on October 25, 2024
We approached Paro airport with excitement about the journey ahead. As we entered the airport’s arrival area, we were greeted by beautiful wood carvings, with vibrant colors and paintings. It felt like entering a boutique hotel!
This was HAL’s inaugural Snowman trek, and the goal was to trek the first half also known as the Laya-Gasa route. A dream that Tony and Sharon had nurtured for years. Our team consisted of Chris, Tony and Sharon (all HAL alum), Sudeep and Kesang (a local guide). It felt like a reunion of adventure partners. Before starting the trek, we acclimatized with hikes to Taktsang Monastery, Chele La, and Kila Goenpa Nunnery. In between we explored Paro, tried archery ( Sharon has a knack for it), ate belly-full of delicious food often accompanied by popular Bhutanese dish ema datshi (chilly cheese). Chilly is a big part of Bhutanese cuisine and we were reminded of it throughout our trip.
Our trek began in Shana in Jigme Dorji National Park, following the picturesque Paro Chu valley through lush pine and rhododendron forests. As we ascended towards Jangothang, we traded the lush forests for the stark beauty of the high-altitude yak pastures. We took a side trip to the Jomolhari glacier, where Jomolhari 1 & 2 played hide and seek.
We spent two nights at Jangothang as part of our acclimatisation routine. On one of the acclimatization days, we hiked to Tshophu (twin lakes), encountering marmots (which later would be an inspiration for team name), ruddy shelduck, brown trout, yaks, blue sheep and fort ruins. Kesang performed a ceremony, an offering for serkem (mountain spirits), at the viewpoint, a moving experience.
We crossed our first pass – Nyili La with fair weather on our side. One of the highlights was visiting Lingshi Dzong (built in 1668), a historic fortress that once guarded the border between Tibet and Bhutan.
Over the next few days, we traversed Gobu La and Jhari La, enjoying stunning views of Jichu Drake, Tserem Kang, and Gang Chen Taag. We also crossed Shinge La, our highest pass, where we encountered blue sheep and witnessed the impact of climate change – a receding glacier and a lake vanished after the outburst.
As we descended from the mountains we couldn’t help but look back at Gang Chen Taag (Tiger Mountain) as we made our way to Laya.
We camped at a beautiful backyard in Laya and savoured the last day on trail.
Team DMs ended the trip in Gasa with a farmhouse visit, a short trip to hot springs, and to the local bar. On our way to Thimpu, we stopped at Punakha Dzong, a significant historical site and the former capital of Bhutan at the confluence of Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu. Punakha Dzong holds an important relic over which many wars were fought with the Tibetans.
Before parting ways, team Divine Marmots dreamed of more adventures (hint Dolpo). As the saying goes – the end of one journey is the beginning of another. Thank you for reading along, and see you on trails soon. We would like to thank Kesang, Kinzang, Dorje, Uygen and Tshewang for excellent support on the ground which made this trip possible. Kadrin Chey la.
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More pictures from the trip in the gallery below.
