Snowman Trek

Your guide meets you at the airport. We visit Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum in the afternoon and talk through the weeks ahead over dinner.

We walk to Taktsang at 3,120 m as a first day at altitude. In the afternoon we check every item of kit with you. There is no chance to replace anything once the trek begins.

We drive to the road head at Shana, meet the crew and begin. The trail follows the Paro river upstream through forest for the whole of a long day.

The valley opens out above the tree line, and we walk through yak pasture to the base camp of Jomolhari.

The first rest day, with short walks to gain height and come back down. Careful acclimatisation here pays off later.

The first high pass. We cross Nyile La and descend to camp below Lingshi Dzong.

A short day through the villages of the Lingshi valley to Chebisa.

We climb steeply to Gobu La, a pass above 4,300 m, and continue across side valleys to the camp.

Over Jare La, at about 4,700 m, and down to a valley where takin graze in summer, then up to Robluthang.

The first pass above 5,000 m. We cross Sinche La and descend to the meadow at Limithang.

An easy walk down the valley to Laya, the largest village on the route.

A rest day in the village, and the last place where supplies can be topped up. It is also the point of decision: your guide assesses the weather, the state of the passes ahead and how everyone is feeling before we commit to Lunana.

We leave the Laya–Gasa route and turn east, climbing through forest and then along a river to the camp at Rodophu.

A day of steady climbing over a high pass onto bare, open ground. Narethang is one of the highest camps of the trek, and the night is very cold.

We cross another high pass in the morning, with glaciers and glacial lakes in view below, and then make a very long descent into the Tarina valley.

The trail follows the river down through forest and then climbs to Woche, the first village of Lunana.

Over a pass and down to the main valley of Lunana, which we follow upstream to the village of Lhedi.

A shorter day up the valley to Thanza, the last village, which lies beneath a wall of ice and rock known as Table Mountain.

A rest day, and a necessary one. The pack animals that brought us from Laya turn back here, and fresh yaks are arranged for the second half of the route. You can walk up the valley towards the glacial lakes or spend the day in the village.

We climb out of the Lunana valley to a high, open basin where yaks graze in summer.

We cross Jaze La, at about 5,050 m, and walk on across a high plateau of small lakes to camp beside Tsho Chena.

A day spent entirely above 4,800 m, over rolling ridges. In clear weather Gangkar Puensum, the highest mountain in Bhutan, can be seen from the higher ridges.

The highest point of the trek. We climb to Rinchen Zoe La at about 5,320 m and begin the long descent on the far side.

We continue down the valley, back among yak herders' camps, and then climb to the lake of Thampe Tsho.

One last pass, and then a steep descent that brings us down into forest again.

We walk down through forest and farmland to the road at Nikka Chu, where the vehicle is waiting, and say goodbye to the crew. A drive over Pele La brings us to Punakha, a hotel and a hot shower.

A slow morning. We visit Punakha Dzong and drive over Dochu La to Thimphu in the afternoon.

A morning in Thimphu and the drive to Paro, with a farewell dinner in the evening.

Your guide and driver take you to the airport after breakfast.