Laya Small Trek

Surely you have seen images of women wearing a peculiar conical hat made of bamboo when looking for information about Bhutan. They are Layap women, a small ethnic group within Bhutan, with their own culture and language. Until a few years ago the Layaps lived half isolated from the world, semi-nomadic, trading with the Tibetans on the other side of the mountain and dedicated themselves to little agriculture and their herds of yaks. With the advent of tourism and slowly improving roads, however, the settlements have become permanent villages, trade with Tibet has declined, and the influence of visitors is slowly growing up.

Laya lies at the foot of the 7100-metre Tsenda-Gang and is the highest village in Bhutan at 3840 metres. The surrounding scenery is fantastic, but even more so are the hospitable locals, who are also eager to sell you anything to improve their economy. Spending a day among their cultivated fields, their houses and their smiles is worthwhile and is one more star of a trip as special as visiting Bhutan.

This small trek is in a camping tent and the material is carried by mules or yaks. We have preferred to spend the first night in Gasa, which will also be an interesting visit, avoiding camping in Koina where it is usually muddy, and to be able to go directly to Laya. On the way back we will camp in Gasa Tshachu, where we can enjoy a bath in the hot springs as a finishing touch to this short but very interesting trek.

Most of Bhutan is stunning, virtually untouched natural scenery. Permanent white peaks, yak pastures, occasional isolated and traditional villages, wildlife and unique flora. There are durations and landscapes to suit all tastes, from treks in the remote wilderness of the mountains to hikes that take you closer to a more cultural side, through villages and monasteries. Most of the routes can be done in both directions, so it is also possible to do partial round trips.

Overnight stays for most of the treks are in campsites, and yaks or mules are responsible for carrying your equipment and all the stuff for the trek, so, in a way, the old spirit of the pioneer treks is maintained, bridging distances of course. Bear in mind that there is little chance of charging the batteries of your cameras and other electronic devices, so it is advisable to carry spare batteries and perhaps a small solar charger.

Although we are still talking about a very unspoilt, lonely and wild territory, the rough-roads slowly advance following the valleys that enter the mountains to connect isolated villages, where services are very basic and difficult to reach. This naturally affects the route of the treks, especially during the first and last days, and is reducing the days of some itineraries.

Druk-Yul is what the Druk-pa, the people of the ‘land of the thunder dragon’, call Bhutan. It was one of the most isolated countries in the world until tourism was allowed in the 1970s, but there are still restricted areas of the country. This has preserved its traditions and culture from Western influence, while it has become the main attraction for tourists. And Bhutan has been able to capitalise on this with good tourist organisation and fares not suitable for all budgets.

With a very sparse population of about 700,000, Bhutan became famous for its GNH, the Gross National Happiness Index, as opposed to GDP, a concept they developed in the 1970s and included in the constitution.

Lush forests and high Himalayan peaks to the north define a majestic landscape, barely disturbed by the few existing roads, friendly and peaceful people greet the traveller embarking on the way through the so-called last Shangri-la on earth.

PRICE INCLUDES
·       All transfers and trips by private vehicle

·       Camping accommodation and three meals per day during the trek according to the detailed plan.

·       English-speaking local mountain guide throughout the trek

·       Luggage transport by yaks/mules during the trek

·       For camping treks: tent, mat (thin), sleeping bag, duffel bag, dining tent, kitchen tent, tables and chairs, toilet tent,

·       Staff for the trek: cook, helper, animal handlers

·       All permits and entrance fees needed

·       All government taxes

·       Wages, food and accommodation, expenses, and insurance for all staff

PRICE EXCLUDES
In this programme, we only do the description of the trek, but you know that in Bhutan you cannot travel freely and you have to do it through an agency where accommodation, transport, guide and full board are included. Therefore, this trek will necessarily be included in a travel programme in Bhutan, which will have more or fewer days depending on what you want. The price stated here is the price for the trek alone, to which you will need to add the cost of the additional days.

For guidance purposes, the Bhutan travel programmes, which usually go through Nepal, do not include:

·       International flight from the point of origin to Nepal and back.

·       Entry visa to Nepal

·       Lunches and dinners in Nepal

·       Return flight Kathmandu-Paro-Kathmandu (which will be included in the final programme of the trip)

·       Bhutan entry visa (which will be included in the final trip programme)

·       Tips to staff

·       Drinks, phone calls, internet connection and other personal expenses.

·       Medical and travel insurance. It is advisable to have mountain accident insurance including helicopter rescue

·       In general, any concept not specified in this programme, as well as any need for personal assistance in other matters out of the programme

·       No additional costs due to flight cancellations, weather conditions, road closures, etc.

The rate that the Bhutan government sets for tourism has increased a lot and makes it quite an exclusive destination.
Currently you can calculate a minimum cost of between US$430/US$450 per day and per person. This way, you can get an approximate idea of the price depending on the days of travel you want to do. It will be necessary to add the flight from Kathmandu to Bhutan, visas and two minimum days in Nepal before and after Bhutan.
If you want to travel to Bhutan, please contact us.

Here you have the description of this nice small trek to include in a trip to Bhutan for those of you who like hiking, mountains, nature and other cultures. Therefore, it does not include the stay both in Bhutan and Nepal that can vary and that we will configure with you according to your liking.

As you know, in Bhutan you cannot travel freely, it is necessary to do it through an authorised local agency.

To access the Kingdom of Bhutan the best flight option is via Kathmandu, as we can reach Paro in just two stopovers, although one night should be added to the capital of Nepal and we also recommend a day in Kathmandu on your return. Linking the international flight back from Nepal with the morning flight from Bhutan is feasible, but we do not recommend it, as weather conditions may affect the latter and complicate the return. And a visit to Kathmandu is always worthwhile and, of course, you can also complete the trip by adding more days to Nepal without any problem, in a great Nepal-Bhutan combination.