Five days of camp comfort in the national park — canvas tents in the pine forest, campfires under Gangkar Puensum.
Highlights
Camp below the Laya ridge
Black-necked crane season viewing
Pine forest of the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Park
Star skies with no light pollution
What is included
Licensed guide, camp crew and full camp setup
Four nights in deluxe canvas tents with proper beds
All meals, including a camp dinner with local dishes
All permits, SDF and park fees
Hot water bottles and winter kit available on request
Camp photography and stargazing sessions
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 — Into the national park Thimphu over the Dochula Pass and down into the Phobjikha valley, which is the national park and the widest open landscape in Bhutan — glacial river, sandbars, and a whole wall of black pine on the valley's north side. The afternoon is set up camp on the terrace above the river at around 2,500 metr…
Day 2 — Up to Laya A short, gentle walk from the camp up the Chhu Tare valley to Laya at 3,700 metres, 1,200 metres of ascent over seven kilometres, on track rather than trail. Laya is the highest village in Bhutan and has a dozen people in it outside the trekking season. Lunch there, then either a walk out along the…
Day 3 — The high meadows A walking day in the alpine meadows above Laya, among gentians, primulas and the last rhododendron. The ridge above the village is the best easy walk in the park: two or three hours out along the skyline, with the Gangkar Puensum massif to the south and the Jomolhari range to the north. Back at cam…
Day 4 — Down the Chhu Tare and along the river A longer walking day and the best of the trip: down the Chhu Tare track through pine and rhododendron, then out onto the flat floor of the upper Phobjikha valley, following the river. Twelve kilometres, mostly level, ending on the sandbars where the water splits into channels — a strange, quiet, ve…
Day 5 — Gangtey and departure A morning ride or drive along the valley floor to Gangtey, where the road climbs onto a green shelf with the ridge directly behind it, and the last of the Gangtey Monastery road is walkable to the ridge above it. Back to camp to break it down, then the drive to Thimphu or on toward Paro.