ITINERARY
The Laya Lingshi Trek is considered to be the second most difficult trek in Bhutan, with the Lunana Snowman Trek being the toughest.
The trek spans 15 days and four high altitude passes. Beginning in Paro, the hike initially leads to the Jumolhari Base camp. Jumolhari is one of the largest, most renowned mountains in Bhutan. From there, the trail begins to parallel the Tibetan border as it climbs over the first of its passes, Nyele La.
It then descends to the first of the remote villages on the trek, Lingshi. This village is home to the 500 year old Lingshi Dzong and over a dozen monks. From here, the trail continues for several days in the same manner, crossing high passes and following along narrow ridges and steep valleys until it reaches Sinchey La, the highest pass on the trek. At 5005 meters, the effects of altitude are definitely felt here. From Sinchey La, the trail begins a gradual descent to the village of Laya.
Laya is the one of the largest and most unique mountain villages in Bhutan. It has its own style of dress and a very unique pointed hat worn by the women. From Laya the trail continues to descend to the town of Gasa, home to some of Bhutan’s best hot springs as well as the massive Gasa Dzong. After a day of soaking in the springs, the trail continues on to its terminus in the town of Punakha.
Apart from trekking along the northern frontier, you will be also visiting the main western towns of Thimphu, Paro and Punakha. Western Bhutan is comparatively more developed than the rest of the country. Thimphu, the capital, has all the important government offices, including the King’s Secretariat. Paro has the only airport and Punakha is the ancient capital of Bhutan.
Day 01| Arrival in Paro
Day 02| Paro sightseeing
Day 03| Paro – Gunitsawa – Thangthangka (Trek starts)
Day 04| Thangthangka – Jangothang
Day 05| Jangothang Halt
Day 06| Jangothang – Lingshi
Day 07| Lingshi – Chebisa
Day 08| Chebisa – Shakaypasa
Day 09| Shakaypasa – Tsheringyangu
Day 10| Tsheringyangu – Limithang
Day 11| Limithang – Laya
Day 12| Laya Halt
Day 13| Laya – Koina
Day 14| Koina – Gasa – Punakha (Trek Ends)
Day 15| Punakha – Thimphu (2.5 Hrs)
Day 16| Thimphu – Paro (1.5 Hrs)
Day 17| Departure
* Itinerary can be customized as per your requirement/duration
* Itinerary is subject to flight and hotel availability
* The company is not responsible if the clients are not able to complete their treks as per the itinerary
TREKKING CHECKLIST
Provided Gear:
- Sleeping Tent (Twin basis)
- Dinning Tent
- Kitchen Tent
- Toilet Tent
- Table and Chair
- Sleeping pads, 2” thick foam (If you prefer thick one, bring your own)
- Stoves, Fuel, Cooking and eating utensils
- Trip Leader first aid kit
Luggage (see weight restrictions):
- Duffel bag size, 6,500 – 10,000 cu. in., frameless, water & abrasion resistant
- Duffel bag, small and frameless, for storage of non-trek items
- Daypack to carry your camera, water bottles, extra clothing
- Daypack raincover
- Luggage tags and locks (two sets)
Camping Gear:
- Sleeping bag with stuff sack, rated to 5°F (or lower if you tend to sleep cold). If it’s too heavy for you to bring with you, you can hire here in Bhutan.
Travel Clothing:
- Bring a few lightweight, easily washable items for travel and daily wear
Outerwear:
- Rain jacket and pants, roomy and waterproof
- Insulated parka/jacket (required), down or synthetic, able to fit over several layers
Footwear:
- Hiking boots, sturdy, water-proof, broken in
- Camp shoes: trail shoes or sneakers
Clothing:
- Midweight fleece or wool sweater/jacket
- Fleece pants or tights
- Midweight and expedition weight thermal underwear top/bottom (1 each)
- Hiking pants/skirt
- Long-sleeve synthetic shirts
- T-shirts, synthetic are best
- Underwear
- Hiking and liner socks, wool or synthetic
Clothing Accessories:
- Sun hat
- Wool or fleece hat
- Bandana
- Wool or fleece gloves
- Thin liner gloves
- Gaiters, mid-calf height
Travel Accessories:
- Two 1-quart water bottles or hydration system
- Headlamp and spare batteries
- Trekking poles (highly recommended)
- Sunblock and lip balm with high SPF
- Sunglasses with strap (side-shields or glacier glasses recommended)
- Toiletry kit
- Towel, small and quick dry
- Toilet kit ditty bag: 2 rolls toilet tissue, Ziploc bags, hand sanitizer gel, wet wipes
- Personal first aid kit
- Ear plugs
- Several Ziploc plastic bags for wet items
- Two large plastic garbage sacks (to line the inside of your duffel in case of rain)
- Favourite energy snacks
Optional Field Gear:
- Camera, memory card, spare battery, charger
- Sleeping pad (provided but ok to bring own)
- Bite valve cover (if using hydration pack)
- Down or synthetic-fill pants (late fall trek)
- Down booties (late Fall trek – around camp)
- Knee supports
- Spare contact lenses or glasses
- Reading and writing materials
- Passport pouch or money pouch
- Motion sickness remedies
Insurance:
- For high altitude treks, insurance is mandatory. (Prior to your arrival you must provide us with your insurance policy details and contact info)
Meal:
On your adventure in Bhutan, diet is the most essential factor to keep you healthy, strong and get you going on your trek. Though we would be providing you with varieties of Bhutanese, Indian, Chinese and Continental dishes with some fresh fruits, but in order to provide you with the right kind of your choice could you kindly let us know your preference and also if you have any restriction on diet. Do you have any preference for breakfast too?
Things to Consider:
- Pack essential items such as your passport, money, eyewear, a change of clothing, hiking boots and medications in your carry-on baggage in case your luggage is delayed.
- Make sure boots are broken-in. Bring moleskin or Blister Block for foot treatment. Thin liner socks worn under regular hiking socks may minimize the risk of blisters. The liner sock should be synthetic, not cotton. Test your sock combination before you go on the trip.
- Cotton is wonderful in warm weather. However, once it becomes wet it will drain your body heat. Bring wool or synthetics such as Capilene, MTS and Thermax.
- Bring a small ditty bag that includes a Ziploc bag with toilet tissue, spare Ziploc bags to dispose of soiled tissue, a small bottle of hand sanitizer and/or wet wipes. There are no reliable feminine health supplies available in Bhutan; women are advised to bring these from home. Your ditty bag will be carried in your daypack throughout the trip, including while sightseeing.
- Gaiters are useful for keeping mud, debris, and snow out of your boots. Ankle to mid-calf length is ideal.
- Stuff sacks are great for sorting gear. Use different sizes/colors to differentiate contents.
Guests and staff ratio for Trekking:
1 – 6 Pax: 1 guide
7 – 10 Pax: 1 guide + 1 assistant
11 Pax & above: 1 guide + 2 assistants
* All our trekking routes are designed and approved by the Tourism Council of Bhutan. If you are not able to complete the trek, KTB doesn’t take any responsibility. KTB is not responsible if the trails are not of your expected standard or of difficult grade. Also due to high altitude terrain and being isolated, KTB doesn’t take any responsible if the routes are not in a good condition.
* If the group finishes the trek or incompletes the trek before the scheduled date, the guests must pay for the extra days.
Some useful Phrases:
Hello: Ku zu zampola (meaning good health)
Thank you: Ka din cheyla
Good bye: Lus la
TREKKING EQUIPMENT PROVIDED
Dinning Tent
Kitchen Tent
Sleeping Tent (Twin basis)
Toilet Tent
Table and Chair
Sleeping Mattress (Thin and water proof)
Kitchen Set
Dinning Set
Grocery & Vegetable items
Horses for luggage
Trekking Staffs (Cook, waiter, helper, horse man)
Guests and staff ratio for Trekking:
1 – 6 Pax: 1 guide
7 – 10 Pax: 1 guide + 1 assistant
11 Pax & above: 1 guide + 2 assistants
* For trekking, insurance is mandatory. (Prior to arrival clients must provide insurance policy details and number)
* All our trekking routes are designed and approved by the Tourism Council of Bhutan. If you are not able to complete the trek, KTB doesn’t take any responsibility. KTB is not responsible if the trails are not of your expected standard or of difficult grade. Also due to high altitude terrain and being isolated, KTB doesn’t take any responsible if the routes are not in a good condition.
* For trekking, if the group finishes the trek or incompletes the trek before the scheduled date, the guests must pay for the extra days.
FIRST AID
Bhutan is a developing country and modern faculties are centralized in the main city only. Normally in the mountain there is no good medical check post. The traditional village people still believe in wish doctors and herbal medicine as it was practice for long. Therefore we provide you basic medical kits which will certainly be helpful incase of emergency. Mostly these medical are to give you an orientation while you are going in high mountain. We always recommend bringing your own medical kits. Make sure that your personal allergy or etc should be carried by yourself.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS
Acute mountain sickness is an illness that can affect mountain climbers, hikers, skiers, or travellers at high altitude (typically above 8,000 feet or 2,400 meters). Acute mountain sickness is due to a combination of reduced air pressure and lower oxygen levels at high altitudes. The faster you climb to a high altitude, the more likely you will get acute mountain sickness. Your symptoms will also depend on the speed of your climb and how hard you push (exert) yourself. You are at higher risk for acute mountain sickness if:
- You live at or near sea level
- You had the illness before
SymptomsSymptoms generally associated with mild to moderate acute mountain sickness include:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea or vomiting
- Rapid pulse (heart rate)
- Shortness of breath with exertion
Symptoms generally associated with more severe acute mountain sickness include:
- Bluish discoloration of the skin (cyanosis)
- Chest tightness or congestion
- Confusion
- Cough
- Coughing up blood
- Decreased consciousness or withdrawal from social interaction
- Gray or pale complexion
- Inability to walk in a straight line, or to walk at all
- Shortness of breath at rest
Signs and tests Listening to the chest with a stethoscope (auscultation) reveals sounds called crackles (rales) in the lung, which may be a sign of fluid in the lungs. A chest x-ray may be performed.TreatmentEarly diagnosis is important. Acute mountain sickness is easier to treat in the early stages. The main treatment for all forms of mountain sickness is to climb down (descend) to a lower altitude as rapidly and safely as possible. You should not continue climbing if you develop symptoms.
- Extra oxygen should be given, if available.
- People with severe mountain sickness may need to be admitted to a hospital.
- Acetazolamide (Diamox) may be given to help improve breathing and reduce mild symptoms. This drug can cause increased urination. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol when taking this drug.
If you have fluid in your lungs (pulmonary edema), treatment may include:
- Oxygen
- A high blood pressure medicine called nifedipine
- A type of drug called a phosphodiesterase inhibitor (such as sildenafil)
- Lung inhalers beta agonists
- A breathing machine, in severe cases
Dexamethasone (Decadron) may help reduce swelling in the brain (cerebral edema). Portable hyperbaric chambers allow hikers to simulate conditions at lower altitudes without actually moving from their location on the mountain. These devices are very helpful if bad weather or other factors make climbing down the mountain impossible. Expectations (prognosis) Most cases are mild, and symptoms improve promptly when you climb down the mountain to a lower altitude. PreventionKeys to preventing acute mountain sickness include:
- Climb the mountain gradually
- Stop for a day or two of rest for every 2,000 feet (600 meters) above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters)
- Sleep at a lower altitude when possible
- Learn how to recognize early symptoms of mountain sickness
- If you are traveling above 9,840 feet (3,000 meters), you should carry enough oxygen for several days.
- If you plan on quickly climbing to a high altitude, ask your doctor about a medication called acetazolamide (Diamox). This drug helps your body get used to higher altitudes more quickly, and reduces minor symptoms. It should be taken the day before you climb, and then for the next 1 to 2 days.
If you are at risk for anemia, ask your doctor if an iron supplement is right for you. Anemia lowers the amount of oxygen in your blood. While climbing:
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Avoid alcohol
- Eat regular meals, high in carbohydrates
- You should avoid high altitudes if you have heart or lung disease.
