Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: 20th June, 09, Tour departs to Kathmandu, Nepal
Our Tour leaves London Heathrow by Qatar Airways for the overnight flights to Kathmandu with a brief change of planes in Doha.
Day 2: 21st June, 09, Arrival in Kathmandu
On our morning arrival at Kathmandu Airport we go through visa check at immigration and after customs we shall be met by a representative from the Shangri La Hotel who will take us to our vehicles. As we leave the airport perimeter we are immediately into the bustle of the city with its colors, noise and smells, after about twenty minutes of which we arrive at our hotel haven. Those who wish can catch up on sleep before exploring this fascinating city.
Day 3: 22nd June, 09, Arrival Day in Bhutan
After our overnight in the Shangri La we fly from Kathmandu along the chain of the Great Himalaya and, if the weather is kind, we will have views of several 8000m peaks including Qomolungma, more commonly known in the West as Mount Everest, and Kanchenjunga, before our descent into Bhutan’s only airport at Paro. This is an exciting one as it is done on visual approach without radar, the final few kilometers along a narrow valley between forested ridges and passing Paro Dzong, the fortified center of administration of the district.
The airport must be one of the most attractive in the world with the terminal buildings being built in distinctive Bhutanese style, and where the staff, dressed in national dress, have a genuine pride in visitors taking pictures of them.
Once we have completed formalities we shall meet our Guide Sonam, the owner of M19055, who will accompany us to our hotel in Paro. During the transfer we look up to Paro Dzong and appreciate its fortress structure as we follow the valley, past the archery ground into the town. From the hotel we shall be able to walk out into this small town to get a feel for daily life and to visit shops.
Day 4: 23rd June, 09, Acclimatization
To begin our explorations we set out by vehicle upstream along the course of the Pachhu, the river which runs through Paro, and along which we may see Ibisbill. Crossing the river we rise through forest to a car park from which we look up to the Taktsang Monastery, also known as the Tiger’s Nest, one of Buddhism’s most venerated pilgrimage sites. This is our destination for the day, an acclimatizing steep walk of 3 hours or so, with the first section on forest paths to a tea room, another forest section to a much closer second viewpoint and then by steep stone paths down and up to the Monastery itself. After this wonderful experience we retrace our steps to the vehicle and with a possible stop at a local farmhouse for an inside look at the daily life of a traditional rural family we return along the valley to our hotel in Paro.
Day 5: 24th June, 09, Acclimatization
Today we drive steadily up the valley side to the South West en route for the Chele La, at 3750m the highest road pass in the country, from where we shall walk through the mixed tree and shrub layer out into more open areas. The varied habitats, including rock outcrops, provide an interesting introduction to the flora and exploration of these will give us an appetite for our first Bhutan picnic lunch. In the late afternoon we shall make a slow descent through the forest, with time for botanising, back to Paro.
Day 6: 25th June, 09, Drukgyel Dzong, 2580m, to Shana, 2850m, 7 hours
For the next six days we shall have the Pachhu, the river of the Paro valley, as our companion as we follow its course to its source. We drive North, with views across to Taktsang Goemba, to the roadhead at Drukgyel Dzong to begin our trek. Here all our main bags are loaded onto ponies while we carry just our cameras, water bottles, wet weather clothing and umbrellas, and any other personal gear in our small day sacks. At first we follow a track which 4WDs use to service the communities we pass through before we reach the limit for vehicles, the bridge over the Pachhu.
Beyond this we are on the path which winds at first between rice paddies, meadows and gardens of traditional farmhouses and then into woodland margins busy with birds. Because it is the well used ‘main road’ up the valley it can be wet and muddy in parts, particularly after our pack ponies have overtaken us. Passing the army checkpoint at Gunitsawa we cross the bridge back over the Pachhu again and walk the final stretch into camp amongst the conifers at Shana.
Day 7: 26th June, 09, Shana, 2850m, to Thongdu Zampa, 3250m 6 hours.
After a night with the sounds of the river to lull us we continue upstream heading North to enter the Jigme Dorji Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest of the protected areas within the country. The list of mammals it harbors is very impressive but close to our path, the main trade route through the area, we would be lucky to catch sight of them. We shall see a good selection of birds, and as with the flora, woodland species on this and the next day. We follow the river closely and cross by bridge to our camp at Thongdu Zampa. It should be noted that this was the lunch stop on the AGS 2002 Tour, so you can appreciate how much more friendly our trek pacing is.
Day 8: 27th June, 09, Thongdu Zampa, 3250m, to Gezampa, 3730m 8 hours
From Thongdu Zampa we continue to follow the river and cross back again to have it on our right as we gradually rise. The valley narrows and a bridge takes a path off to link towards where we shall be in a week’s time. Our path takes us through thinning woodland with interesting river flats to a camp on a meadow from which we can look up to high pastures with grazing yaks, high rock ridges and corries. On our approach to Gezampa camp, 3730m, we may see the snow dome of Chomolhari, 7314m, beyond this green and brown foreground. We are high above the river and the pastures between us and it are full of flowers which we can begin to look at this evening if time allows. In 2008 up to 3 Woodcock were roding, their particular dusk display flight, over the campsite.
Day 9: 28th June, 09, Gezampa, 3730m, to Jangothang, 4090m, 6-7 hours
Setting out through the broad expanses of Primula sikkimensis and the plants of the nearby meadow even the first kilometer will be time consuming, such is the number of botanical distractions. Our lunch stop on a broad flat meadow, with the river below, has more surprises in store and we begin to become accustomed to seeing yaks and the herders’ dwellings as well as seeing the new hospital under construction. We finally reach a bridge to take us past a huge boulder adorned with prayer flags, beyond which is the stone building at the heart of the Jangothang campsite. Close by, overlooking it, is the ruined Dzong, on which our 2008 party’s prayer flags should still be fluttering and beyond which the enormous snow covered South East face of Chomolhari fills the side valley head. At this time of year we are unlikely to have other trekkers for company but as this is a main supply route there is a movement of traders and carriers coming by on horses and mules.
Day 10: 29th June, 09, Static Camp. Acclimatization day, local botanising
As we have two nights at Jangothang, to aid acclimatization now that we have reached 4000m+, this can be taken as a Rest Day if required, with opportunities for botanising close by. There are other options, with an approach towards Chomolhari probably the most appealing. Whatever we choose we shall all probably take the chance to catch up with washing and drying laundry at some point.
Day 11: 30th June, 09, Jangothang, 4090m, to Nyile La Shong, 4730m, 6-7 hours
Leaving the campsite we lose our view of Chomolhari as soon as we depart, but in less than 15 minutes the main valley opens out to our left with the Pachhu, which we have followed all the way from our starting point, issuing from the terminal moraine. Beyond this is a huge cirque with Jichu Drake, 6989m, a shapely spire of snow and ice at its head and we should have wonderful views as we cross the Pachhu for the last time and rise quite steeply up the opposite valley side to the shoulder. We enter a long gently rising hanging valley, along which our progress will be punctuated by botanising stops and photography, with the lure of the screes on our left throughout its length.
Passing yak herders’ tents, and aware of the beasts themselves, we look across the river to huge side valleys beyond before turning uphill steeply again for the short rise to Nyile La Shong campsite. The trail to camp and welcoming tea is good, but taking a short cut can be very time consuming as the wet pasture in the last half kilometer is full of delectable plants. Our camp is at 4730m in a huge Corrie, over the rim of which the snow top of Tsherim Kang, 6526m, appears and, with a waxing half moon at this time, clear night skies would give us a wonderful experience.
Day 12: 01st July, 09, Static Camp. Botanising Corrie to Nyile La, 4890m
We are camped in the realms of the Tibetan Snowcock and in the first hints of light we shall hopefully be aware of their eerie calls as they feed in the heath above. After breakfast we shall begin our search of the Corrie, at first across yak pasture and then moving into an incredibly rich low heath with many sentinel Reum nobile at its upper edge. These are collected for medicine but we should be ahead of the collectors. Continuing round at various levels the screes and outcrops will give us continuing botanical interest until we reach the Nyile La itself, the pass at 4890m, and from which we shall walk up again amongst the cushions of Androsace tapete. Throughout the day the camp is almost continuously visible below and our lunch will catch up with us wherever we are at the appointed time, such is the tremendous service which our crew gives us. We aim to stay high for as long as possible but the wet pasture in the bowl will also be explored before we return to camp late afternoon.
Day 13: 02nd July, 09, Nyile La Shong, 4730m, to Bonte La Shong, 4700m, 6-7 hours
Today we turn downhill from our high camp to retrace our steps through the hanging valley along which we walked on Day 6. Having already botanised these slopes we should try to avoid too many diversions as we go along here because there is much new ground to explore later. At the end we turn South and contour round, with Jichu Drake to our right and our previous campsite at Jangothang way below us. Once we enter the Tso Phu valley we look along its length to the two lakes at its head and the screes on the slopes on our left as we approach them hold much interest for us, while the damp meadows by the lakes hold a different flora. We rise up at the valley head on the route to the Bonte La and to our campsite at Bonte La Shong, another high camp.
Day 14: 03rd July, 09, Bonte La Shong Static Camp, Botanising to Nachuing La, 4830m
We are now in exploration mode as we have found no records to show that anyone has botanised this area. As at Nyile La Shong our high camp here gives us close access to high alpines and we shall spend as much time as possible seeking out its treasures.
Day 15: 04th July, 09, Bonte La Shong, 4700m, to Yaksa, 3800m, 6-7 hours
The information for the next three days of the trek comes from our Guide, Sonam, as we now embark, in the opposite direction, on the route taken by Ludlow in 1949, and apparently not botanised in the last 60 years. A short steep ascent will take us to the Bonte La, 4890m, the highest pass which we cross by trail on this trek. We will spend time botanising at the top and if it is an auspicious day, we may help the crew to put up some prayer flags as well. On the other side of the pass, we descend past the rocky cliffs of Yaksathang, traverse the wildflower meadows at their base, and camp at a picturesque site with a waterfall at the far end of the valley, just below the tree line.
Day 16: 05th July, 09, Yaksa, 3800m, to Thongbu Shong, 4120m, 6-7 hours
We start with a gradual climb above the tree line, past hillsides covered with rhododendron and azalea thickets, before a further lift takes us up over the Tagilung La (Windhorse Pass), 4540m. In very clear conditions Kanchenjunga, 8586m, the third highest mountain on earth is visible from the peak to the East of the pass, and in exceptional air, Makalu, even further off in Nepal. Beyond we descend to grassy meadows where herds of yak graze during the summer months. The campsite is surrounded by snow-streaked peaks.
Day 17: 06th July, 09, Thongbu Shong, 4120m, to Shana, 2850m, 6-7 hours
A steep but relatively short climb takes us above the valley to the Thongbu La, 4270m, beyond which we traverse “an incredibly beautiful garden of wildflowers” - Sonam’s description. It is intriguing to speculate on what this might contain. Thereafter we begin the steep descent to Shana, where we stopped on Trek Day 1, and the last campsite, as the trail leaves the forest at a hillside above the river valley where the trek will end tomorrow.
Day 18: 07th July, 09, Shana, 2850m, to Drukgyel Dzong, 2580m, 5 hours
A relatively easy half day’s walk out, which, though rough and rocky at times, is downhill and is known to us as we walked up it on our first day on trek nearly a fortnight previously. We shall be able to see the crop growth in the intervening time as we walk out through the fields and rice terraces to the end of the trail at Drukgyel Dzong. There our vehicle will be waiting to take us to our hotel in Thimpu so that we can have a shower or bath, or both, before our evening meal.
Day 19: 08th July, 09, Post-Trek day
After a night in a bed in hotel at Paro, or Thimpu, we shall spend a day visiting some of the cultural and architectural highlights of Thimpu, as well as having opportunities to visit shops, the Post Office, with its philatelic bureau, and possibly the Herbarium.
Day 20: 09th July, 09, Departure Day from Bhutan, arrival in Kathmandu
After another night in the hotel we make the drive to the airport, say goodbye to our friends from Bhutan Excursion, and proceed to go through formalities, although this word belies the relaxed nature of the process Bhutan style. Take off is exciting with its rapid ascent and the possibility of views to Chomolhari from the starboard side as the plane clears the cloud layer. Those who have seats at the right hand windows will soon see Kanchenjunga appear way ahead and watch as we pass close to the South of it, when Makalu comes in to view ahead. The pilot points out the visible peaks, particularly the Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, group and then the route takes us away South West over the mid hills to the Kathmandu valley and our landing.
We shall again be met by staff from the Shangri La and taken to the hotel with the remainder of this day and half of the following day in which to explore the city and its environs.
Day 21: 10th July, 09, Kathmandu, Tourist options
Day 22: 11th July, 09, Kathmandu, and departure from Nepal
Gathering mid-afternoon we are taken to the airport to begin the departure process, and will doubtless share our flight with numbers of young Nepalis heading for the Gulf where many are employed.
Day 23: 12th July, 09, Arrival London
After a rather longer connection in Doha than on the outbound flights we arrive at London Heathrow at breakfast time, giving everyone plenty of time for their onward journeys.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Expert leadership
- All accommodations based on twin room sharing basis
- All meals
- All transportation during the tour
- All activities as noted in the itinerary
- Bottled water while on drive or walk.
Price Excludes:
- Visa fee of US$ 20.00
- Airfare
- Laundry, drinks and beverages
- US$ 10 for Tourism Development Fund
- Travel insurance
- Sleeping bags while going on trek and
- Other personal expenses.
Also see tour packages in:
Asia
Bhutan
Outdoor: Mountain Ranger
Mountain/Rock Climbing
Wildlife Viewing
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