Set off to visit The Burning Lake or Membartsho which is located in the southern part of the Tang Valley. It is more a gorge than a lake and a very sacred site. The name refers to the most famous episode of the famous treasure discoverer, Pema Lingpa's life. In the early 1475 the saint discovered holy relics hidden here by Guru Rinpoche and thus received his holy mission to propagate religion. To silence skeptical minds, he plunged into the river with a burning ...

Drove back into Jakar and then up the western side of the valley to the Jampey Lhakhang which is believed to have been built in 659. It is a fabulous little temple and was visited by Guru Rinpoche during his visit to Bumthang. It was mostly filled with old folk going about their daily devotions. We started our walk from this point towards the next temple of Kurjey Lhakhang. This is a large, active and important temple complex and is named after the body print of...

Today we visited Trongsa Dzong, built in 1644, which is a spectacular sight being situated at a strategic location on a mountain spur high above the Mangde Chu (river). For centuries the Dzong controlled the east-west trade and the only road or path connecting east and west Bhutan passed through the courtyard of the Dzong. The Trongsa Penlop (governor) was so powerful that he could close off the massive doors of the Dzong cutting off all communication between eas...