Bhutanese women of Laya

The remote village of Laya, the highest settlement in Bhutan, is only accessible to hikers. The traditional dress for women of Laya includes conical straw hats. Many of Laya’s residents are semi-nomadic.

Photo by David Robbins

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Bhutan: The Chomolhari and Laya Trek

A Unique Route to Bhutan’s Highest Village and Most Sacred Peak
with Kipchu Dorji

This itinerary is no longer available

We may run this trip again in the future, please contact us if you are interested.

This itinerary is no longer offered. We have no immediate plans to run it again soon, but please contact us if you would be interested in it.

Join our veteran Trip Leader Kipchu Dorji for an extraordinary trek in the mystical Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. Our 15-day high altitude trek is one of the best cultural and scenic routes in the Himalaya, bringing us to the magical village of Laya (12,610'), so remote it has its own traditional dress and culture, and to ethereal Lingshi, with its monastery perched on a hilltop. Along the way, we cross two 16,000-foot passes and enjoy total immersion in a secluded Himalayan world of towering rhododendrons and serene Tibetan Buddhist temples. Warm Bhutanese hospitality greets us all along the way. The grand finale of our trek is the amazingly scenic spot called Jangothang (13,340'), the base camp right below Mt. Chomolhari (23,997'), the sacred peak that stands as a mighty sentinel on Bhutan's snow-capped Tibetan frontier.

Highlights

  • Off-the-beaten-path trek to the base camp of Chomolhari, Bhutan’s “divine mountain”
  • Meet the yak-herding Layap people, with their unique dress and traditions
  • Pass through untouched villages that rarely see outsiders

Details

  • 20-day trip begins and ends in Paro
  • 14 nights camping, 3 nights deluxe hotels (Taj Tashi in Thimphu, Zhiwa Ling in Paro), 2 nights lodges
  • All meals included
  • Strenuous hiking on steep trails, 5-8 hours a day, altitudes between 7,300-16,400 feet

This itinerary is no longer available

We may run this trip again in the future, please contact us if you are interested.

Suggested Reading

Reading list, click here.

Itinerary at a Glance

Days 1-3
Thimphu / Punakha Valley

After exploring Thimphu, Bhutan’s tiny capital city, we travel to the subtropical valley of Punakha, where we hike to small charming monasteries and visit imposing 17th century fortress-dzongs set beside beautiful rivers.

Days 4-18
On trek / Laya / Lingshi / Jangothang / Paro

We begin our trek, winding through rolling hillsides with views of villages and fields, then climbing up through bamboo, juniper, and rhododendron forests. At Laya (12,610'), we have an Exploration Day to meet the Layap (local villagers), yak herders whose distinctive dress sets them apart from other Bhutanese. Passing through more charming villages, we come to Lingshi (13,196'), whose ancient dzong sits atop a high hill in the middle of a wide valley. Continuing ever higher, we cross a 16,000-foot pass with views of the massive rock and ice peaks of Chomolhari, Jichu Drake, and Tsering Kang en route to Jangothang (13,340'), the base camp for Chomolhari, Bhutan’s second highest peak. The sacred peak looms over camp. Our Exploration Day here allows us to explore the nearby ruins of an old fortress, built to guard Bhutan against invasion from Tibet, or to hike to a series of high alpine lakes. Our trail then descends through forests of oak, rhododendron, and fern and past occasional farmhouses. Our last day of hiking takes us along the Paro River through cultivated fields and past beautiful villages to the famous ruin of Drukgyel Dzong, from where we drive to Paro.

Days 19-20
Paro / Taktsang Monastery

The most famous temple in all Bhutan is the striking retreat of Taktsang Monastery, the “Tiger’s Nest,” built into a sheer cliff face above the Paro Valley. Our day hike takes us through pine forests festooned with Spanish moss to a splendid viewpoint of this magnificent structure. Depart Paro on Day 20.

This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure