Kingdom of Bhutan – Jhomolhari Trekking
All InclusiveBhutan, the Land of Thunder Dragon, is no ordinary place. This is country where buying cigarettes is illegal, where the rice is red and where the chillies aren’t just a seasoning but the entire dish. It’s also a deeply Buddhist land, where men wear a tunic to work, where giant protective penises are painted on the walls of most houses, and where Gross National Happines is deemed more important then Gross National Product.
Location: Paro, Timpu, Jhomolhari region – Kingdom of Bhutan
Transportation: airplane, taxi, minibus
Accomodation: four and five stars hotels, lodges on trekking
Duration: 13 days
Start: 15. October Each year
Minimum members: 5
Last date for application: three months before departure
Difficulty level: moderate
- Itinerary
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1. day: Meeting on the New Delhi airport, change flight and departure to Paro (Bhutan)
2. day: Arrival to Paro, accomodation in a hotel and overnight stay.
3. day: EXCURSION TO TAKTSANG MONASTERY. After breakfast transportation by car to the initial point of trekking to Taktsang monastery. The path to the monastery goes through the beautiful and intact pine tree wood with trees covered with Spanish moss and prayer flags fluttering along the path. After short trekking, pause in lodge for rest and refreshment and then we continue to the place where you can spot for the first time the Taktsang monastery, one of the most beautiful Buddhistic monasteries (picture above). Built in 1600, this monastery is placed on the edge of the cliff which goes down 900 meters below the monastery. The history tells that Guru Padmasambhava, the Tantrum mystic who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, took the angry shape of Guru Dorje Drolo in order to subjugate the evel and the demons who prevented the expansion of Buddhism in Himalayas. This monastery is also know by the name „the tiger's lair“ due to the history of warlike monks who defended the monastery and the surrounding villages by practicing martial arts. After day spent with monks of the Taktsang monastery and participating in the prayer mantras, return to the hotel in Paro and overnight stay.
4. day: TREKKING DRUKGYAL DZONG - SHANA ZAMPA. After breakfast departure by car to Drukgyal Dzong on 2580m 16 km away from Paro, which was built in 1647 by Shubdrung Nawang Namgyal. Drukgyal Dzong was destroyed in an accidental fire and was left in ruins as the reminder of great victories at the time of its building. After visiting old walls and village, you can catch the sight of Jhomolhari mountain, 7314 m, which is the highest peak of Bhutan as well. The trekking starts from this point down the short and wide path. After descending about 100 meters, we get to the river and primitive toilette cut into the rock. When you look back to Drukgyal Dzong, you ge the clear picture of the town built on the dominant position which contolled the whole valley. Trekking goes on down the river, through the narrow agricultural valley. Overnight stay in the camp Shana Zampa on 2870 m.
5. day: TREKKING SHANA ZAMPA - THANGTHANGKHA. After breakfast, trekking continues gradually ascending along Paro Chhu, through conifer wood and rhododendrons. Some 15 minutes away from Shana Zamp there are remains of an old bridge with house and Chorten on the other side. Here we enter the National park Jigme Dorji. The trekking continues with slight ascent up the rocky path through oak trees and rhododendrons to the camp Thangthangkha on 3630m where we will spend the night. Here is the small shelter in the rocks and traditional Bhutan house on the edge of the meadow made of the cedarwood.
6. day: TREKKING THANGTHANGKHA – JANGOTHANG This day is not a long trekking day, but there is a pretty high altitude difference to achieve, of 450 vertical meters. Overnight stay in Jangothang on 4090 m, which is also the base camp for Jhomolhari.
7. day: DAY FOR REST AND VISITING JANGOTHANGA. The day may be used for walk to the Tshophu lake where one can fish trouts or one can also make some wonderful walks in three directions to Jhomolhari and her daughter on the west, Jichu Drake on the north and unascended peaks on the east. Overnight stay in the camp in Jangothang.
8. day: TREKKING JANGOTHANG – DHUMZO. The path goes to the north all the way to the last village in the valley, then descending Paro Chhu, and then ascent to the big amphitheather and Tsophu lake on 4380m. Pause on the east side of the lake, then asent by the steeper path along the second lake to the Bhonte La pass on 4890m. After passing Bhonte La, the path goes down in serpentine to the Dhumzo camp on 3800m. Overnight stay in the camp.
9. day: TREKKING DHUMZO - THOMBU SHONG. The path ascend 100m over the range goes down on the other side. From that point the path goes up again and then descend to tha small valley which leads to the top of the range. The path then turns to the south, going up along few huts to Thombu La on 4520m. Steep descend to Thombu Shonga on 4180m. After corssing the river, we go up to the Shana Zampa camp where we stayed the first night of the training.
10. day: RETURN TO PARO. Arrival to Paro and overnight stay in a hotel.
11. day: DAY FOR VISITING PARO. Ride along winding road down the coast of Pa Chhu river to Kyichu temple built in seventh century by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gompo, then visiting Dungtse lhakhang and National museum of the Kingdom of Bhutan. The people of Bhutan consider this museum a temple, because of numerous religious artefacts this museum possesses within its collection. From the museum descending on foot to Paro Rimpung Dzong. Dinner and overnight stay.
12. day: VISITING THIMPHU. Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan
13. day: Departure to New Delhi and continue flight to yours destinations - Price & Conditions
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PRICE: 2550 Euro
The price includes:
- airplane ticket New Delhi – Paro – New Delhi, taxes included
- visa for Bhutan
- all necessary documentation for Bhutan visa
- 4 nights in Paro in a hotel (double rooms ensuite)
- all meals during stay in Bhutan (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- all transfers by car during visit of Bhutan
- visiting all cultural, historical and religious destinations (according to the itinerary)
- all camping equipment for trekking
- all meals during trekking (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- water during trekkinga
- porters, cooks
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camping equipment (tents, mattresses, sleeping bags)
The price does not include:
- food and beverages in India
- alcoholic beverages in Bhutan
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personal costs in India and Bhutan like Internet, phone, souvenirs ets.
NOTE:
- Price is based on the time a group of 5 clients.
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- Pozitiv Club reserves the right to change the content in particular prior to departure onit is obliged to inform passengers.
- We ask all interested to apply by 15 days prior to departure. After that, some prices can be adjusted in accordance other trip costs.
- K There may be some deviations from the plan once (during the implementation of travel),depending on unforeseen circumstances.
- Pozitiv Club is not responsible in case of visa rejections (for citizens who need a visa)
- All passengers are obliged to familiarize themselves with the prescribed rules of conduct in countries that travel
- Pozitiv Club is not authorized and does not appreciate the validity of passports and other documents
- Check 2 days before travel time at the point of departure
- Please read carefully the GENERAL TERMS AND CONDOTIONS (we will send by e-mail on passengers request) and a plan and program times
- Optional excursions are optional part of the program. Dates of excursions are variable and depend on free time on the exact location, number of registered passengers and objective circumstances
- Passengers are required to inform themselves of the vaccines and health insurance, and to have medical certificate if suffer from any chronic disease .
- In case of disease (heart attack, stroke, kidney and lung problems, serious bodily injury),Pozitiv Klub does not bear any legal or financial responsibility.
- For all the information provided orally, Pozitiv Klub is not responsible
-The contractor of a journey, or representatives of groups of passengers are obliged to familiarize themselves and all passengers with the general terms of travel, contracted travel program, payment terms and general conditions for authorization and travel Pozitiv Club.
- Pozitiv Club reserves the right to change the agreed price before the trip due to changes in currency exchange rates or changes in the tariffs of the carrier under the statutory and cases.
- Pozitiv Klub is not responsible if someone in the rise of leaders ignored the rise of the order.
- All passengers who wants to tak a part in Jholmohari trekking, must be in good psychological and physical the form.
Pozitiv Klub does not guarantee anyone a successful climb to the summit, but it guarantees adequate acclimatization, preparation and pace of the climb.
- Passengers who are not citizens of the Republic of Serbia are obliged to familiarize themselves with visa requirement of the destination country
- The itineraru is based on the basis of a minimum of 5 passengers
- In case of insufficient number of passengers for the realization of the arrangement, the deadline for notice of termination arrangement is 10 days before departure date
- If a person withdraws from the trip, the advance deposit is not refundable, but need to find a replacement for reserved place.
- In case of trip cancellation, if cancellation occurs consequence of the behavior of one or more passengers, Positive club reserves the right to retain the deposit paid for all passengers, including:
* 30% of total paid deposit, 3 months before travel
* 50% of total paid deposit, 2 months before travel
* 70% of the paid deposit, one month before travel
* 90% of total deposits paid, 15 days before travel
- The part of the dinar to be paid in the country airlines conditions apply in the case of tariff changes, cancellation and taxi
- Deposit to be paid for the reservation is non-refundable flights - Tour guide
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Tour guide:
Slobodan Stokić
Director of Pozitiv ClubGuiding biography section:
2003 – Kalapatar 5542 m – Himalaya
2004 – Ararat 5137 m – Turkey
2005 – Damavand 5762 m, Sabaland 4888 mnv, Sahand 3840 mnv – Iran
2006 – Damavand 5762 m north, most demanding route, Alam Kooh 4920 mnv – Iran
2007 – Elbrus 5642 m – Caucasus – Russia
2008 – Elbrus 5642 m – Caucasus – Russia, as a personl guide to the forst woman with disabilities in the world who has conquered this summit
2009 – Aconcagua 6942 m – Andes, Argentina, as a personl guide to the forst woman with disabilities in the world who has conquered this summit
2009 – Kilimanjaro 5895 m – Tanzania, Afrika
2010 – Brazil – Minas Gerais trek
2010 – Mont Blanc 4808 m – France, Europe
2010 – Elbrus 5642 m – Caucasus, Russia
2010 – Cappadocia trek – Turkey
2011 – Jbel Toubkal 4265 m – Morroco
2011 – Torre 1999 m – Portugal
BHUTAN INFO
Bhutan, the Land of Thunder Dragon, is no ordinary place. This is country where buying cigarettes is illegal, where the rice is red and where the chillies aren’t just a seasoning but the entire dish. It’s also a deeply Buddhist land, where men wear a tunic to work, where giant protective penises are painted on the walls of most houses, and where Gross National Happines is deemed more important then Gross National Product.
Tourism in Bhutan is also unique. Visitors famously have to pay a minimum of 200usd per day, making it one of the world’s most expensive countries to visit, but this fee is all-inclusive. Backpackers called Bhutan – Nepal for jet set.
So why spend all your money to come here? First off there are the fantastic monasteries, incredible dzongs and the undisturbed traditional Tibetan-style culture that sets Bhutan aside as the last remaining great Himalayan kingdom. Then there are textiles, outrageous trekking and stunning flora and fauna of one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. But perhaps most of all, Bhutan offers and opportunity to glimpse another way of living, an alternative vision of what is truly important in life.
It is also country of surprises. This is not a nation of saintly, other-worldly hermits. Bhutan is straddling the ancient and modern world and these days you’ll find monks transcribing ancient Buddhist texts into computers as traditionally dressed nobleman chat on their mobile phones.
If you do visit Bhutan, you will become one of few who have experienced the charm and magic of one of the world’s most enigmatic countries – the last „Shangri La“ – and you’ll be playing your part in this medieval kingdom’s efforts to join the modern world, while steadfastly maintaining its distinct and amazing cultural identity.
PARO
The Paro valley is without doubt one of the loveliest in Bhutan. Willow trees and apple orchards line many of the roads, whitewashed farmhouses and temples complement the green terraced fields and forested hills rise on either side to create a beautiful, organic and peaceful whole. The broad valley is also excellent agricultural land and the people of Paro are better of than many elsewhere in Bhutan. One indication of their affluence is the preponderance of metal roofs throughout the valley, which have largely replaced the traditional wooden shingles. Red and white ric, apples, strawberries and asparagus all thrive to fertile soil.
The charming small town of Paro lies in the centre of the valley on the banks of the Paro Chhu, just a short distance northwest of imposing Paro Dzong. The main street, built only in 1985, is lined with colorfully painted wooden shop fronts and restaurants, though a modern concrete extension is taking root to the side. Some older shops in Paro have doors at the back; a strange ladder system provides access through the fromnt window. An unusuak local regulation has, for a while, prohibited bicycle riding within Paro town.
THAKSTANG MONASTERY
Thakstang is the most famous of Bhutan’s monasteries, miracuosly perched on the side of a sheer cliff 900m above the floor of Paro valley, where the only sounds are the murmurs of the wind and water and the chanting monks. The name means „Tiger’s nest“: is is said that Guru Rinpoche flew to the site of the monastery on the back of a tigress, a manifestation of his consort Yeshe Tsogyak, to subdue the local demon, Singey Samdrup. He then meditated in a cave here for three months.
The site has long been recognised as a ney or holly place. It was visited by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1646 and pilgrims from all over the Bhutan come here. Milarepa is also said to have meditation here, while Thangtong Gyalpo revealed a terma (treasure text) at Thakstang. The primary lhakhang was built in 1692 around cave in which Guru Rinpoche meditated, by the penlop of Paro, Gylse Tenzin Rabgye.
JHOLMOHARI TREKKING
This is most popular Bhutan trek, which offer spectacular views of the ancienrt Buddhist villages, mountain rivers and lakes and Himalaya mountains with the spectacular viwe of 7314m high Jholmohari (highest summit in Bhutan) from a high camp at Jangothang.
The first three days of this trek follow the Paro Chhu valley to Jangothang, climbing gently, but continually, with a few shor, steep climbs over side ridges. It crosses a high pass and visits the remote village of Lingzi, then crosses another pass before making its way toward Thimphu. The last four days of the trek cover a lot of distance and require many hours of walking. The trek also affords an excellent opportunity to see yaks.
THIMPHU
You approach Thimphu along long a winding, single-lane access road, little wider than the trucks that suddenly emerge around each curve. Each blind bend promises a glimps of your destination; however, for most of the journey all that is revelated is another curve followed by another. The steep hillsides are doted with houses, some abandoned, their massive earthen walls slowly crumbling, and the occasional white washed temple. Suddenly the road drops to a modern expressway on the valley floor, whisking you through paddy fields to the capital of one of the world’s most intruiging countries.
Established as a capital in 1961, Thimphu has a youthful exuberance that constantly challenges the country’s conservatism and proud tradition. The ever-present juxtaposition of old and new is one of its appealing qualities. Crimson robed monks, Indian labourers, gho- and kira-clad proffesionals and camera-wielding tourist all ply to the pot-holed pavements, skirt packs of sleeping dogs, and spin the prayer wheels of Clocktower square, and nobody, it seems, is in a hurry.
