Shugdrak

Bhutan

LoginSave

To get well off the beaten track make the short 10-minute hike up to this sacred Guru Rinpoche cave, 2km past Thangbi. A series of ladders leads pilgrims past a lovely butter-lamp shrine to a rock-face chapel, where a monk can point out the stone footprint, handprint and boot print of the Guru.

Pilgrims have stuffed dozens of ngultrum notes into the cracks of the rock wall.

To get here take the dirt side road to the left, just past Goling and Kharsa villages, then drive for 1km to the car park and walk 10 minutes up to the cave.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Scenic view of the Trongsa District, Trongsa Dzong, Trongsa, Bhutan

    Trongsa Dzong

    15.65 MILES

    This commanding dzong, high above the roaring Mangde Chhu, is perhaps the most spectacularly sited dzong in Bhutan, with a sheer drop to the south that…

  • At a strategic vantage point perched high over Trongsa Dzong, rises its watch tower, Bhutan.

    Tower of Trongsa Royal Heritage Museum

    15.52 MILES

    This watchtower (ta dzong) overlooking the dzong now houses an excellent museum. The five floors of displays tell the history of the monarchy through such…

  • Jakar Dzong in mountains.

    Jakar Dzong

    5.27 MILES

    Jakar Dzong is in a picturesque location overlooking the Chokhor valley; the current structure was built in 1667. Its official name is Yuelay Namgyal…

  • Kurjey Lhakhang means "Body Imprint Temple" is located in Bumthang, central Bhutan. It was built in the 8th century. Guru Rinpoche, the tantric master of Bhutan Buddhism, meditated in this temple for three months and left his body imprint inside the cave. "Kurjey" means body imprint. At the side of the temple there is a tall cypress tree that is believed to have sprouted from the walking stick of Guru Rinpoche.

    Kurjey Lhakhang

    2.54 MILES

    This large, active and important temple complex is named after the body (kur) print (jey) of Guru Rinpoche, which is preserved in a cave inside the oldest…

  • Chhoekhor, Bhutan - November 9, 2015: Pilgrim is praying at the Jampey Lhakhang temple, Chhoekhor, Bhutan with the image of the 5th King of Bhutan in the background. It is one of the oldest temple in Bhutan. It is said to date back to 7th century

    Jampey Lhakhang

    3.38 MILES

    Up a short side road about 1.5km past Sey Lhakhang, this fabulous temple is believed to have been built in 659 by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo, on the…

  • Tamshing Goemba

    Tamshing Goemba

    2.51 MILES

    This goemba, formally the Tamshing Lhendup Chholing (Temple of the Good Message), is 5km from Jakar. It was established in 1501 by Pema Lingpa and is the…

  • Ngang Lhakhang

    Ngang Lhakhang

    3.48 MILES

    A bumpy 10km drive up the Chokhor valley from Thangbi Goemba is the small region known as Ngang-yul (Swan Land). The site was visited by Guru Rinpoche,…

  • Konchogsum Lhakhang

    Konchogsum Lhakhang

    2.83 MILES

    Just 400m below Tamshing, this towering, recently constructed and brightly painted building completely envelops the restored remains of the original…

View more attractions

Nearby Bhutan attractions

1. Thangbi Goemba

0.96 MILES

Thangbi Goemba was founded in 1470 by Shamar Rinpoche and, after a dispute, was taken over by Pema Lingpa. The main chapel of the Dusum Sangay (past,…

2. Dorji Bi Lhakhang

1.66 MILES

Dorji Bi Lhakhang sits above an ancient, large white chorten. From here a dirt road descends to Tamshing Lhakhang via the turn-off to Pema Sambhava…

3. Manor House

1.79 MILES

Now mostly in ruins, this stately old house was built by relatives of the second king of Bhutan. New buildings being erected around it will house the…

5. Dorji Bi Weaving Centre

1.88 MILES

This crafts centre features around a dozen looms worked at by local women. There is a small attached shop selling woven cloth and textiles.

6. Pema Sambhava Lhakhang

2.08 MILES

Along the dirt road north of Tamshing, a short steep climb above the valley floor leads to the small Pema Sambhava Lhakhang. The original lhakhang was…

7. Do Zam

2.16 MILES

Do Zam is a natural formation said to be the remains of a stone bridge (hence 'zam') that was built by a goddess trying to meet Guru Rinpoche, but…

8. Deothang Goemba

2.2 MILES

The little-visited but charming Deothang Goemba (Dawathang Goemba), known as the Field of the Moon, is just north of Kurjey Lhakhang and dates from 1949…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "bhutan/chokhor-valley-bumthang/attractions/shugdrak/a/poi-sig/1538303/1335542",
  "destination": "Bhutan",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "country": "Bhutan",
  "position": "superzone"
}