MILD AND MAD DAY HIKES AROUND THIMPHU Piet van der Poel Rogier Gruys OVERVIEW CONTENTS CONTENTS About this Booklet .................................................................................................................. 7 How to use this Booklet? ....................................................................................................... 9 Glossary of Bhutanese terms .................................................................................... 13 Books ....................................................................................................................................... 16 Maps and GPS....................................................................................................................... 17 1 Chagri (Cherri) goenpa and Dolam Kencho ........................................................ 21 1.1 Chagri goenpa ...................................................................................................... 21 1.2 Dolam Kencho ...................................................................................................... 21 Overview Map 2 Tango goenpa ............................................................................................................. 25 2.1 Tango goenpa ........................................................................................................ 25 overview.ai 2.2 Tango and Drolay goenpa loop .......................................................................... 26 2.3 Tango Dzongkha .................................................................................................. 26 2.4 Tango Jongkha (4111 m peak) ............................................................................ 27 2.5 Tango Jongkha to Drolay goenpa loop.............................................................. 27 3 Drolay goenpa ........................................................................................................... 31 3.1 Drolay goenpa ...................................................................................................... 31 3.2 Drolay goenpa loop ............................................................................................. 31 3.3 Dechhenchho’ling via Sinchula ......................................................................... 33 3.4 Dobchula Pass and Yangchenphu High School (YHS) ................................... 34 4 Begana to Dechhenchho’ling .................................................................................. 35 4.1 Begana to Dechhenchho’ling .............................................................................. 35 5 Dechhenchho’ling to Sinchula ridge/Taba ........................................................... 37 5.1 Karbisa Loop......................................................................................................... 37 5.2 Taba ........................................................................................................................ 38 5.3 Sinchula ................................................................................................................. 38 5.4 Punakha (Map 5.2) ............................................................................................... 38 6 Taba to Sinchula ridge ............................................................................................. 40 6.1 Dechhenchho’ling via Dechhenchho’ling forest road .................................... 40 6.2 Dechhenchho’ling via Sinchula ......................................................................... 40 6.3 Hontsho via Dobchula ........................................................................................ 41 6.4 YHS via Telecom reflector (Map 12) .................................................................. 41 7 Dechhenphu valley ................................................................................................... 43 7.1 Dechhenphu lhakhang ........................................................................................ 43 7.2 River-left bank of Chang Chhu ......................................................................... 43 7.3 River-right bank of Chang Chhu ....................................................................... 44 7.4 Dui goenpa via Sanama Chhu ............................................................................ 44 7.5 Jomkerim pass ...................................................................................................... 44 7.6 Dui goenpa via Jomkerim pass .......................................................................... 45 8 Dogtendrag (Dorjidra) goenpa ............................................................................... 46 8.1 Dogtendrag goenpa ............................................................................................. 46 8.2 Dui goenpa ............................................................................................................ 47 9 Dechhenphodrang Monastic school to Wangditse goenpa ............................... 49 9.1 Wangditse goenpa ................................................................................................ 49 10 Radio Tower to Phajodhing .................................................................................... 50 CONTENTS CONTENTS 10.1 Wangditse goenpa .............................................................................................. 50 22 Gida valley-Bemri lhakhang ................................................................................... 99 10.2 Chhokhortse goenpa via Wangditse............................................................... 50 22.1 Bemri lhakhang .................................................................................................. 99 10.3 Phajodhing .......................................................................................................... 51 22.2 Dongka lhakhang ............................................................................................... 99 10.4 Phajodhing to Pumola ....................................................................................... 52 23 Gida marble mine to Bemri lhakhang and Kharbi .......................................... 101 10.5 Thujedrag goenpa .............................................................................................. 52 23.1 Bemri lhakhang ................................................................................................ 101 10.6 The chorten on the ridge, Skeleton Mountain (aerial burial ground) and 24 Karphu valley and Dongka lhakhang ................................................................. 102 the lakes (Map 10) ...................................................................................................... 53 24.1 Karphu valley logging road ........................................................................... 102 10.7 Bimelang Tsho .................................................................................................... 55 24.2 Dongka lhakhang ............................................................................................. 102 11 Youth Centre to Phajodhing and Pumola ............................................................. 57 24.3 Bemri lhakhang and Gidakom valley ........................................................... 103 11.1 Phajodhing ......................................................................................................... 57 25 Kunzangdechhen goenpa ...................................................................................... 105 11.2 Pumola ................................................................................................................. 57 25.1 Sisina to Kunzangdechhen goenpa ............................................................... 105 11.3 Pumola to Phajodhing ....................................................................................... 59 26 Geynikha valley ...................................................................................................... 107 11.4 Picnic spot with rock outcrops and views ...................................................... 60 26.1 Chhochhekha .................................................................................................... 107 11.5 Thaptsa peak....................................................................................................... 60 26.2 Talela pass (Map 26.2) ...................................................................................... 107 11.6 Thaptsa Peak to Thimphu Hospital................................................................ 62 26.3 Pagalabtsa pass ................................................................................................. 109 11.7 Pumola to Tshelung nang ................................................................................. 64 27 Chhuzom to Paga goenpa ...................................................................................... 111 11.8 Paro via Tshelung nang: punishment trail ..................................................... 64 27.1 Paga goenpa ...................................................................................................... 111 12 YHS to Thadranang goenpa/telecom reflector .................................................... 69 28 Druk Nature Club nature walks .......................................................................... 112 12.1 Yangchenphu goenpa ........................................................................................ 69 12.2 Thadranang goenpa ..........................................................................................