The holiday starts at the group hotel in Kathmandu. Transfers from Kathmandu Airport are provided. The rest of the day is free to relax or for independent sightseeing. We have also arranged for dinner in the hotel tonight, which you can take at your own leisure.

The group will meet in the lobby of the hotel. We transfer together back to airport in time to check in for the flight to Paro.

The flight from Kathmandu to Bhutan is one of the most spectacular of all mountain flights. From the left side of the plane Everest, Makalu and Kangchenjunga, three of the world's highest mountains, are clearly visible. The total flying time is only 45 minutes and soon we are descending into the Paro Valley, enjoying the splendid views of alpine forests, small monasteries, temples and flat-roofed farmhouses. On arrival we will be met by our Tour Leader who will accompany us to the hotel.

If the flight to Paro is in the morning, there may be time today to visit the National Museum housed in an ancient watchtower, high above the Paro Valley overlooking the Dzong.

This morning we hike up to one of the most important religious site in the entire Himalaya, the Tiger's Nest. The monastery has a most stunning location, perched on the ledge of a cliff 700 metres above the Paro Valley, and is only accessible on foot. Not just a cultural experience, this hike up to over 3000 metres will provide excellent acclimatisation ahead of our trek.

Around half way up the trail there is a classic viewpoint, looking across the gorge to the monastic buildings clinging to the cliff wall opposite. There is a small teahouse here where we can stop for a rest with a truly unforgettable view.

The final approach to the monastery takes us down to a sacred waterfall, surrounded by a thousand fluttering prayer flags, where every crack in the rock is crammed with tsa-tsas (small caskets containing the ashes of the dead), before climbing back up towards the monastery. If we are lucky we will be allowed inside to look at some of the chambers and altar rooms.

We return to Paro in the afternoon. Tonight we will want to repack our bags ready for beginning our trek in the morning. You may leave some items you won't need on the trek at the hotel.

From Paro we drive west for (30 mins) to the end of the surfaced road at the ruins of Drugyel Dzong (2530m). From here, we continue following a farm road for around 1 -1.5 hours, passing through small hamlets of houses built in traditional Bhutanese design. Arriving at Shana (2880m), we will be happy to stretch our legs. While our bags are loaded on the ponies, we will set off following a path beside the river before climbing to our first night's camp at Thongbu Samba (3100m).

We gain height slowly as we continue along the river through a mixed forest. The autumn colours of the leaves contrast with the Pale Spanish moss (old man's beard). After rain, the trail can be muddy and there will possibly be slippery rocks to contend with. Our crew will be on hand to assist. The trail undulates as we make our way north and after crossing a bridge at 3560 metres, we make a short steep climb to reach a junction of two valleys, marked by a chorten. From near here, weather permitting, we can see Chomolhari at the head of the valley. Our trail stays on the west bank of the Paro Chu and our next camp at Soi Thangka is only a half an hour's walk away.

We continue our trek today on the cow herder's trail up to the small hamlet of Jumphu. From here, we re-join the main trekking trail to today's camp at Jangothang (Chomolhari Basecamp). We have lunch in a meadow at Tikithang, from where it is another hour until camp. Our camp tonight is next to a ruined dzong (4100m) beneath the huge east face of Chomolhari.

We will spend a further 2 nights at Jangothang as an important part of our acclimatisation. Today, we'll take the opportunity to hike up to the twin lakes at Tshophu, a great place from which to look back at the peaks on Bhutan's northern border with Tibet including the striking Jitchu Drake. Green grass, grazing yaks, stunning mountain scenery - it doesn't come much better than this.The trail ascends into a valley running towards the south-east and it will take a couple of hours to reach the lakes. We drop back to our camp at Jangothang for a late lunch and a restful afternoon.

BST.01.24 will have the opportunity to visit the Chomolhari Festival today.

Today is a scheduled rest day, intended to aid everyone's acclimatisation before we cross the Nyele La (4850m). There are further options for exploration from camp including the hike up the ridge behind the ruined dzong to a grassy summit at approximately 4500 metres, from where there is an incredible close-up view of Chomolhari. For a spectacular view of Jitchu Drake closer to camp (even better at sunrise if you can get up sufficiently early), follow the river for 20 minutes to a lone house and here the mountain is presented before you. We spend a third night at Jangothang.

BST.01.24 will have the opportunity to visit the Chomolhari Festival today.

Today we must cross the Nyele La (4850m) to reach Lingshi. We follow the river for a while, before crossing it on a bridge. From here the path climbs steeply at first, the trail offers fine views toward Chomolhari and Jitchu Drake. We are now near the Tibetan Border as we make our way along a broad hanging valley to the final steep slopes leading to the Nyele La, which is adorned with prayer flags. From the pass, we descend, steeply at first, to follow a ridge before finally dropping through forests of rhododendron and pine to our camp beside the river.

After breakfast, we climb up to Lingshi Dzong. From here, our path contours the hillside. There are views across the valley to the Basingthang Peaks and we can watch kestrels hovering above the ridges. After a couple of hours the path turns a corner and there is a view of Tserim Gang, before we descend to Gang Yul (meaning 'village at the pass'). Home to about 150 people, living in a dozen or so beautifully designed houses, this village offers great photo opportunities. The village sits beneath limestone cliffs and is dwarfed by the east face of Jitchu Drake. Leaving the village, the path continues along the hillside to Chebisa, a picturesque valley of pastures and shingle roofed stone houses. It is here that the blue sheep (or bharal) come to graze during summer. We will make camp here for the night at 3860 metres.

From Chebisa we follow an undulating trail up to the Gombu La (4420m). The views back to Lingshi and the surrounding peaks are spectacular. Hill partridges have been seen here and it is common to spot lbearded vultures (ammergeier) soaring above the alpine pastures. From the pass we descend through a forest of cypress, spruce, and rhododendron to reach our camp at Somothang (4220m). We will most likely camp beside the river, but we may also decide hike up the valley for a further hour to make tomorrow's hike a little easier.

We start early for the climb up to the Jare La (4760m). There are great views of the 7000 metre Tiger Mountain (Gangchen Tagg) from the pass. We should be able to look over to tomorrow's objective, the Shinge La, which is the lowest point of the horizon opposite. As we descend through more pine forest we keep a look out for takin, the national animal of Bhutan, which are quite common in this part of Bhutan. The scenery on this day's walk inspired Victor Saunders, one of Britain's most travelled Himalayan climbers, to comment that this was the best walking he'd ever done! We cross a river and camp in a very scenic position, just a short walk up the hillside, at Robluthang (4160m).

We follow a yak trail above the camp for around 2 hours until we reach a beautiful hanging valley with a lone yak herders hut. The path takes the left side of the valley and soon the Shinge La (5000m) is visible. The final climb is quite strenuous, but save some energy to place a small stone on one of the four cairns that mark the end of the climbing. This pass marks the boundary of the Laya District. Our descent follows an obvious path into the centre of the valley, to a clearing by a huge rock. We continue descending until we see a bank of moraine, which is holding back a very picturesque lake. The backdrop to this beautiful valley is Kang Che Da, the Great Tiger Mountain. We camp a short way down the valley at Limithang (4120m), in a meadow by the river.

A beautiful morning's walk today through a bird spotter's paradise. Although shorter than some of the days so far, there is quite a lot of up and down. We cross a bridge and follow the left bank of the river on an undulating trail through a forest of spruce and juniper. As we descend we start to see Spanish moss once again hanging from the trees. The path then climbs above the river and soon we see the first houses on the outskirts of Laya (3800m). The people of Laya are very welcoming and present a striking picture, with their pointed hats, hair covered in mustard oil and highly decorative jewellery. We aim to arrive in time for lunch and have the afternoon free to look around the village and visit the monastery. We set up camp on one of the village fields. In the autumn the fields have been harvested and finding a camping place is easy.

A well earned rest day. This is also a good time to catch up on laundry, diary writing etc. There are opportunities for walks around the village for those who simply have to exercise!

We follow the main path through the village, which descends to the lowest house, passes through a large entrance chorten and drops down to the river. During the monsoon, from June to September, this valley receives a great deal of rainfall. As a result, the forest is particularly lush and impressive. We pass by an army camp and continue on a trail alongside the Mo Chu to a small turn off to Rodophu. From here, the ascent is gentle, through mixed shrub and coniferous forest by the side of a tributary of the Mo Chu. There are many alpine flowers, including scabious, miniature michaelmas daisy, celandine and wild roses. We continue to the traditional camping place at Rodophu (4215m), a single yak herder's hut just above the tree line.

We make a steady climb to the Tsome La (4900m.) where we enjoy superb views of Chomolhari and Jichu Drake, and across to Lunana and the peaks of the Tibetan border. Our route now crosses a high barren plateau to a campsite at Narethang (4940m) situated between the Tsome La and Karakachu La. This is quite a high camp at this stage of our trek but it is the only site available before crossing the Karakachu La and we will be descending again tomorrow. Our camp is facing the great Gangla Karchu whose glacial lake is also visible from here.

Setting off once more across the high plateau we walk below the spectacular peak of Gangla Karchung (6395m) before making a short, steep climb to the summit of the Karakachu La (5080m) where we find simply stunning views to the north. A whole group of unclimbed 7000 metre mountains, including Masakang, the Tshendayang Group and Teri Gang, provides one of the finest mountain panoramas in Bhutan. What makes it even more special is the fact that only a relative handful of visitors have seen it! There is still a long descent into the Tarina Valley, but the scenery is breathtaking, as we enter a huge lost valley, totally devoid of population. Our camp-site is by the river at a place known as Tarina (3940m). After last night's high camp the air down here will feel positively rich!

We wake up in one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan; snowy mountains, virgin forest, and clear mountain streams - it doesn't come much better. We follow the river down for a couple of hours before climbing up to Woche (3940m), the first village of Lunana. Woche is a small settlement of about 25 stone houses. This part of Bhutan rarely receives visitors from outside of the country and the villagers are always happy to welcome guests who have travelled from so far. From Woche, we have a steady ascent to Domchuthang, from where an hour's steep climb brings us to our campsite by the side of Green Lake (4440m).

Our first objective is the Keche La (4670m), a 1 to 2 hour climb from camp to the pass. We make a steep descent to Threkha (3900m) a village of around 20 scattered houses with views of the ernomous 'Table Mountain' Zongophu Gang (7100m). We descend for a further half an hour and then embark on a gentle climb to reach Lhedi (3800m) where we will stop for lunch. In the afternoon, we follow a trail along the river-bed, walking up through moraine created during the 1994 glacial outburst from the Lugge Tsho and Tshopdak Tsho. We are now in the very heart of Lunana, so isolated from the rest of Bhutan that very few people speak Dzongkha, the country's main language. We set up camp near the village of Chozo (4070m). At Chozo there will be a hand over from yaks/horses provided by our friends from Laya, to a new team from Lunana.

If everything has gone to schedule, we plan to have a rest day at Chozo, as there is plenty of scope for photography and exploration. A walk up to ridge above the village provides a view of Table Mountain, Kangphu Gang, Norbu gang and Jeje Kangphu (7300m).

With fresh legs after a day's rest, we trek beside the Lunana River to the base of the Sinthey La. From there we have a steep ascent of around 1000 metres to reach the top of the pass. As we climb the slope, which is covered in dwarf rhododendron we will want to pause to look back at the whole vista of the Lunana Valley, including the villages of Thanza, Chozo and Tencho. As we approach the Sinthey La the grazing yaks in the valley below appear as tiny dots. If you missed the earlier views of the table mountain (Singye Gang), Kangphu Gang or Jeje Kangphu, today's trail offers another chance to see these majestic mountains. From the Sinthey La (5200m), the trail descends offering views of two small azure blue lakes, one above the other. The nomads have named the lakes Tshokaynya (lakes resembling fishes). We camp on the shores of the larger lake at 4940 metres.

We follow the shoreline of the blue-green lake of Tsochena before making a gentle ascent to a ridge at 5100 metres where there is another spectacular panorama. After going up and down over several small hills we reach a glacial lake and the route now descends briefly before climbing again up to the next pass, the Loju La (5140m). Finally, after crossing a small saddle we enter a wide glacial valley from where the trail descends to the campsite at Jichu Dramo (5050m.).

After leaving camp we climb through ancient moraine to the crest of the Rinchen Zoe La (5320m), the highest pass of our trek. We are once more rewarded by spectacular mountain scenery with an impressive array of Himalayan peaks. Closer to hand, Rinchen Zoe Peak (5650m.) rises above the pass to the west. Descending from the pass, our route now leads into a wide valley with several lakes and descends along a moraine to the Tampe Chu. Here the vegetation begins to thicken again and we see our first real trees since Lhedi. After a couple more hours we reach our overnight camp at Chukarpo (4600m.).

We continue our descent, following the Tampe Chu to a meadow and yak herder huts at Gala Pang Chhu (4010m). This area is home to blood pheasant, Himalayan monal and Himalayan black bear. This is subalpine zone with good cover of forest of conifer and hemlock. From here, we climb steeply to Tampe Tsho, a beautiful clear turquoise lake where we make camp (4300m).

From the lake we climb directly up to the final pass of the trek, the Thampe La (4600m). This is an area inhabited by blue sheep and we may well spot some of this rare breed of mountain goat. After taking in the splendid views, much softened now as we look south across the foothills, we descend to the sacred lake known as Om Thso. It is forbidden to throw stones (or anything else) into the lake and we pass it quietly and reverently. Beyond the lake we walk beside a waterfall and stream that feeds a second smaller lake. We end the day with a descent of steep ground through mixed forest to a camp known as Maurothang (3610m) on the banks of the Nikka Chu.

During our final day of trekking we need to transfer our baggage from yaks to horses as we will now be dropping down below 3000 metres and yaks do not appreciate being taken this low! The trail follows the river to reach a large grassy area overlooking the road and the village of Sephu (2870m). We finally reach the road at the Nikka Chu Bridge at Sephu where there are several stores. This is where our vehicle will be waiting for us and after saying goodbye to our team we climb aboard for a drive for approximately one hour across the Pele La to Gangtey in the Phobjikha Valley. Here we check into our hotel and enjoy the luxury of a shower and a real bed!

Returning to the main east-west highway, we drive through the picturesque town of Wangdi situated below another imposing dzong. There is also an opportunity to visit Punakha. It is well worth spending some time looking around the magnificent dzong, which was built in 1637. Lying at the junction of the Mo (mother) Chu and the Po (father) Chu, the Dzong is the winter home of over 1000 monks. Back on the main road, we cross the final pass in this spectacular cross Bhutan road journey, the Dochu La and then its downhill all the way to Thimphu. We check into our hotel and there will be time for some souvenir buying before a celebratory evening meal.

We transfer to Paro Airport for the flight to Kathmandu. The flight takes only 45 minutes and on arrival we transfer to our comfortable hotel. The remainder of the day is free to explore the city or for shopping in the bazaars. An evening meal is included at the hotel, for those that wish to dine together, or you are free to head out into Thamel independently to a restaurant of your choice.

The holiday ends after breakfast. Transfers to Kathmandu airport are provided. If you would like to spend more time exploring Nepal, why not pre-book a full day-tour of the Kathmandu Valley, or a multi-day excursion to a wildlife reserve in Chitwan National Park. Contact the KE Team for more details.