Mebar Tsho (Burning Lake)

Mebartsho, also known as the Burning Lake, is situated in the Tang Valley’s southern region. You can go there from Chamkhar town which takes about 30 minutes. Mebartsho is less a lake and more of a gorge. It is a very holy place, and its name alludes to the most well-known chapter in Pema Lingpa’s life, the famed treasure discoverer. Mebartsho, the “burning lake,” one of the major pilgrimage destinations in Bhutan, is located within the small gorge that the Tang River creates when it cuts through the first line of hills.

Pema Lingpa, who found the wealth in the lake in the late 15th century, is regarded as an incarnated disciple of Padmasambhava. This tiny freshwater lake is now a revered destination for pilgrimage for the Bhutanese, who have surrounded it with vibrant prayer flags of colors and a small altar dedicated to Terton Pema Lingpa has also been set up. On auspicious days people offer butter lamps at the lake. Many tourists visit the site to observe spectacular beauty of this important historical and religious site, to make your trip even more amazing, you can witness the azure colour of the lake too.

The path to lake is lined with prayer flags and ends up above the Gorge where the river forms a pool before it rushes on. Images of Pema Lingpa and his two sons are carved on a rock here. You may get tempted to peer in to see if you can get lucky enough to make a discovery yourself but please don’t fall in, you may not have the power to get out of the lake unless you are a trained swimmer.

If magic is real, you will surely have a life time experience to find it in Bhutan.