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Voykit pocket guide · Bhutan
Jakar
Spend 2 days in Jakar to see the dzong, key monasteries and a short trek; add a day for festivals or nearby valleys.
Jakar, the administrative centre of Bumthang, sits at 2,580 m in the Choekor Valley. Its main attractions – Jakar Dzong, Kurjey Lhakhang, Tamshing Monastery and the Bumthang Cultural Trek – are clustered near the bazaar, making a 2‑day stay comfortable. Longer stays are worthwhile for tshechu festivals or trips to Chumey, Tang and Ura.
- Country
- Bhutan
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (very cold, strong winds)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BTN
- Money
- Ngultrum (BTN) is pegged 1:1 to the Indian rupee; rupees are widely accepted but check which notes.
- Daily spend
- Budget Nu 12,000–18,000 excl. bed · Mid Nu 18,000–28,000 excl. bed · High Nu 30,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- B-Mobile (Bhutan Telecom) and TashiCell sell tourist SIMs in Paro and Thimphu with your passport; your guide can help.
- Emergency
- Police 113 · Ambulance 112 · Fire 110
- Plugs
- Types D, F, G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Indian-style D sockets are common; a universal adapter is best.
- Tipping
- Guide: About US$10–20 per day per group, at the end.; Driver: About US$8–15 per day per group.; Hotel staff: Nu 100–200.; Restaurant: Not expected; round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; hotels provide bottled or filtered water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in certified hotels and restaurants; squat toilets at some roadside stops. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Ema datshi (spicy cheese stew) | Nu 150–250 |
| Coffee (café) | Nu 80–150 |
| Taxi (city ride, up to 5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi (city ride, up to 3.1 mi (5 km)) | Nu 500–800 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- JAR · Bathpalathang Airport
- Druk Air flights from Paro, 30 min; weather‑dependent
Typical fares
- Paro → Jakar (Druk Air)
- about Nu 12,000–20,000 round‑trip, 30 min (check)
- Taxi bazaar → Jakar Dzong
- Nu 500–800, 5 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A vehicle is essential; hire a taxi from the main bazaar or arrange a driver with your guide. Walking between the bazaar, dzong and nearby lhakhangs takes 5–15 min.
See and do
Known for
- Jakar Dzong
- Kurjey Lhakhang
- Tamshing Monastery
- Bumthang Cultural Trek
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chumey | Hire a taxi from Jakar bazaar, about 30 km (19 mi) north; 45 min driveHire a taxi from Jakar bazaar, about 19 mi (30 km) north; 45 min drive | ≈1 h |
| Tang Valley | Taxi or guide‑arranged vehicle, 40 km (25 mi) east; 1 h 15 minTaxi or guide‑arranged vehicle, 25 mi (40 km) east; 1 h 15 min | ≈1.5 h |
| Ura | Guided vehicle, 70 km (43 mi) north‑east; 2 h 30 minGuided vehicle, 43 mi (70 km) north‑east; 2 h 30 min | ≈3 h |
| Duer Hot Springs | Taxi to Duer village, 25 km (16 mi) south; 45 minTaxi to Duer village, 16 mi (25 km) south; 45 min | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- Hotel Jakar View
- Family‑run hotel near the bazaar, views of Jakar Dzong
- Mipham Guest House
- Double 1,350 Nu / Single 1,250 Nu, river view
- Kaila Lodge
- Classic style, central location
- Wangdicholing Guest House
- Rebuilt lodge with valley views
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | དགོངས་གནང་གིན།gong nang gi |
| Thank you | ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཆེ།thuk je che |
| How much is it? | ག་དེ་ག་ཚོད་རེད།ga de ga tshod red |
| Can I pay by card? | གྲོགས་བྱེད་ཐབས་ཡོད་གམ།gro gyed thab yod gam |
| Where is the toilet? | ཁོག་གི་གནས་ཚད་?khog gi natshed? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Kuzuzangpo la' with a slight bow; avoid: Loud greetings in temples
- Dzongs and temples: Formal dress, clockwise circuits, remove hats; avoid: Pointing feet at altars; photos inside
- Offers: Refuse politely once or twice, then accept; avoid: Grabbing the first offer
- Religious objects: Pass chortens and mani walls on the left, keeping them on your right; avoid: Touching or climbing on them
- The King: Speak respectfully; portraits are everywhere; avoid: Jokes about the royal family
- Scarves: Bhutanese wear kabney (men) or rachu (women) in dzongs; visitors do not need them; avoid: Wearing one as a costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Druk Air flights can be cancelled due to weather; check updates before heading to the airport.
- Winter evenings are below zero; bring warm layers.
- Tshechu festivals are religious events; dress modestly and follow local etiquette.
Jakar is generally safe for tourists; main risks are cold evenings, occasional road slips, and respecting religious customs during festivals.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Jakar yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Jakar Dzong
- Kurjey Lhakhang
- Tamshing Monastery
- Bumthang Cultural Trek
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Bhutan Tourism Board – Jakar: www.bhutan.travel/jakar
- Wikivoyage: Jakar, revision 5291601 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5291601
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/jakar). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.