BUMDRA TREK

Overview

This is a very short and easy trek. On this very short trek, you can also experience luxury  trek camping at high altitude upon completing this magical trek by camping and sleeping in a gorgeous and sacred campsite high above Tiger’s Nest with beautiful views of the Himalayas and a deep Paro valley.

This trek is available from March to May and September to November

Day 01 | Sang Choekhor Monastery to Bumdra Monastery

Hike from Sang Choekhor Buddhist College (2,800m) to nomads pasture meadow just below Bumdra Monastery (3,800m). The adventure begins with an early morning drive up to the Sang Choekhor to meet our ponies and while they are being loaded we pay our homage in a monastery. First one to two hours, the ascent of a ridge can be steep at times but in cool shade. We will reach a clearing with prayer flags and enjoy a spectacular view of both Paro and Do Chhu valleys.

About one and half hours walk, we reach Chhoe Chhoe Tse Lhakhang (temple), which nestles at the side of the mountain. The trail continues and when we reach the last steep elevation we will see a temple overlooking Paro International Airport and the snow-capped Himalayan mountains. After another 20 minutes of climbing through ruins and fluttering prayer flags, we hike into the forest for about 40 minutes before we reach a wide meadow with sacred stupas and prayer flags. We will spend a night at Bumdra Monastery (the cave of a thousand Dakinis).

After lunch we can visit the monastery and climb towards the north of the peak (about 4000m) for a better view of the Himalayas before returning for dinner.

Day 02 | The End 

After a hearty breakfast in the jaw dropping landscape, it is time to either head straight back into the valley or linger for a while soaking up in the breathtaking views of the morning and perhaps hang some prayer flags of your own. Eventually we have to descend down into the pine and rhododendron forest through a zig-zagging trail. Around one and half hours of descent we catch glimpses of the golden roofs of temples below and soon come upon the first of many on our way back from the wilds.

The path snakes across the mountainside between the monasteries and temples before reaching the gardens of Zangto Pelri (Paradise), you can bravely peep over the edge straight down onto the ornamented roof of Tiger’s Nest. An hour later,  we are at a gate of Taktsang looking across a steep descent to a waterfall then ascend on steps and you are passing into the Tiger’s Nest. Later, climb down to Paro Valley.