DAY 01:  PARO – PUNAKHA (1350 m) 126 km I 03 hr

Upon arrival at Paro airport you will meet your guide and drive to Punakha. It is 125 km and with the improved highway it can be accomplished in around 3 hours. Punakha is inextricably linked to some of the most momentous events on Bhutanese history and served as the capital of Bhutan until 1955. It is also the place from where the Bhutanese people elected their first king, Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuk, who became the king of Bhutan in 1907.  There will usually be an opportunity to visit the remarkable Punakha Dzong, situated at the confluence of two rivers.  [Hotel, LD].

DAY 02: PUNAKHA – JAKAR (BUMTHANG, 2600 m) 66 km I 02 hr

In the morning you will visit the Trongsa royal heritage museum. This is located on the hillside overlooking the main dzong and houses a particularly impressive collection of artifacts. After leaving Trongsa you drive to Bumthang, and enter a region where the landscape is somewhat reminiscent of parts of Switzerland. This is a short drive and there will be time to explore some of the monasteries of the main valley in the afternoon.  [Hotel, BLD]. 

DAY 03: JAKAR - THANGBI – KHAKTHANG (2865 m) I 05-06 hr

In the morning you will be driven up the valley to Tangbi (taking around half an hour) and shortly thereafter you will meet your trekking team and the walking begins.  Today is a gentle introduction to the trek and the walking is mostly along a rough dirt road. You start by following the left bank of the river (as viewed when looking up-river) through farmland and patches of woodland.  After 1-2 hr you should see the ruins of Drapham Dzong on a hill on the opposite side of the river.  Soon afterwards you pass through a small village and then take the track, which leads down to a bridge to cross the river and backtrack down the valley for 15-20 min to the old temple of Nga Lhakhang. After visiting the temple you return to the bridge, re-cross the river to the left hand bank and continue your gentle ascent up the valley.  You pass a smart school and another interesting old temple before coming to a small bridge across a stream, from where the track enters a small village of attractive houses, with a temple on the hillside above.  The valley now bends sharply to the right and just after the village you leave the dirt road and start to follow a clear trail along the valley floor.  The valley is now narrower with heavily forested hillsides.  After a short walk along this trail you reach your first campsite, pitched close to a small, square chorten.   [Camp, BLD]. 

DAY 04: KHAKTHANG – KORPHU (3240 m) I 05-06 hr

After leaving our overnight camp, you pass through the small Royal Bhutan Army encampment and then immediately thereafter enter the forest.  Today you are gradually ascending the valley of the Chamkhar Chuu (sometimes referred to as the Bumthang Chhu), on an uneven, rocky trail passing through a dense forest of fir, rhododendron and pine trees.  The fast-flowing and noisy river is on your right hand side for most of the day.  Initially it is well below the trail, but after a while the trail is predominantly alongside the river.  You pass a small building housing a water-driven prayer when and then a traditional wooden cantilever bridge (without crossing it). The valley is becoming increasingly narrow with small cliffs on either side.  After 4-5 hours you come to a newly built wooden “guesthouse”, where a tributary joins the main river on the opposite bank.  Very shortly thereafter you will see a steel box-girder bridge across the main river, but you should not cross this bridge. Instead continue ascending the trail on the left-bank and after another half-hour or so, you come to a steel suspension bridge and the trail crosses to the right bank.  From this bridge to our camp beside the river is a short walk of less than 15 minutes.  [Camp, BLD]

DAY 05: KORPHU – TSAMPA (3710 m) I 06-07 hr

We are now ascending the valley with the river on our left.  The trail weaves through the attractive forest but you need to watch your footing as it is rocky and (if there has been recent rain) often muddy and slippery.  The gorge continues to narrow and there are big cliffs on the left hand side. Finally there are signs of the valley opening out, the forest thins and suddenly you are emerging into a more open area and a big valley junction.  The right hand fork (which is marked as the valley of the “Mela Chhu” on some maps) continues to the northeast, and this is the valley, which provides access to the “Mȍnlakarchung Pass”, a pass to Tibet, which was crossed, by Bailey and Meade in 1922.  The left hand fork is the continuation of the Chamkhar Chuu and will be our route to the high mountains. Initially however we bear slightly to the right, passing below the small Royal Bhutan Army camp, and across a small bridge over the Meal Chhu, before turning to the left and crossing the meadow to our camp located below the newly re-built temple, which is sited on the hillside overlooking the confluence of the two rivers.   [Camp, BLD]

DAY 06: TSAMPA – SHINGO (4200 m) I 05 hr, or perhaps a higher campsite

This is a beautiful day’s trekking as you gradually ascend the valley, with the river on your left. The route is partially through forest, which is gradually changing in character towards a preponderance of rhododendrons.  In some areas the trail is rough with many boulders. You will pass through a number of summer settlements, each comprising of 4-6 stone huts, and each used by the yak herders and their families for a few months of the year. Depending upon the timing of your trek and the state of the migration from higher pastures, at least one of these settlements will be occupied and you may well be invited in a for a drink of yak-butter tea and perhaps some fresh cheese. As you approach Shingo you emerge from the forest into more open terrain and there is a large cliff face on your right hand side. Just before Shingo you may note a bridge across the river, but you should keep to the right bank. Note - if everyone is acclimatizing well, we may decide to camp slightly higher up the valley.    [Camp, BLD]

DAY 07: SHINGO – MELUNGHI GANG BASECAMP (4550 m) I 05-06 hr

Today you continue your progress up the right hand side of the valley and as you do so the views get better and better.  You are now clear of the forest and this is gloriously easy walking along the valley floor. You pass through Serchy (Sedi, Cedi) where prayer flags adorn a small knoll overlooking the huts of the summer settlement. As you approach Bamurpa (ca. 4490 m) the valley bends around to the right and (weather permitting) you now have a breathtaking view of Melunghi Gang peak (Melunghi Kang, 6902 m) at the head of the valley. Bamurpa is a large open meadow and a good campsite, but there are advantages in continuing further up-valley before camping.  On the other side of the river from Bamurpa is another yak herder’s hut at the foot of the valley, which you will be taking up to Zhigeyphu. However, today you continue up the main valley heading directly for Melunghi Gang.  Above Bamurpa you keep close to the faint trail along the right hand edge of the valley floor and after another 1-2 hr you approach the terminal moraine of the glacier.  Just below this are some rather derelict-looking yak herders’ huts – this is the place referred to as Bibsam (Buurtsam) and will be your campsite for the next two nights.  [Camp, BLD]

DAY 08: MELUNGHI GANG EXPLORATION

This is a spectacular area for exploration and your guide will outline the various options for making the most of your time here.  However, to give you a taste, the options include:

• Ascending up to a viewpoint on a ridge that climbs in a northeasterly direction from the ablation valley which runs up the righthand side of the glacier. This ridge offers a steep, but not otherwise difficult ascent to a viewpoint at around 5300 m.  From this point you have a spectacular view not only of the enormous glacier, but also of Melunghi Gang and Gangkar Puensum.  Furthermore, below the viewpoint to the east is a spectacular hidden valley with lakes of the most amazing blue colours, surrounded by snow-capped peaks.
• Hiking up towards the head of the valley, by climbing up onto a shelf well above the glacier and working your way around into the basin that lies at the foot of the southeastern ridge of Melunghi Gang. The basin is home to yet another beautiful collection of small lakes, and again there are great close-up views of Melunghi Gang and Gangkar Puensum. 

[Camp, BLD]

DAY 09: MELUNGHI GANG BASECAMP – ZHIGEYPHU (4980 m) I 04-06 hr

Today starts with an easy descent back down the valley to near Bamurpa.  Here you have to wade across the river to gain the right hand side of the valley.  You then continue down the valley until you come to a yak herder’s hut at the foot of the slope leading up to the Zhigeyphu valley.  This is the start of a 500 m climb up to the beautiful valley that will be your home for the next two nights.  Part way up the climb you pass through a collection of yak herders’ huts at around 4725 m.  From here the climb continues until you come to a collection of Cairns and prayer flags (at around 4990 m), which mark the true entrance to the Zhigeyphu valley. Shortly thereafter you comes to some more yak herder’s huts and this is where we will normally camp.  From the camp itself you can only just see the stunning summit of Gangkar Puensum rising above a nearby ridge, but a short walk to one of the neighboring rises will give you a much better view of this majestic peak.  [Camp, BLD]

DAY 10: ZHIGEYPHU EXPLORATION

This is yet another spectacular area for exploration and your guide will again outline the various options for making the most of your time here.  However, to give you a taste, the options include:

• Ascending the gentle ridge to the north of the camp in order to access a viewpoint at 5425 m. From here you enjoy a breathtaking view of the valley, with a multitude of lakes each differing in colour. Above all rises the immense peak of Gangkar Puensum and whichever other direction you choose to look in, you are surrounded by an array of jagged peaks of up to 6000 m elevation. A vista of truly Himalayan proportions.
• Hiking up through the lakes towards the head of the valley and ascending one of several summits or cols that we have reconnoitered on previous trips to this area. The main aim here is to gain a full, close-up view of the stunning south face of Gangkar Puensum and of the immense glacial systems lying to the south and west of the summit.

[Camp, BLD]

DAY 11: ZHIGEYPHU – TSAMPA (3710 m) I 06-08 hr

Today we re-trace our route up the valley, descending all the way to our campsite near the temple at Tsampa.  Leaving the campsite at Zhigeyphu you quickly drop down to the main valley near Bamurpa.  However, rather than crossing the river, you should keep to the right hand bank of the river as you start to descend the main valley.  After a couple of hours walking you find yourself opposite the settlement at Shingo where you camped during the ascent of the valley. Just below here the trail splits. The right hand branch ascends up to some more yak herder huts on a shoulder, but you should keep to the lower left hand trail, nearer the river.  This works its way around the foot of the shoulder and on the other side of the shoulder you will find the small wooden bridge that enables you to cross to the left bank of the river.  Now you are re-joining the trail you used earlier in the trip and after another couple of hours of descent through a mix of forest and clearings you will arrive back at the campsite at Tsampa.  [Camp, BLD]

DAY 12: TSAMPA – TSHOSARP (4470 m) I 05-06 hr

Leaving camp you cross the small bridge over the river and then almost immediately you begin to ascend steeply through the forest.  You emerge at a small meadow with a single yak herder’s hut, but the respite from the climb is brief and the trail resumes its climb amongst the trees of the forest, ascending through an area with rocky crags and cliffs.  However, it does not take too long to reach the top where you emerge onto a grassy shoulder with great views down the Chamkhar Chhu valley (your original route into the mountains) and up the valley of the Mela Chhu, towards Chura Kang and other peaks on the Tibetan border.  The ascent continues but now it is more gradual and you are soon above the treeline. Looking back you have great views of the impressive snow clad peaks that lie on the Tibetan border east of Melunghi Gang. After crossing a small col on the shoulder of a ridge, you enter a V-shaped valley leading to Tshosarp, and heading towards a dramatic rocky peak. After another hour or so, you reach the campsite beside the small lake of Tshosarp.  [Camp, BLD]

DAY 13: TSHOSARP EXPLORATION

Today is an opportunity to hike up to a viewpoint high above Tsampa, which provides a fantastic panoramic view of the snow-covered mountains to the north, including Gangkar Puensum, Kula Kangri (over the border in Tibet) and Chura Kang (further to the east). This day-hike begins with a climb up the grassy slope behind the camp, passing a big rocky outcrop covered in prayer flags to the left, before skirting around a lake and then climbing up onto a ridge to gain the views from the top.  [Camp, BLD]

DAY 14: TSHOSARP – TASHISA (4090 m) I 05-06 hr

Leaving the camp you follow the trail around the right hand side of the lake and then start the gradual ascent towards the pass. As you approach the pass the trail becomes steeper, but you are now well acclimatized and you should reach the Thole La (4760 m) within a couple of hours of setting-off from camp.  From the pass there are good views back to the high peaks of the Tibetan border, whilst ahead of you lies a deep valley, with impressive granite rock faces on either side. To the right is a hanging valley from which a stream flows down. The descent to the valley floor is long and steep. Thereafter the descent becomes very gradual, but the trail along the valley floor initially crosses some boggy areas and there is quite a lot of stone hopping. You should keep to the left hand side of the stream (even though the horsemen may cross the stream a number of times). As you continue the ground underfoot improves and you will soon reach Labrong, where you cross the small bridge to the right-hand bank and then continue for a further 15 minutes to your campsite. If you have energy to spare, there are plenty of opportunities for an afternoon walk.  [Camp, BLD]

DAY 15: TASHISA – CHOCHOMEY (3240 m) I 05-06 hr

Leaving camp you descend gradually through rhodendendron forest until (after about an hour) you reach a junction – here you cross the stream you have been following by a small bridge and also join the main trail from Lunana to Bumthang.  The trail now follows the left bank of the river, and you are again walking through a rich and diverse forest. Eventually you come to a small bridge and after crossing to the other side of the river, you climb up through the forest for 45-60 minutes to reach your campsite in a clearing of the forest at Chochomey.  [Camp, BLD]

DAY 16: CHOCHOMEY – DUR (ca. 2700 m) – JAKAR I 03-04 hr

Today you complete the trek by following the trail down through the forest to Dur.  Once again you are descending through beautiful and untouched forest, including one or two sections next to the river. The end comes suddenly – one moment you are in virgin forest, and then suddenly you are on a rough dirt road in the forest.  A short walk along this track (including a final uphill section!) brings you to the small farming community of Dur, the home of your horsemen. Here you have to sadly say goodbye to your hardworking staff and horseman, and then depart for the short road journey back to Jakar (Bumthang).   [Hotel, BLD]. 

DAY 17: JAKAR (BUMTHANG) – PARO I 300 km I 08 hr

An early check-out for the long drive back to Paro.  We will make a stop for lunch, and there will undoubtedly be photo opportunities that will occasion additional stops and breaks to the journey.  Our aim is to reach the hotel in Paro by mid/late-afternoon.  Note – an alternative option is to stay the night in Punakha, and complete the drive to Paro tomorrow.  [Hotel, BLD].

DAY 18: HIKE TO THE FAMOUS TIGERS NEST

We suggest you making an early start since the hike up to Tiger’s Nest is quite an uphill task and takes around 3-4 hours. Taktshang Goemba is notably one of the most popular Buddhist temples in the entire Himalayas, dating back to 8th century. It clings to a vertical cliff drop of nearly 3100m above sea level. History reveals that in the second half of the 8th century, Guru Padmasambhava visited the site and underwent three months of meditation. Your guide will tell you the detail information once you get there. Returning from Taktshang Goemba, make a short visit to historical Kyichu Lhakhang dating back to 7th century.

DAY 19: HOTEL – PARO AIRPORT

The trip concludes with the short drive from your hotel to Paro airport and your departure to your onward destination. Here you say goodbye to your helpful Bhutanese guide and driver.

THE QUOTED BHUTAN TOUR COST INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING

• Rate inclusive of all three meals, both local and continental healthy cuisine
• Rate inclusive of all accommodation [three-star hotels with double/twin sharing basis]
• Rate inclusive of air-conditioned tourist standard transportation
• Rate inclusive of local tour English-speaking licensed guide on all your sightseeing tours
• Rate inclusive of extensive choices of flexible, comprehensive tour itineraries
• Rate inclusive of Bhutan Government Royalty fees of $100 per person per night
• Rate inclusive of all entry fees, museum fees, and historical attraction fees
• Rate inclusive of all applicable taxes: BST 10%, Service Charge 10%
• Rate inclusive of one-time visa fee of USD 40
• Rate inclusive of airport arrival and departure transfer in Bhutan

INCLUSIVE TREK AND CAMPING

• Rate inclusive of dining tent, toilet tent, dome or A-frame sleeping tent (twin-sharing), mattress, foldable tables & chairs, plates & washing bowl
• Rate inclusive of basic First Aid kit box
• Rate inclusive of drinks, including local wine
• Rate inclusive of support team consists of a qualified guide, cook, and a few assistants
• Rate inclusive of ponies and yaks used on trek are accompanied by their owners

COMPLEMENTARY SERVICE

• Arrival Refreshment
• One bottle of mineral water each day
• A small farewell gift on the day of departure
• One-time cultural program for groups exceedingly above 7 members
• One-time farewell dinner for groups above 7 members at the local farmhouse to give an insight into the traditional Bhutanese cuisine

THE QUOTED BHUTAN TOUR COST DOES NOT INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING

• Rate does not include incoming & outgoing Bhutan airfares and airport taxes
• Rate does not include drinks, alcohol, and non-alcoholic beverages
• Rate does not include guides speaking a language other than English
• Rate does not include expenses of a personal nature like tipping, laundry, pottery, telephone/fax calls, camera/video camera fees at monuments, medical expenses, any insurance, etc
• Rate does not include extra expenses or loss due to nature and unforeseen events beyond the control of our management
• Rate does not include any service outside Bhutan
• Rate does not include a one-time bank transfer charge of USD 45
• Rate does not include tipping to guide, driver, etc.