Soi Yaksa Trek

Your guide meets you at the airport. We spend the afternoon at Rinpung Dzong and the National Museum above it, and leave time to rest. Paro is at 2,200 m, and the days ahead go a good deal higher.

The climb to Taktsang is a first day at altitude with a bed in the valley at the end of it, which is the right way to begin. In the afternoon your guide checks your kit and talks through the route, the passes and the routine of a day in camp.

We leave early and drive up the valley, past Drukgyel Dzong, to the end of the road at Shana, where the crew and the pack animals are waiting. From there the trail keeps to the Paro river all day, upstream through oak, rhododendron and fir, crossing from bank to bank on bridges. It is a long day on a path that is stony and, after rain, muddy.

Camp is in a meadow. On a clear evening it gives you a first sight of Jomolhari at the head of the valley.

The forest thins and then gives out as the valley opens. We pass the army post, where our permits are checked, and the settlements of the yak herders in the upper valley, Dangochong among them. Jangothang, the base camp, is a wide meadow by a ruined fort, and Jomolhari rises straight above it.

A day in one place, for the body's sake: tomorrow's pass is 800 m above the camp. Rest at this height is better with a walk in it, and there are several. One goes up the valley towards the foot of Jomolhari; another climbs the ridge to the north for a view of Jichu Drake. Tomorrow's trail passes the lakes of Tsophu, so today is better spent on one of the others.

Here we leave the trail that goes on to Lingshi. Ours crosses the river and climbs steeply out of the valley to the twin lakes of Tsophu, at about 4,380 m, and then more steadily to Bhonte La, the highest point of the trek at 4,890 m. From the pass Jomolhari and Jichu Drake are behind you and a new valley lies ahead.

The way down is long, more than 1,000 m, to the Dhumzo Chhu and the scattered houses of Soi Yaksa, where we camp. Look for blue sheep on the slopes and marmots among the rocks.

A shorter day, though it begins with a climb of about 700 m. The trail goes up past the last houses of the valley to Takhung La, where the view opens back to Jomolhari and Jichu Drake. A short descent brings us to Thombu Shong, a broad grassy bowl with a few herders' huts, and an early afternoon in camp.

A last climb, through rhododendron, leads to Thombu La. Then the trail runs along a high ridge with the upper Paro valley beneath it, and at the end of the ridge it drops steeply, more than 1,500 m, through forest to the river and the army post at Gunitsawa, a short way down the valley from Shana, where we set out. The vehicle is waiting, and the hotel in Paro has a hot shower.

An easy day after the trek. We drive to the capital in about an hour and go up to the Buddha Dordenma, the great seated Buddha that looks down the valley. After lunch there is time for the craft bazaar and a walk in town, and Tashichho Dzong opens to visitors once the government offices close.

The road east climbs to Dochu La at 3,100 m, with its 108 chortens and, on a clear morning, snow peaks along the northern horizon. From there it winds down to Punakha, more than 2,800 m lower than your camp at Jangothang and warm with it. We walk across the rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang and visit Punakha Dzong, built in 1637 where two rivers meet.

We drive back over the pass to Paro, with lunch on the way. In the afternoon we visit Kyichu Lhakhang and have a last dinner together.

After breakfast your guide and driver see you to the airport.