Journey · 6 nights

Haa and the Western Passes

The valley that stayed closed to visitors until 2002, reached over the highest road in Bhutan. Few operators come here. You will not queue for anything.

Prayer flags strung across Chele La, cloud lying in the valley below — Photograph — Chele La, 3,988 metres, prayer flags in cloud

6 nightsArriving and departing Paro
From USD 1,710Per person, everything included
2 to 8 peopleOne group at a time, never merged
Spring & autumnApril to June, September to November

Day by day

Seven days, and almost nobody else.

Haa is forty kilometres from Paro and sees a fraction of its visitors. That is the whole point of this one.

Day 1

Arrive Paro

We meet you at the airport. If you have the legs for it, Kyichu Lhakhang in the late afternoon — seventh century, and still a working temple rather than a monument. Early night at 2,200 metres.

Day 2

Paro · Taktsang

The Tiger’s Nest, 900 metres above the valley floor. Up early. Horses cover the first two-thirds if you want one and nobody will comment. Afternoon free in Paro town.

Day 3

Over Chele La to Haa

The highest motorable pass in the country at 3,988 metres, and on a clear autumn morning you can see Jhomolhari from the top. We stop and walk the ridge among the prayer flags for as long as you like, then drop into Haa.

Day 4

The Haa valley

Lhakhang Karpo and Lhakhang Nagpo — the white temple and the black temple — which sit at the head of the valley and predate almost everything else you will see. Then a walk through villages where the reaction to a visitor is still curiosity rather than commerce.

Day 5

Haa to Thimphu

South along the Haa Chhu and east to the capital — a city of about a hundred thousand people and no traffic lights. The Memorial Chorten at the end of the day, when it fills with people walking the circuit after work.

Day 6

Thimphu

The weekend market if the days fall right, the textile museum, the giant Buddha above the city. We keep this day loose deliberately; by now we will know what you actually want more of.

Day 7

Depart

Back to Paro for the morning flight. We wait until you are through.

What it costs

USD 1,710 per person.

Based on two people sharing. Haa has fewer hotels than Paro and they fill for the Haa Summer Festival in July, so give us as much notice as you can.

Sustainable Development Fee, 6 nightsUSD 600
Hotels, all meals, transport, guide, driver, entriesUSD 1,057
Goods & Services Tax at 5%USD 53
Per personUSD 1,710

Not included: international flights to Paro, the USD 40 visa fee, travel insurance, alcohol and anything you buy for yourself.

25% deposit to confirm, balance 30 days before you arrive.How to pay Cancellation terms Questions

Next step

Tell us your dates.

We will come back with a real itinerary and a total price, usually within a day. No deposit until you are happy with it.

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