The Jambay Lhakhang Festival, also known as Jambay Lhakhang Drup, is a vibrant and significant religious festival celebrated in Bhutan. This annual event takes place at the Jambay Lhakhang, a sacred monastery located in the Bumthang Valley. The festival is one of the most famous and oldest tsechus (festivals) in Bhutan, dating back over a thousand years. It is a time of deep spiritual devotion, lively celebrations, and cultural festivities.
Key Features of Jambay Lhakhang Festival:
- Historical and Spiritual Significance:
The Jambay Lhakhang Festival is held in honor of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) and to commemorate his visit to Bhutan in the 8th century. Guru Rinpoche is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and is revered as a national saint.
- Mask Dances (Cham Dances):
A highlight of the festival is the performance of traditional mask dances known as cham dances. These dances tell stories from Buddhist scriptures, local history, and mythology. Monks and laypeople don ornate costumes and elaborate masks to enact these stories.
- Religious Rituals:
The festival includes a series of religious rituals, prayers, and ceremonies conducted by monks and lamas. These rituals are believed to invoke blessings, protect against negative forces, and bring spiritual harmony.
- Spiritual Cleansing:
One of the unique aspects of the Jambay Lhakhang Festival is the “Mewang” or “Fire Blessing.” Participants walk over a large fire as a form of spiritual purification, symbolizing the dispelling of obstacles and impurities.
- Cultural Performances:
In addition to the mask dances, the festival may feature traditional Bhutanese music, dance, and theatrical performances. These cultural elements contribute to the festive atmosphere.
- Community Gathering:
The festival is a time for the local community to come together, reconnect with neighbors, and celebrate their shared heritage. It fosters a sense of unity and belonging.
- Tourism and Engagement:
The Jambay Lhakhang Festival attracts both domestic and international tourists who are interested in experiencing Bhutanese culture and spirituality firsthand. Visitors have the opportunity to witness traditional practices and immerse themselves in the festivities.
- Pilgrimage:
Many Bhutanese people undertake a pilgrimage to the Jambay Lhakhang during the festival, as it is believed that circumambulating the monastery’s inner sanctum can cleanse one’s sins and accumulate merit.
Planning Your Jambay Lhakhang Festival Experience:
- Festival Dates:
The Jambay Lhakhang Festival is typically held in the late autumn or early winter, following the Bhutanese lunar calendar. It’s recommended to check the specific dates for the festival each year.
- Permits and Tour Operators:
Bhutan requires tourists to obtain permits and book their trips through licensed Bhutanese tour operators. They can help you organize your festival experience, accommodations, and transportation.
- Cultural Respect:
When attending any Bhutanese festival, it’s important to observe cultural norms and etiquette. Dress modestly, follow local customs during religious ceremonies, and show respect to the local traditions.
The Jambay Lhakhang Festival is one of the very important festivals in Bhutan. The main highlight of this festival is ‘the scared naked dance known as Ter Cham and Mewang-the fire blessing.
Participating in the Jambay Lhakhang Festival offers a unique and immersive way to connect with Bhutan’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage while enjoying the lively celebrations and interactions with the local community.
Day 1. Arrive to Paro - Transfer to Thimphu
The flight into Paro is a befitting introduction to the spectacular beauty of our country. In clear weather, magnificent views of the world’s highest peaks like Gangkar Puensum, give way to the lush green Paro valley as you land. Your Bhutanese guide and driver from Authentic Bhutan Tours will warmly welcome & greet you on arrival, who will remain with you all through out your journey across Bhutan. Then we will drive to Thimphu. Lunch will be served at Thimphu. After lunch we will visit to Memorial Chhorten – built in 1974 in the memory of third king late Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, and the temple inside gives good examples of tantric Buddhist and its philosophy and then we will visit to Big Buddha Statue – this gigantic statue of Shakyamuni measures in at a height of 51.5 meters, making it one of the largest statues of Buddha in the world. Evening stroll around Thimphu town. Dinner and overnight stay at Thimphu Hotel.
Day 2. Thimphu Stay
After enjoying the breakfast at hotel, we will do sightseeing in Thimphu City.. Visit to Post office, to make your own stamp and send to your loved ones.. Traditional Bhutanese Paper- to see the traditional methods to produce the authentic Bhutanese Paper known as Deh-sho), Weaving center, you will see here our young girls and women weaving so interestingly. Lunch will be served at one of the Restaurant at Thimphu.
After lunch, we will continue with our sightseeing and visit to Drupthop Dewachen Nunnery, this nunnery was founded in 1976 by Rikey Jadrel, who is considered an emanation of Thangtong Gyalpo and then Takin zoo, to see the national animal of Bhutan. Evening visit to Trachichho Dzong, it is an architectural delight and houses the throne room, and the office of His Majesty the king and the ministries of home affairs and finance. Then stroll and explore around Thimphu town and do some shopping in Bhutan.
Dinner and over night stay at one of the hotel in Thimphu.
Day 3. Thimphu - Punakha
After our breakfast, we will drive to Punakha/Wangdi. The road climbs steeply through forests of pine, hemlock spruce and rhododendrons. At Dochula Pass (3150m) you will have a breathtaking panoramic view of the Eastern Himalayan Mountain ranges on clear days. The pass is adorned with 108 small stupas and many kinds of prayer flags. Then the road descends through lush forests to the fertile valley of Punakha & Wangdi Phodrang. On reaching Lobesa, we will visit Chhimi Lhakhang, which is located at a hilltop. The temple is known as ‘the temple of fertility’. Lunch will be served here at Lobesa, one of the restaurants. At Punakha, visit the most beautiful dzongs in Bhutan, Punakha Dzong. After this, we will drive till the view point of Khamsum Yule Namgyle Chhorten, passing the beautiful rural landscape. Evening at leisure. Dinner and over night stay at Hotel Punakha
Day 4. Punakha - Bumthang
After breakfast at hotel, we will drive to Bumthang over Pelela Pass and Yontongla pass. Lunch will be served on the way. At Chendebiji, we will stop to see the Chendebji Chhorten – The Chorten is patterned after Swayambhunath in Kathmandu and was built in the 19th century by Lama Sidha, from Tibet, to cover the remains of an evil spirit that was killed at this spot. On reaching Trongsa, visit to the Tower of Trongsa, Religion and Power in Bhutan. The Tower of Trongsa is a museum in which aspects of Bhutanese culture and history are explained by beautifully objects, while for others it is as scared place of encounter with the gods. Then continue the journey to Bumthang through the hairpin bends with the dense forest of rhododendron, conifers, alder and oak crossing Yotong La, 3425m. The road then comes out into a wide-open cultivated valley – which is the Chumey Valley, the first of Bumthnag’s four valleys. From here the road goes on straight until we see Jakar Dzong and then drops into bends before straightening out again in the main valley at Chamkhar. The drive will take about 2hours and 30minutes.Dinner and overnight stay at Bumthang Bhutanese Farmhouse.
After dinner visit the festival ground to see the night activities.
Day 5. Bumthang Stay (Attend Jambay Lhakhang Festival)
After a breakfast, we will drive to Jambay Lhakhang , where the festival is in full swing. Lunch will be served at Bumthang. After lunch continue with the festival. We will visit to Jambay Lhakhang, which is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, built in 7th century. Then we will go to farmhouse for dinner and overnight stay. Today after dinner we will enjoy with the Traditional Hot-stone bath.
After dinner visit the festival ground to see the night activities – Naked Dance.
Day 6. Bumthang Stay (Attend Jambay Lhakhang Festival)
After breakfast, we enjoy the Jambay Lhakhang Festival till lunchtime. After lunch, we will visit to Kurjey Lhakhang, is named after the body print of Guru Rinpoche which is preserved in a cave inside the oldest of the three buildings, Tamshing Lhakhang – which was established by Terton Pema Lingpa in 1501 and is the most important Nyingma Goenba in the country. Then we will drive to Tang valley and see the most scared lake in Bhutan, Mebar Tsho (Burning lake). Dinner and overnight stay at Bhutanese farmhouse. Enjoy and relax with Traditional Hot-stone bath.
Day 7. Bumthang - Phobjikha
Today after the breakfast at hotel or Farmhouse (if stay at farmhouse) we will drive to off beaten track of Phobjikha Valley. It is a glacial valley and is the winter home of the black-necked cranes. This valley is a designated conservation area and borders Black Mountain National Park. Lunch will be served on the way. On reaching Gangtey, visit to Gantey Goenpa Lhakhang, the most important temple in Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism in Bhutan. After this we will go Gangtey Natural Trail hike. This hike is one of the easiest hike in Bhutan through pine forest and open meadow. It offers panoramic and stunning view of the valley. Dinner and overnight stay at Phobjikha Valey Hotel.
Day 8. Phobjikha - Paro
After the breakfast at hotel, drive back to Paro. The road descents to Wangdi Valey and the road climbs steeply through forests of pine, hemlock spruce and rhododendrons. At Dochula Pass (3150m) you will have a breathtaking panoramic view of the Eastern Himalayan Mountain ranges on clear days. The pass is adorned with 108 small stupas and many kinds of prayer flags. Lunch will be served at Dochula Café or on the way. Continue the journey to Paro. On the way we will visit to Tachho Gang Lhakhang crossing over the iron chain bridge. On reaching Paro, we will stroll around Paro town, for some shopping. Dinner and overnight stay at Paro Hotel.
Day 9. Paro Stay
After the breakfast we will drive till the Ramthangka, where the hike to one of the Bhutan’s most dramatic monuments, the Tiger’s Nest (Taktshang Monaster). We will use pony till the Taktshang cafeteria. From cafeteria, we have to hike up to monastery about 1hr 30minutes. Even from the cafeteria, we can see the spectacular views of this most scared monastery in the Buddhism world. Some of you, if you cannot hike from cafeteria, we can sit and enjoy the view of the monastery, which is perched on the rocks, 900m above the valley floor. Our lunch will be served here at cafeteria. On our way back to hotel, we will visit to Kyichu Lhakhang, it is one of the two most sacred and the oldest temples in Bhutan, built in 7th century by Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo (the 33rd Tibetan king, who is also the manifestation of avoloketeshivara, commonly known to Bhutanese as Chenrize). Evening stroll around the Paro vally, the valley of surpassing Beauty.
Dinner and over night stay at Paro hotel. Le Meridian
Day 10. Paro – Paro Airport (Departure)
After our breakfast, we will drive to Paro International Airport for your onward flight. Our guide and driver will bid you farewell here at the airport. We wish you a very safe and pleasant flight for your onward destinations.
This is a sample itinerary, intended to give you a general idea of the likely trip schedule. Numerous factors such as weather, tour conditions, group options and the physical condition of participants, may dictate itinerary changes either before departure or while on tour. We reserve the right to change this schedule in the interest of our guests, safety, comfort and general well being.
Start planning your tailor-made Dream Holiday to Bhutan – The Land of happiness!
In order to experience the best and rewarding fulfillment clients must plan in advance the different logistics that you have in your minds before actually venturing into the world of trips. You might have wishes and hopes for which you need to plan.
The following information will help you to plan your dream trip to Bhutan.
1. When and how to visit Bhutan?
Choose your traveling date like Arrival/Departure date. You also need to choose entry/depart Bhutan via AIR or LAND.
By Air: Druk Air, the national carriers is the only service operator in the kingdom and operates several flights per week from Bangkok (Thailand), Delhi & Kolkata (India) and Kathmandu (Nepal) to Paro (Bhutan). The Paro International Airport is located about an hour and a half drive from Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan.
Paro airport is daylight restricted, and the flights are totally dependent on the weather. As a result, sometimes flights are delayed. It is therefore a good idea to keep at least 24 hours of transit time for connecting flights out of Paro. You might also want to consider traveling on a non-restricted ticket so that if you miss a connecting flight, you can be rerouted or seated on the first available carrier.
Sometimes flights into Paro are disrupted because of unfavorable weather conditions. If this occurs, the flight will stop for the night at the transit airport. To be prepared, you may want to carry your essential personal items in your carry-on luggage.
By Land: Phuentsholing, a Bhutanese town in the southwest has road access to India. It is located about 170 km from the Indian domestic airport at Bagdogra, West Bengal. Phuentsholing is about 172 km from Thimphu the capital city of Bhutan and is about 6hours drive distance. And S/
2. What are your itineraries?
All the tours can be customized and extended as per our valued client’s requirements. There are sample itineraries for your kind reference and it will give you some general idea of the likely trip scheduled.
Complete the tour request form and submit it to us. Send us correct name list. We will send you the flight reservation status via email.
After confirming your reservation, we need the scanned copy of member’s passport.
Please remit us full payments and send us the copy of remittance paper via email. Visa will not be accepted without full payment.
We will send you the flight ticket copy and Visa Clearance Copy prior to your departure to Bhutan via email. You need to print out and carry along with you.
Start packing and looking forward to have a memorable trip in the LandThunder Dragon, DrukYul.
Hot stone bath (Dhotsho) is a traditional bath of Bhutan, where a tradition of heating up stones and then soaking in the water that is in turn heated by the stones. This is also a curative method and is used throughout the country We Bhutanese belief that this bath has so much of medicinal benefits. Some diseases are curable-like joint pains, hypertension, stomach disorder, arthritis and many other minor diseases. Especially for the old age, where we have lots of body pains, joints pains helps a lot by this Hot Stone Bath (Dhotsho).
I think, the minerals in the rocks have certain chemicals, which can cure certain disease of our body. Hot stone bath has no side effects. It is in its pure natural form. We can organize the hot stone bath during your stay in Bhutan.
The Bhutanese textiles are rich, vibrant, and colorful and are a complex art form as well as an integral part of the Bhutanese culture. This Bhutan weaving experiences will give you an insight about the rich textiles in Bhutan. You can sit one of the handlooms of Bhutan and weave your self practically. We promise that you will really enjoy this with great satisfaction in your life.
We will also see or learn the natural coloring and dyeing. You can bring your own materials like handkerchief to dye and color. So visit Bhutan and experience it practically by yourself.
Folk Performing Arts & Music in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan
We have Cultural Program Performing groups, which they will perform like Traditional folk songs, dances and keeps original tunes and dances alive. Moreover, new choreography for some traditional and regional songs is sometimes developed.
The troupe also performs mask dances that have historical and spiritual significance.
Tiger’s Nest is most visited spot in Bhutan and it is much awaited by every tourist who visits Bhutan to climb to Tiger’s Nest.
It takes about 2 hrs 30mins up steep climb through the forest of pine, oak and Rhododendron. However you can ride the horse and climb till the Taktshang cafeteria.
The above activities can be incorporated easily into your travel itinerary. However some activities need to pay some additional fees. So let us know which activities you would like to experiences so that we will include in your invoice.
Trip Length: 08 nights and 09 days stay in Bhutan
Costs
1pax = USD 2180
2 Pax = USD 2090 per person
3 Pax & above = USD 1845 per person.
The above price is inclusive of the followings:
- Government Royalty USD 65/person/night
- All government Taxes.
- Lodging (3* hotel – Twin Sharing)
- Meals (Three Meals a day)
- Comfortable Land Transportation within Bhutan.
- Service of guides (English Speaking)
- Camping Equipment & Haulage of trekking tours.
- Visa Fee of USD 40/person
- Mineral Water
- Tea/coffee with snacks ever evening at hotel
- Trying and wearing of our Traditional Costumes and photo shoot.
The above price shall be exclusive of the following:
- Travel Insurance Coverage
- Medical Expenses
- Laundry
- Drinks
- Sleeping bags on treks.
- Tips to guide and driver, others
- Personal bills and others
- Airfare.
Speak to a specialist
Email: info@authenticbhutantours.com
Cell: 00975-17343434
Get inspired by the trip ideas on our website and in our brochures. Then speak to us for first-hand expert advice and if you’re ready, start planning your trip in detail.