Jigme Singye national park tour
Welcome to Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, otherwise called as Black Forest Mountain!
Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park (JSWNP) is endowed with large areas of natural ecosystems and great altitudinal ranges creating unusually high levels of biological diversity. Unlike other national parks around the world, Jigme Singye Wangchuk National Park is also a home to several culturally rich agricultural villages which can be visited during a six day low-altitude trek. The overriding challenge of the park management is to strike a balance between safeguarding wildlife and human needs thereby creating a win-win situation. For effective management, the park is judiciously divided into three zones namely: core zone, buffer zone and multiple-use zone. The multiple-use zone is the area where villagers live, where agricultural activities can be undertaken and where tourists are allowed to enter.
The Nabji Trail, the six day low-altitude trek, is set out in this specific area.
The Nabji-Korphu Trail is an ideal post-harvest/winter trekking within the Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park located in central Bhutan. The trail is a six-day low-altitude trek (between 693m/23100ft and 1,636m/5453ft) through six different villages. On this trek, you will possibly see the Golden Langur, one of the rarest primates, which can only be found in Bhutan and neighboring Assam.
Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park is also home to the endangered Rufous-necked Hornbill. The trail is a superb place for birding and has a wide variety of plants and flowers found in this Himalayan area. Besides the natural beauty the area also has substantial cultural history, witnessed among others a commemorative pillar in the temple of Nabji symbolizing the occasion of peace negotiated between the two kings (King Nauche from India and King Sindu from Bhutan) by Guru Rimpoche in the eight century. The first two days of the trek will go through the homeland of the Monpa people thought to be the first settlers in Bhutan.
The Monpas practice a mix of animistic shamanism and Buddhism. They were originally hunters and food gatherers and their culture, tradition and practices are intrinsically linked to the forest around them. They are traditionally cane weavers and bamboo crafters, using their skills for house construction, making baskets and other household items. Community Tourism The Nabji-Korphu Trail supports the park management in their efforts to conserve nature by creating more awareness on natural and environmental issues through tourism and introducing socio-economic benefits.
Duration: 12 Nights / 13 Days
Location:Paro-Thimphu-Punakha-Trongsa-Nabji Korphu Trek-Gangtey
Day 01: Arrive At Paro Airport & Drive To Thimphu (55kms/1.5hour)
Experience the breathtaking views of the high Himalayan peaks as you fly into Paro valley (2,200 meters) where you can get the first glimpse of this magical country. After the visa formalities at Paro airport, meet your personal guide and driver.
On the way, stop at Tachog Lhakhang (the Iron Chain Bridge), a temple located across the famous iron chain bridge built over the meandering Pa Chhu (Paro River). Devour yourself to the invigorating ambience of the cool-sweeping breeze and bright colored prayer flags. The whole set up a feast to the eye.
Upon arriving at Thimphu (2,300 meters), check in your hotel and freshen up before visiting the exquisite massive structure of Thimphu Tashichho Dzong- a master piece of Bhutanese architecture.Visit the local archery ground where the locals celebrate the national sport with dance and song with every hit.
Take a stroll in the evening around Thimphu town and absorb the magical atmosphere of the capital city while capturing the sight of contemporary Bhutanese life.
Overnight at a hotel in Thimphu.
Day 02: Thimphu- Punakha (71kms/3-4hours)
In the morning your guide and vehicle will come to pick you up from the hotel and proceed for sightseeing.
Buddha Dordenma: Capture the vibrant Buddha Dordenma statue in the early morning sunrise. Apart from the serenity of the place the view of the Thimphu city from this mountain is gorgeous.
On the way break at DochuLa- Pass at 3,100 meters. Sip a cup hot coffee at the DochuLa cafeteria while enjoying the mesmerizing panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges.
On arriving Punakha; walk along the path through the traditional houses of Yuwakha village amidst agricultural fields of rice and mustard, leading to a hillock where the temple of the Divine Mad monk is located.
Later visit Punakha Dzong which is just as striking inside as outside and it is arguably the most beautiful Dzong in Bhutan.
If you like some adventure then you can try out river rafting or we can pay a short visit to Wolokha Nunnery perched on the hill top.
Overnight at hotel in Punakha
Day 03: Punakha- Trongsa
Drive approximately 4.5 hours to Trongsa, the gateway to central Bhutan at 2180 meters. Set amidst spectacular scenery, Trongsa Dzong, the ancestral home of Bhutan’s royal family, commands the eye from miles away. We can also visit Ta Dzong, the museum in the watchtower dedicated to the Wangchuk dynasty, which tells the stories of the Dzong and the valley it has watched over for centuries and features personal belongings of the Kings and Queens of Bhutan.
Overnight at hotel in Trongsa
Day4: Tongtongphey(1,000m)- Jangbi(1,350m), About 3 Hours
After furnishing yourself with ample information about the trek from the information booth at the Park Range offi ce in Tongtongfey, the Jangbi village guide steers you down to the Mangdi river where you cross a suspension bridge. The fi rst day brings you in contact with the Monpas who are believed to be the fi rst inhabitants of Bhutan. A glimpse on their lifestyle further validates their ethnicity, coupled by mythical legends about their origins. The campsite in Jangbi stands on the valley sill, which offers a beautiful view of the Mangdi valley.
Day 5: Jangbi(1,350m) – Kudra(1,500m), About 6 Hours
The morning allows you to further interact with the Monpas. Before you proceed, you could pay a visit to the orchid garden for your indulgence in botanical photography. The hike to Kudra provides a touch of jovial atmosphere because this part of the trail meanders along stone imprints of Guru Rinpoche’s footprints, dagger and phallus, festooned by stories that support Guru’s activities. Lunch is served just before you reach Ugyendra, a steep cliff below Phrumzur, one of the few villages of the Monpa communities scattered around the trail. With renewed energy from lunch, you could visit the village lhakhang and then proceed to the campsite in Kudra.
Day 6: Kudra(1,500m) – Nabji(1,300m); About 6 Hours
You could wake up with the distant call of the Rufous-necked hornbill. This part of the trek is an assortment of streams, waterfalls, and thick forests that will give you an invigorating feeling of being out in the wild. The Great Himalayan Squirrel, Rhesus Macaques, and small snakes are often spotted along the trail. Unseen but present, are Himalayan black bears, Red pandas, tigers, Clouded leopards, and many more. Upon arrival at the holy tree in Nabji, the people will give you a heartwarming reception. Nabji is a beautiful village with endless paddy fields demarcating the valley and surrounding the campsite.
Day 7: Nabji Village (1,300m)- Korphu(1,500m), About 3 Hours
En route to Korphu, the Nabji temple is located in the middle of the paddy fields. Inside, there remains a stone pillar on which Guru Rinpoche, while traveling through Bhutan in the 8th century, brought consensus between two warring kings by imprinting their thumbs on each side of the stone. Korphu is situated on a mountaintop at an altitude of 1,500m. The most striking thing about Korphu is that the people exemplify hospitality almost treating you like ‘A King on accession to throne’. You have the option of being welcomed with a traditional ‘Chipdrel’ procession and a ‘Marchang’ ceremony, singing traditional songs of praise and wellbeing for new visitors. They also perform the traditional ‘Tashi Labey’ dance to bid you farewell. If you are interested, you can participate in the quintessential Bhutanese games of ‘Khuru’, ‘Dego’, ‘Sok-sum’, and ‘Gee-dum’, all on the brink of fading away. You could also pay a visit to the village temple that houses the sacred relics of Pema Lingpa, the famous ‘Treasure revealer’ of Bhutan. The village campsite provides a spectacular bird’s-eye view of Nabji and surrounding areas.
Day 8: Korphu (1,500m) – Nyimshong ( 1,300m), About 5 Hours
The hike from Korphu to Nyimshong is pleasant and arguably the best birding spot which can boast a bird list of more than 395 species, among others the elusive Rufous Necked Hornbill which has its nesting holes adjacent to the trail. The walk is mixed with waterfalls and, streams and cantilever bridges. The evening brings you to Nyimshong, a village with its reticent architecture and lifestyle. The women of Nyimshong have a fondness for singing and dancing and a cultural show would be ideal to express certain euphoria to end your trek. Of course this is optional.
Day 9: Nyimshong (1,300m) – Reotala (1000m), About 3 Hours
If you are lucky, the Golden langurs will lead you to the exit. You descend down to the Mangdi river again to see some herons and River-lapwings. An hour’s steep ascend to the road and your driver will drive you back to Trongsa
Day 10: Trongsa- Gangtey
Drive from Trongsa to Phobjikha valley.
Enjoy the views of the immense and remote Phobjikha valley and the black mountain ranges. In the late afternoon, you may like to take the short Gangtey Nature Trail walk (1.5 hours approximately) from Gangtey Gompa through the outskirts of Phobjikha valley. This is the site where black-necked cranes visit in hundreds in November each year after spending the summer in Tibet.
Overnight: Hotel in Gangtey
Day11: Gangtey-Paro (190Kms/ 7hrs)
Today we return to Paro, a drive of approximately 7 hours, via Wangdue. Wangdue (also known as Wangdue Phodrang) was originally considered Bhutan’s secondary capital and it commands an important central position.
After checking in the hotel in Paro, visit traditional farmhouses surrounded by paddy fields, vegetable gardens, and farm animals will give you an insight into how Bhutanese people live.
Later enjoy a hot stone bath in a wooden tub, get some cooking tips, and help in preparing the dinner which you will get to eat in the traditional Bhutanese style with the whole family.
Later after returning to the hotel we will sort out our luggage for the Bumdra trek. Anything you don’t need will be kept safely in Paro to await your return.
Overnight: Hotel in Paro
Day 12: Tiger Nest Hike
Get your energy up at breakfast this morning to hike up to the iconic Taktsang Monastery. Venture through the pristine surroundings of the Tiger’s Nest monastery. Be rewarded to an overwhelming sight monastery resting on edge of a cliff at 900 meters above Paro valley.
Tigers Nest Monastery or Taktsang Goemba is one of the holiest and the most beautiful sites of Bhutan and acquires its name from the legend of its foundation, when in the 8th Century Guru Rinpoche, widely revered as the second Buddha, arrived at this place from Tibet flying across the mountains on the back of a tigress and blessed the entire place.
On your way back visit the Kichu monastery. It is the one of the oldest and the first ever Buddhist monastery to be built in Bhutan. It was built in the 8th century
Overnight at hotel in Paro