Itinerary

This overnight camping trek is only available from March to May and from September to November and requires a minimum of two people.

Day 01 / Singapore – Paro
Uma Paro staff will welcome you at the airport for the 10-minute transfer to the property. Once you have settled in your first foray into the Kingdom begins with sightseeing in Paro town and a visit to a local temple. This afternoon is an opportunity to acclimatise to the rarefied air at this altitude and to get to know your guide, who will offer some additional sightseeing options for the rest of the day depending on your interests and energy levels.
Overnight in Uma Paro.

Day 02 / Paro to Punakha Valley via Thimphu and Dochu La
The capital Thimphu itself sprawls up the wooded western hillside of the Wang Chhu and is the centre of government, religion and commerce. You may wish to shop or drive to the town viewpoint at the Big Buddha statue. If time permits to visit Thimphu, the sightseeing begins with a tour including some of the following (exact itineraries dependent on opening times and interests): National Memorial Chorten, Trashi Chhoe Dzong, the weekend market(Main market days are Friday, Saturday and Sunday), and Folk Heritage Museum.

Following the ride to Thimphu, the drive to Punakha is truly awe-inspiring as it zigzags up to the 3,140m-high mountain pass of Dochu La with its forests of fluttering prayer flags, maze of memorial chortens and, on a clear day, sweeping views of the main Himalayan range. Up river, deep in the verdant terraced hills past Punakha Dzong, is our home for the next two nights, Uma Punakha.

Duration of drive (Paro to Punakha via Thimphu): 3 – 4 hours (126 km)
Guided with picnic or lunch at local restaurant.
Overnight Uma Punakha.

Day 03 / Khamsan Yuley Namgay Chorten Walk, Punakha Dzong and Chimmi Lhakhang
We have a full day for further exploration of the scenic Punakha Valley, which at 1,200m is low enough to allow bananas and oranges to grow. This morning we walk up through whitewashed homesteads and farmland to Khamsum Yuley Namgay Chorten, a shrine recently built by the royal family (the chorten can be clearly spotted from our breakfast table). This ornate and elaborate structure has a rainbow of Guru Rinpoche images and superb views.

Heading down along the riverside the massive architectural edifice of the 17th-century Punakha Dzong soon looms into view. The fortress-monastery was built in 1637 by Shabdung Nawang Namgyal in a commanding position at the confluence of the Po Chhu and Mo Chhu (Father and Mother rivers). It once served as the seat of the Kingdom’s government and is now the winter home of Je Khempo, the head abbot of Bhutan, along with a retinue of 1,000 monks. In the afternoon a short walk across rice paddies takes us to Chimmi Lhakhang, a fertility temple dedicated to Drukpa Kuenley, a Tibetan Buddhist saint known popularly as the Divine Madman. The temple sits atop a picturesque hill surrounded by rice fields. Drukpa Kuenley built a chorten on the site in the 14th century,and it has long been a pilgrimage site for couples hoping to start a family.

Duration: 6 – 7 hours
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Guided with picnic or lunch at Uma Punakha.
Overnight Uma Punakha.

Day 04 / Riverside morning walk, Punakha Valley to Paro via Chuzom and Tamchhu Lhakhang
The large building we see to the north of Uma Punakha is called Botakha Palace. It was built during the 1950′s by the late Third King as his residence but when the Capital of Bhutan was shifted to Thimphu it fell empty. The palace gardens are full of mature fruit trees and the local farmers still pay homage to a huge mythical serpent by offering some of each rice harvest in the posthole of a huge prayer flag. Our morning walk crosses the river at a suspension bridge downstream from “snake bend” and contours through lush farmland and homesteads up to Bale Lhakhang, a tiny local temple with sweeping views down the valley past Uma Punakha.Time to retrace our steps over the Dochu La for a second view of the wonderful Himalayan range.

Returning to the Chuzum (river confluence) we catch a glimpse of the three shrines in Nepali, Tibetan and Bhutanese style which were built to ward of evil spirits near the checkpoint. Time permitting the journey can be broken with a visit to Tamchhu Lhakhang built by Thangtong Gyalpo, the so-called Iron Bridge Builder. This former saint from the 14th century introduced the art of building suspension bridges with iron chains and the only way to reach his temple is by one of these bridges. On the final leg the road snakes alongside the Pa Chhu river, through apple orchards and rice paddies, past quaint homesteads to our home in the mountains, Uma Paro.

After check-in and a show round, we invite you to spend the rest of the day relaxing around the property, enjoying the facilities or trying an activity like the Bhutanese national sport of archery or a traditional Bhutanese Hot Stone Bath.

Duration of drive (Punakha to Paro via Thimphu) : 3 – 4 hours (126 km)
Difficulty: Easy
Guided with picnic or lunch at local restaurant.
Overnight Uma Paro.

Day 05 / Walk to Zurig Dzong, Rinpung Dzong, Ta Dzong, Paro town, Kyichu Lhakhang and Drukgyel Dzong
We wind through pine forests high above Uma Paro to the pretty grounds of the fortress-like monastery of Zurig Dzong. We traverse across to Ta Dzong, housing Bhutan’s National Museum with magnificent views over Paro, and on down to Rinpung Dzong (Fortress on a Heap of Jewels). The trail then leads across Paro Chhu river via the traditional covered bridge, Nyamai Zam, and then past the main archery ground, Ugyen Pelri Palace and into Paro town.

Driving a few kilometres north of Paro, we pay our respects at Kyichu Lhakhang which is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan with its magical orange tree that bears fruit all year round. Time permitting, we drive further up the valley to Drukgyel Dzong, built in 1648 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to control the northern route to Tibet.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Guided with picnic or lunch at local restaurant.
Overnight Uma Paro.

Day 06 / Uma Paro Checkout, Hike from Sang Choekor Buddhist College (2,800m) to Yak pasture below Bumdra Monastery (3,800m)
The adventure begins with an early morning drive up to the Sang Choekor to meet our ponies; whilist they are being loaded we may pay our respects at the College. The initial one to two-hour ascent of a ridge, which is steep at times though also in cool shade, brings us to a clearing with prayer flags and views down into both the Paro and Do Chhu Valleys. Above and ahead the Chhoe Tse Lhakhang (temple) nestles in the mountainside—a one to two-hour walk away. The trail undulates for a while before the last steep pull up to the pretty temple which boasts commanding views south over Paro and northwards to the snowcapped Himalayas. After a final 20-minute climb through ruins and fluttering prayer flags, we plunge back into ancient forest traversing for about 40 minutes then come out onto a high wide meadow dotted with sacred chortens and prayer flags. Our home for the night is tucked in under Bumdra Monastery (Cave of a Thousand Prayers) making the most of the awesome views of the Himalayan range. After lunch we can visit the monastery (if it is occupied) and also climb the peak to the north (about 4,000m) for even better views, returning in time for dinner.

Duration: 3 – 4 hours to 2 – 3 hours optional return trek to peak
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Guided with picnic lunch.
Overnight Bumdra Wilderness Camp (3,800m).

Day 07 / Hike from Yak pasture below Bumdra Monastery (3,800m) via Sangtopelri Monasteries to Taktsang Monastery (2,900m)
After a hearty breakfast, we either head straight back into the valley or linger awhile soaking up the view and perhaps hang some prayer flags of our own. Eventually we have to drop back into the ancient pine and rhododendron forest on the monks’ winding trail.

After a couple of hours of descent we begin to catch glimpses of the golden temples below. The path snakes across the mountainside between these monasteries before reaching the gardens of Sangtopelri (Heaven on Earth) from which you can peer over the edge and straight down onto the ornate rooftops of Taktsang Monastery, perched against the cliff-face far below. An hour later and we are at the gates of Taktsang looking across the gorge; a steep descent to a waterfall then up some steps and we pass into Tiger’s Nest itself. Retracing our steps we begin the final descent of about 45 minutes to reach our vehicle and drive back to Uma Paro—not forgetting to stop on the other side of the valley and look back at what we have achieved.

Duration: 5 – 7 hours depending on time taken in monasteries.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Guided with lunch.
Overnight in Uma Paro.

Day 08 / Paro – Singapore
Druk Air normally departs in the morning, so after breakfast your 10 minute transfer to Paro
International Airport will be arranged depending on the flight schedule.

Notes ~ Uma by COMO

• This itinerary is intended as a guide only. Local conditions and weather may necessitate variations to the programme which can affect the availability of views and panoramas described. Please be aware that all times stated are approximate, and may vary with individual and group fitness and interest levels.
• Uma by Como at Paro & Punakha provides complimentary drinking water for all guided itineraries. If you have any special dietary requests, please let us know in advance. Where stated, trips include lunchtime picnics prepared by Uma Paro’s chefs. Please place your picnic order the day before departure via your Guide or the Activity Desk on extension 3308.
• This overnight camping trek is only available from March to May, and from September to November, and requires a minimum of two people.
• Uma Paro requires that our guests check-out of their rooms for the camping nights and will store guests’ non-essential trekking luggage.
• Our local provider offers Uma guests with walk-in tents with raised camp beds and camping arm chairs. Tea and hot washing water is delivered to each tent in the morning, and generous portions of healthful cuisine for dinner and breakfast.
• Throughout your stay you have the option to participate in a range of extra outdoor activities at an additional charge.