A Guide for Bumthang Meditation Tour to Explore the Religious Heartland of Bhutan

Bhutan is well known as a spiritual center for Buddhism, lying high in the Himalayas to the south of Tibet. As one of the most tranquil and peaceful countries in the world, Bhutan is an ideal place to spend for meditation in peace and solitude.

And the area of Bumthang, which incorporates the four valleys of Chökhor, Tang, Ura and Chhume in central Bhutan, is one of the most popular places for meditation. If you are seeking an exploration of the religious heartland of Bhutan, taking a meditation tour to Bumthang will be a good option.

Why go to Bumthang for the meditation tour?

So why go all the way out to Bumthang for a Bhutan meditation tour in the first place? There are many reasons that tourists looking for peace and tranquility to meditate head for this region of Bhutan.

Bumthang is the religious and cultural center of Bhutan

One of the main reasons is the fact that Bumthang is the religious and cultural center of the country. The home of many of the oldest monasteries and Dzongs in Bhutan, this former small kingdom is the epicenter of Tibetan Buddhism in Bhutan today, where the religion first took root under King Sendha Gyab, who was cured of his illness by the Indian sage, Padmasambhava.

During the period of strife in Tibet in the early 8th century, Bumthang was the home of several exiled Tibetan Buddhist lamas, as well as being the homeland of the Buddhist saint, Pema Lingpa. And in the 16th century, after being chased out of Tibet, this beautiful region of Bhutan became the home of the Tibetan Buddhist lama, Ngawang Namgyal, the First Zhabdrung Rinpoche, who is credited with unifying the country. Bumthang is also the ancestral home of the Wangchuck family, the royal family of Bhutan.

Several rinpoche once meditated in Bumthang

It is also widely known that there are several notable figures in Buddhism that have spent time meditating in the area of Bumthang throughout history. The most famous is Guru Rinpoche, the local name for the Indian saint, Padmasambhava, who spent many years in the area, and meditated in the cave at Dorji Tsepa, served by the daughter of the king until her death. And in the 7th century, it was the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo himself who ordered the building of the Buddhist temple in Bumthang, to aid in the subduing of the ogress of Lhasa.

There are also a couple of more recent notable Rinpoches who have spent time in meditation in Bumthang. Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche spent a couple of years in Bumthang during his teenage years, and Kyabgön Phakchok Rinpoche, of the Nyingma tradition, has made several visits to the meditation caves in the Bumthang Valley, where Padmasambhava spent time.

Fewer visitors flock to Bumthang, offering quieter surroundings for meditation

Compared with the most popular western Dzongkhags of Paro, Thimphu, and Punakha, there are fewer visitors flock to central Bhutan. This is mainly due to the time it takes to travel there. Therefore, Bumthang has a more natural and peaceful environment to offer for meditation.

Bumthang has a more natural and peaceful environment to offer for meditation.

Where to Do Meditation in Bumthang

Meditation is something one can do in almost any location in Bumthang, be it at the shores of a river or lake, on the top of a mountain or ridge, or just in the hall of a small temple. Since most meditation is done in temples and meditation caves, there are some locations that are recommended for meditating in the area of Bumthang.

Tharpaling Monastery

Located in the Chumey Valley in Bumthang, the Tharpaling Monastery has long been a popular site for meditation in Bumthang, and has been used by several Rinpoche over the centuries. And above the site of the monastery, near Chodrak Monastery, is one of the popular meditation caves of Guru Rinpoche. Located in a remote part of the valley with only a narrow track leading to the monastery, Tharpaling is an ideal place for peaceful contemplation. Renovated by the First King of Bhutan into a retreat center, the king also spent time here in meditation during his reign.

Tharpaling Monastery is a popular site for meditation in Bumthang.

Kunzang drak Monastery

Situated on the face of a cliff in the Tang Valley, Kunzang drak Monastery was built by the famous Pema Lingpa in the 15th century. Most of the relics attributed to Pema Lingpa are still housed in this amazing monastery, which was built out of the very rock of the cliff. The meditation cave of Pema Lingpa lies just below the monastery, and contains a life-sized statue of the Bhutanese saint, as well as his footprint embedded in stone and gilded. And just above the main buildings of the monastery sits the small Khandroma Lhakhang, constructed on the site where the consort of Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyel, spent years in meditation while the Guru was ridding Bumthang’s king of his demons.

Kurjey Lhakhang

A large and hugely important complex in the Bumthang Valley, Kurjey Lhakhang is renowned for being the final resting place of the first three Kings of Bhutan. Named for the full body print of Guru Rinpoche, which sits embedded in stone in the meditation cave inside the oldest of the three buildings that make up this unique temple, Kurjey Lhakhang has long been a place of meditation by the saints of Tibetan Buddhism. The meditation cave under the Lhakhang is where Guru Rinpoche chased the demons he exorcised from the local king, and where he spent three months meditating without moving to subdue the demons.

Kurjey Lhakhang serves as an important monastic complex in Bumthang valley.

More to Expect during your Bumthang Meditation

If you are looking for a little added adventure on your Bhutan meditation tour in Bumthang, there are some great places to visit and things to do while you stay here.

Amazing Burning Lake

Mebar Tsho, the Burning Lake, is part of the legend of Bumthang and Pema Lingpa, the legendary Terton of Tibetan Buddhism in the region. Lying in the Tang Valley area of Bumthang, the lake is said to have been a hiding place for the treasures of guru Rinpoche in the 8th century. Having had a vision of the treasures that lay under its surface, Pema Lingpa jumped into the lake holding a butter lamp to prove his vision to the local ruler. Several hours later, Pema Lingpa emerged from the lake, carrying a scroll of paper and a chest, with the butter lamp still burning as he rose from the water. Mebar Tsho is considered to be one of the most sacred sites in Bhutan, and is the location of many sacred pilgrimages in Bumthang.

Exploration of the Remote Valley

Bumthang is made up of four separate valleys, all of which are collectively known as the Bumthang Valley. Located far from the major tourist centers of Thimphu and Paro, this remote valley region does not see many visitors, compared to the other valleys to the west. More remote than most tourist-oriented valleys in Bhutan, the area is partially unexplored by international tourists, and you can find yourself wandering through forests and meadows that have probably never felt the tread of the tourist. Considered to be one of the best regions for Bhutan trekking tours, this wondrous landscape receives few visitors, and offers a world of exploration for an intrepid adventurer.

Go to have a deep exploration of the remote Bumthang Valley

Opportunity to Visit Farmhouses and Talk with Local Farmers or Villagers

Homestays and farmstays in Bhutan are hugely popular with tourists, but in Paro and Thimphu, these are more commercial than authentic. In Bumthang, these opportunities to stay with local families for a night are more authentic and realistic, as the families you stay with are actual families, often with farms you can help working on, rather than commercially-developed “homestay” lodges. Here, in this more remote area of Bhutan, you have a much better chance to learn more about the unique Bhutanese culture. You can spend time talking with the local farmers and villagers, and enjoy some relaxing time living in the slow-paced world of this heartland of Bhutan.

Frequently asked questions about Bumthang Meditation Tour

How many days are required for a Bumthang meditation tour?

While a normal tour of the main tourist region in the west can be done in around 4-5 days, a simple tour of Bumthang can be done in around 7-8 days, at the least. This is due to the distance to travel, which means driving overland from Paro and Thimphu to Bumthang, passing through several other Dzongkhags on the way.

If you are planning to spend a day or two meditating at some of the most popular and prominent locations in Bumthang, then you should expect to spend at least 10 days in Bhutan for your meditation tour, to make the most out of the opportunities you are given here. The longer you stay, the better experience you will have, and the more relaxed you will become.

Is there any flight from Bumthang to Paro and vice versa?

There is a flight available from Paro Airport to Jakar Airport in Bumthang, though there is usually only one flight per day each way. The flights are useful for tourists wanting to spend more time in Bumthang, instead of in Thimphu and Punakha, and do not mind missing out on some of the sights on the road east.

Conclusion

Bumthang has long been classed as the heartland of Bhutan, and is renowned as both religious and cultural center of the kingdom. For anyone thinking of taking a Bhutan tour for meditation, a visit to Bumthang would be a must-do option for the trip, to experience some of the most sacred sites in the kingdom, and meditate in the footprints of some of Buddhism’s greatest saints and gurus.