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| Duration : 10 Days |
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| This trek follows a long forgotten trail but filled with interesting and scenic parts. A walk from Paro intensifies your anticipation for a beautiful journey and the trail amazingly fulfills it. It is a an extremely diverse walk on which you will see panoramas of the eastern Himalaya, visit an old monastery, forgotten in time and stay in tented camps, fish in mountain lakes, look around through a recluse viewpoint , meet nomadic yak men, walk through rhododendron forests and along ridges and visit villages. |
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| Day 1: FLY TO PARO (2,250m/7,382ft) |
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Day 2: TREK TO JILI DZONG . (2,240m/7,350ft to 3,185m/10,450ft) 4½ hours. |
The walk starts from behind Paro Dzong itself. Starting from the watchtower, the path twists its way gradually upward, through the forest towards the ridgeline of the Himalayan foothills above. The walk is through pine and bamboo and is very soon followed by a thick forest filled with rhododendron. The camp site is just a few hundred feet below Jili Dzong in a clearing. There are plenty of interesting birds, flora and fauna visible throughout the day. Camp overnight here. |
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| Day 3: TREK TO LARGE YAK HERDERS' CAMP 3,505m/11,500ft |
| It will take only a short twenty five minute walk from the camp to the Dzong. This is a large monastery and contains a huge statue of Padma Sambhava better known as Guru Rimpoche. There are birds nesting in the arrow slits and old Mongol helmets and shields hanging on the walls. The building was until very recently deserted, but has now undergone some renovation and is in use again. It sits across a ridge, which affords dramatic views of the valleys on both sides and the Himalaya to the north. The second highest mountain in Bhutan can be seen, Mt. Chomolhari , 7,314m/23,997ft. The path now follows a ridge for a short while before descending into forest. It then follows a snake like route on rather magical paths, along mountainsides and through many different types of rhododendron. Occasionally you may meet local yak herdsmen and take in wonderful views of mountains, including another large peak called Kangcheeta. You will see this mountain has two peaks and is split by a straight, pronounced gully - locals believe that Kangcheeta is the brother of Chomolhari (female mountain goddess) who hit him with a stick because he wanted to marry her. To the south, the Dagala range dominates the skyline. Below Mt. Kangcheeta there is a temple, Tshomphu Monastery, where an idol is supposed to float in the air. Our guides in 1993 said they had visited the temple and it was possible to pass a string underneath the statue, thus proving it floated. Eventually you pass through a number of yak herder clearings, stopping for the night at the largest of them. Camp overnight. |
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Day 4: TREK TO JANA TSHO. 3,719m/12,200ft 7 Hours |
| From camp the path ascends to gain the ridge and then traverses along it, first one side and then the other, with wonderful mountain views. Eventually you cross a small pass and circle round, until above Jimi Langtsho Lake . This is a large beautiful lake, stocked with trout, with a large chorten (religious obelisk) built at one end. You zigzag down to the lakeside, which is thick with rhododendron and hemmed in by rocky bluffs. The path then leads up from the lake and along cliff paths with massive drops below. Eventually it leads round a succession of ridges until you arrive at the second lake, Jana Tsho, another magical campsite. The Bhutanese staff may try to catch trout in the lake in the evening for your supper. Camp overnight. |
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Day 5: TREK TO PHADJODING . 3,536m/ 11,600ft 5 hours |
| Again a lovely walk in glorious high mountain country, crossing the highest pass, the Simkota La (also known as Phume La) (approx. 4,210m/13,812ft). From the lake a wide stone path between rhododendron leads to traversing a basin which contains the third lake. Two other lakes are above and out of sight, one male, one female, collectively they are called Dungkar Tsho. The latter of these has a very strong spirit and if anything 'dirty' is done nearby, cloud comes down and only goes away with many prayers. The path is a mixture now of small passes, mountain tracks, some of which wander underneath cliffs. You may meet monks on their way from Thimphu to visit the sacred lake of Jimi Langtsho , where they meditate for a few days before returning. The rocky mountain next to the highest pass, Thujedraj, used to be for sky burials in the old days. Lower down there is one smaller pass with a chorten, which looks directly down onto Thimphu . Here you will have lunch and then zigzag down to Phadjoding. You camp next to the guesthouse. There is time to rest, wash and then see the temples. There is a recent one, constructed with funds donated by the king's secretary, to Padma Sambava, but the two main ones were built by the 9th and 16th Jey Khempos (head monk of Bhutan ). These are gorgeous buildings with golden roofs and acolyte monks will show you the inner temples. Phadjoding is a great meditation centre and there are a number of houses dedicated to retreat. A particular type of branch is put outside the front door, showing that the incumbent is not to be disturbed. High up on the cliff behind Phadjoding is a famous hermit temple built many hundreds of years ago and is still used today. Camp overnight. |
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Day 6: DRIVE TO THIMPHU . (2,621m/8,600ft) |
It only takes two or three hours to reach the road, descending, steeply at times, through the forest, on a well worn path. It is worth getting up early for the clear views of the Eastern Himalaya . Seen clearly on the horizon behind the temples is the highest mountain in Bhutan , Gangkar Punsum, at 7,550m/24,770ft, now the highest unclimbed peak in the world. Quite often the valley below may be filled with cloud, with just the mountains poking up into the clear air. Drive to the Capital where you can halt overnight. |
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Day 7: TREK FROM DECHENCHHOLING TO SHONG PANG (2,591m/8,500ft) |
| Drive to the village of Dechenchholing . You have to walk through the village, which is close to the Queen Mother's Palace, and it may be possible to visit the temple at the end of the village if the caretaker can be tracked down. Approximately 2½ hours walking up a rough track, which could be possible in a 4-wheel-drive vehicle, brings you to a clearing where you can camp. |
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Day 8: TREK TO DOPSHING PANG. (2,134m/7,000ft), 6-7hrs. |
From the camp it takes about 2½ hours to reach the Sinchu La Pass, approximately 3,048m/10,000ft. The track winds up through thick forests and is quite steep in places, but is an easy path. The pass is marked by a square chorten and affords wonderful panoramic views of the Eastern Himalaya . Villages can be seen in the distance including Thinleygang. The walk down to camp takes about 3½ hours and the path is easy, though rocky in places. Eventually the path widens on to an open slope where you camp. Sunsets can be spectacular on the peaks in the distance. Camp overnight. |
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Day 9: TREK TO CHORTEN NINGPO (1,524m/5,000ft) 4hrs |
From camp it is 1½ hours down to the river, an easy but rocky path through the forest. There is a clearing for a rest spot just before the river is reached. You cross it at a small waterfall, before the valley opens out into cultivated fields with occasional houses. A gentle two hours or so back up bring you to the village of Chorten Ningpo . It is a beautiful walk and a lovely village. There are orange groves and a temple, which dates back to 'The Divine Madman' Drukpa Kunley. The temple can be visited and there is a tree outside, which is supposed to have sprouted up after Drukpa Kunley sent a thunderbolt from an adjoining valley. Camp overnight. |
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Day 10: DRIVE TO PUNAKHA AND TO PARO |
| There is a lake some two hours away that is worth a visit and if this is possible you will explore in this direction and return to the village. The trek down to the rough road takes only about an hour, passing through the pretty village of Kabesa . There are fabulous views back up the valley. Drive back to Punakha. |
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| Festivals (Tshechus) are held in Bhutan through out the year at different locations. These festivals are celebrations of faith, legends, myths and history of Bhutan in ancient rituals of colourful dance and music. The most popular for tourists are those held in Thimphu, Paro and Bumthang. They mark the busiest time of the year for tourism and reservation are difficult to come by festival time is one of the only periods during a year when tourists are permitted inside the courtyard of the Dzongs. |
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| Paro valley is one of the most populated areas of the whole country. From a Buddhist’s point of view, Paro was the first stop for Guru Rimpoche on his crusade from Tibet to Bhutan over one thousand years ago. |
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Tashigang is momentous as it marks the end of a 547 kilometer drive from Thimphu. The town, also high up on a mountains, is busier than any other Bhutanese town. Its proximity to Samdrup Jongkar in the south has enabled it to grow as a center of commerce.
Tashigange is used as the market place for the hill people from Merak and Sakteng who are remarkable for their exceptional features and for their costume which is brightly coloured and different from customary Bhutanese clothing. |
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| Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan and is therefore the most populated district in the country, with about 60,000 people. |
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Lunana Trek 
