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BHUTAN: The Laya-Gasa Trek New Trip! One of the most beautiful and unspoiled trekking areas in the entire Himalaya is the isolated enclave of Laya in the far northwest of Bhutan on the Tibet borderlands. This is a culturally pristine area dotted with fertile fields and villages of the Layap people, who have their own distinctive language, traditions, and form of dress: the women wear curious cone-shaped bamboo hats decorated with coral, turquoise, and silver, and unlike most Bhutanese women who wear their hair short, Layap women wear their hair long and in braids. The start of our trek mirrors our popular Chomolhari trek (see page x), but once past Lingzhi, you’ll veer northeast toward the remote untouched area of Laya. Along the way you’ll gain tremendous insights into Bhutan’s fascinating ethnic diversity, feast your eyes on a spectacular Himalayan skyline, and have opportunities to spot blue sheep and perhaps the rare snow leopard and the ox-like takin, the national animal of Bhutan. At the end of the trek, you’ll unwind in Bhutan’s most celebrated natural hot springs—guaranteed to soothe your soul as well as your weary muscles! TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Check out our Himalaya Feature (including slideshows, stories, facts, and more) and learn more about the new King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who took over as the fifth Druk Gyalpo in Bhutan this December! |
 Itinerary: Bhutan: The Laya-Gasa TrekDay 1 - Meet in Bangkok, Thailand. Day 2 - Fly to Paro, Bhutan. Visit the Paro Dzong and the National Museum, with its interesting collections of Bhutanese artifacts. Day 3 - Day hike to the famous cliff-clinging hermitage of Taktsang (the “Tiger’s Nest”). Days 4-8 - Follow the Paro River as it winds past traditional farmhouses with cultivated fields of red rice, chilies, potatoes, and millet. The trail gradually ascends through forests of oak, pine, and juniper, then eventually opens into a glacial valley with many moraines. At the Nyile La (15,980'), the views of Chomolhari, Jichu Drakye, and Tsering Kang are spectacular. Days 9-17 Continue through high wild pastures and valleys where takin are usually seen, passing fertile fields and Layap villages. En route you’ll cross four high passes and visit Laya, one of the highest villages in the country at 12,136', Gasa, with its hilltop dzong, and the hot springs below Gasa. Day 18 - Descend into a lush semi-tropical gorge filled with banana trees and the occasional monkey. Overnight at hotel in Punakha. Day 19 - Drive to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. Day 20 - Sightseeing in Thimphu, with a late afternoon departure to Paro. Days 21-22 - Fly to Bangkok. Depart Bangkok on Day 22.  Detailed Itinerary - BHUTAN: The Laya-Gasa Trek 1. Download detailed itinerary in a PDF format 2007 Detailed Itinerary (PDF files require that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. This program can be downloaded for free from the Adobe Website.) 2. Or email us your itinerary request at sales@mtsobek.com 3. Or call us at 1-888-831-7526 (USA and Canada) or (510) 594-6000 We’ll email you a copy (Word or Acrobat document), fax, or mail you the itinerary as you prefer. For more information and reservations, please contact: Mountain Travel Sobek 1266 66th Street, Suite 4 Emeryville, CA 94608 USA Toll Free (USA and Canada): 1-888-831-7526 Phone: +1-510-594-6000 Fax: + 1-510-594-6001 Email: info@mtsobek.com |