Dagala Trek

Location: Genekha-Thimphu

Duration: 5 nights and 6 days

Trek start: Geney Zam

Trek end: Motithang, Thimphu

Season:

Spring: Mid-March to Early June

Autumn: Late September to Early December.

Weather: generally sunny

Highlights: flowers, paramount views of mountains and sceneries and Lakes

Summer: June and July

Weather: rainy season

Distance/time: 4-5 hours

Starting Altitude: 2375m

Altitude gain: 1335m

Difficulty: Easy.

Day 1: Thimphu (2375m) to Kibchen (3710m)

Today after breakfast we have to go to Genekha - Geney zampa 2hrs drive from Thimphu. The trek starts from Geney zampa (2850m) to kibchen it takes 4 to 5 hrs. The camping crew member will be waiting with ponies. From Geney zam you have to climb steeply, then more steadily, through beautiful oak forest. The trees are draped with lichen. Along the trail there are old stone step and resting places. At (3200m), after 1-1.5hrs climb, passing a cattle gate, a group of prayer flags on a rock outcrop appears. This is Dhophu jasey Dhokha (viewpoint) with a nice view of the valley and surrounding mountains. The trail becomes less steep, skirting around the hillside through a big birch forest that gradually gives way to bamboo. After leaving the forest the trail can be seen ahead, cutting up the hill. Ascend through ferns and flowers such as edelweiss. We reach at camp Kibchen. From here we can see beautiful sun rise.

Distance/time: 5-6 hours

Starting Altitude: 3710m

Altitude gain: 570m

Difficulty: strenuous

Day 2: Kibchen (3710m) to Labatama (4280m)

Today you have to walk around 5 to 6 hrs to reach our camp Labatama. You gradually climb up through thick Rhododendron shrubs and thick oak forest till you reach Pagalaptse pass (4170m) from the pass, you have beautiful views of the Genekha village and a portion of the Paro valley, including some rocky peaks. Turn to the (left): The trail can be hard to find. Very soon you should see two stone houses below at watching (4100m), a good place to stop lunch, sheltered from wind or bad weather. Herders keep sheep, horse and yaks in the area. After watching traverse around a ridge and through a small valley, climb up to a small saddle, and then descend into a broad main valley where there are quite a few yak herders’ huts. The valley has no proper name but is commonly called Labatama. At the bottom is a beautiful big flat campsite (about 4280m)

Day 3: Labatama (halt)
You can visit several lakes and enjoy a good fishing day in the lakes or go to Jomigue pass and climb Aum Jomo till the summit (5050m) which will take about 5-6 hrs.

Distance/time: 4-5 hours

Starting Altitude: 4280m

Altitude loss: 250m

Difficulty: Moderate

Day 4: Labatama (4280m) to Pangkha (4030m)

Walking distance is 4 to 5hrs. Today after having breakfast, start climbing up the grassy ridge to reach a trail. The trail to Jomo peak now follows an easterly direction between some rock faces. There are two route a) lower route and b) higher route. It is better you chose higher route because from higher route you can see the nice view of lakes etc.

Climb to the western side of Lake Sherbho tsho/ Dajatsho and cross a saddle at about 14’760ft/4500m. If the weather is fine, you should be able to see Jhomolhari and Kanchenjunga. After the saddle the trail descends steeply to another lake at 4350m, passing several herders’ camp. It rejoins the lower route at about 4160m near a stream called Dochha chhu. Walk past a very nice campsite below the trail (Pangkha) looking northwest in the far distance Jili Dzong is visible the first camp site on the Drukpath trek when starting from Paro. Talakha peak 4278m can also be seen the climbing destination for tomorrow. There are plenty of loose stones on the trail.

Distance/time: 5-6 hours

Starting Altitude: 4030m

Altitude loss: 200m

Difficulty: strenuous

Day 5: Pangkha (4030m) to Pangsebhu (3830m)

The sun climbs over a ridge behind camp, appearing about 07.30hr in autumn. It takes 5 to 6hr to reach the camp. Climb to a pass at 3960m indicated by several large cairns. Four trails meet here: your own from the south; to the east to wangditse; to the north Talakha Gompa; and to the west just below the ridge, reaching another crossing point leading to Serbithang and Zamto. Climb a steep slope to a yak herders place, next to an enormous ruin at 3980m. Climb into a valley to the top of a ridge 4185m. Where the path leaves this ridge, the locals call this jili la; other sources call it Tale la. The pass, which is decorated with prayer flags, gives a full view of the Thimphu valley and far below on the ridge. In clear weather there are stunning views towards the Himalayas, including Kanchenjunga 8586m, Jomolhari 7315m, Jichhu Drake, Tsheri Kang and in the east the mountains of Lunana. It is another 20-30min climb to Talakha Peak 4300m with an even better view.

Distance/time: 3-4 hours

Starting Altitude: 3830m

Altitude loss: 1400m

Difficulty: Easy

Day 6: Pangsebhu (3,830m) to Thimphu

Eventually, the last glace of the trek for entire trekking comes to the end with long memories of Himalayas. It leads through dwarf bamboo bush, further goes into Oak trees with sloppy landscape, over viewing the Chamgang valley and Talakha Goempa (monastery). It takes 3 to 4 hours till roadside.

Far into the valley have a nice view of Thimphu town with spotted houses, Wangchhu River and the nets of roads. Time taken approximately 3-4 hours (1.5km) of walking till Chamgang valley and there you find the representative of Bhutan Trekking and Hiking Services for your fluent transportation till Thimphu via Simtokha Dzong (this fortress was built by famous Rimpochoe called Zhabdrung and it is believed to be one of the oldest Fortres in the kingdom).