There are some serious treks around Bumthang, with the six-day Rodang La and eight-day Duer Hot Springs treks both accessed from Jakar. There’s also the more straightforward Owl Trek (named for all the hooting at night) which takes just three days. Unlike many parts of Bhutan where a tent is pretty much unavoidable, there are plenty of day hikes or multi-stop walks with overnight stops in villages where you can relax in a traditional hot stone bath. Hiking up and down the main valley is a great way to acclimatize, and means you can take in Bumthang’s religious highlights, which include the Pelseling Goemba (lotus tree monastery) perched high above the treeline; the Jampey Lhakhang, built as far back as 659 A.D.; and the Kurjey Lhakhang, a huge temple complex built into a rockface. We found temple fatigue kicking in after six or so stops, but taken alone, any one of these is an incredible experience. 

Colorful religious festivals known as tshechu—fabulous, four-day affairs that attract everyone from the surrounding region—are an important part of local life and you should try and catch at least one (check www.visitbhutanyear.com/category/events for what’s on where and when). But there are also a host of lower profile festivals in every corner of the country. We were in Bumthang in February and spent a fun day watching archery and strongman contests and trying on traditional headgear at the annual Nomad Festival, which draws herdsmen and hill tribes down from the Himalayas.

 

Of Bumthang’s four valleys (Chhume, Chokor, Tang and Ura) most of the action is in Chokor, but Ura in particular is worth a detour. (Look out for views of Gangkhar Puensum, the world’s highest unclimbed peak, on the journey over there.) The highest of the valleys, it offers some spectacular hiking, as well as an easy, hour-long descent through the forests to the village of Ura itself, a tiny settlement of traditional wooden farmhouses and smoking chimneys. If visiting Bhutan feels like stepping into Westeros, nowhere is that feeling more intense than in Ura. The village also plays host to its own annual festival—the lively, local liquor-fuelled Ura Yakchoe. 

 

The valleys of Bumthang look remarkably like Switzerland, and in fact the two countries have been actively cooperating for more than 40 years, with the Swiss introducing modern farming machinery and techniques to the previously closed-off country. The most visible and fun legacy of this project is the Swiss Farm, where cheese-making and beer brewing were first introduced to the valley. The Red Panda weissbeer, produced since 2006 by the Bumthang Brewery (+975 363 1197) in a tiny, unassuming facility (tours should be booked ahead of time and cost US$6/person), is the country’s best brew, and you can pick up honey, cheese and jam for a perfect picnic from the neighboring cheese factory. It’s a five minute drive out of Jakar up the eastern side of the valley. 

---

Essentials

Where to stay

When to go

Getting there

Visa and getting around

Currency