Bhutan - Lindsay Brown [194]
If you stop here, there is ample opportunity to explore the area. A few hundred metres up the valley, a small trail climbs the ridge to the left, leading to a higher valley. The top of the ridge offers excellent views of the surrounding mountains.
Day 20: Danji to Tshochena
12km / 5-6 hours / 490m ascent, 240m descent
There is a trail junction near the camp site at Danji. The trail up the valley leads to Gangkhar Puensum base camp and to Bumthang. The path to the end of the trek crosses the creek and leads up a rocky side valley. It is a long climb across several false summits to Jaze La at 5150m, which offers spectacular mountain views in all directions. From the pass, the path descends between snow-covered peaks past a string of small lakes. The camp is near the shore of Tshochena lake at 4970m. This is the first of two nights’ camping above 4900m.
Day 21: Tshochena to Jichu Dramo
14km / 4-5 hours / 230m ascent, 140m descent
The trail follows the shore of the blue-green lake before climbing to a ridge at 5100m. On top you are surrounded by a 360-degree panorama of snowy peaks while, far below, the Pho Chhu descends towards Punakha. Below the ridge, the road and microwave tower at Dochu La are just visible in the distance.
The path makes several ups and downs over small rounded hills, but because of the altitude, walking can be slow. The trail descends past a glacial lake before climbing up to Loju La at 5140m. Many trails wander around high-altitude yak pastures in this region, and it’s easy to go astray. The correct path will lead you across a small saddle at 5100m into a wide glacial valley. The trail descends gradually to the camp at Jichu Dramo (5050m), a small pasture on the east side of the valley.
Day 22: Jichu Dramo to Chukarpo
18km / 5-6 hours / 320m ascent, 730m descent
After leaving camp the trail climbs through a moraine to Rinchen Zoe La (5320m), which divides the Pho Chhu and Mangde Chhu drainages. The pass is surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery. Rinchen Zoe peak (5650m) towers above the pass to the west and major Himalayan mountains stretch along the northern horizon. To the east the western flank of Gangkhar Puensum is visible above the closer ranges, while the Thampe Chhu valley stretches below you to the south.
From the pass the trail descends into a broad, marshy valley with a string of lakes. The trail generally follows the left (east) side of the valley, which narrows the lower you go. Eventually the trail descends steeply down the face of a moraine to a yak pasture in the upper reaches of the Thampe Chhu. There are trails on both sides of the river, but you should cross to the west bank (river right) here, as there is no bridge further down. The vegetation gradually begins to thicken, first to rhododendron and juniper shrubs and eventually to trees of both species, the first real trees since Lhedi. After a couple of hours you reach the camp at Chukarpo (4600m), or you can continue to a better site at Thsongsa Thang (4400m), one hour down the trail.
Day 23: Chukarpo to Thampe Tsho
18km / 5-6 hours / 400m ascent, 640m descent
The trail continues to descend along the right bank of the river until it reaches a yak pasture at Gala Pang Chhu (4010m). You might be lucky enough to spot some takins on the hills across the river. From this point, the path begins to climb quite steeply through junipers and silver firs towards Thampe Tsho. The path generally follows a stream to the beautiful, clear, turquoise lake, set in a bowl and surrounded by steep mountain walls. The camp is at the far end of the lake at 4300m.
Day 24: Thampe Tsho to Maurothang
14km / 5 hours / 280m ascent,