The Majestic Chamkhar Bridge: A Gateway to Bumthang's Scenic Beauty
Experience the breathtaking beauty and rich heritage at Chamkhar Bridge, a must-visit tourist attraction in Bumthang, Bhutan.
A brief summary to Chamkhar Bridge ལྕམ་མཁར་ཟམ་པ།
- HQ25+536, Bumthang - Ura Hwy, Jakar, BT
The Chamkhar Bridge, known locally as ལྕམ་མཁར་ཟམ་པ།, is a stunning structure that spans the picturesque Chamkhar River in Bumthang, Bhutan. This bridge is more than just a means of crossing; it is a gateway to the enchanting landscapes of the region, surrounded by lush valleys and rugged mountains. Visitors to the bridge are treated to breathtaking views, especially during sunrise and sunset when the sun casts a golden hue over the river and the surrounding hills. The bridge is also a popular spot for photography enthusiasts, offering a perfect backdrop for capturing the natural beauty of Bhutan. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the Chamkhar Bridge holds historical significance as it connects various cultural sites in the area. As you stroll across the bridge, you can feel the essence of Bhutan's rich heritage and tradition. The area is often frequented by locals and tourists alike, creating a vibrant atmosphere that is welcoming and warm. While visiting, take a moment to enjoy the serene environment, listen to the gentle flow of the river, and perhaps even engage with the friendly locals who share stories of their lives and the history of the region. For those looking to explore further, the bridge serves as a starting point for numerous hiking trails that lead to various monasteries and sacred sites in Bumthang, making it a perfect spot for adventure seekers. The Chamkhar Bridge is not just a structure; it's a symbol of connection, beauty, and the spiritual essence of Bhutan, making it an unforgettable stop on your journey through this magical kingdom.
Local tips
- Visit during sunrise or sunset for spectacular views and perfect photography opportunities.
- Consider exploring nearby hiking trails that begin at the bridge to discover more of Bumthang's natural beauty.
- Engage with locals to learn about the cultural significance of the bridge and the surrounding area.
- Bring a picnic to enjoy by the riverbank, soaking in the tranquil atmosphere.
Getting There
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Car
From the center of Zhemgang, take the road leading towards Jakar. Continue on the main road for approximately 50 kilometers. You will pass through beautiful landscapes and small villages. Keep an eye out for road signs pointing towards Jakar and the Bumthang - Ura Highway. Once you reach the Bumthang - Ura Highway (HQ25), continue for about 10 kilometers. The Chamkhar Bridge will be on your left, just before you enter the town of Jakar. There is no toll on this route.
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Public Transportation
From Zhemgang, you can catch a bus heading to Jakar. Buses typically leave from the main bus station in Zhemgang. The journey takes around 2-3 hours, depending on road conditions. Once you arrive at Jakar, you can hire a taxi or use a local shared taxi service to take you to Chamkhar Bridge, which is about 5 kilometers away. Expect to pay a small fee for the taxi ride, around 200-300 Ngultrum.
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Motorbike
If you prefer a more adventurous route, renting a motorbike in Zhemgang is a great option. Follow the same route as the car guidance, taking the road towards Jakar and eventually merging onto the Bumthang - Ura Highway. The ride offers stunning views, but be cautious of road conditions. Ensure you have the proper safety gear and a valid driver's license. Fuel stations are available along the way, but it’s advisable to fill up in Zhemgang before starting the journey.
Attractions Nearby to Chamkhar Bridge ལྕམ་མཁར་ཟམ་པ།
- Bumthang Valley
- Bumthang Brewery Red Panda Beer
- Jakar Lhakhang
- Jakar Nagtshang
- Jakar Dzong བྱ་དཀར་རྫོང་།
- Chokhor Chorten
- Airport viewpoint B
- Airport Viewpoint A
- Jamphel Lhakhang བྱམས་་པ་ལྷ་ཁང་།
- Padtselling Monastery
- Könchogsum Lhakhang དཀོན་མཆོག་གསུམ་ལྷ་ཁང་།
- Kurjee Zangdopelri
- Tamshing Lhakhang གཏམ་ཞིང་ལྷ་ཁང་།
- Kurjey Lhakhang སྐུ་རྗེས་ལྷ་ཁང་།
- Mebartsho མེ་འབར་མཚོ།
Landmarks nearby to Chamkhar Bridge ལྕམ་མཁར་ཟམ་པ།
- Cafe Perk
- Chamkhar Town
- Phuntsho Guest House
- River Lodge
- Bumthang Swiss Cheese
- Swiss Guest House Bumthang, Kharsumphe
- Samyae Resort
- Jakar Village Lodge
- Dzongkhag Election Office
- White Bird Café
- Yu-Gharling Resort & Spa
- Amankora, Bumthang
- Wangdicholing Resort དབང་འདུས་ཆོས་གླིང་སྐྱིད་གནས།
- Mountain Resort
- Hotel Ugyen Ling ཨོ་རྒྱན་གླིང་ཟ་ཁང་།