Soi Yaksa Trek in Bhutan

 

 

The seven-day Soi Yaksa Trek follows the ancient trails between Soe and Naro gewogs located in the 

Northern regions of Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. It is one of the most scenic treks in Bhutan.

This trek is known by different names such as Jomolhari Trek II, Yaksa Trek or Jomolhari Loop Trek.

 

The highlight of this Bhutan Trek is the spectacular view of Mount Jomolhari from the base camp and 

the twin turquoise Tshophu Lake, en route to Bonte La pass at 4,900m. If you are lucky, you will see the 

reclusive endangered snow leopard along the trail. Another reward is the breathtaking view of the 

beautiful white mountain range of Kanchenjunga in Sikkim (8,586m) from the Thombu La pass (4,380m). 

It is also considered one of the top 10 treks in Bhutan

The difficulty level of the Soi Yaksa Trek is moderate but at times it can be physically strenuous and 

demanding. Some trekkers can suffer from altitude sickness. The 80 kilometer trek traverses through 

majestic landscapes of the upper Himalayas, taking you closer to some of the highest mountain peaks

 in Bhutan- Mounts Jomolhari (7,314m) and Mount Jichu Drakey (6,800m).

The Soi Yaksa Trek also offers an opportunity to interact with highlanders and understand their culture

 and traditional ways of life. The Trek will take you through a rich landscape of avian-fauna, nomads and

 yak herders and traditional village houses along the Paro Chhu. You will also be traversing through Jigme Dorji National

Park.

After crossing the historic Drukgyel Dzong in Paro, we drive two hours northward. 

Along the journey, we will come across terraced rice fields and traditional Bhutanese farm houses. 

After two hours, we reach the army post of Gunitsawa (2,800m) where the trekking permits will be 

checked and stamped.

The Soi Yaksa trek begins by crossing the Paro Chhu (Paro river) on a wooden bridge. The trail 

ascends and descends through pin, oak and spruce forests. After two hours of contiguous hiking, 

crossing several streams, you will reach Shinkharap, a stone house at 3,110m. 

A little ahead is the trail junction - the trail on the left is an old trade route to Tibet and the one 

on the right leads to a wooden bridge. We stay on the right trail. 

After climbing up through rhododendron forests and crossing a bridge, we reach our campsite at 

Thangthangkha (3,750m), located amidst beautiful meadows. The Tourism Council of Bhutan has built

 a house with washroom facilities at the campsite. It is comfortable and warmer to stay inside.

 Early in the morning, on clear weather, you can see Mount Jomolhari from the campsite.

As the Soi Yaksatrek progresses, significant altitude will be gained with the trail going above the treeline.

 From the campsite, the trail ascends for a while till you reach the army camp. We will be following the 

Pa Chhu River above the treeline, enjoying the stunning views of surrounding peaks. The trail is muddy,

 especially during the rainy season.

Then we pass a Mani walk and enter the highland settlements of Soe and Takethang. We walk the final 

approach across a plateau and up a stream bed to Dangochang village and to the campsite of 

Jangothang at an altitude of 4,040m. From here, the views of Mount Jomolhari and Jichu Drakey are 

simply amazing.

Camping at Jangothang is one of the Highlights of the Soi Yaksa  trek. We will spend a day here to 

acclimatize before we cross the highest pass on this trek, Bonte La pass at 4,900m.

To acclimatize we will climb the open slopes till we can see Mount Jichu Drakey. You can scramble 

further up till 4,895m from where you can enjoy the majestic view of Mount Jomolhari. You can also

 spot rare Blue Sheep, Himalayan Rhubarb, Griffon Vultures, Golden Eagles, and the Blue Poppy.

Jangothang base is a flat grassland with an old ruined fortress on a hillock in the foreground. Most

 trekkers show signs of mountain sickness at this altitude and it is recommended that all trekkers halt

 here. 

The trail leads north to the last settlement in the valley and descends once again to the Paro Chhu. 

We cross the wooden bridge and walk to the turquoise Tshophu Lake (4,380 meters) where you will be

 greeted by many marmots. In the winter the lake remains completely frozen and one can walk across

 the lake, the lake is famed for golden trout. The lake is also the source of Paro Chhu. 

 

 

You will come across a second lake after you climb over a slope and then descend into a hidden valley

 and climb steeply to Bonte La at 4,900 , the highest point if the Soi Yaksa Trek with great mountain 

views of Basingthang (5,500m) abd Chatarake (5,570m).

Most trekkers face difficulties while crossing this pass, so it is recommended that you carry enough 

water and energy bars. You will spot birds like Himalayan Patridge and the national flower, blue poppy. 

After the pass, the trail descends crisscrossing yak trails down to Dhumzo Chhu. The descent is quite 

steep as you near the campsite. The scenery and landscape is breathtaking, with beautiful waterfalls 

and rock formations. Sometimes , blue sheep come so close near the lunch spot to enjoy the leftover 

food. Locals say that they look for the salt in the leftover food. 

 

After walking downstream past a few houses you arrive at the campsite at 3,800 m. There are a few 

houses here but wont find anyone living here especially during spring and summer seasons. Then the 

trail climbs up 100m over a ridge, and drops to another stream. Crossing that stream, the trail heads

 up the hillside, dropping into a small side valley before emerging into a ridge. Here the route turns south,

 ascending past a few huts to Takhung La (4,520m). A short descent leads to a wide and grassy 

Thombushong (4,280m) with a few yak herder’s huts. The valley is U shaped with a stream running

 through the middle of the valley, a perfect spot for landscape photography. 

We climb out of the valley through rhododendron forest to Thombu La at 4,380 m. on a clear weather,

 you can see Mount Jomolhari, Mount Jichu Drakey, Terikang and even Kanchenjunga. The trail then 

drops gradually to about 4,000 m, and backing down the ridge, you finally reach the helipad at Gunitsawa (2,730m). After breakfast, we drive back, exiting the army check post through the blue pine forest, along the rumbling Paro Chhu, across paddy fields and traditional Bhutanese houses, back to civilization. 

Soi Yaksa trek  is a shorter version of Jomolhari Trek .

If you want to know the cost and the itinerary, kindly visit the link here.