Daga La Lake Trek – 9 Days

Day 01: Arrival at Paro(2250 m) from Kathmandu and transfer to Thimphu.

Day 02: Thimphu(2350m) and after lunch drive to Paro

Day 03: Genekha to Gur Trek Start 17km (2870m) 5-6 hrs

Day 04: Gur to Labatama with views of Kanchenjunga and Dagala Range 12km (4300m) 6 hrs

Day 05: Exploratory Halt at Labatama

Day 06: labatama to Panka 8km (4000m) 5-6 hrs

Day 07: Panka via Talakha and Chamgang to Thimphu (14km) 8 hrs

Day 08: Thimpu – Paro

Day 09: Departure for Kathmandu


Cost Includes:

  • English  Speaking Guide.
  • Travel Permits.
  • Land transportation
  • Accommodations on Full Board (BLD) 
  • Entrance Fees for monuments as per itinerary
  • First aid box (Medicine)
  • Sleeping Tent (Two Men's Tent) with carpeted floor
  • Air mattress & Room Light
  • Kitchen tent with kitchen set & light
  • Toilet Tent with toilet pot
  • Hot water bag with cover
  • Shower tent with Shower Bag & Mat
  • Aprons for cook & Staff
  • Dining tent with dining set
  • Dining Table, Chair & Dining Light
  • All Freshly cooked meals by Cook staff Trekking Team
  • English Speaking Guide for trekking

Cost Excludes:

  • Visa Fee Kathmandu and Bhutan
  • Airfare (Kathmandu-Paro-Kathmandu)
  • Travel Insurance
  • Departure Tax where applicable.
  • Rescue operations by helicopters.
  • Excess baggage charges.
  • Mineral water, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, laundry, telephone calls, tips, and any other personal expenses.
  • Any services in Kathmandu/Nepal (hotels, transport, etc)
  • Any cost arising from political disturbances, strikes, cancellation of flights, deviation in the program, delays due to landslides/ road blockage, or otherwise.

* This tour can be fully customized as per your requirement.

Day 01: Arrival at Paro(2250 m) from Kathmandu and transfer to Thimphu.

As your flight lands in Paro. You will meet our representative at the airport and will be driven to Thimphu. Check into your hotel. If time permits visit the Tashichoe Dzong. Later in the evening stroll in the capital city.

Day 02: Thimphu(2350m) and after lunch drive to Paro

Today you will do Thimphu sightseeing till lunch. Memorial Chorten where the older people continuously circumambulated, murmuring mantras and spinning their prayer wheels. Construction of this landmark was the idea of Bhutan’s 3rd king, his Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuk (“the father of modern Bhutan”) who wished to erect a monument to world peace and prosperity. Completed in 1974 after his untimely death, it serves both as a memorial to the Late King and as a monument to peace.
Zorig Chusum (commonly known as the Painting School) where students undergo a 6-year training course in Bhutan’s 13 traditional arts and crafts. Later visit the Folk Heritage Museum, a fascinating testimony of the Bhutanese material culture and living traditions.
Phelchey Toenkhyim (Folk Heritage Museum), is dedicated to connecting people to the Bhutanese rural past through exhibits, demonstrations, educational programs, and documentation of rural life. The principal exhibit in the museum is a restored three-story traditional building, rammed with mud and timber, which dates back to mid 19th century. To present a typical Bhutanese rural setting flavor, paddy, wheat, and millet fields, a traditional watermill (with millstones that dates back more than 150 years), traditional style kitchen gardens with vegetables that were grown and consumed over 100 years, and the famous hot stone bath complement the museum building and exhibition within.

Takin, the national animal of Bhutan is said to be created by Lam Drukpa Kinley. Later Visit Buddha point(Kuensel Phodrang). It is again a short drive from the town. You can pay your obeisance and offer prayers to the Buddha, the largest statue in the country and then walk around and take a glimpse of the valley. Overnight.

Day 03: Genekha to Gur Trek Start 17km (2870m) 5-6 hrs

You will begin the day by driving for about 45 min to the beautiful Genekha Village from where your trek starts. The villages are famous for producing matsutake and chantarelle mushrooms. You will walk over the mule path, through terraced fields and coniferous forests rich with alpine flora and plenty of birds. You will then descend to the river and after two hours of the gradual uphill climb, you reach the huge rock platform at 3350m, which offers a picturesque view of the valley. After another two hours of trekking, you will reach your campsite at Gur (3,290m), amidst an abundance of wildflowers.

Day 04: Gur to Labatama with views of Kanchenjunga and Dagala Range 12km (4300m) 6 hrs

While trekking across the ridges, one enjoys the beauty of the rugged mountain vegetation. Today’s trek is amidst flowers, wild asparagus (in spring), and large meadows, which freshen your mind. Weaving through tiny streams, you will climb gently through scattered birches and rhododendrons to arrive at Pagalabtsa pass (4,250m) marked by huge cairns. From the pass, you will have spectacular views of Kanchenjunga (Sikkim) and most of the Bhutanese Himalayan peaks. Descending from the pass one will view the whole Dagala range meadows and yak herders camp. Lunch at a nearby yak herder’s camp. You will descend into the Labatama Valley and then ascend gradually through the valley passing some yak herder huts till you reach Utsho Lake (4,300m) where golden trouts are in abundance. Our campsite is right next to the lake.

Day 05: Exploratory Halt at Labatama

You will spend the day exploring any one of the nearby lakes such as Relitsho, Hentsho, Setsho, and Jagetsho Lakes. These lakes are full of trout and your trekking leader will tell you mystic stories about these lakes. Lunch by the lakeside with a spectacular view around can be a memorable experience. After lunch, you can also attempt to climb the Jomo Peak at an altitude of 5,050m. Return to camp by dusk and prepare for the next day.

Day 06: labatama to Panka 8km (4000m) 5-6 hrs

You will walk along the western side of Dalatsho up to a saddle at (4520m) from where you have a majestic view of the prominent Himalayan peaks such as Everest (Nepal), Kanchenjunga (Sikkim), Masangang, Tiger Mountain, Tsendagang, and Jichu Drake in Bhutan. From the saddle, the path descends, passing some yak herder huts to the Doccha Chuu River. You will follow the river for a while, staying higher up on the slope until you reach Panka. Here the Himalayan monal peasants are a common sight, besides yaks and horses. We will camp at Panka (4,000m).

Day 07: Panka via Talakha and Chamgang to Thimphu (14km) 8 hrs

Today, you will be crossing several passes, each one more impressive than the other. Different varieties of Blue Poppy (June-July) and mountain birds can be found on the trail. Lunch at the point, where one trail leads to Talakha and the other to Wangduephodrang. After lunch, an hour’s gradual climb brings you to the last pass, Tale La (4180m) from where the views of the Dagala range and Thimphu is superb. Start a long descent through a forest of spruce, birch, juniper, and rhododendrons to Talakha Goempa (3080m). From the Talakha Goempa, you will hike down through mixed vegetation, apple orchards, and a feeder road to the Village of Chamgang. Your car will be waiting here to transfer you to Thimphu.

Day 08: Thimpu – Paro

Early morning drive to Paro for a hike to Taktshang. After an early breakfast visit the Tiger’s Nest(Taktshang)Hike up to the famous cliff hermitage called Taktsang, the “Tiger’s Nest.” This monastic retreat is built into a sheer cliff face, high above the Paro Valley. The Buddhist saint Padmasambhava flew across the Himalayas on the back of a tiger and landed here, bringing Buddhism to Bhutan. The trail to the monastery climbs through a beautiful pine forest and an occasional grove of fluttering prayer flags.
Kyichu Lhakhang: This Lhakhang(monastery), built in the 7th century, is one of the two oldest and most sacred shrines in Bhutan (the other being Jambey Lhakhang in Bumthang). Kyichu Lhakhang is composed of twin temples. The first temple was built by the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. In 1968, H.M. Ashi Kesang, the Queen Mother of Bhutan, arranged for a second temple to be built alongside the first one, in the same style.
Rinpung Dzong: Built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the “fortress of the heap of jewels“stands on a hill above Paro Township. The approach to the Dzong is through a traditional covered bridge (called the Nemi Zam) and then up a paved stone path running alongside the imposing outer walls. The valley’s annual springtime religious festival, the Paro Tsechu, takes place in the courtyard of the Dzong and on the dance ground on the hillside above.

Day 09: Departure for Kathmandu

After breakfast, drive to the airport for your onward destination. Our representative will help you with exit formalities and bid you farewell. 

Please Check Available Dates for The Year of:
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Visa Information

Indian, Bangladeshis, and Maldivian nationals can obtain a visa at the port of entry by producing a valid passport with a minimum of 6 months validity (Indian nationals may also use their Voters Identity Card (VIC). For other tourists, you will need to acquire visa clearance in advance. Visas are processed through an online system by your licensed Bhutanese tour operator, directly or through a foreign travel agent. Tourists are also required to book their holiday through a Bhutanese tour operator or one of their international partners. The tour operator will take care of Visa arrangements for visitors.

You are required to send the photo page of your passport (passport scanned copy) to your tour operator who will then apply for your visa. The visa will be processed by the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) once the full payment of your holiday (including a USD 50 visa fee) has been wire transferred and received in the TCB bank account. Once received the visa clearance will be processed within 72 working hours. At your point of entry, you will be required to show your visa clearance letter and the visa will then be stamped into your passport.

Weather Information

There is no appropriate season which is to say that Bhutan’s warm and temperate climate, never-ending festivals, and rich and abundant heritage sites provide visitors with a wide array of experiences throughout the year across the country. Bhutan has all four seasons and the climate varies widely depending on the altitude.

Spring (March, April & May)

This time is considered the most beautiful time of the year, resplendent and ablaze with a spectacular array of bright colors. This is the time when the valleys are green with fresh vegetation and fruit trees are blossoming – the time when locals are naturally mirthful and cheery; when visitors are most welcome. Also, you can witness the famous Paro Tsechu festival.

Autumn (September, October & November)

Autumn is lovely with clear and crisp blue skies, providing a grand view of some of the tallest unclimbed mountains in the world. It is the best time for trekking and traveling. The climate is cool and temperate and you can get lovely photography opportunities of willows shedding their golden brown leaves, the solitude of parks, and somber views of dzongs and monasteries.

Monsoon (June, July & August)

During these months, Bhutan receives more rainfall than any other region in the Himalayas. Glorious sapphire skies and warm weather are a pleasant time to spend visiting places of cultural and historical interest though this season is not the best time for trekking. Enjoy a cup of warm, aromatic tea while watching the rainfall from your hotel window. Or if you possess an adventurous spirit, grab an umbrella/raincoat while it is raining and take a day tour through the town.

Winter (December, January & February)

Winter in Bhutan is sunny, cool, and agreeable to say the least. Much of the east-west highway remains snowbound during winter. It is the best time to tour the western districts of Paro, Wangdue, Punakha, Thimphu, and Haa. One of the chief attractions in winter is the beautiful Gangtey (Phobjikha) valley where you can expect to see a wide expanse of rolling plains with bamboo shrubs.

Safety Guidelines

  • Credit cards are not a convenient source of payment in Bhutan as only a handful of hotels in a few places provide this facility. Also, only MasterCard and Visa. US dollars are the most convenient currency and are cashed by most banks.
  • You should avoid drinking tap water altogether, but it is okay to use it for brushing your teeth. Bottled water is widely available and is best for drinking. It is also wise to carry water purification tablets when trekking in remote locations of Bhutan.
  • The local currency is the Ngultrum, which is pegged to the Indian Rupee. Note: The Indian Rupee in denominations of 500 and 1000 is no longer accepted in Bhutan.
  • Bhutan is the only country in the world that has banned the consumption and sale of tobacco, resulting in smoking being largely disallowed in public places. Having said that, consumption is not completely prohibited in Bhutan so if you want to smoke, bring your cigarettes and ask your guide where you can light up. (seal opened pack only)
  • Tuesdays are considered the national 'dry day,' with the sale of alcohol prohibited.
  • When taking photos/filming inside Dzongs, monasteries, temples, or any religious institutions, check with your guide whether it is permitted as some areas do not allow it.

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Activities
Trekking and Sight Seeing
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Destination
Bhutan
Duration
9 Days
Difficulty
Moderate
Room
Standard hotels
Max Elevation
4,300 m
Transport
Private car or tourist bus
Group Size
+ 2
Best Season
Spring (April and May), Summer (June, July and August) and Autumn (September, October and November)
Trip Start
Kathmandu
Trip End
Kathmandu

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