Building upon our highly successful Quest for the Snow Leopard in Ladakh, KarmaQuest in partnership with the Snow Leopard Conservancy is adding a second snow leopard trip to our portfolio.

This eight-day Jomolhari Base Camp/Bhonte La loop trek set against stunning Himalayan scenery coincides with the second annual Jomolhari Mountain and Snow Leopard Festival held in the best snow leopard habitat in Bhutan. If you are going to see a snow leopard in Bhutan, it is likely to be here. And if not in real life, you may see its image in a hidden trail camera.

An added feature of the trip is an overnight on the trek in a traditional family home. The village homestay program is in its initial stages and is part of an ecotourism program that aims to extend the benefits of tourism to mountain residents. Our feedback will help families better understand what visitors expect, and will reinforce the linkage between tourism income and protecting the snow leopard that draws us there.

Highlights of the trip include:

• Seven days (before and after the trek) in Thimphu, Paro, and Punakha: We’ll visit the Takin Preserve, 17th century monasteries, and excellent museums and attend a lively Buddhist ritual dance ceremony (the Thimphu Tsechu)
• Eight days on trek: We’ll hike to the Snow Leopard Conservation Project site, attend the snow leopard festival, experience a Himalayan homestay, and interact with snow leopard experts in the field. The trek is considered moderately strenuous
• Dinner and briefing with some of Bhutan’s national conservation leaders and snow leopard experts.

Although an actual snow leopard sighting is less likely, we’ll be checking hidden cameras that might have caught it or other wildlife on film. And we'll have plenty of opportunities to talk with Bhutanese yak herders and scientists who have seen the cats in the wild.

Group Size/Trip Leadership
A minimum of six members is required for this trip. A maximum of twelve is desirable in order to provide opportunities for meaningful discussions with professional and village conservationists, and to manage impacts on the natural environment.

You'll be joined on the trip by:
• The Snow Leopard Conservancy Board Chair Caroline Gabel, SLC veteran snow leopard education specialist Darla Hillard and program officer Betsy Mueller who will share SLC’s history of experience with snow leopard programs from across the Asian continent.
• KarmaQuest owner Wendy Brewer Lama (Trip Leader), an ecotourism expert who conducted Bhutan's first eco-trek training in 1992, and worked in Bhutan with UNESCO from 2004-07. She will help us understand village homestay development during our stay with families on the trek.
• Mr. Tshering Penjor, Blue Sky Tour, our Bhutanese guide and host while in Bhutan, is an experienced cultural and trekking guide with a passion for Buddhist art and photography.

Due to the limited space on flights in and out of Bhutan, we encourage you to sign up for the trip as soon as possible. Trip deposits are are due May 30.

Itinerary

Day 1 / October 1: Arrive in Paro, drive to Thimphu: Drive to Thimphu, the capital city, and check into our hotel. Enjoy a leisurely afternoon, visiting the Takin Preserve and a short drive and walk to a monastery. Overnight, Thimphu (Elevation: 7,576 ft/2,310 m)

Day 2 / October 2: Introduction to Bhutan / Snow Leopard Conservation (Thimphu): A visit to a few of Thimphu’s small and lovely museums is the perfect introduction to Bhutan’s unique cultural heritage. Later in the day, we’ll have an orientation to the snow leopard conservation program in Bhutan, a trek briefing, and a welcome dinner. Overnight, Thimphu.

Day 3 / October 3: Thimphu Tshechu (festival): Today we’ll rise early to attend an important annual ritual dance festival, the Thimphu Tshechu. Monks dressed in beautiful silk robes perform dances that entertain and cultivate a harmonious mindset. Drive to and overnight in Paro.

Day 4 / October 4: A pilgrimage hike to Taktshang Monastery: Giving our muscles a chance to stretch, we’ll hike up some 3,000 ft/1,000 meters to perhaps the most famous landmark of Bhutan: Taktshang monastery or Tiger’s Nest, perched atop a high cliff where Guru Rinpoche (who introduced Buddhism to the Himalaya in the 8th century) once landed on the back of a flying tiger. Overnight in Paro

Day 5 / October 5: Begin the Trek: We'll start gradually, following the Paro Chhu (river) through a thick forest of oak, bamboo, rhododendron, and ferns. After lunch, the path descends to a meadow camp at Shinkharap. We’ll stop here or continue another 1.5-2 hrs to camp at Tshemamarp (Elevation: 10,168 ft/3,100 m). Hiking time: 3-5 hours.

Day 6 / October 6: On Trek: We'll continue our walk up the Paro Chhu. The valley of Soe Yaktse opens up to the west with several big snow peaks at its end. We continue on, setting up camp at Heyshi Thangkha (13,100 ft/4,000 m) where yaks are kept in the winter. Hiking time: 4-5 hours

Day 7 / October 7: Trek to Jomolhari Base Camp: Trees become sparser as the landscape widens into patches of alpine meadow and starts to reveal views of snowy mounts Jichu Drake, Tsherimgang and Jomolhari (24,000 ft/7,314 m). We'll unpack for three days of camping at Jomolhari Base Camp (elevation: 13,400 ft/4080 m). Hiking time: 5 – 6 hours.

Day 8 / October 8: Jomolhari Base Camp (JBC)/Attend the Snow Leopard Festival: Today we'll join local residents, school children, and other trekkers in this second annual celebration of the snow leopard. Our being there will help reinforce the message that the outside world also cares about the snow leopard. We’ll also have the opportunity to interact with snow leopard expert and Bhutan Foundation Executive Director Tshewang Wangchuk, along with Parks Department and Ecotourism Division staff today and while at base camp.

Day 9 / October 9: Attend the Snow Leopard Festival and explore: We’ll again join the festival celebrations, or we can explore the environs on day outings: scampering up rocky hillsides to check on trail cameras that are hidden in the high slopes waiting to capture images of snow leopards or other Himalayan wildlife. There are good chances of spotting blue sheep up-valley, and where there are blue sheep, there are often snow leopards.

Day 10: October 10: Depart Jomolhari Base Camp and trek toward Tsho Phu: We’ll head up a steep incline, rewarded with fantastic views of familiar peaks. Trace the Tsho Phu Chhu to its origin, the three Tsho Phu lakes (tsho means lake). We’ll camp beyond (14,300 ft/4,360 m). Hiking time: 2—3 hours

Day 11: October 11: Cross Bhonte La and overnight in a village homestay: From camp, we’ll climb to Bhonte La (pass), at 16,040 ft/4,890 m, the highest point on this trek route. The views from the top are remarkable and worth every step of the way. Arriving by early afternoon allows us more time with our village homestay hosts and this lovely deep-sided valley. Hiking time: 4-5 hours.

Day 12: October 12: Enjoy the last day of trekking and overnight in a hotel in Paro: We’ll leave this picturesque valley and follow the drainage of the Dhumzo Chhu to where it intersects with the Paro Chhu, which we'll follow downstream to the trailhead at Shana (9,480 ft/2,890 m). Drive to our hotel for a welcome hot bath and soft bed. Hiking time: 6-7 hours.

Day 13 / October 13: Sightseeing day in Paro: After a leisurely morning, we’ll visit the National Museum of Bhutan, the Paro Rinpung Dzong with its spacious upper courtyard and prayer halls, and the Khichu Lhakhang, with one of the oldest temples in Bhutan built in the 7th century by the Tibetan Emperor Songsten Gampo. Spend some time strolling around Paro. We might catch archers practicing their national sport. Overnight, Paro

Day 14 / October 14: Travel to Punakha and Chimi Lhakhang: Today we’ll drive eastward, taking in a bit more of Bhutan’s physical and cultural sites. Crossing Darchu-la (10,300 ft/3,150 m), the road zigzags down some 6,000 ft/1,800 m. We'll visit Chimi Lhakhang,and overnight near Punakha.

Day 15 / October 15: Visit Punakha Dzong and a Farewell in Thimphu: Today we’ll tour the monumental 17th century Punakha Dzong – “the palace of great happiness or bliss” – the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan. Set at the confluence of the Pho and Mo Chhu, Punakha Dzong is the site of the first King of Bhutan’s coronation in 1907. Afterward we’ll drive to Thimphu. In the evening, we’ll gather with new friends and snow leopard supporters for a special farewell dinner. Overnight in Thimphu.

Day 16 / October 16: Drive Paro for departing flights: We’ll reach the Paro airport and check in for our onward journey home or to another Asian destination.


Trip Cost:
6—8 persons: $6,960/person
9—11 persons: $6,200/person
12 persons: $5,900/person

Plus international and regional airfare: approx $1,900 (US-Paro-US) and

Donation to Snow Leopard Conservancy: $1,000 (tax deductible for US residents)

Early Bird Special! Sign up before May 30 and receive a $500 discount.

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