11 Days Bhutan Majestic Jomolhari Loop Trek
With altitude differences of 2,500m and nearly 5,000m, pristine forests home to some of the world’s most endangered species of flora and fauna, wide range of stunning landscapes with crystalline rivers meandering through the beautiful gorges, there’s something magical about this trip that every trekkers should experience for themselves.
Jomolhari Loop Trek is the most popular trekking route in Bhutan. The highlight of this 7-Day trek (Day 4-10) is the spectacular view of Mount Jomolhari from Jomolhari Basecamp (Jangothang) and interacting with semi-nomadic yak herders. Trekkers who want to avoid high passes and high altitude can chose an easier version of the Jomolhari Loop by retracing their steps from Jangothang (see Day 8, 9, 10) while still having the majestic impressions of Mount Jomolhari.
ItineraryDay 1: Arrive Paro International Airport & Sightseeing in Paro (2200m)Stop At: Kyichu Lhakhang, Lamgong Gewog, Paro 12001 Bhutan
On your arrival at Paro, the only International Airport in Bhutan, our guide and driver will receive and escort you on your first adventure into the ‘Kingdom of Thunder Dragon’.
As it is considered auspicious, you'll begin by visiting Kyiichu Lhakhang located just a few minutes drive from the main town of Paro. Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan. It is believed to have been built in 659 A.D. by King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet in his mission to build 108 such temples across the Himalayan region to subdue the spirit of a demoness that was causing obstruction to the spread of Buddhism.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: National Museum of Bhutan འབྲུག་གི་འགྲེམས་སྟོན་ཁང་།, CCHG+F5G, Paro, Bhutan
The National Museum of Bhutan is located in Paro just above the Rinpung Dzong (administrative headquarter of Paro district) was established in 1968. It is housed in an ancient watchtower called Paro Ta Dzong (Ta Dzong means “watchtower fortress”) built in 1649. It displays hundreds of ancient Bhutanese artifacts and artworks including traditional costumes, armour, weaponry and handcrafted implements for daily life. The collection at the National Museum preserves a snapshot of the rich cultural traditions of the country. After this, we will visit Paro Dzong.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Rinpung Dzong, Paro Bhutan
Paro Rinpung Dzong (Rinpung Dzong means “fortress of the heap of jewels”) was built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel in 1646 and established as the administrative and monastic center of the western region. Today, the Dzong serves as the office of the governor of the Paro district and head of the district monk body in Paro. A great annual festival known as Paro Tsechu is held in Rinpung Dzong from the eleventh to the fifteenth day of the second month of the traditional Bhutanese lunar calendar (usually in March or April of the Western calendar). From there, we take a short walk to the traditional wooden cantilever bridge built across the Paro river (Pa Chhu) just below the Dzong. The roofed wooden cantilever bridge is built in a traditional style and this type of bridge is called Bazam. Spend some leisure time around Paro town and drive to Paro Village View Homestay or overnight.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight at Deki Homestay or Udumwara Resort
Day 2: Acclimatization hike to Taktsang Monastery / Transfer to Thimphu (2334m)Stop At: Paro Taktsang, Taktsang Trail, Paro Bhutan
After breakfast, drive to Ramthangka, the base of the Taktsang monastery. Taktsang monastery is located on the face of an 800-meter rock cliff in Paro. It normally takes about 2 hours to reach the monastery from the road head. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Bhutan.
The trail takes you through the ancient path mostly shaded by pine trees. After an hour of steep uphill hiking, you will reach a nice cafeteria from where you can see spectacular views of Taktsang monastery perched on the face of a steep rock cliff and the beautiful valley below. One-way horse riding is available for about USD20 up to the midpoint (Taktsang View Point Cafeteria) but the journey is best enjoyed on foot.
After lunch at the Taktsang Cafeteria, descend back to the base and drive to the capital city Thimphu.
Duration: 5 hours
Pass By: Thimphu District, Thimphu District
Thimphu is the capital city of Bhutan and it is home to approximately 115,000 residents. This bustling little city is the main centre of commerce, religion and government in the country. It is the only capital city in the world without traffic lights and even commercial billboards. The total driving distance is 55km and takes about 1.5 hours.
Stop At: Buddha Dordenma, Kuensel Phodrang Viewing Point, Thimphu 11001 Bhutan
The magnificent 169 feet tall bronze statue of Lord Buddha is located on a hilltop overlooking the Thimphu valley. It was built to celebrate the 60th birth anniversary of the Fourth King His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck and also to usher world peace. The giant Buddha statue houses more than 100,000 8-inch-tall Buddha statues of the same type. The construction began in 2006 and was completed in 2015 after almost 10 years. Leisure time to explore Thimphu town.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight at Kuenphen Rabten Resort or Hotel Amodhara.
Day 3: Thimphu / Transfer to back to Paro (2200m)Stop At: National Memorial Chhorten རྒྱལ་ཡོངས་རྗེས་དྲན་མཆོད་རྟེན།, FJ8Q+J47, Chhoten Lam, Thimphu, Bhutan
After breakfast, visit the National Memorial Chorten is a Buddhist Stupa built in 1974 in memory of the Late Third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck who passed away in 1972. People from all walks of life come here to pray and circumambulate and it is a good opportunity for you to observe how Bhutanese people devote themselves to daily prayers and take refuge in the teachings of the Lord Buddha.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Bhutan Postal Museum, Thimphu Bhutan
Bhutan Postal Museum is located in the heart of the city in the same building as Bhutan National Bank so you can also exchange your money into local currency if you wish. The Postal Museum was opened in 2015 to exhibit the story of Bhutan’s progress and development of communications and the postal system in the country. If you are interested in philatelic products and stamp collection, they have a good collection of stamps, First Day Covers and stamp albums. In October of 2017, His Majesty graciously granted several rare collections of philatelic and communications products giving additional insights into the history of Bhutan’s philatelic and communications systems. The Postal Service in Bhutan was first launched in 1962 with the opening of a post office in Phuentsholing, a town in the south bordering with India.
You may want to print stamps with your own photo.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: National Library and Archives of Bhutan, Pedzoe Lam, Thimphu Bhutan
The National Library of Bhutan was established in 1967 for the preservation and promotion of the rich literary, cultural and religious heritage of Bhutan. The scriptures and document collection held in the library and archives is a national treasure and a fundamental source for Bhutanese history, religion, medicine, arts and culture. The library also has an extensive collection of manuscripts, xylographs and wooden printing blocks that were used for printing religious textbooks and scriptures.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: National Institute for Zorig Chusum, Thimphu Bhutan
The National Institute of Zorig Chuzum was established to promote and preserve the thirteen traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan and to facilitate increased access to learning Zorig skills by Bhutanese youths. The thirteen arts and crafts are categorized as Shing Zo (woodwork), Dho Zo (stonework), Par Zo (carving), Lha Zo (painting), Jim Zo (sculpting), Lug Zo (casting), Shag Zo (woodturning), Gar Zo (blacksmith), Troe Zo (ornament making), Tsa Zo (bamboo work), De Zo (paper making), Tsem Zo (tailoring, embroidery and applique) and Thag Zo (weaving).
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Changlimithang Stadium & Archery Ground, Chang Lam, Thimphu Bhutan
After a traditional lunch at the Folk Heritage Museum Restaurant, We drive by the Changlimithang Archery Range and witness the game of archery if the match is in progress. You will see archers dancing and singing each time they hit the target from a distance of 145 meters. Archery is the national sport of Bhutan. We then drive back to Paro for the night halt.
Duration: 1 day 6 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight at Umdumwara Resort or Bhutan Mandala Resort.
Day 4: [Trek Begins] Paro Drukgyal Dzong / Shana Zampa (2850m)Stop At: Shana, Bhutan
After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, drive to Drukgyal Dzong which was originally built in the 17th century to commemorate the victory over Tibetan and Mongolian forces. Today it is undergoing total reconstruction and is expected to complete soon to its former glory. The trek used to start from Drukgyal Dzong but because of the road access, trekkers prefer to start driving up to the first campsite.
Distance 17 km
Time 5-6 hours
Descent 80m
Camp Altitude 2,850m/9350ft
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Full-service outdoor camping at Shana Zampa.
Day 5: Shana Zampa / Thangthangka (3610m)Stop At: Thang Thangka Camp, P74Q+VCM, Shingkarap, Bhutan
On this long day, the trail continues with lots of small ups and downs. After going uphill through the river the valley finally narrows gradually to a mere path that descends to a meadow where a camp will be set up. From here, if weather permits, you will have the first great view of Mt. Jomolhari.
Distance 22km
Time 7-8 hours
Ascent 770m
Descent 10m
Camp Altitude 3,610m/11,845ft
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Full-service outdoor camping at Thang Thangka
Day 6: Thang Thanka / Jangothang (4080m)Stop At: Jangothang, Bhutan
If you did not see Mt. Jomolhari the previous evening, you will still have a chance to get a great view early this morning. This morning the trek continues up the Paro Chhu valley which widens into patches of alpine meadow and scanty growths of forest. You will cross an army checkpoint along the way and enjoy a spectacular view of high mountain ridges and snow-capped peaks. In this area yaks and their herder’s 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.
Distance 19km
Time 5-6 hours
Ascent 480m
Camp Altitude 4,080m/13,385ft
Duration: 6 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Full-service outdoor camping at Jangothang, Jomolhari Base Camp.
Day 7: Halt at Jangothang, Jomolhari Base CampStop At: Jangothang, Bhutan
Today you will take a full day rest at Jangothang. The rest day provides plenty of possibilities for day hikes with great views of lakes and snow-capped mountains such as Jomolhari and Jichu Drake. There are good chances to spot some blue sheep on the upper slopes of the valley. Jangothang is a perfect environment for your acclimatization. There are good 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.
Camp Altitude 4,080m/13,385ft
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Full-service outdoor camping at Soe Yaksa.
Day 8: Jangothang / Soe YaksaStop At: P96G+9FW, Bhutan
The trail leads to the last settlement in the valley and drops to the Paro Chhu. Passing the lake of Tshophu (4,380m) you will climb up steeply to Bhonte La pass at 4,890 m, the highest point of this trek route. Reaching the Dhumzo Chhu river, you trek downstream passing the few houses of Soi Yaksa (Dhumzo) to arrive at your camp soon after. Overnight at a campsite.
Distance 16km
Time 6-7 hours
Ascent 810m
Descent 10,90m
Campsite Altitude 3,800m/12,467ft
Duration: 7 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight outdoor camping at Soe Yaksa.
Day 9: Soe Yaksa / Thongbu Shong (4180m)Stop At: Thongbu Shong, Bhutan
The trail climbs 100m over a ridge to drop to another stream then after crossing the Takhung La pass (4,520m) you descent to Thombu Shong, three yak herder huts with your campsite next to them. Overnight at a campsite.
Distance 11km
Time 4-5 hours
Ascent 720m
Descent 340m
Campsite Altitude 4,180m/13,715ft
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Full-service outdoor camping at Thombu Shong
Day 10: [Trek Ends] Thongbu Shong / Sharna Zampa / Transfer to Paro (2200m)Stop At: Shana, Bhutan
Crossing Thombu La pass (4,380m) you will finally reach Gunitsawa village (Zharna Zampa) where your driver will be waiting for you. This is the point where your trekking staff will bid you farewell.
We will then drive to Paro. Leisure time in Paro.
Distance 13km
Time 4-5 hours
Ascent 200m
Descent 650m
Paro Altitude 2,850m/9,350ft
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight at Lhayhuel Resort or Bhutan Mandala Resort
Day 11: Departure from Paro International AirportPass By: Paro International Airport - departure terminal, Airport Road Paro, Paro 12001, Bhutan
After breakfast, you will be transferred Paro International Airport for your onward journey depending on your departure time. Your guide will assist you to complete all exit formalities before you check-in.
Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.
Informacion Adicional
"Not wheelchair accessible"
"A minimum of 2 participants are required to run this tour and can be run on a private basis."
"We highly recommend booking at least a few months before the departure date so that we have enough time to ensure the flights are available. If you already have flight tickets to and from Bhutan, we can take bookings up to a week before the departure date. To process visa, it only takes 4-5 business days."
"There are only two airlines that connect Bhutan with the outside world and so securing air tickets can be difficult, especially during the months of high season. Currently, Bhutan is connected with these cities - Bagdogra, Bangkok, Delhi, Dhaka, Guwahati, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Singapore. We recommend you book your international flights a few months in advance especially if you plan to visit during the high season months of March to May and September to November. If you need help in arranging flights to/from Bhutan, please let us know much in advance."
"Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level"
"After you book the tour, kindly send us clear passports copies of all the participants. A biodata page including the machine-readable zone must be seen clearly. Passports should have a minimum of 6 MONTHS validity from the day you depart from Bhutan. You may also want to check the passport requirements by your next destination country after Bhutan. A copy of your e-Visa will be emailed to you once it is approved. It only takes 4-5 business days to get visa approval and it is 100 percent guaranteed as long as we receive clear passport copies of all the participants. The actual visa will be stamped on your passport upon arrival. Send the passport copies to the Local Supplier E-mail address."
"Youth 18 years old MUST send us a copy of their valid Student Photo ID Card/Document to keep the discounted price. Without a copy of valid Student Photo ID Card/document, the full adult price will apply. Youth MUST also be accompanied by at least one full-paying adult."
"This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers"
"Confirmation will be received at time of booking"
Start Time:
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
11 Days Bhutan Majestic Jomolhari Loop Trek
3/17/2024 - 5/31/2024| Monday - Sunday : | 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM |
9/21/2024 - 11/24/2024| Monday - Sunday : | 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM |
Duration: 11 Days
Start location: Traveler pickup is offered
Our guide and driver will receive you at Paro International Airport.
Airports- Paro Airport, Paro Bhutan
Cancellations and refunds:
If you cancel at least 7 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
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