Jakar is the main town in the Bumthang district, in the east-central part of Bhutan, and one of the most beautiful places in the country. The valley is apple country — the groves here produce juice and cider that you will find across Bhutan — and the undulating landscape dotted with fruit trees, temples, and traditional farmhouses has a gentle, pastoral quality quite different from the western valleys.
The Bumthang valley is the spiritual heartland of Bhutan. Buddhism first took hold here, and the district has a remarkable concentration of ancient temples. Kurjey Lhakhang, dating from the 8th century, enshrines the body-print of Guru Rinpoche himself. Jampa Lhakhang, associated with the founding of Tantric Buddhism in Bhutan, is one of the oldest temples in the country. And Jakar Dzong, the "castle of the white bird," dominates the valley from its ridge.
Two festivals worth timing a visit around: Tamshing Phala and Thangbi Mani, both in late September. The drive from Thimphu takes 9 to 10 hours over 250 km of mountain road — arduous, but the scenery along the way is some of the finest in Bhutan.