SNOWMAN TREK

The flight to Paro is something straight out of enchanted tales. Flying over the clouds and enjoying the epic views of the pristine peaks in the Himalayas and lush green hills, you will make your touchdown at the Paro airport.

Upon your arrival, our guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your designated hotel. After getting some rest, you can stroll around the city and explore its beautiful surroundings and some of the popular tourist landmarks.

7th-century Kyichu Lhakhang, Ta Dzong Museum, and Rimpong Dzong are popular highlights of this day’s exploration.

Today is an exciting day of adventure in your Snowman Trek Bhutan itinerary. After breakfast, you will go sightseeing around the popular destinations in this tourist hub. During the first part, you will hike to the Taktsang Monastery, which will take approximately 5 hours for a round trip.

Although the hiking trails can be slightly demanding, the panoramic views of valleys, lush hills, and mountains from the sheer cliff that rises 900 meters/ 2,952 feet above sea level will be surreal. After the hike, you can explore other popular landmarks in Paro before staying at the hotel.

During the first part of this day’s exciting exploration, you will drive to San Zampa from Paro after breakfast. The trekking staff, guides, and horse riders will be prepared for your arrival at San Zampa; after taking a short break here, you will proceed with your incredible Himalayan journey.

Then, you will ascend the uphill trail through the river valley until the path gradually narrows. Following the descending trail, you will drop to the vast plain meadow, where your team will set up the camp for a night stay. If the weather is favorable, Thangthangkha will unveil the first glimpse of Mt. Jomolhari.

If you couldn’t enjoy the incredible views of Jomolhari yesterday, you can see this pristine peak this morning. After breakfast, your journey will continue ascending toward the Paro Chhu Valley, which widens to patches of serene alpine meadows and scanty forests.

Moving further in your trekking trail, you will cross an army checkpoint; the charming trails will reward you with the incredible views of the high mountain ridges and snow-clad peaks. This area is home to the Yak herders, so you will see the Yaks grazing on the meadows as you move along this day’s trekking trail.

This day’s trek will also take you across the charming traditional villages of Soe, Dangochang, and Takethang. Your route further ahead then stretches to Jangothang, one of the most stunning and incredible campsites in the Himalayas. You can enjoy the pristine sparkling beauty of Mt. Jomolhari and the surrounding peaks from this camping site.

By this day, you have ascended to a significant altitude on your Snowman Trek Bhutan itinerary. So, adapting appropriately to the new climatic conditions is essential before continuing your trekking journey. On this day, you will do some short hikes around the region; the vantage points at Jangothang offer incredible views of Mt. Jomolhari and Mt. Jichu Drake.

There are hiking trails in all three directions of Jangothang; Jomolhari and its subsidiary mountains lie to the west, Jichu Drake to the north, and several unclimbed peaks to the east. Tosoh is one of the most popular hiking destinations on this acclimatization day, and you might also spot some blue sheep on the upper slopes of the valley.

This is one of the longest and most exciting day treks in your Snowman Trek route. After leaving Jangothang behind, you will begin your climb rapidly for 30 minutes; then, the gradually ascending path will lead you to Nyilila Pass, which has an altitude of 4,870 meters (15,977 feet).

In this ascending route, you also have a high chance of seeing the herds of blue sheep grazing on the slopes. Although the journey to the pass can be slightly demanding, the top of the pass will reward you with incredible views of Mt. Jomolhari, Mt. Jichu Drake, and Mt. Tsherimgang, all of which rise over an altitude of 7,000 meters.

Then, after descending from the pass, you will head toward the camping site. En route, you will trek past the yak herders’ tents made from yak wool. After reaching the Lingshi Basin, a charming U-shaped valley, you can enjoy the spectacular views of Lingshi Dzong and Tserimgang and its glaciers (on the northern part of the valley). On this day, you will camp near a stone hut on the way to Lingshi Dzong.

After breakfast, you will first you will reach the chorten below Lingshi Dzong. You have the option to either keep trekking on the main trail or take a detour uphill to Lingshi Dzong [4,220 meters/ 13,845 feet]. From Lingshi Dzong, which sits at the top of the high ridge, you can enjoy stunning views of the valley.

Trekking past Lingshi Dzong, relishing its mystic tranquility, you will pass other charming settlements of Lingshi and Goyul. Chebisa is a unique settlement where the stone houses are clustered together; it’s distinctive compared to other villages where houses are scattered. Moving further ahead in your trail, you will reach the campsite at Chebisa; if you want, you can explore the houses in the village before settling in for the night.

After breakfast, you will move along the ascending trail behind the Chebisa Village. Your 2-3 hour trek across the vast pastureland will bring you to Gobu La Pass [4,410 meters/ 14,468 feet]; you will pass herds of yaks in this day’s cross-pasture trek.

You will cross the pass and descend into the valley; along the way, you might also witness the enormous herds of blue sheep on the slopes above the trail. Your descending journey will first bring you to Shakshepasa [3,980 meters/ 13,057 feet]; another U-shape valley and a short climb from here will bring you to Shomuthang. Your campsite on this day is situated above the tributary of the Nochi River.

You will begin this day’s trek climbing up the valley, enjoying the spectacular views of Kang Bum. Two hours of climbing the ascending route will bring you to Jhari La Pass [4,750 meters/ 15,583 feet]. This day’s ascent will reward you with magnificent Gangchhenta (Great Tiger Mountain), Tserim Kang, Jomolhari, and Sinche La Pass views.

After descending from the pass, you will trek past the Tsheri Jathang campsite by the river. Bhutanese national animal, the Takins, migrate to this charming valley during the summer, so the valley has been exclusively declared a Takin sanctuary. A gradual descent from the valley will take you to today’s campsite in a rocky meadow, Robluthang.

During the initial part, you will ascend 40-60 minutes on the uphill route, and then another one and a half hours of the gradual climb will bring you close to another steep section on this day’s trail. After overcoming the steep section for one hour, you will reach the Sinche La Pass [5,005 meters/ 16,420 meters].

In your descending journey from the pass, you will see a fascinating terminal moraine and a pristine glacial lake at the basin of the beautiful valley. Following the trails below the moraine, you will cross Kango Chhu, and then, after trekking for a while, you will reach your campsite at Limithang.

Today’s trek follows the downhill trail alongside the winding river valley. Moving further ahead, the trail splits in two directions; one goes down alongside the river to the army camp, while the other elevates high and takes you to the west side of Laya Village. You will then move toward the east end of Laya Village to camp on a flat table area.

Following the trails alongside the winding river, you will descend to the army camp at the riverbed. You will then continue following the river to the turn-off point at Roduphu. After enjoying lunch here, you will continue along your ascending route across the rhododendron bushes to reach the camping site at Rhoduphu, right next to Rhodu Chhu.

On this day’s trek, you will again move alongside the trails of the river for about half an hour before switching to the steady climb that opens up the valley at 4,600 meters. You journey further ahead, which leads you to Tsomo La [4,900 meters/ 16,076 feet], which offers panoramic views of Lunana, Jomolhari, Jichu Drake, and the Tibetan border.

Moving further in your Snowman Trek route, you will cross a flat and barren plateau at 5,000 meters before reaching the campsite at Narethang. The towering views of Gangla Karchung will loom over your campsite.

Leaving Narethang behind after breakfast, you will climb for about an hour to reach Gangla Karchung La [5,120 meters/ 16,797 feet]. You can enjoy stunning views of Jekanghpu Gang, Tsenda Kang, and Teri Gang from the top of the pass. The trail descends along the large glacial moraines from the pass to the valley’s base.

Enjoying the epic views of mountains and glaciers, you will trek down to Tarina Valley, passing through the rhododendron bushes. There are several good campsites in the valley alongside the Tang Chhu.

This day’s trek first passes through the conifer forest and moves along the upper ridge of Pho Chhu. Trekking past the impressive waterfalls, you will follow the trail over the ridge, which then drops down to Woche. This is a small settlement and the first village of the Lunana region; you will rest here tonight.

After breakfast, you will trek across the charming juniper and fir forests. The trail across the rhododendron bushes leads you to Keche La Pass [4,650 meters/ 15,255 feet]. After relishing the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, you will descend the pass to the riverside.

The riverside trail then leads to Lhedi Village, which has a basic health unit, wireless telephone facilities, and a school.

You will start this day’s trekking adventure by enjoying the epic close-up views of Table Mountain. Continue along the ascending route, reaching the Chozo Village [4,090 meters/ 13,418 feet]. This small village still has a dzong in use; you will move further ahead in your scenic trekking route, enjoying the charming mountain views, and finally reach Thanza. For tonight, you can camp directly at Thanza or head to another site at Thoencha.

This day will be another much-needed acclimatization day in your long-haul trekking journey. During this day’s trek, you can do short hikes over the ridge to enjoy the epic mountain and glacier views. Meanwhile, your guide and staff will arrange new yaks for the journey ahead, as the horses from Laya Village won’t go further than Thanza.

You will head toward the yak meadows by maneuvering your way across a large boulder that offers stunning views of Thanza, Toencha, and Choso Villages, including the surrounding peaks. After a few hours of trekking on the relatively easy trails, you will reach the campsite at Danji. On this day, you will have a high chance of spotting the blue sheep on the slopes above the Danji campsite.

Following the route toward Sephu from Danji, you will move along the ascending path to reach Jaze La Pass [5,150 meters/ 16,896 feet], which offers an incredible Himalayan panorama. Then, descending between the snow-covered peaks and small lakes, you will reach your campsite on this day at the banks of Tshcochena Lake.

After breakfast, you will move along the bank of the blue-green lake and ascend to the ridge at 5,100 meters. Enjoying the spectacular Himalayan magnificence from the top of the pass, you will continue your trek on the ascending and descending trails over a small hill to reach a glacial lake.

The route first descends to the valley and then ascends over another pass, Loju La Pass [5,140 meters/ 16,863 feet]. After crossing a small saddle at 5,100 meters in the downhill route, you will descend to the wide glacial valley to reach your campsite at Jichu Dramo.

Leaving the camp at Jichu Dramo behind, you will trek across the moraines to Rinchen Zoe La [5,320 meters/ 17,454 feet]. Enjoying the breathtaking surrounding mountain views, including the Rinchen Zoe peak that towers over the pass on the west, you will descend the pass to a wide valley. Trekking past the sparkling lakes, you will move along the steep moraine to Thamphe Chhu. After a few hours of hiking back into rich vegetation since Lhedi, you will reach your campsite at Chukarpo.

After breakfast, you will move along your descending journey until you reach the yak herders’ camp at Gala Pang Chhu [4,010 meters/ 13,156 feet]. Then, from here, you will move along the steep climbing route to Thampe Tsho, a pristine turquoise lake. You will rest at the campsite on the bank of this sparkling lake in today’s trek.

Today’s exciting trek will lead you to the last pass of the Snowman Himalayan trek. You will trek on the steep trail to the turquoise lake from the turquoise to reach the top of Thampe La Pass [4,600 meters/ 15,091 feet]. Then, your trail descends to Om Thso Lake; you also have a high chance of witnessing blue sheep on this day’s trekking trail.

Trekking past the cascading waterfall, you will reach another small lake after a 100-meter descent and make your way on the steep path to reach Nikka Chhu. Your trekking route further ahead passes through the mixed forest to the large clear area on the banks of the river as you reach Maurothang. You will find a few yak herders’ huts here, and you will rest at a suitable campsite.

This is the last day of your iconic Bhutan Snowman trek; your porters must change from yaks to horses for the return trip, as the yaks don’t go further down from here. Trekking past Nikka Chhu, you will reach the ample grassy land that overlooks the village of Sephu. Moving further along your ascending route, you will get to the road that leads to the Nikka Chhu Bridge, which then leads you to Sephu.

Spehu has several stores and restaurants, and the staff of your trekking adventure will be waiting for you here. After a short rest here, you will drive to Punakha for an overnight stay.

This will be the last day of rest and exploration in your Bhutan Snowman Trek. On this day, you will explore architectural marvels and religious landmarks and experience the traditional lifestyle of the natives.

Punakha Dzong, built by the ‘Unifier of Bhutan’ (1637), Chimi Lhakhang, Punakha Suspension Bridge, Mo Chhu, etc., are popular highlights of this traditional town. After completing the sightseeing tour, you will rest for the night at your hotel.

It’s an exciting day of driving adventure today; leaving Punakha behind, you will drive toward Bhutan’s capital city, Thimphu. This day’s drive will go over the Dochu La Pass [3,100 meters/ 10,170 feet], and you can enjoy the panoramic views of the pristine Himalayan peaks.

After the 3-hour drive to reach Thimpu, you will take a short break and explore the different aspects of the capital city, from arts and craft schools and traditional paper factories to the Folk Heritage Museum and the Tashichhodzong Memorial Chorten. Overnight stay at a hotel in Thimphu.

After you complete your incredible Snowman Himalayan trek, it is time to bid farewell to this charming country in the mountains. Today, depending on your flight schedules for international departure, you will be dropped off at the airport. Thank you for trekking with My Everest Trip; have a safe journey!