Summary
Bhutan Trek to Laya
For adventure lovers, a Bhutan trek is high on the list. After climbing Kilimanjaro, trekking to Everest Base Camp, and tackling the Arctic watershed, we were excited to finally explore the Land of Thunder Dragon.
When we were last in Nepal, we considered taking a four-day Bhutan tour to see the famous kingdom in the Himalayas, but the $250 per person per day fee cut into our budget a little too much, hence, we decided against it.
When Gray Langur Tours invited us to join their inaugural tour to Bhutan that included a trek to Laya, we thought, “now is the time to go and see what it is like for ourselves.”
About Gray Langur
Gray Langur was started last year by Silicon Valley CEO Gabriel Cubbage after a trip to the country on his own. He fell in love with the people and their idea of low-impact tourism. He joined forces with local partner Tshering Tashi, and they plan on having luxury tours throughout the country in the coming year.
The Four Pillars of Gross National Happiness in Bhutan
- 1. Equitable and equal socio-economic development
- 2. Preservation and promotion of cultural and spiritual heritage
- 3. Conservation of environment
- 4. Good governance, which are interwoven, complementary, and consistent.
Our tour started in Bangkok, where our large group of 20 flew together to the capital city of Paro. After a night in town, we were off the next day for our trek to Laya.
The Trek to Laya Begins
Dave and I were really excited about the trek to Laya. It is considered one of the most scenic long-distance treks in Bhutan that doesn’t require extensive physical preparation or high altitude experience.
Note: Be warned though, this trek is not to be taken lightly if you don’t have experience. One person in our party had to turn back due to the trek being too difficult, and another person in our group went back the following day after being rammed by a donkey on the mountain. Others with little trekking experience struggled greatly.
We love the views of the Himalaya mountain range and couldn’t wait to see the massive peaks similar to those we saw in Nepal’s Sagarmatha National Park.
View on our Everest Trek while in Nepal
This trek wasn’t going to take us to quite the same height as the Everest Trek, as our trip to Laya was only two days up and two days down, but it would give us a sense of what trekking in Bhutan is like.
We set off after camping on the side of the road for a night from Gasa towards Laya.
Unlike other treks that go to Laya, Gray Langur takes passengers as close as possible to the start of the trail. We passed many people trekking along the side of the road while we stayed inside our mini bus.
I appreciated this idea of driving past the hikers on the road, as I am not a fan of sharing my trekking path with automobiles. Instead, we went as far as the road would allow and then made the rest of the way on foot without vehicles impeding our journey.
Breaking Down the Laya Trek
The first part of our trek was an easy walk down a valley on a logging road towards a bridge crossing the river. We stopped in the middle of the bridge, taking in the most spectacular views of the valley.
From here the uphill battle began.
Our mismatched group spread out quickly, and Dave and I had the trail to ourselves for the rest of the day as we hiked along narrow paths through high mountains and deep valleys.
The first day was an 18 km trek uphill with a stop at the 10 km marker for lunch. It took us through forested mountains and single-track trails that we shared with mules and donkeys carrying heavy supplies up to Laya and the Army camp at the halfway point.
Important Tips for Hiking on Busy Trails
- When doing a Bhutan Trek, you will have to share the trail with horses, donkeys, and mules at lower elevations and yaks at higher elevations. Ensure you get out of their way and leave plenty of space as they won’t stop for anything.
- Never stand on the cliff drop-off side of the mountain. Always position yourself on the hill side of the mountain to prevent accidental falls.
- Make sure to step up as high as you can on the trail side to avoid getting pinned to the wall.
- Listen for the bells ringing around their necks and stay alert at all times.
Check out our video of our Laya Trek
Something we love about trekking in the Himalayas is all the prayer flags soaring over mountain passes and deep valleys, bringing messages of well wishes and prayers to the heavens. It adds a peaceful ambiance to the climb, knowing you are being looked after.
We saw many prayer flags along the trail and stopped to admire their beauty while paying our respects.
After a few hours of uphill hiking, the descent to the river began. Dave and I thought we had fallen behind the main group as we constantly stopped to take photos and videos. It seemed that with each corner turned, a more stunning view lay ahead of the high Himalayas in the distance.
We ended up catching up with some of the group and the guides, taking a few extra moments to head down to the fast rapids of the river for a better vantage point of the majestic Himalayas. It was a stark contrast to the lush green trails we had been walking on.
Why the Laya Trek in Bhutan
We learned from our guide Sangay that this trail is where the famed Snowman Trek begins. If we were doing that trek, we’d soon branch off to tackle what is considered the toughest trek in the world, spanning 25 days at altitudes above 4000 meters (13,100 feet).
While we weren’t going that high, it was exciting to know we were traversing a path that some of the heartiest trekkers take in Bhutan.
Our guide Sangay has completed the Snowman Trek four times. This was his first trek to Laya, which is just starting to gain popularity because of the Royal Highlander Festival that began last year.
The King of Bhutan loves this region and wanted to promote more tourism to these mountains. He initiated the festival last year to showcase the culture and lifestyles of the hill tribes, providing a unique experience to witness Bhutan traditions with very few tourists involved.
Since it is a two-day trek to the festival, it filters out the quick tours that come into Bhutan from Nepal and India. This trek attracts only the most dedicated Bhutan travelers.
After a quick stop for lunch by the river, we continued on for another 8 km uphill.
Night #1
It was a long day, but we made it into camp before sundown. Our campsite was located directly beside an army outpost. The soldiers were friendly and offered our party some momos while we waited for dinner.
We aren’t quite sure what happened at dinner, but with our group sharing a kitchen with the army and someone preparing a kosher meal, it took hours before dinner was ready.
We decided to just eat some snacks and call it a night as it was getting pretty cold outside and our tents weren’t in the best of shape due to the supplier dropping off subpar trekking gear to Gray Langur.
Morning arrived early, and Dave and I were out for sunrise, capturing the spectacular scene.
We hadn’t noticed the mountains around us upon arrival the night before as the weather had moved in, shrouding them in cloud. When we woke up, we were greeted by magnificent vistas of mountains and valleys in every direction.
Day Two of our Trek in Bhutan
Once again, our ragtag group set out together, but quickly split into separate groups. Dave and I were alone again, enjoying a wonderful day exploring the hills.
We engaged with as many people as we could. At one point, we took a detour to chat with an older lady who was trying to communicate something to us, but we just couldn’t grasp what she wanted.
In the end, we had a lovely time exchanging smiles and handshakes, moving along to higher ground.
Arrival to Laya
It was around this time that participants for the annual Laya marathon began to appear. To coordinate with the festival, young men and women enter the 25 km course, racing up to 4,000 meters.
It’s a grueling course, and we had a hard enough time walking up the mountains, let alone running. The early leaders made it look easy, putting our slow pace to shame.
However, we stood aside and cheered them on as they pushed forward with great determination.
When we reached a checkpoint for the race, we knew we had to be close to Laya. A group of children were chanting a welcome song to the racers, with officials on hand to check them in and ensure everyone was doing alright.
We paused briefly to watch the racers go by before heading into our final stretch. After the checkpoint, the trail transformed into a more village-like path, with rock walls and well-trodden footpaths.
Festival Day
It was about another 45 minutes, but we finally made it to the picturesque village of Laya.
Laya is considered one of Bhutan’s highest and most remote settlements, situated at 3800 meters (12,467 feet). Surrounded by snowy peaks, it has a small community with a couple of guest houses and a school.
Our gear hadn’t arrived from our overnight camp, but fortunately, a friendly local invited us into his house where we enjoyed milk tea while keeping warm and dry for a couple of hours.
Sadly, everything was closed because of the festival, and it was raining heavily by then, so we didn’t do much exploring around the village and instead took the time to relax and get to know one another.
Considering the weather and that it was well past lunch, we decided to wait until tomorrow to enjoy the festival. We wondered how much was really happening at this time of day anyway.
Two Day Festival in Laya
Unfortunately, many events took place during the festival’s first day, and we missed out on seeing the yak races, dog races, and the other livestock shows. Initially, we felt disappointed when we learned the news; however, when we woke up the next morning and started the trek up, we felt that we had made the right decision.
It was yet another strenuous hour-long trek up to 4200 meters, steep and exhausting. I doubt we would have been up for another hour of climbing after already being on the trail for the day.
During this ascent to the festival, the truly amazing mountain views began to unfold. There had been a fresh snowfall overnight, and each mountain looked like a picturesque painting.
We shared the trail with tribes arriving from all over the country. One person mentioned that they had trekked for 7 days to come here.
There are no roads to Laya; the only way in or out is by hiking, which certainly adds to the uniqueness of the experience.
The Trek Down – Two Easy Days
The trek down was a lovely chance to relax, being predominantly downhill. Conditions were a bit slippery on day one due to the weather, and there was quite a bit of liquid horse manure on the trail, so I would recommend packing gaiters if you embark on this trek. It can get quite muddy. However, we made very good time and avoided arriving at camp too early.
This descent could easily have been completed in one day, but having two days allowed us to take our time and appreciate the views. I found it puzzling why our entire group was in such a rush to get back to camp. We stretched out the hike for as long as we could manage.
Since we trekked at a more leisurely pace down and given that Dave and I paused constantly for photos and videos, we spent more time relishing the experience and taking in the sights without a viewfinder blocking our view. We made sure to slow down, take breaks, and truly enjoy the moment.
We stopped at makeshift stands set up in large tents selling milk tea, momos, and soup. Several were located along the trail, allowing us to chat with fellow trekkers from other groups about their experiences.
After one more night of camping, we made a final push back to the mini vans for pick up, where we were whisked off to Phunaka for a few days of adventure and sightseeing.
For a first Bhutan Trek, this is a good choice for experiencing the Himalayas without committing to 7 – 10 days of trekking.
Most treks in Bhutan tend to be extremely expensive multi-day treks or quick one-day excursions. The Laya Trek presents an ideal balance, providing us with 2 days up and 2 days down to feel like we were genuinely trekking in Bhutan.
With just four days on the trail, we had the opportunity to move on and explore other regions while embarking on fabulous adventures and cultural experiences in Bhutan.
