Haa Valley Wonders

DAY 1

Arrive Paro. Transfer to Paro Hotel

Arrive at Paro Airport. You’ll be met upon arrival and transferred by private vehicle to your hotel in the very small town of Paro. Depending on your arrival time, you may be able to enjoy a short sightseeing tour of Paro.

Accommodation: Tenzinling Hotel or similar, Paro
Meals: Dinner

For detailed information, choices and advice for International flight options to Paro, Bhutan - please click here

DAY 2

Taktsang Monastery Trek

The Machhu Picchu of Bhutan is Taktsang Monastery, and today you’ll visit it. A good way to warm up for the forthcoming trek. It’s actually a stiff 2-hour walk up through woodland and a rather steep climb of around 350 m. Thankfully, there’s a teahouse at one of the classic Taktsang Monastery view points where you can rest and refresh before a further 30 minutes of climbing brings you to Takstang (3110m), the Tiger’s Nest itself. On the final climb, you pass what is probably the most famous view point, which looks directly across to the monastery. It’s usually possible to enter the monastery, but if there’s something going on at the monastery (religious or VIP visit), then it may not be possible. Heading steeply down, a descent of around 100m leads into a gorge before climbing back up to the main monastery gate, from which it’s down to the valley floor and your ride “home”. Walking time is around 4-5 hours, with around 750m of ascent and descent. It’s actually quite a challenging walk to get your iconic photo’s of what is probably Bhutan’s most famous site.

Accommodation: Tenzinling Hotel or similar, Paro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3

Drive over the Cheli La to Haa

It’s about a 90-minute drive to the 3990-metre Cheli La, but en route you can take a halt to visit the spectacularly located Drakha Dzong. Upon crossing the pass, the road descends in a series of switchbacks all the way down to the Haa Valley floor. All in all, around 3 hours of driving lead to the old town of Haa (2950m).

Accommodation: Lechuna Heritage Lodge or similar, Haa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 4

Acclimatisation/Exploring walk in Haa

Your guide will take you on a walking tour around the area, which will be your first real opportunity to explore the more rural side of Bhutan. Returning to your lodge for lunch in the afternoon is free.

Accommodation: Lechuna Heritage Lodge or similar, Haa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5

Trek to Tso Kham

A private vehicle transfers you to the tiny settlement of Kajina, where the trek begins. After a relatively level start, you soon start to ascend and walk for around 2 hours up through forests to the Jana Dinghka temple (3305m). The gradient eases slightly up through blue pine woods and eventually reaches a clearing known as Tso Kham. Walking time: approx. 4 hrs.

Accommodation: Camp, Tso Kham
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FULLY SUPPORTED CAMPING IN BHUTAN

DAY 6

Up to Wangjithang

Heading up through a mix of pine and rhododendron forest, you eventually emerge at a pass at around 4070m and then traverse right to a small saddle. The traversing continues before you begin to ascend more steadily, over another col, and then down to a mountain stream beneath the Tshago La. It then takes around 45 minutes to reach this stone-cairned 4305-metre pass, from which there are amazing views. It’s then downhill all the way, and after an hour or so, you reach a yak herder's summer hut and camp nearby (3925m). Walking time: approx. 6 hours.

Accommodation: Camp, Wangjithang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7

Hike to Napatta Lake

Ascending through juniper woodland and forest, you’re aiming for the Gongchey La (4365 m), and around 2 hours of uphill walking bring you to the pass. Once again, you’re treated to a magnificent Himalayan panorama. After heading down for a while, there’s a 90-minute ascent up to the Sejo La (4500 m), and at times the trail becomes narrow and indistinct. Contouring in a leftward direction and reaching another stone cairn, you will now see tonight's camping location below, and it’s then a further 30 minutes to reach the site (3890m) above Napatta Lake, which makes for a nice 40-minute round trip if you want to visit this sacred lake. Walking time: approx. 8 hrs.

Accommodation: Camp, near Napatta Lake
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8

Trek to Rigona

This rather remote part of Bhutan is notorious for cross-border smuggling between Tibet and Bhutan. So, you just never know if you’ll come across any of the locals taking this big risk. But it happens all the same. Today, you head back for about 30 minutes to the stone cairn and retrace your steps to a stream near Zaypu. The valleys are essentially uninhabited except for yak herders during the summer. The rather stony trail leads through the forest once more and begins to descend. Below you should be able to see an impossibly beautiful lake, which you continue down towards, and camp (4150m) is just a short distance beyond and below the lake. Walking time: approx. 6 hours.

Accommodation: Camp, Rigona
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 9

Trek to Jara Woma

It was a fairly long day today, first heading up the mountainside and then down through forest, which can be rather muddy in places. Crossing a stream there’s then a long climb up the other side of this valley all the way up to a herder's hut at around 4200m. The trail now weaves its way through the Hashuna Valley leading down to a yak camp by Tshephu Lake. More uphill as the trail zig zags its way up the valleys slopes and after around an hour you’ll reach a pass (4380m) where there’s a mountain tarn. A more gradual ascent ensues as you head to the main pass (4435m). Now you begin to descend momentarily before contouring to a col. Just a few more minutes walking down to camp at a grassy mountain shelf (4355m). Walking time approx. 7hrs.

Accommodation: Camp, Jara Woma
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 10

Trek to Jumchoka

An ascent of around 45 minutes from camp to the pass, and then things start to get interesting as the rather indistinct or very narrow path traverses across a number of rock ledges across the steep mountain side. After what will feel like an endless affair, by which time you’ll have also crossed around the mountain, you reach Rumzu La (4310m), which is marked by several cairns. A bit more walking, and things may become recognisable as you join the trail you started your Haa Valley trek on. But instead of dropping down, you bear to the left along another trail and descend through forests for a further hour to reach a yak pasture clearing and tonight's final camp location at Jumchokha (3610m). As the descent is steep and muddy at times, with around 1000m of descent, you’ll be happy to see camp too. Walking time is approximately 6-7 hours.

Accommodation: Camp, Jumchoka
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 11

Trek end and to Paro

The early starts of previous trekking days are a thing of the past now.  It’s a relatively short walk, mostly downhill and somewhat leisurely too, to reach Haa. Here you’ll transfer by private vehicle back to Paro. Walking time: less than 2 hours.

Accommodation: Tenzinling Hotel or similar Paro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 12

Depart Paro

A private vehicle transfer to Paro Airport for your departing flight.

Meals: Breakfast

Of course, there's no reason to depart today; your Bhutan holiday can be readily tailor-made