10 Days Dagala Thousand Lakes Trek in Pristine Bhutan
On this 10-Day epic journey including a 6-Day adventurous trek through the pristine environment adorned with several crystal-clear mountain lakes, stunning views of the entire Himalayan mountain range and some of the world’s highest peaks including Mt. Everest, Mt. Jomolhari, Mt. Masang Gang, Mt. Jichu Drake, Mt. Gangchen Ta, you'll discover what sets Bhutan apart from the rest of the world. The trail also takes you through several Bhutanese villages so you can get a good idea of traditional Bhutanese village life. You'll also come across yak herders who live a semi-nomadic lifestyle at an altitude of over 3,500m above sea level. The best time to embark on this trek is between March-June or September–November.
ItineraryDay 1: Arrive Paro International Airport - Sightseeing in Paro (2200m)Stop At: National Museum of Bhutan འབྲུག་གི་འགྲེམས་སྟོན་ཁང་།, CCHG+F5G, Paro, Bhutan
On your arrival at the Paro International Airport, our guide and the driver will receive and then transfer you to the hotel. After checking in and settling yourself in the new surroundings, you will be taken on your first adventure into ‘The Thunder Dragon Kingdom’. You'll visit a unique 15th-century temple called Dungtse Lhakhang built by a great Buddhist scholar popularly known for building many iron bridges. You'll also visit the National Museum to get insights into the rich history and culture of Bhutan.
Paro Altitude 2,200m/7,220ft
Duration: 4 hours
Meals included:
•
•
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight at Lhayhuel Resort or Bhutan Mandala Resort
Day 2: Hike to the famous Taktsang Monastery (Tiger's Nest)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 a sheer 800-meter rock cliff above the valley floor. The round-trip hike normally takes about 4-5 hours for most visitors but you can hike at your own pace. We recommend starting the hike early before the sun gets stronger.
One-way horse riding is available for about USD20 up to the midpoint (Taktsang Viewpoint Cafeteria) but the journey is best enjoyed on foot.
After lunch at the Viewpoint Cafeteria, we retrace our footsteps back to the base where the driver will be waiting. On the way back to Paro town, visit an auspicious 7th-century Kyichu Lhakhang which is believed to have been built overnight by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in 659 A.D.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight at Lhayhuel Resort or Bhutan Mandala Resort
Day 3: Paro / Transfer to the capital city Thimphu (2334m)Stop At: Thimphu, Thimphu, Thimphu District
After breakfast at the hotel, drive to the capital city of Bhutan, Thimphu. It is a 55km road journey and it should not take more than 2 hours including stopovers on the way. On arrival in Thimphu, visit Bhutan Postal Museum if you are interested in philatelic products and stamp collection. You can also have stamps printed with your own photo. Visit Royal Textile Museum to get insight into Bhutan's rich textile traditions and the way of life, the National Institute of Zorig Chusum where 13 traditional arts & crafts of Bhutan are taught.
After a traditional lunch at the Fold Heritage Restaurant, visit the 169ft Buddha Dordhenma Statue on a hilltop majestically overlooking Thimphu Valley. Later in the evening explore Thimphu streets which boasts of being the only capital city in the world without traffic lights and billboards.
Distance 55 km | Time 1.5 hours | Thimphu Altitude 2,334m/7,655ft
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight at Kuenphen Rabten Resort or Hotel Amodhara
Day 4: [Trek Begins] Thimphu Genekha Village / Camp at Gur (3290m)Stop At: Genekha Central School, 8HFH+8FG, Thimphu, Bhutan
After early breakfast, drive to Genekha village, the starting point of an adventurous 6-day trek which is the main highlight of this 10-day trip. Genekha village is located about 45 minutes drive (33 km) from Thimphu main town along the Thimphu – Phuentsholing highway before Chuzom (confluence). While the horses and mules are being loaded with trekking paraphernalia and supplies, you can visit the community temple and explore the village.
The trek starts from Genekha village with a short descent to the river. After crossing the river you start climbing until you reach a huge rock platform from where you have a picturesque view of the valley below. After another two hours, you reach the campsite Gur, an area of yak pastures located just below the main trail.
Distance 7 km | Time 5 hours | Ascent 550m | Descent 210m | Camp Altitude 3,290m
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Full-serviceoutdoor camping at Gur
Day 5: Gur / Camp at Labatama (4300m)Stop At: Ridge, 9J4X+7CH, Thimphu, Bhutan
On the second day, the trail takes you across the high ridges from where you can truly appreciate the rugged beauty of your surroundings and the mountain vegetation. The path winds through refreshing meadows adorned with wildflowers and asparagus (in spring). The first mountain pass you cross is marked by a huge cairn and gives a spectacular view of Kanjenjunga (Sikkim) and a number of the Bhutanese Himalayan peaks. As you descend the pass you will be able to see the entirety of the Dagala mountain range including meadows and yak herder camps. Once you have descended into the Labatama valley you begin climbing gradually through the valley, passing several yak herder huts before you arrive at Uthso Tsho. The campsite is right next to the lake.
Distance 12 km | Time 6-7 hours | Ascent 1,220m | Descent 110m | Camp Altitude 4,300m
Duration: 6 hours
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Full-service outdoor camping at Labatama
Day 6: Rest day in Labatama exploring the natural environment & pristine lakesStop At: Bjili Si-Talakha peak, 9P94+8C2, Thimphu, Bhutan
This day will be dedicated to relaxing and recuperating at Labatama. It is an excellent opportunity to take an excursion to any of three nearby lakes: Reli Tsho, Hen Tsho and Jama Tsho and appreciate the pristine environment. If you are interested, you'll have an opportunity to engage in some trout fishing in the pristine mountain lake as the location is ideal. Permits are required for fishing so you should let us know of your interest for us to make the necessary arrangements in advance. The one-day fishing permit will cost USD10 for one person.
Duration: 6 hours
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Full-service outdoor camping at Labatama
Day 7: Labatama / Camp at Panka (4000m)Stop At: Talakha Gonpa, CM8G+MR5, Bhutan
The trail climbs along the western side of Dala Tsho up to a saddle at 4,520m. From here onwards you will have a fantastic view of the majestic Himalayan peaks all through the descent. The mountain peaks visible include Mt. Everest (Nepal), Mt. Kanchenjunga (Sikkim), Mt. Jomolhari, Mt. Jichu Drake, Mt. Tshering Gang, Mt. Khangbum, Mt. Masang Gang, Mt. Tsende Gang and Mt. Gangche Ta. If you want an even better view, you can climb a peak close to the saddle with an altitude of 4,720m. From the saddle, the path descends, passing some yak herder huts to Doccha Chhu. You follow the river for a while, but stay higher up on the slope to reach the campsite Panka with ascents and descents along the way.
Distance 12 km | Time 6-7 hours | Ascent 1,220m | Descent 110m | Camp Altitude 4,000m
Duration: 6 hours
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Full-service outdoor camping at Panka
Day 8: [Trek Ends] Panka / Talakha Monastery / Transfer to Thimphu (2334m)Stop At: Thimphu, Thimphu, Thimphu District
This day entails the crossing of several passes but none of them require a major climb. You should keep your eyes open for different varieties of blue poppy (June-July) and mountain birds while in this area. After crossing the last pass, Tale La (4,180m) you start a long descent to Talakha Gompa. You will spend some time visiting Talakha monastery and enjoy a top-down view of the capital city. From here we drive to the capital city Thimphu for an overnight stay at a 3-star hotel.
Distance 8 km | Time 5-6 hours | Ascent 180m | Descent 110m | Thimphu Altitude 2,334m
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight at Kuenphen Rabten Resort or Hotel Amodhara
Day 9: Thimphu / Transfer to Paro (2200m)Stop At: Paro, Paro, Paro District
After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Paro. En route, visit Tamchog Lhakhang dedicated to the 15th-century Tibetan scholar Thangthong Gyalpo popularly known as the iron bridge builder. It is located across the Pachhu river along the Paro – Thimphu highway. To visit the temple you will have to cross an iron chain bridge, one of the very few remaining of the many iron chain bridges built by Thangthong Gyalpo.
After lunch in Paro, spend leisure time exploring the streets of Paro. Towards the late afternoon, visit one of the beautiful farmhouses and get insight into local culture and cuisine. A delicious dinner of authentic home-cooked local cuisine will be served. If you are interested, you can soak in a therapeutic and revitalizing traditional hot stone bath for an additional fee of about USD15 per person. Specially selected river stones believed to contain minerals are heated in a wood-fired fireplace and dropped into a chamber of wooden tub releasing minerals.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Overnight at Udumwara Resort or Bhutan Mandala Resort
Day 10: Transfer to Paro International Airport for DepartureStop At: Paro International Airport - departure terminal, Airport Road Paro, Paro 12001, Bhutan
After breakfast, transfer you to Paro International Airport for your onward journey. Your guide will assist you to complete all exit formalities before you check in.
Duration: 1 day 6 hours
Meals included:
•
No accommodation included on this day.
Informacion Adicional
"Not wheelchair accessible"
"Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level"
"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 two weeks 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."
"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. 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"
Hora de Inicio:
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
10 Days Dagala Thousand Lakes Trek in Pristine Bhutan
3/1/2024 - 5/31/2024| Monday - Sunday : | 07:00 AM - 06:00 PM |
9/13/2024 - 11/24/2024| Monday - Sunday : | 07:00 AM - 06:00 PM |
Duración: 10 Days
Lugar de comienzo: Traveler pickup is offered
Our guide and driver will receive you at Paro International Airport
Airports- Paro Airport, Paro Bhutan
Cancelaciones y devoluciones:
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.
Portugues
Español
English
