29-Day Snowman Trek Downloaded on: 5 Oct 2021 Tour code: SMT29 Tour type Tour Level: High level Tour Comfort: Standard Tour Period: 29 Days highlights tour details Traverse beautiful landscapes from lush valleys and dense forests The world-renowned Snowman Trek goes to the remote Lunana to high mountain passes district and is considered to be one of the most difficult treks in Witness yaks and their herders' homes dotted across the Bhutan. This tough trek includes 25 days of challenges across long countryside distances, high altitudes, difficult weather conditions and remoteness. Enjoy the therapeutic properties of a relaxing hot stone bath you'll be rewarded, however, with views and experiences that are only Camp overnight beneath some of Bhutan’s most impressive accessible on foot. Visit isolated stunning wilderness, rarely visited mountain peaks monasteries, remote and peaceful villages, as well as high passes Experience fabulous views of the snowcapped Jumolhari and Jichu offering breathtaking mountain scenery for a truly once-in-alifetime Drake Mountains experience. Contact [email protected] www.diethelmtravel.com Copyright © Diethelm Travel Management Limited. All right reserved. 29-Day Snowman Trek tour description Day 1 : PARO – ARRIVAL (-/-/D) After arriving at the Paro International Airport, your guide will wait for you at the arrival terminal and welcome you in a traditional manner by offering a ‘khadar’ or greeting scarf. Afterwards, enjoy a sightseeing tour around Paro. First, drive to see Rinpung Dzong, which was built in 1645 to defend the valley against Tibetan invaders. Today, this dzong is used as an administration centre and school for monks. Then, visit the Ugyen Pelri Palace, which was designed after the Second Buddha’s celestial paradise, Zangtopelri, and is considered one of the finest examples of Bhutanese architecture. Next, visit the National Museum, which is rated as one of the finest natural history museums in South Asia. It has a collection of precious works of art and fantastic costumes, armour and other handcrafted, culturally significant objects. There is also a gallery dedicated to exquisite pieces of thangkas. The thangkas depicting Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the first Je Khempo and first Druk Desi, are particularly significant. Enjoy the rest of the evening at your leisure exploring the town. Dinner and accommodations at a hotel in Paro. Day 2 : PARO – DAY HIKE (B/L/D) Enjoy an early breakfast and then take a brief drive back to Paro to begin the hike to Taktsang Monastery, which is also known as ‘Tiger's Nest’. It is famous for clinging precariously to a cliff 900 metres above the Paro Valley and is one of the holiest sites in the country. The climb will take approximately three hours to complete. Afterwards, enjoy lunch along the return hike. In the afternoon, visit Drukgyal Dzong. Now in ruins, it was once strategically built over the only passage into Paro Valley and helped prevent numerous invasions throughout the course of Bhutanese history since 1646. In fine weather, the towering peak of Mount Jumolhari, which marks the frontier with Tibet and is believed to be the dwelling place of the goddess Jomo, appears as a backdrop to Drukgyal Dzong. In the evening, visit a local farmhouse to see firsthand how rural Bhutanese live. The farmhouses are very decorative and are built and painted in a classical 3-story style. The ground floor houses the cattle, the top floor is reserved to dry hay and the family lives on the middle floor. While there, enjoy a hot stone bath known as a ‘dotsho’, which is an important part of Bhutanese family life and has been used to treat various diseases for centuries. Dinner and accommodation at a hotel in Paro. Day 3 : PARO – SHARNA ZAMPA (B/L/D) Today's trek begins at Gunitsawa Village. At the nearby army checkpoint, your trek permit provided by your tour operator will be checked and endorsed. The campsite is roughly one hour away on the opposite side of the river, not far from Gunitsawa. Dinner and overnight camp in Sharna Zampa. Contact [email protected] www.diethelmtravel.com Copyright © Diethelm Travel Management Limited. All right reserved. 29-Day Snowman Trek Day 4 : SHARNA ZAMPA – THANGTHANGKHA (B/L/D) On this 22-kilometre trekking day, the trail continues with lots of small ups and downs. After going uphill through the river valley, it finally narrows gradually to a mere path which descends to a meadow where a camp will be set up. From here, if weather permits, you will have the first great view of Mount Jomolhari. Dinner and overnight camp in Thangthangkha. Day 5 : THANGTHANGKHA - JANGOTHANG (B/L/D) If you didn't see Mount Jomolhari the previous evening, you might experience grand views early this morning. This 19-kilometre trek continues up the Paro Chhu Valley which widens into patches of alpine meadow and scanty growths of forests. Pass through another army checkpoint along the way and enjoy a spectacular view of high mountain ridges and snowcapped peaks. In this area, yaks and their herders' homes become a regular feature of the landscape. Passing the villages Soe, Takethang and Dangochang is another asset on this day. After reaching Jangothang, one of the most beautiful campsites of the Himalayas, you will again have a spectacular view of Mount Jomolhari. Dinner and overnight camp in Jangothang. Day 6 : JANGOTHANG HALT (B/L/D) A rest day in Jangothang provides plenty of possibilities for day hikes with great views of lakes and the nearby mountains of Jomolhari and Jichu Drake. You'll also have a good chance of spotting blue sheep on the upper slopes of the valley. Jangothang is a perfect environment for your acclimatisation. Trek up to Tosoh or hike around the area if you wish or choose from short hiking trails in three directions. Jomolhari and its subsidiary mountain chains lie directly west, Jichu Drake to the north and there are a number of unclimbed peaks to the east. Dinner and overnight camp in Jangothang. Day 7 : JANGOTHANG - LINGSHI (B/L/D) This is one of the longest days of the trek, totalling 18 kilometres and 7 hours. The trail begins a short distance from the camp, climbing rapidly for about 30 minutes and then becomes a gradual ascent to the Nyilila mountain pass at an altitude of 4,870 metres. Whilst climbing, enjoy the stunning surrounding views. You might see herds of blue sheep grazing on the slopes of the mountains. From the pass, there are spectacular views of Jomolhari, Jichu Drake and Tsherimgang, all of them rising above 7,000 metres. Then, gradually descend to the camp whilst passing by some of the yak herders' woven wool tents. The herders use these tents as they travel in search of new pastures for their yaks. As you come down into the beautiful U-shaped Lingshi Basin, enjoy a wonderful view of Lingshi Dzong on clear days. Tserimgang and its glaciers rise up at the north end of the valley. The campsite is next to a stone hut just before you reach Lingshi Dzong. Dinner and overnight camp in Lingshi. Day 8 : LINGSHI - CHEBISA (B/L/D) Today's hike covers 10 kilometres, the shortest distance of the trek. Shortly after starting, arrive at a chorten below Lingshi Dzong. Here, you have the choice of staying on the main trail or taking a detour up to the Lingshi Dzong (4,220 metres), which sits right atop a high Contact [email protected] www.diethelmtravel.com Copyright © Diethelm Travel Management Limited. All right reserved. 29-Day Snowman Trek ridge. This dzong is under reconstruction from a 2011 earthquake that damaged its central building. In addition to having a very special atmosphere of mystic tranquillity, Lingshi Dzong has a fantastic view over the valley. Next, hike past the villages of Lingshi and Goyul. In Goyul, the stone houses are clustered together to form a small, compact village. This is unusual in Bhutan because settlements are usually scattered. On reaching the campsite at Chebisa, enjoy plenty of time to visit the village houses and the beautiful waterfall behind the village. Dinner and overnight camp in Chebisa. Day 9 : CHEBISA - SOMUTHANG (B/L/D) The morning starts with a 2- to 3-hour ascent behind Chebisa Village through a wide pastureland towards the Gobula Pass. On the way, spot large herds of blue sheep above the trail as well as the occasional yak herd. After crossing the mountain pass at 4,410 metres, descend into the valley and climb a little bit again before descending to Shakshepasa (3,980), a large U-shaped valley. After a total day's hike of 17 kilometres, reach the campsite at Shomuthang that is above the tributary of the Nochu River. Dinner and overnight camp in Somuthang. Day 10 : SOMUTHANG - ROBULTHANG (B/L/D) After breakfast, begin the day's 18-kilometre trek with a climb up the valley to view Kang Bum (6,526 metres) and surround yourself with white edelweiss flowers. After two hours, reach the Jharila mountain pass at 4,750 metres from where you'll catch your first glimpse of Sinchela, the pass you'll cross tomorrow. The big, snowy peak to the north is Gangchhenta, which is better known as Great Tiger Mountain. If the weather is clear, you'll also see Tserim Kang and the top of Jomolhari. Continue alongside the wide and remote valley of Tsheri Jathang. Herds of takin, the Bhutanese national animal, migrate to this takin sanctuary every summer. Then, climb a bit further before reaching the campsite at Robluthang in a rocky meadow. Dinner and overnight camp in Robulthang.