Trek the Himalayas of Bhutan on the Jomolhari Circuit
Bhutan is one of the treasures of the Himalaya with rich diversity and culture complementing its immense mountains. And the Jomolhari Trek in the far north-west of the country is reputedly Bhutan's best walk, an eight-day horseshoe following ancient tracks beneath the spine of mountains separating Bhutan from Tibet, then turning eastwards to descend the valley high above Thimpu, the country's capital.
“There is much to love about Bhutan, but it's the sacred side of the country that I enjoy the most. I love joining pilgrims as they look for the footprints of saints in a rockface, or explain monastery history in terms of flying tigers and unruly demons. On one hike alone, a reincarnated lama blessed me with a thangka made from the nose blood of a saint and then hit me on the back with the stone footprints of a divine skywalker.From Gross National Happiness to crazy wisdom, a journey to Bhutan is a journey into a different reality.”
Bradley Mayhew
Perched high in the Himalayas with over 70% of its land area remaining in forest, Bhutan is a unique country both culturally and environmentally. Due to its location and great geographical and climatic variety, Bhutan is one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots. Recognizing the importance of its environment, conservation is one of Bhutan’s top development priorities. The government has decreed that 60% of its forest resources will be maintained for all time, and approximately 72% of the total land area is under forest cover with about 26% of the land area in protected areas within four parks. As a result, Bhutan offers a wonderful raw and unexploited environment.
Nonetheless, the prevailing image of the country carried away by most visitors is the strong sense of culture and tradition that binds the kingdom and clearly distinguishes it from its larger neighbours. Bhutan is the only Vajrayana Buddhist nation in the world – the last one remaining - and the profound teachings of this tradition show themselves in all aspects of life. Development here is measured using a holistic approach of well-being, not just based on gross domestic product.
The Jomolhari Trek in Bhutan’s far northwest is considered by many to be Bhutan's best walk (and listed by Walkapedia as one of the world’s greatest walks), an eight-day horseshoe which follows ancient tracks beneath the spine of mountains separating Bhutan from Tibet, then turning eastward to descend the valley high above Thimpu, the country's capital. It takes you through unspoilt villages, in beautiful valleys which retain their ancient Tibetan Buddhist culture, then climbs through ravishing virgin forest before emerging to high summer pastures at the foot of magnificent, sacred Jomolhari (or Chomolhari). The route then crosses two high passes, passing two lonely dzongs (forts) in wild desolate landscape, before dropping back to the gentler delights of the cultivated valleys. The trek offers a taste of the great variety of Bhutanese landscape.
- Suitable Activities: Global Adventures
- Seasons: Year-round, March, April, October, November
- Weather: View weather forecast
- Land Manager: Land Manager Varies
- Parking Permit Required: see Land Manager
- Recommended Party Size: 16
- Maximum Party Size: 16
- Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12
There are no resources for this route/place. Log in and send us updates, images, or resources.