CHOMOLHARI TREK

10 Day(s)

Overview The Chomolhari Trek is an awe-inspiring and adventurous journey that takes trekkers through the pristine landscapes of  Bhutan, offering an unforgettable experience in the lap of the Himalayas. Spanning over 10 to 12 days, this trek is also one of the most popular in the region, attracting outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers from around the world. The trek begins in Paro, a picturesque town with its iconic Tiger's Nest monastery perched dramatically on a cliff. Trekkers set off through lush valleys, dense pine forests, and quaint villages, immersing themselves in Bhutan's rich cultural heritage along the way. Bhutanese hospitality…

Overview

The Chomolhari Trek is an awe-inspiring and adventurous journey that takes trekkers through the pristine landscapes of  Bhutan, offering an unforgettable experience in the lap of the Himalayas. Spanning over 10 to 12 days, this trek is also one of the most popular in the region, attracting outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers from around the world.

The trek begins in Paro, a picturesque town with its iconic Tiger’s Nest monastery perched dramatically on a cliff. Trekkers set off through lush valleys, dense pine forests, and quaint villages, immersing themselves in Bhutan’s rich cultural heritage along the way. Bhutanese hospitality and warm smiles from locals add a delightful touch to the journey.

Journey to the Majestic Heights: Exploring Chomolhari Trek’s Breathtaking Beauty and Thrilling Challenges

The highlight of the Chomolhari Trek is undoubtedly the breathtaking view of Mount Jomolhari, also known as “the bride of Kangchenjunga.” At 7,326 meters (24,035 feet) high, it dominates the skyline and offers trekkers a sense of accomplishment as they approach the base camp. The pristine glacial lakes, such as Tsho Phu and Tsho Chena, further also enhance the trek’s natural beauty and provide an ideal backdrop for serene contemplation.

As trekkers ascend higher into the mountains, they may encounter various species of flora and fauna, including blue sheep, yaks, and elusive snow leopards. The challenge of traversing mountain passes, such as Nyele-la pass (4,890 meters/16,043 feet) and Takhung La (4,520 meters/14,829 feet), also adds an element of excitement and achievement to the trek.

The Chomolhari Trek is a moderate to strenuous adventure, requiring a good level of physical fitness and mental endurance. Trekkers must prepare for changing weather conditions and carry appropriate gear and provisions. The best times to embark on this trek are during the spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) seasons when the weather is generally milder and the views are at their most spectacular.

Conclusion and Summary

In conclusion, the Chomolhari Trek is an enchanting journey through Bhutan’s untamed wilderness, offering trekkers a chance to immerse themselves in nature’s beauty, explore rich cultural heritage, and marvel at the grandeur of the Himalayas. It’s a pilgrimage for those seeking adventure, self-discovery, and a profound connection with nature in one of the world’s most serene and mystical settings.

Trip Highlights

  • Visit the breath-taking Tiger’s Nest Monastery
  • Trek through unspoilt wilderness
  • Be immersed in the culture of this ancient Himalayan kingdom

Itinerary

The Kandoo team will meet you at Paro airport and transfer you to your pre-trek hotel. Later in the afternoon there is the option to join a tour of the city. Once a watchtower, built to defend Rinpung Dzong during inter-valley wars of the 17th century, Ta Dzong was inaugurated as Bhutan’s National Museum in 1968. It holds a fascinating collection of art, relics, religious thangkha paintings and Bhutan’s exquisite postage stamps. The museum’s circular shape augments its varied collection which is displayed over several floors. Afterwards, we will take a walk down a hillside trail to visit Rinpung Dzong, which has a long and very interesting history. Built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the first spiritual and temporal ruler of Bhutan, the Dzong houses the monastic body of Paro, the office of the Dzongda (district administrative head) and Thrimpon (judge) of Paro district. The approach to the Dzong is through a traditional covered bridge called Nemi Zam, which offers a good view of the architectural wonder of the Dzong as well as life around it. Later you will attend a pre-trek briefing with your Lead Guide to prepare you for the journey ahead

Accomodation: Hotel

Meals included: Lunch / Dinner

 

In the morning we will take an excursion to Taktshang Lhakhang, commonly known as ‘The Tiger’s Nest Monastery’. Undoubtedly one of the most famous of Bhutan’s monasteries, the Taktshang monastery is one of the most breath-taking temples in the world. This Buddhist place of worship is perched on a cliff-top at around 3,100m (10,000ft) above sea level. The main temple complex was built in 1692, and is considered to be one of the holiest for the Bhutanese people. Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche, an 8th-century Indian Buddhist master, arrived here on the back of a tigress and meditated at this monastery, thus the name ‘Tiger’s Nest’. The site has been recognized as a sacred place and is now visited by all Bhutanese at least once in their lifetime. On 19 April, 1998, a fire severely damaged the main structure of building but now this Bhutanese jewel has been restored to its original splendour.

After lunch we will visit the 7th century Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the 108 temples built in the Himalayas by Tibetan King, Songtsen Gampo. The building of this temple marks the introduction of Buddhism to Bhutan. We will then drive to Drukgyel Dzong, a ruined fortress where Bhutanese warriors fought Tibetan invaders centuries ago. In the early 1950s, Drukgyel Dzong was almost completely destroyed by fire. It is now listed in Bhutan’s Tentative List for UNESCO inclusion. In 2016, the Prime Minister Lyonchen Tshering Tobgay, announced that the Dzong will be rebuilt and reinstated to its former glory. The snowy dome of sacred Chomolhari (7326m), ‘the Bride of Kangchenjunga’, can be seen in all her glory from the approach road to the Dzong. After our tours we will return to our hotel in Paro

Hiking time: 4 – 5 hours

Ascent: 860 m

Descent: 860 m

Max. altitude: 3110 m

Accomodation: Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

After a 2 hour drive through rice terraces, fields of millet and apple orchards, we reach Shana Zampa from where we will start our trek. If the day is clear, we will have our first views of the summit of Chomolhari at the head of the valley. Soon the valley widens and we reach the army post of Gunyitsawa. This is the last stop before Tibet, with a fork in the path leading across the Tremo La (Forbidden Pass) into Tibet. The trail follows the Pa Chhu river, ascending and descending through pine, oak and spruce forests. We enter the Jigme Dorje National Park, the largest protected area in Bhutan. After crossing a bridge to the left bank of the river, we stop for lunch. We then continue along the river, and as we climb higher, the forests are replaced with rhododendron, bamboo and ferns. We cross the river once more before reaching our campsite.

Hiking time: 7 – 8 hours

Ascent: 1360 m

Max. altitude: 3610 m

Accomodation: Camping

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

The path ascends, passing a small army camp and chorten. We leave the forest behind and can fully experience the huge mountain vistas. We then follow the river above the tree line, enjoying the stunning views of the surrounding peaks – from here, the views of Chomolhari (7326m) and Jichu Drake (6794m) are superb. Lunch is served at a yak herder’s camp followed by a short walk into the valley which takes us to our campsite at Jangothang, situated below the ice-covered east face of Chomolhari at 4040m

Hiking time: 5 – 6 hours

Ascent: 430 m

Max. altitude: 4040 m

Accomodation: Camping

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

The base camp at Jangothang sits by an old ruined fortress, beneath Mount Chomolhari and its neighbour Jichu Drake. Today we will take an acclimatisation hike to around 4500m for some great views of these two colossal mountains. Following the ‘walk high, sleep low’ principle, this hike will really help with your acclimatisation.

Hiking time: 3 – 4 hours

Ascent: 460 m

Descent: 460 m

Max. altitude: 4500 m

Accomodation: Camping

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

The trail follows the stream before we cross a bridge to the right bank. Now the climb starts up to the first ridge, where we can enjoy breath-taking views of Mt Chomolhari, Mt Jichu Drake and Tsrim Khang. The trail then takes us across a fairly level valley floor until the climb to the Nyele La Pass (4,850m). From the pass we descend gradually through rhododendron forest to our campsite at Lingshi, enjoying the panoramic view of the mountain peaks and Lingshi Dzong as we walk. The Dzong was built in 1668 to protect villages in this region from Tibetan invasion, and continues to be used as an administrative centre.

Hiking time: 7 – 8 hours

Ascent: 810 m

Descent: 1050 m

Max. altitude: 4850 m

Accomodation: Camping

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Today is the toughest day of our trek, as we cross our highest pass. We begin the trek with a climb up towards a small white chorten on a ridge, then turn south into the deep Mo Chhu valley. The trail stays on the west side of this largely treeless valley, climbing steeply. It then crosses the river, and continues to climb steeply for two hours to Yale La pass (4,950m). On a clear day, you can see Chomolhari, Gangchhenta, Tserim Khang and Masang Gang. We then descend alongside a stream until we reach Shodu.

Hiking time: 8 – 9 hours

Ascent: 1150 m

Descent: 870 m

Max. altitude: 4950 m

Accomodation: Camping

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Back below the tree line, our path follows the course of the Thimphu Chhu river, descending through rhododendron, juniper and mixed alpine forests. There are stunning views of rocky cliff faces and waterfalls along the way before we descend a steep stone staircase to the river and stop at the riverside for lunch. Then the trail takes us gradually upwards to the ruins of Barshong Dzong (3,710m), where we camp for the night.

Hiking time: 6 – 7 hours

Descent: 370 m

Max. altitude: 4080 m

Accomodation: Camping

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

The trail descends gently through a dense forest of rhododendron, birch and conifers, then drops steeply to meet the Thimphu Chhu river. The trail runs along the left bank of the river, climbing over ridges and descending into gullies where streams run down into the river. The final stage of the trail climbs around a cliff face high above the Thimphu Chhu river, coming out onto pastureland at Dolamkencho at 3,320m. Our transport will meet us here and we will drive to Thimphu, which takes about 1 hour. Your hotel will be a welcome sight!

Hiking time: 5 – 6 hours

Descent: 1360 m

Max. altitude: 3710 m

Accomodation: Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We start this morning in Bhutan’s capital city with a visit to the National Library, which holds a vast collection of ancient Buddhist texts and manuscripts. We will also visit the nearby Institute for Zorig Chusum, the Textile Museum, and finally Simply Bhutan, a living Museum and Studio encapsulating the cultural heritage of the Bhutanese people. (Please note some sites will be closed on weekends and public holidays). After lunch we will leave Thimphu and drive up a series of zigzags to Dochu-La Pass (3,088m) stopping briefly here to take in the view and admire the chorten, mani wall, and prayer flags which decorate the highest point on the road. After crossing the pass, the road descends into the Punakha Valley, where we will spend the night in a hotel.

Accomodation: Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

 

We will collect you from your hotel and transfer you to Paro Airport for your flight

Meals included: Breakfast

What's Included

  • Your hotel stay for the 2 nights before and 2 nights after the trek on a full board basis
  • All airport transfers
  • Entry visa to Bhutan
  • Government royalty fee
  • A fully supported trek with a qualified mountain guide
  • All food and drinking water on the trek
  • Monument and monastery entrance fees

What's Excluded

  • International airfares and transit visas
  • Tips for your guides and porters
  • Personal items
  • Travel insurance (you must be insured, and specifically for treks up to 5000m)
  • Your personal trekking gear
  • Your personal medicines or prescriptions
  • Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)

Trip Information

DIFFICULTY

The Chomolhari trek is tougher than the Druk Path trek as it takes you closer in to the high mountains, meaning you spend more time at a higher altitude. You will be trekking on good trails but will definitely feel the effects of altitude, as you quickly ascend above 3,500m on the first day of the trek. Saying that, you will have climbed up to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery on the previous day, which will greatly help with acclimatisation. There are a couple of high passes to tackle that are just shy of 5,000 metres, the Nyele La Pass at 4,850m and the Yale Pass at 4,950m. In the middle of these two passes is Chomolhari Base Camp, where you will spend the night sleeping at just over 4,000 metres. Even though this is a short hike, a good level of fitness will help with the ascents at altitude.

FOOD & DRINK

On our Bhutan treks meals are provided during your stay at the pre and post trek hotels, and dishes will be prepared for you on your trek. All meals are provided on a fixed menu basis, with enough options for vegetarians. Bhutanese cuisine generally consists of steamed rice (red and white) with a varied choice of spicy curries, both vegetarian and non vegetarian. Most hotels provide meals buffet‐style. There are usually continental, Indian, Chinese and Bhutanese dishes. The food in hotels is often the best in town, but restaurants in the main towns are increasingly becoming popular. All tourist hotels have a good selection of international and Bhutanese beverages. We provide healthy and nutritious cooked meals on your trek for every meal which always include fresh vegetables and meat.  Everyday a lunch boy will catch you up on the trail in time to serve you a hot picnic lunch. We cater for a variety of special dietary requirements, whether you’re vegetarian or gluten-free just let us know when you book.

 

In addition to the drinking water we provide on the trek, we will also provide drinking water during your cultural tours. To reduce the use of plastic bottles, we would ask that you bring a re-usable drinks bottle that we can fill for you. If you are planning on using a hydration bag for the trek, this may not be comfortable to use around town, so we recommend you bring a smaller drinks bottle as well.

ACCOMMODATION

Hotels in Bhutan are not categorized into stars as in most of the other countries, however, all hotels have to be approved by the Tourism Council of Bhutan. Our standard hotels are all clean and comfortable and are chosen because of their great locations, often in quieter parts of town, to help you get a good nights’ sleep.

 

Kandoo use good quality, spacious tents  to ensure you stay warm, dry and comfortable on your Bhutanese trek. They are designed to sleep three people, but we only ever sleep 2 to a tent, to ensure you have plenty of space for you and your gear. Keep in mind, these are proper mountain tents, designed to cope with extreme conditions so don’t expect to be able to stand up and walk around inside! Your meals will be taken in a separate mess tent where you will be able to sit comfortably, while you relax and chat to your team mates and enjoy some of the delicious food that our cook has freshly prepared for you. Inside, you’ll be pleased to find a table (of course) and a proper, comfortable chair with arms. With a full 2 metres of headroom, even the tallest climbers will be able to stretch a bit, and move about without hunching over.

TRANSPORT

We insist on using a high standard of vehicle and driver for all of our transfers. In Bhutan it is not a legal requirement to have seatbelts fitted in the back of vehicles, and while we try to use vehicles that do have rear seatbelts fitted, this cannot always be guaranteed. If you are unhappy about any aspect of the vehicle or the standard of driving, please speak to the driver or our local office immediately.

LUGGAGE

We operate a strict limit of 15kg for your main equipment bag. This is more than sufficient for your needs on the trek. Your bag will be weighed before you leave the hotel to start the trek and if it is overweight you will have to take items out and leave them at the hotel. On the trek all items must be packed in your main equipment bag. They should not be attached to the outside, as we are not responsible if items fall off when the bags are being carried by the pack animals.

HOW DO I GET THERE?

Currently there are only two airline operators that fly to Bhutan, Drukair and Bhutan Airlines. The main airport is in Paro (2,225m) and currently receives flights from Bangkok, Dhaka, Delhi, Kolkata, Kathmandu, Doha, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. This means that you need to get to one of these hubs to catch a connecting flight to Paro.

The flight into Paro is pretty exciting as the position of the airport requires the plane to get much closer to the mountain tops than most other flights in the world. If you are lucky enough to fly from Kathmandu to Paro and the weather is clear you will fly over 4 of the 5 highest mountains in the world – Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Kangchenjunga.

BUDGET & CHANGE

The Bhutanese Ngultrum (Nu) is the local currency of Bhutan and equal in value to the Indian Rupee. It is a closed currency so you will not be able to buy this before you arrive. All major currencies, such as US Dollars, Sterling Pounds and Euros, and traveller’s cheques can be exchanged at Paro Airport, banks and hotels. Hotels in the towns will accept foreign currency but we recommend that you take local currency on the actual trek with you for incidentals and souvenirs.

 

Bhutan is a cash economy and credit cards are not commonly accepted. Mastercard may be accepted in larger shops and hotels, but Amex is rarely accepted. If you are relying on a credit or debit card for emergency funds while you travel, make sure you tell your card issuer that you will be using it abroad, or you may find that it won’t work when you really need it.

TIPS

Tipping is not approved by the Bhutanese tourist board. However, it has become customary practice to tip the guides, cooks and porters who have assisted you throughout your trek. The decision on how much to tip should be determined by how well the team served you while you were on the trek. Tips are always discretionary and if you are not happy with the service you have received you do not have to pay tips.
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