Bhutan's Haa Valley Add-on adventure
Bhutan - 3,800m
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- Itinerary
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Intermediate
Activity
2 Nights
2 - 12
Group size
Leaders
The Haa Valley, just two hours from Paro, affords incredible views of Mount Jumolhari 7,326m & Mount Jichudrakey 6,662m with options for hiking (Grade 6) or just sightseeing (Grade 3).
The valley itself sits at an elevation of approximately 2,700m and is accessed via road over the 3,800-meter Chele La Pass - it is one of the lesser-visited valleys in Bhutan despite its beauty and this add-on adventure allows clients to get up a little higher and closer to the great messy snowy peaks of the Himalaya.
The actual activities in Haa will be curated depending on the flight timing and number of extra days that you would like to stay in Bhutan. The travel route also depends on whether the extra days will be at the start of the scheduled group tour or at the end of the group tour.
Read the itinerary options covering the attractions and activities in Haa valley. The actual sequence will depend on the length of extra days and the timing of the travel.
The price for this adventure includes the $200 Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) paid to the Bhutanese Government covering the extra two nights on your visa (which we arrange for you).
Day 1: Paro to Haa Valley
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
You will drive towards Haa valley, one of the lesser known but very beautiful valleys in Bhutan. The drive to Haa will take about 2 hrs from Paro. To reach the valley by road one has to traverse Chele-la Pass at 3988 meters. It is from the valley that you get to feast on the magnificent views of Mount Jumolhari & Jichu Drakey mountains.
HIKING OPTION: Then, you will embark on the “Haa Panorama Hiking Trail”, which was recently developed to showcase the pristine beauty and the intact environment of the Haa Valley. The route begins from Yangthang Monastery (2990m) and provides panoramic views of Haa valley, the sacred Meri Puensum and distant peaks, whilst immersing in the pristine pine forests. The hike takes about 3.5-4 hrs.
CULTURAL OPTION: Visit Yangthang Monastery (2990m) which provides panoramic views of Haa valley, the sacred Meri Puensum and distant peaks. then wander around the valley floor which holds significant sites like the White Temple (Lhakhang Karpo) and Black Temple (Lhakhang Nagpo) meeting some of the locals.
Tonight, you will put up in a traditional farm lodge to immerse in authentic Bhutanese experience.
Day 2: Either Haa to Thimpu or Haa to Paro
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
Boutique Hotel
Option 1: Haa to Thimphu (if extra days at the beginning of the scheduled tour)
CULTURAL OPTION: Today, you will enjoy a lovely walk around the town. The walk will include a visit to the Lhakhang Karpo or ‘White Chapel’ complex, just south of Haa’s dzong (fortress). The Lhakhang has an atmospheric central chapel which houses statues of the Tse-la-nam Sum trinity.
Lhakhang Karpo is one of Bhutan’s oldest and most revered temples. Its construction is traditionally credited to the 7th century, making it a place of historical significance. Although the present-day structure dates back to a more recent period, it remains an imposing edifice built on a vast scale. The temple is named “White Temple” or Lhakhang Karpo, in contrast to its adjacent smaller counterpart, Lhakhang Nagpo or “Black Temple.”
After lunch, you will drive towards Thimphu valley. The total drive time will be about 3 hrs.
Option 2: Haa to Paro (if extra days at the end of the schedule tour)
HIKING OPTION: After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to Katsho village, where you will begin your trekking on the ancient Trans Bhutan Trail. For generations, the people of Haa followed the route you will walk today to trade with the Parops in the neighbouring valley.
The age-old trail follows the beautiful Haa river as it gently rises out of the Katsho Valley, passing through yak pastures before heading into forests of pine and rhododendron. As you traverse the Katsho Valley, look out for cliff-edge Bjungneydra Taktsang (monastery), also known as “The Mini Taktsang”, and the sky burial site of Kungkarpo. The trail continues to climb until it reaches the Pass at Kaleyla, where it crosses the ridge trail between Chelela and Sagala. At Kaleyla, you will enjoy stunning views of the Himalayan range to the north, including on the clearest days vistas of Mount Jhomolhari (7,326m/24,036ft), Mount Jichudrakey (6,662m/21,860ft) and Mount Tsherimgang (6,532m/21,431ft). You will be provided with a picnic lunch during this stop.From Kaleyla, the trail descends through rhododendron and bamboo forest into the Paro Valley.
The last few kilometres to Paro will then be on tracks which meander through traditional Bhutanese farming villages.The total trail distance is 14.9 KM and the estimated trek duration is 7 hrs. You will reach a maximum elevation of 3684 meters during the hike.
You will then return to Paro for the night.
Day 3: Onward travel
Either begin your main group adventure or depart Bhutan with a transfer to the airport.
Adventure Optional Extras
Plant an additional 15 trees for your adventure
Carbon Compensation is not the perfect solution, and it is important to first reduce our carbon emissions as much as we can, yet trees remain an excellent natural technology to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to slow global warming.
For every client and guide who attends a YellowWood Adventure, we donate £30 to our partner charity WeForest to plant 15 trees to (over) compensate for the carbon footprint of the tour.
We also invite our clients to match this with an optional additional £30 for another 15 trees to be planted to help compensate for the carbon footprint of their international flights.
WeForest run many tree planting and tree maintenance projects such as this seedling nursery in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil and many other projects in other countries including Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania & India.
Click Here to find out more about their amazing projects around the world.
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Add-Ons are an optional way of customising & extending your adventure, and making those travel miles more worthwhile. They can not be purchased separately. To select an Add-On, please visit the relevant adventure and add it to your enquiry or booking. The adventures which offer this particular Add-On can be found below:
Trekking the Trans Bhutan Trail & Black-necked Crane Festival
Bhutan - Hiking
World-class hiking along a revived network of ancient Himalayan trade routes. Pass through forest-studded valleys, past snow-dusted peaks, stopping at Bhutan’s cultural sights and encountering local characters along the way.
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Related Adventures
Trekking the Trans Bhutan Trail & Black-necked Crane Festival
Bhutan - Hiking
World-class hiking along a revived network of ancient Himalayan trade routes. Pass through forest-studded valleys, past snow-dusted peaks, stopping at Bhutan’s cultural sights and encountering local characters along the way.
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Grading
To help you choose the right adventure for you, we have given each itinerary a grading that relates to the level of Walking / Trekking you will experience during the trip. This grading can be found on the Yellow map on the adventure page of the website.
All of our trips involve a level of general activity so are designed for people who are in good health, enjoy the outdoors, and have a taste for adventure and some level of fitness. As will be clear from our destinations, the climate (and altitude) may be different to that which you are used to, so please take this into consideration when choosing the most suitable holiday.
Please read our Adventure Itinerary & Essential Information for more information and don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to chat through whether you have found a suitable adventure for you.
Grade 1-3: Entry Level
You need to be in good physical health to enjoy your active holiday, but you don’t need to be an experienced hiker. These itineraries offer a mix of sightseeing and easier walking for around 2-4hrs a day, with the emphasis on sights and cultural experiences.
Walks will be well marked or on defined pathways, and often around sites of interest. The expected amount of descent/ascent will depend on the landscapes of the destination, but will not exceed 400m/day, and will often be much less. Walks are at low altitude (below 3000m).
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack with water and essentials. Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have a pair of comfortable and worn in walking shoes/boots.
Grades 4-6: Intermediate
You need to have a good level of fitness and be a regular walker for these adventures, with ideally some trekking experience. You can expect to be walking for 3-6 hours per day, not including rest stops, normally on good trail paths but with some uneven surfaces at times.
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack. You may be walking in more challenging temperatures. You will generally be walking at low altitude (below 3000m) but may walk at altitudes up to 4000m. The amount of ascent could be up to 800m in a day but will frequently be less. You may walk on consecutive days.
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable clothing for this adventure.
Grades 7-9: Challenging
You need to have a good level of fitness with previous experience of trekking. Extra training before your trip will ensure that you get the most out of your adventure. Areas will be remote and terrain uneven.
Expect to walk for 5 – 8 hours a day, not including breaks, with some very steep ascents and descents. You will be walking at altitude (over 3000m but not higher than 5000m).
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable equipment/clothing for this adventure (see the packing list for your adventure).
Please check individual itineraries for details of what you will need to be carrying with you.
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