Jumolhari trek in Bhutan is an exhilarating adventure in the Himalayas. First, you will take an acclimatization hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro and then you will start the trek from the historic Drugyal Dzong. For the first three days of the trek you will be following the Pachhu (Paro river) valley to Jangothang base camp. The walk is through country side of Paro through scattered farmhouses, orchards and rice fields. From the base camp you will see the stunning view of Mount Jumolhari (7315m).
Jumolhari is the second highest unclimbed peak in the world. The trail takes you through high pastures which are used by yak herders as grazing land for their animals. As you trek you will also come across Lingzhi, the highest settlement in the north with a unique mountain culture. En route you will have spectacular views of Mount Jichu Drake (6989m) and Tshrim Gang (6789m).
From Lingzhi, you will descend to the lower valleys of Thimphu through varied vegetation and gorges formed by unique rock canyons. You will finally end your trek in the north of Thimphu valley.
Day 1: Arrival In Paro, Bhutan
Welcome to Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Touching down at Paro International Airport, you will be greeted by your guide upon exiting the arrival hall. Today, we will take it easy to acclimatize to the altitude. Check into the hotel and rest.
Overnight night in hotel Paro.
Day 2: Paro
Taktsang Monastery – A one hour hike to the cafeteria is also a vantage view whereby you can enjoy the stunning view of the monastery. Prayer flags adorn the cliff and this is also where Guru Padmasambhava landed on the back of a tigress in the 8th century.
Kyichu Lhakhang – After a sumptuous local lunch, we will retrace our steps to visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.
Drukgyal Dzong – A morning drive, north of Paro valley brings us to the ruins of Drukgyal Dzong. Built in 1647 by the great Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, father and unifier of medieval Bhutan,the Dzong was destroyed by an accidental fire and left in ruins as an evocative reminder of the
great victories it was built to commemorate. Explore the ramparts and relive the memories of a glorious past.
Early morning drive from hotel to Shana. The trail follows the river through a heavily forested area with a few isolated farmhouses. As we go up the valley becomes narrow, wilder and steeper. The trail winds up and down along the drainage. We pass a junction en route, where another path leads over the Tremo La to Tibet. This route was formerly used by Bhutanese people as a trading route to Tibet. We cross several traditional wooden bridges finally arriving Thanthangka. Camp is in a meadow with a stone shelter. From this campsite for the first time-in case of good weather the
Mount Jomolhari may be seen.
The path ascends for a while until we reach the army camp. We then follow the river above the tree line, enjoying stunning views of the surrounding peaks. Hot lunch is served at a yak herder’s camp. A short walk from here into the valley takes us to our campsite at Jangothang (4,040m).
From here, the views of Jhomolhari and Jichu Drake are superb.
The trail follows the stream for half an hour and crosses the bridge to the right bank. We now start our climb up to the first ridge, enjoying breathtaking views of Chomolhari, Jichu Drake andTserimgang. The trail then takes us across a fairly level valley floor, until the climb up to Nyele-
la pass (4,700m). We descend gradually from the pass to our campsite at Lingshi (4,000m) enjoying a panoramic view of the mountain peaks and Lingshi Dzong as we walk.
First half of the trek is mostly through treeless valley until we start ascending to Yale-la pass at 4950 m. On clear day, we can see Mt. Jumolhari, Mt. Tsherimgang and Mt. Masagang. Nomads traveling between Lingshi and Thimphu use the Yale la so the trail is well marked. The descent from the pass joins the Jaradinthang Chhu which later becomes the Thimphu Chhu. At the altitude of 4150 m is a chorten (stupa) from where the trail takes an easterly direction following the river. The camp is at Shodu just after crossing the sandy slope.
There are several ups and downs and crossings of small streams. Reach a split in the trail, the one to the right descends to your campsite for tonight.
Today is an easy walk and with small ups and downs followed by a couple of short steep switchbacks to descend a vertical cliff before finally reaching the last stretch to Dodina. The trails descends through bamboo forests, following the mule trail high above the river and reach Dodina where your vehicle will meet you and drive you half an hour to Thimphu.,the modern capital of Bhutan. Thimphu has a population of about 98,500. The town is made up of just three lines of shops and is the only capital in the world without traffic lights.
Today we will bid fond farewell to this beautiful Himalayan country and take an early flight back to Singapore. We hope by now you would have made some friends and also kept many photos and beautiful memories of Bhutan! And we look forward to seeing you again in this beautiful land of
endless Enchantments!
we hope to provide the ultimate best value for all our guests. We choose some of the finest hotels, offer free upgrades to make our visitors feel the most welcomed and well-taken care of while traveling in Bhutan. We take pride in providing first class accommodations for our travelers.
A wide variety of accommodations are available ranging from luxurious 5-star hotels to cozy little hotels, homestays in traditional Bhutanese homes to camping under the stars. Visitors can be assured of comfort, ambiance and hospitality.
The types of accommodations can be divided into:
Hotels in Bhutan are rated according to a National 5 Star rating System. All Tour Operators are required to provide their guests with Government Categorized Hotels and Resorts, a minimum of 3 Star accommodations so you can be assured of your comfort. Most hotels provide their guests with Basic Necessities, Room Service, Free Wi-fi, Television and some of them also have Fitness Centers and Spas
The luxury packages are based on 4 star luxury hotels and 5 star International Hotels Chain (Aman Kora, COMO Uma, Zhiwaling, Le Meridien and Taj Tashi) with extra charges in addition to the Mandatory Daily Tariff of USD $250/person/night.
Visitors also have the option of spending a night in a traditional Bhutanese Farm House with a Bhutanese family. Agriculture is still one of the major sources of livelihood among the Bhutanese people and a farm-stay will give you an excellent glimpse into the day-to-day life of a typical Bhutanese family. You’ll be able to observe age old Bhutanese farming traditions as the family goes about its daily tasks. You’ll enjoy delicious home-cooked meals and the unparalleled hospitality of a Bhutanese host.
There’s nothing like camping in some of the most breath taking landscapes of Bhutan. Visitors embarking on long treks will be provided with tents and whatever other camping equipment is deemed necessary. Regardless of where you stay, visitors can be assured of their comfort and traditional Bhutanese hospitality.
Your Bhutan Visa and Bhutan tour will be 100% confirmed once the company receives your full payment. You will receive you Bhutan Visa and confirmed tickets 24-48 hours after you transfer us the full tour payment.
You can visit western Bhutan (Thimphu, Paro, Punakha and Wangduephodrang) anytime of the year. Avoid central and eastern Bhutan during the monsoon months of July and August when the weather is sometimes a little wet for sightseeing.
All visitors in Bhutan are advised to get their insurance coverage from their own country.
Yes, tipping is a standard practice in Bhutan and it is part of a Bhutanese culture. All your service staff such as guide, driver, hotels staff will expect tips from you at the end of the service.
