The Dagala Thousand Lakes trek is one of the fantastic short, offbeat treks in Bhutan. You will spend almost five days trekking in a picturesque setting, following rugged, unspoiled trails.
The trek offers a break from the bustle of Paro and Thimphu and presents you with a peaceful time in nature. Even though the trek is short, it is a bit challenging, so trekkers have to be in good shape.
The journey is packed with adventure, cultural immersion, ancient monasteries and dzongs, stunning landscapes, and breathing mountain views. In fact, the Dagala Thousand Lakes trek is the best trek to witness views of the majestic Bhutanese mountains in a short time.
*As the name of the package suggests thousands of lakes, there aren't exactly 1000s of lakes. It has metaphorically derived from all the mythical stories of how this place once had thousands of lakes.
During the trek, you will see around 10 lakes, including Utsho Tsho, Relitsho, Setsho, Hentsho, and Jagetsho. These lakes are more than enough to win your heart. Overall, you will enjoy nature and beautiful landscapes consisting of mountains, hills, lakes, meadows, forests, and villages.
Highlights
- A fantastic short, offbeat trek in Bhutan
- Spend almost five days trekking in a picturesque setting, following rugged, unspoiled trails
- Travel beyond the bustle of Paro and Thimphu and discover the remote wilderness side of Bhutan
- Full of adventure and cultural immersion
- Explore ancient monasteries, dzongs, and museums in Paro and Thimphu
- Enjoy stunning views of many turquoise lakes like Utsho Tsho, Relitsho, Setsho, Hentsho, and Jagetsho
- Less crowded trail, rugged terrain, alpine forests, meadows
- Cross Paga Labtsa Pass (4,250 m)
- Memorable interactions with the villagers and get to see their unique lifestyle closely
- Witness breathtaking landscapes and snow-capped mountains, including Jumolhari, Masanggang, Everest, Kanchenjunga, etc
What can you expect during the Dagala Thousand Lakes trek in Bhutan?
This trek will allow you to reach up to 4,300 meters. Even during Bhutan's peak trekking seasons, the trail is not crowded. Tranquil trails add more edge to your trip. The terrain involves sharp ascends and descends via coniferous and alpine forests and lovely meadows.
You will also cross Paga Labtsa Pass (4,250 m). You see, there is a lot to experience during the Dagala Thousand Lakes trek 9 days. Likewise, the interactions with the villagers and their lifestyle will make the journey even more memorable.
Enjoy their generous hospitality and spend time with them in remote settings of the Himalayas. You will see mountains like Jumolhari, Masanggang, Jichu Drake, Tiger Mountain, etc. Similarly, the trail also offers views of Mt. Everest and Mt. Kanchenjunga in Nepal.
Not to mention, all the monasteries, dzongs, and museums you will visit in Paro and Thimphu following our Dagala Thousand Lakes trek itinerary are another big highlight of this trip.
Is this trek suitable for you?
If you are a beginner trekker, we highly recommend carefully evaluating your fitness before joining us. The trek demands 6 to 7 hours of walking on steep terrain that ascends for the first four days and then descends.
Travelers who are looking for a short, adventurous trip to Bhutan that combines trekking and a tour of ancient historical sites will love this program. The Dagala Thousand Lakes trek is unique and rarely done by foreigners, so it is also considered a virgin track.
Dagala Thousand Lakes trek itinerary
You will start the trip in Paro, a lovely Bhutanese city situated 2,250 meters above sea level. Many travelers are not used to this elevation, so we have included two-night stays here to help you acclimate and avoid the risk of altitude sickness further on the trek.
During your time in Paro, you will visit many tourist sites like Ta Dzong Museum, Rinpung Dzong, Drukgyel Dzong, and Kyichu Lhakhang Gompa. Likewise, you will also hike to the Taktsang Monastery (3,120 m), aka Tiger's Nest Monastery.
It takes 2 hours of uphill climbing to reach the monastery. Taktsang Monastery is one of the significant monasteries in Bhutan. It is believed that Guru Rimpoche visited it on a tiger's back in the 8th century.
Legend further says he meditated in the cave where the monastery was built for three months. Have lunch and rest for a bit. From Paro, you will drive to Genekha Village, the starting point of the Dagala Thousand Lakes trek. Begin trekking following a downhill track that leads to a river and passes by terraced fields and coniferous trees.
Crossing the river, the trail ascends to Gur (3,350 m) for the night stay. Gur onwards, you will walk following high ridges and meadows and cross Paga Labtsa Pass (4,250 m). From the pass, descend to Labatamba Valley and trek past yak herder huts to reach Utsho Tso Lake.
The stunning mountain views, rugged landscapes, blooming meadows (in spring), and the stunning turquoise lake are blissful. You will spend a rest day in Labatamba (4,300 m) as well, so two days in total.
During your rest day, hike to other surrounding lakes such as Relitsho, Setsho, Hentsho, and Jagetsho.
Continuing the trek from Labatamba, you will walk uphill for 20 minutes and descend from the valley. The trail goes along the western side of Dala Tsho Lake, offering jaw-dropping mountain panoramas. Panka (4,000 m) is the final destination for this day.
From Panka, you will descend to Talikha, where the trek ends, and drive to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. Here, you will explore many historical sites and museums, such as the National Memorial Chorten, Changangkha Temple, Drubthob Monastery, School of Arts and Crafts, National Library, Traditional Paper Factory, Folk Heritage Museum, etc.
Then, drive back to Paro and take your international flight from here.
