Kurjey Lhakhang

Kurjey takes its name from kur, body, and jey, print: Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated in a cave here in the eighth century and left the impression of his body in the rock, and the oldest of the three temples, built in 1652, encloses that cave. The second was added in 1900 by the first king, and the third in the 1980s by the queen mother, so the compound shows three periods side by side behind a wall of 108 chortens. A large cypress in the grounds is said to have grown from the Guru's walking stick. The compound is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the country and it holds the remains of the first three kings. The Kurjey Tshechu is held in early summer.

What you'll find

• The body-print cave - the rock impression enclosed by the oldest temple.
• Three temples - buildings of 1652, 1900 and the 1980s in one compound.
• The wall of chortens - 108 stupas enclosing the site.
• The cypress - the tree said to have grown from a walking stick.

When to go

March to May and September to November. The Kurjey Tshechu falls in June, which is early monsoon in Bumthang but the valley stays drier than the south. Autumn is the most reliable for weather.

What to expect

Photography inside the temples is forbidden and the cave shrine is very dark. Shoes come off and dress codes apply. During the tshechu the compound is extremely crowded. Bumthang is cold outside midsummer.

Nearby

Jambay Lhakhang is a short walk south; Tamzhing lies across the river.

Key facts