Day 1 | Start of the Trek
Day 2 | Shana to Thangthangkha
Day 3 | Thangthangkha to Jangothang
Day 4 | Halt
Day 5 | Jangothang to Yaksa
Day 6 | Halt
Day 7 | Yaksa to Thombu
Day 8 | Thombu to Gunitsawa
Day 9 | Gunitsawa to Paro, Thimphu
Day 1 | Start of the Trek
- Paro to Shana
- Distance: 15k
- Walking time: 6h
- Sleeping altitude: 2800m
The Drugyal Dzong was built in 1654 by the Shabdrung to commemorate one of the many war victories against the Tibetans. Over the centuries, it guarded the trail from Tibet into the Paro valley. We will be met at this historic site by our trekking crew for the start of our trek. Follow the Paro Chu upstream through the village of Tshento on a dirt road for about an hour. We will have lunch in a friend’s house on the trail. Just before reaching our camp, we will have to pass through an army check post, where your guide will produce your trekking permit.
Day 2 | Shana to Thangthangkha
- Distance: 21k
- Walking time: 8h
- Sleeping altitude: 3630m
The trail from Shana to Thangthangkha is a very rocky series of small ups and downs along the Paro Chu and can be very muddy if it rains. About 2 ½ hours into the trek, you will come at a junction where a trail branches to go to Tibet. Don’t go to Tibet!
Day 3 | Thangthangkha to Jangothang
- Distance: 16k
- Walking time: 6h
- Sleeping altitude: 4090m
Today you will come across small sparse settlements, and herds of yaks. You will also be crossing the tree line (4000m). Our camp at Jangothang will bring us face to face with the majestic Chomolhari. Jangothang means the land of ruins; you will see ruins of some old settlements, which no one seems to know much about.
Day 4 | Halt
Acclimatization and rest day. A good optional hike is to climb to the Tshophu Lake at 4300m, which is about 2h from Jangothang.
Day 5 | Jangothang to Yaksa
- Distance: 17k
- Walking time: 7h
- Sleeping altitude: 4090m
- Pass to cross: Bongtey La, 4820m
Sleeping altitude: 3800m
2 hours from Jangothang is the Tshophu Lake, which you probably visited yesterday. From the lake, it’s another 2 hours to the pass. Climbing up to the pass, we will be rewarded with stunning views of the Chomolhari and Jichu Drakey. From the pass, it’s all the way downhill until our camp at Yaksa.
Day 6 | Halt
Rest day in Yaksa. Hike to visit the village and meet the nomads. Afternoon back to the camp for lunch. Rest in the afternoon.
Day 7 | Yaksa to Thombu
- Distance: 14k
- Walking time: 5h
- Pass to cross: Thombu La, 4550m
- Sleeping altitude: 4150m
Climbing out of Yaksa, you will see the few houses that make up the Yaksa village across the valley, and the pass you came over yesterday. About 2 hours of gradual climbing and you will cross the tree line, entering another valley. The pass is 1 hours climb from here. From the pass, you can see the yak herders grazing grounds of Thombu, our camp. On a clear day, you can even see some houses in Tibet.
Day 8 | Thombu to Gunitsawa
- Distance: 17k
- Walking time: 6h
- Sleeping altitude: 2600m
A short steep climb will take us out of the Thombu basin, traversing along a trail cut into a rocky cliff with a dizzying drop. 4 hours of steep and dusty descent (1 ½ k of vertical descent) will bring us to the army check post that we crossed on the first day of our trek. Our camp is a further 2 hours downstream from the army camp.
Day 9 | Gunitsawa to Paro, Thimphu
- Distance: 10k
- Walking time: 4h
Last day of our trek. We are back tracing the trail now. Very soon Drugyal Dzong will come into view where our transport will be waiting. After lunch in Paro, the drive to Thimphu the capital is 1hour 45 minutes.
Overnight in Thimphu | Altitude: 2400m
