Chomolhari Base Camp Trek and Bhutan Cultural Tour

Our flight into Paro provides views of Jomolhari and Jichu Drake. Upon arrival, our guide welcomes us and we transfer to our hotel for lunch. Afterwards, we visit Ta Dzong, a historic watchtower now housing the National Museum, followed by Kichu Lhakhang, one of the country's oldest shrines.

We set out early for a four to six-hour hike up to Taktsang Monastery, clinging to a granite cliff face at high elevation. This climb serves as an essential physical preparation and acclimatisation step for our upcoming days in the high country.

We drive to the ruins of Drugyal Dzong where our trekking trail officially begins. Today we walk along the Pa Chu river through agricultural fields and scattered farmsteads before pitching our first night of tents near Shana.

Our path climbs steadily through dense pine, oak, and rhododendron forests alongside rushing glacial water. We cross small wooden bridges and catch our first closer glimpses of snow-capped peaks as we approach our campsite at Sio Thangthangkha.

We break out of the tree line into wide alpine valleys where yak herders graze their livestock during the summer months. The valley widens as Mount Jomolhari's massive fluted ice face dominates the northern horizon above our camp at Jangothang.

We take a rest day at 4830m to let our red blood cells adapt to the thin air. Our team leads an optional day hike toward the twin glacial lakes of Tsophu or toward the ridges beneath Jichu Drake for panoramic valley views.

We leave base camp and climb past scattered stone huts toward the high country, crossing our first major ridges. We descend into Lingshi valley where our camp is set up beneath the imposing stone walls of Lingshi Dzong.

We begin our ascent toward Yale La pass, our highest point on the trek at 4950m. The route exposes us to sweeping vistas of glacial basins and isolated wilderness before we drop down along the Mo Chu river to reach Shodu for the night.

Our trail meanders downstream through deep forested canyons and cascading waterfalls. We pass stone ruins and narrow river gorges before arriving at our camp near the historic fortress of Barshong Dzong.

We descend further through thick bamboo and pine woods, leaving the high alpine zone behind. The path undulates through quiet hillsides until we reach our final wilderness camp at Dolam Kencho.

Our final morning of walking brings us down to Dodena where our trek ends and vehicle transport awaits. We drive to Thimphu for an afternoon of exploring local handicraft markets and resting after our journey.

We pack our belongings and take a private vehicle across the countryside back to Paro International Airport for our onward international flight, concluding our Bhutanese expedition.