11-Day Jomolhari Trek in Bhutan with Paro, Haa Valley and Thimphu

• Welcome to Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Upon arrival at Paro International Airport, you will be greeted by your Bhutanese guide as you exit the arrival hall. Today is kept easy to help you acclimatize to the altitude.
• Drive to Thimphu, check in to your hotel, and enjoy your first taste of Bhutanese cuisine, along with some light sightseeing in Thimphu if time permits.

Elevation: 2,280 m

• Drukgyal Dzong - A morning drive north of Paro Valley brings us to the ruins of Drukgyal Dzong. Built in 1647 by the great Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the 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.
• Taktsang Monastery - A one-hour hike to the cafeteria offers a vantage point from where 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.

Elevation: 2,280 m

• Drive to Haa through Chele La (3,988 m). From the pass, you can see Paro Valley on one side and Haa Valley on the other. You may also enjoy a picnic at Chele La if you like.
• In Haa, enjoy some sightseeing before continuing to Katsho village to visit Katso Lhakhang. Haa Valley was only opened to tourists in 2002 and remains the least visited valley in Bhutan due to its limited infrastructure. This has helped preserve Haa as it has always been, with Bhutanese families living traditional and simple lives. As Haa Valley has no standard tourist hotels, we will return to Paro for the night.

Elevation: 3,575 m

• Begin with an early morning drive from the hotel to Shana. The trail follows the river through a heavily forested area with a few isolated farmhouses. As we ascend, the valley becomes narrower, wilder, and steeper. The trail winds up and down along the drainage.
• We will pass a junction en route where another path leads over the Tremo La to Tibet. Bhutanese people formerly used this route as a trading route to Tibet. We cross several traditional wooden bridges before arriving at Thangthangkha, where the camp is set in a meadow with a stone shelter.

Distance: 13.6 miles / 22 km, Duration: 6-8 hours, Elevation: 4,044 m

• 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. A hot lunch will be served at a yak herder's camp.
• Continue with a short walk into the valley to reach our campsite at Jangothang (4,040 m). From here, enjoy the views of Jhomolhari and Jichu Drake.

Distance: 10.5 miles / 17 km, Duration: 4-6 hours, Elevation: 4,010 m

• 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. A 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 (4,040 m). From here, the views of Jhomolhari and Jichu Drake are superb.

Distance: 10.5 miles / 17 km, Duration: 4-6 hours, Elevation: 4,010 m

• Today, the first half of the trek passes mainly through a treeless valley before we begin ascending to Yale La Pass at 4,950 m. On a clear day, we can see Mt. Jumolhari, Mt. Tsherimgang, and Mt. Masagang. Nomads travelling between Lingzhi 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 an altitude of 4,150 m, there 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.

Elevation: 3,575 m

• Today's trail winds up and down, following the Thimphu Chhu through the limestone valley. Monks use caves here for meditation, and Shabdrung is said to have meditated on these rocks when he fled Tibet in the 17th century.
• We will have a good opportunity to view the giant rock faces and waterfalls. The trail gradually ascends 130 m to the ruins of Barshong Dzong. Barshong is a small village with only about half a dozen houses.

Distance: 8.7 miles / 14 km, Duration: 4-5 hours, Elevation: 3,720 m

• There are several ups and downs, along with crossings of small streams, on today's journey from Barshong to Dolam Kencho. Reach a split in the trail, where the path to the right descends to your campsite for the night.

• Today is an easy walk with small ups and downs, followed by short, steep switchbacks descending a vertical cliff before finally reaching the last stretch to Dodina. The trail descends through bamboo forests, following the mule trail high above the river.
• At Dodina, your vehicle will meet you for the half-hour drive 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.

Distance: 4.3 miles / 7 km, Duration: 3 hours, Elevation: 2,280 m

• From Thimphu, you will be driven back to Paro.