of the five Six Senses lodges.
Flying to Bumthang?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.