Travel Photo of the Day: Kids from Bumthang, Bhutan

Today’s travel photo is from the ‘Switzerland of the East’ in the ‘Kingdom of Happiness’. So far, I have been showing you pictures of landscapes, wildlife and iconic destinations. Hence, for a change, I wanted to share the picture of this adorable sister and her young brother whom she is carrying on her back. I met them at Bumthang, a gorgeous location in Central Bhutan. Bumthang is famous for its scarves, woolen carpets and raw silk garments.

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Top 10 things to do in Bumthang, Bhutan

Bumthang is often referred to as the ‘Switzerland of the East’. Its wide open valleys, its snow capped mountains, its green country side, its fast flowing mountain streams and its easy paced life all give it’s a Swiss like look and feel. But, this ‘Switzerland of the East’ has more to offer through its beautiful temples and monasteries that offer a rich spiritual experience. Typically, most tourists to Bhutan visit Paro and Thimphu and if time permits they make their way to Bumthang, but if you ask me, you should definitely put Bumthang way up in your Bhutan holiday itinerary. I stayed here for 8 days on my recent backpacking trip to Bhutan and the below top 10 things to do are based on this experience of exploring different areas of Bumthang.

Kuje Lakhang

Built in the 8th century and associated with Guru Rinpoche, this is one of the special temples of Bhutan along with Kyichu Lakhang of Paro. This beautiful temple is located by a mountain river and can be seen from the Tamshing monastery. The three temples in the Kuje complex are dedicated to the three kings of Bhutan. Facing the temples, the first one on the right is the oldest and contains the rock with Guru Rinpoche’s body imprint. The second temple was built by Ugyen Wangchuck and houses a huge image of Guru Rinpoche. The third temple is built in traditional style and blends wonderfully with the older buildings.

Jamey Lakhang

Revered as one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, the Jamey Lakhang dates back to the 7th century. This is the place where all the famous festivals of Central Bhutan are held. It is believed that King Songtsengampo built this temple on the knees of a demoness who was occupying Tibet and threatening Buddhism.

Chumey Valley

This is the place of the famous yatra wool of Bhutan. Today, a lot of residents of Chume Valley have become very rich due to rich cultivation of potatoes, but the place got its name first from yatra wool, which is made from the sheep living in this region. The women of Chumey dye this wool and make a lot of interesting wool products that include sweaters, blankets, bags, scarves and much more. As a tourist, one can visit some of these small scale yatra factories, see the women weaving the yarn and also buy some of the finished work products. 

Tamshing Monastery

Located across the river from Kuje Lakhang, the lovely Tamshing Monastery was built between 1501 and 1505 by Pemalingpa, the great Bhutanese Nyingmapa Lama. This private monastery contains some of the most remarkable paintings of this period in the Himalayas. Restored in the mid 20th century, this shrine is dedicated to Guru Rinpoche and his eight manifestations. When you are here, ask to see the steel mesh coast forged by Pemalingpa. It is believed that if you carry it thrice around the shrine, your sins will be washed away.

Mebar Tso

Mebar Tso or Burning Lake is a holy site and pilgrimage place for the people of Bhutan. This place got a lot of negative publicity due to many tourists losing their lives here. Hence, extra caution is advised while visiting this place. This lake that is more of a gorge gets its name from a famous episode of Pemalingpa’s life. If you are not a pilgrim, the place as such does not hold a lot of spiritual importance, but the nature here is very beautiful with green countryside and a fast flowing mountain river. It takes about 40 minutes to get here from Bumthang area.

Relaxation amidst Fruit Orchards
The entire region of Bumthang is famous for its fruit orchards. Apples, pears, apricots, walnuts and more can be found here in plenty. If relaxation is on your agenda, then basking in the morning sun, reading a book with a hot cup of tea amidst fruit orchards would be an excellent idea.There are many homestays in Bumthang area that offer this experience. Personally, I indulged in this at the Swiss Guest House that is full of apple and pear trees.

Jakar Dzong

The Jakar Dzong or the fortress of the white bird was founded in 1549 by the Drukpa lam Ngagi Wangchuck. It sits on top of a hill that overlooks the Choekar town and its location offers a wide open view of the Bumthang valley. The headquarters of the Bumthang district is established here, but there are no resident monks here. This dzong can be seen from almost anywhere in the Choekar town.

Lamey Gompa

Formerly a royal monastery, but currently a forestry office, this gompa built in the 19th century cgan be visited by walk from the Choekar town. This walk provides lovely views of the Jakar Dzong and the Bumthang valley. If you are adventurous and feel like hiking, you can continue from the Lamey Gompa to Tharpaling monastery via the old Kiki La pass. A lot of local Bumthang people perform this hike on festival days to tie a prayer flag at Kiki La. Apparently, this brings in good fortune.

Kunzangdra Monastery

On the other side of the Bumthang valley and towards the Tang area, which is an agricultural region specializing in sheep rearing lies the Kunzangdra Monastery at a height of 11,000 feet. This monastery was founded by Pemalingpa in 1488 and lies opposite one of Guru Rinpoche’s meditation spots. If you are daring and have the services of a guide, you can hike from Kunzangdra monastery to Pemaling Gompa and down to the Swiss Farm to complete this trail.

Ura Valley

The Ura valley is known for its spectacular scenery. It is on the way to the Ura valley that one can see the huge white Gangkar Punsum (23,750 feet), the highest peak in Bhutan. And in addition, there are a lot of mountain scenery to be seen before you descend into the valley that is characterized by broad sweeping slopes, clement pastures and wide fields. At the bottom is a large village with clusters of big houses linked by little alleys paved with stone slabs, a rare sight in Bhutan.

How to get to Bumthang: There are two options to get to Bumthang. One is by road from Thimphu via Wangdi Phodrang and Trongsa an d the second by air from Paro to Bumthang. Tashi air has regular flights to Bumthang from Paro. And there are regular buses that ply between Thimphu and Bumthang every day. One can also hire a luxury tour bus, SUV or car to go on this mountainous road journey. Typical road commute time to Bumthang from Thimphu is 8 to 12 hours depending on vehicle type.

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Travel Photo: Bumthang Man opposite Kurje Lakhang, Bhutan

I was on my way to one of the top temples in Bhutan, the Kurje Lakhang in the Bumthang region of Bhutan, but prior to reaching this temple, I had walked for more than 10 kilometers and had a parched throat. It was cold and dry and I was on the look out for a hot cup of tea when I sighted this small shop opposite the Kuje Lakhang temple.


I did not find my hot cup of tea here, but was lucky enough to engage in some interesting conversation with the Bumthang local shopkeeper and he was kind enough to pose for me. His red lips (owing to chewing betel nut), the colourful window, my reflection in the slightly tinted window and the two telecom service provider stickers on the window glass make for a special memory for me. Even though I had no tea here, I still ended up chatting with this shopkeeper for more than 30 minutes.

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Bumthang’s Swiss Guest House: Tucked amidst Apple and Pear Orchards

This is the oldest guest house in Bumthang and has prime location, but I dig this place for its amazing setting. It is set amidst lush apple and pear orchards. When I went there this winter, the orchard was dry, but I am sure it will be a sight to see during the monsoon months when the orchard is in full fruiting bloom. And I am so keen to stay here then. During my recent stay here, I stayed here for 8 days and 7 nights and the below review is based on this experience.

 
1) This place enjoys cult like status with tourists from the western world and especially Switzerland owing to its close connection with Swiss cheese and food.

2) This place is set in typical Bhutanese style a little away from the Chamkhar town and with a great view of Bumthang valley.

3) Each room is very comfortable with running hot water, a bukhari (wood based fire stove), a room heater and a complete pine wood design to keep you warm during the cold nights.

4) The people running this place are a family and take great care of their guests. They help with directions, planning, give tips and much more.

5) Most of the tourists to this place love the western styled food and wine here. In my case, I found the food a bit bland as it caters to a Western palate and not an Indian one. However, if informed in advance, they can dish out Bhutanese and/or Indian dishes, which are generally more spicy.

6) The rooms (for Indians) cost INR 1500 per night, but if you stay for longer durations, like how we did, you can pay a discounted rate of INR 1200 per night for the very comfortable room. Lunch and dinner costs between INR 350 to 500 depending on vegetarian or non-vegetarian food.

7) The guest house comes with internet connectivity that is fairly reliable and fast, which is a rare commodity in Bhutan.

8) One of the best things about this guest house are its open lawns surrounded by apple and pear orchards. This place is great to read a book with a hot cup of tea in the warm winter sun during the day time. In fact, I liked this place so much that this is what I ended up doing almost on all days.

9) If you are a dog lover, you will like this guest house as they have dogs in all sizes, about 6 or 7 in total and they give great company especially when you are in the holiday mood and feel like relaxing.

10) The only drawback of this place is that it is located a bit away from the Chamkhar town. While this is a problem if you like to go to the town often, it is a blessing if you like to be away from the hull-a-boo. Having a vehicle is advised else be ready to spend a lot of time walking like how I did.

11) The place is located close to the Cheese factory and the Red Panda beer factory as both of them are managed by the same management and it is easy to gain access to these establishments.

12) The property is also perfect for those hikers and nature lovers as it is set next to hills and lush forests.

Overall, this is one place I would love to go again and again and hopefully, I will get a chance when the orchards are in bloom. Those big orchards in bloom will be a sight to behold. I am so sure about that. I would recommend this place with many thumbs up!

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