Trekking tour · 10 days, 9 nights

10 Day Nub Tshona Patta Trek: The Great Lake in the West, Haa Valley

A quiet five-day lake trek from the Haa valley to Nub Tshona Patta, a sacred high lake linked to the treasure revealer Sherab Mebar, with the Tiger’s Nest and Chele La.

65 km

Trekking distance, about

4,300 m

Highest point, about

2,700 m

Haa valley, about

Moderate

Grade

Trip overview

A sacred lake above the Haa valley

Nub Tshona Patta means, roughly, the great lake in the west. It lies in the high country above the Haa valley, close to the border with Tibet, and it is one of the most sacred lakes in western Bhutan. According to local tradition, the treasure revealer Terton Sherab Mebar recovered sacred objects from its waters, and pilgrims still walk here to make offerings.

The trek starts and ends in Haa, one of the least visited valleys in western Bhutan, which only opened to tourists in 2002. Over five days you walk through farmland and forest, up into yak pastures and over ridges at around 4,000 metres to the lake, where you camp and spend a full day. Then you return by a different route over the hills. The total distance is about 65 km, and the highest point is about 4,300 metres.

Because few trekkers come here, you are likely to have the trail to yourself, apart from herders and the occasional pilgrim. It is a moderate trek, good for walkers who have done some hiking at altitude and want something wilder than the Druk Path. Before the trek you hike the Tiger’s Nest and cross Chele La, at about 3,988 metres, which helps your acclimatisation.

Highlights

Highlights of the trek

Nub Tshona Patta

A sacred high lake with a treasure legend.

Yak pastures

Herders' camps on the high ridges.

Haa valley

Farmhouses and temples in a quiet western valley.

Lhakhang Karpo

The White Temple of Haa.

Chele La

A high road pass with views of Jomolhari.

Tiger's Nest

An acclimatisation hike before the trek.

Itinerary at a glance

Ten days at a glance

Walking times are approximate. The route can vary slightly with conditions.

Day 1: Arrive in Paro

Land in Paro, easy afternoon.

Day 2: Tiger's Nest

Acclimatisation hike to Paro Taktsang.

Day 3: Over Chele La to Haa

Drive over Chele La to Haa.

Day 4: Haa to Womji

Start the trek through farmland and forest.

Day 5: Womji to the lake

The long climb to Nub Tshona Patta.

Day 6: Rest day at the lake

Explore around the lake.

Day 7: Lake to Tsojo

Over the ridges to Tsojo.

Day 8: Tsojo to Haa, to Paro

Down to Haa and back to Paro.

Day 9: Thimphu

A day trip to the capital.

Day 10: Depart

Transfer to Paro airport.

Day 1

Arrive in Paro

Your trekking guide meets you at Paro airport and drives you to your hotel. After lunch you visit Rinpung Dzong and walk across the cantilever bridge below it. In the evening your guide goes through the trek plan with you and checks your gear. Keep the first day light so your body can adjust to the altitude of about 2,200 metres.

Day 2

Acclimatise on the Tiger's Nest trail

The hike to the Tiger’s Nest, at about 3,120 metres, is the best warm-up for any trek in western Bhutan. It takes five to six hours return through blue pine forest, and gaining height slowly today helps your body cope with the higher camps later. Your guide watches how you walk and adjusts the pace for the trek.

Day 3

Over Chele La to Haa

You drive up to Chele La, at about 3,988 metres, and walk along the ridge for an hour or so to help acclimatisation, with views of Jomolhari and Jichu Drake on a clear day. Then you drop into the Haa valley and visit Lhakhang Karpo and Lhakhang Nagpo, the White and Black temples.

Day 4

Trek day 1: Haa to Womji

The trek starts in the Haa valley and follows paths through farmland, past prayer wheel houses and into forest, to camp near the village of Womji, at about 2,870 metres. It is a gentle first day.

Day 5

Trek day 2: up to the lake

The longest day of the trek. You climb through forest and rhododendron to the open ridges and yak pastures, then walk across high ground to Nub Tshona Patta. Camp is near the lake, at around 4,000 metres.

Day 6

Trek day 3: the great lake

A full day at the lake. You can walk around its shore, climb a nearby ridge for the view and see the offerings pilgrims leave on the rocks. Your guide tells the story of Terton Sherab Mebar and the treasure he recovered from the lake.

Day 7

Trek day 4: to Tsojo

You leave the lake and cross the high ridges, reaching the highest point of the trek at about 4,300 metres, before dropping to camp at Tsojo, at about 3,780 metres.

Day 8

Trek day 5: back to Haa

A short final day over a last ridge and down to the Haa valley, where the car meets you. You drive back over Chele La to Paro for a hot shower and a hotel bed.

Day 9

A day in Thimphu

You drive to Thimphu for the Memorial Chorten, the Buddha Dordenma, the craft bazaar and Tashichho Dzong, then return to Paro. Or rest in Paro with a hot stone bath.

Day 10

Fly home

After breakfast your guide drives you to Paro airport for your flight home.

Where you stay

Hotels in Paro, a farmhouse in Haa and tented camps on the trek.

Nights	Place	Where you stay	Why we chose it
1, 2, 8 and 9	Paro	3-star or 4-star hotel	Upgrades available
3	Haa	Farmhouse or hotel	Village setting
4	Womji	Tented camp	Near the village
5 and 6	Nub Tshona Patta	Tented camp	Beside the lake
7	Tsojo	Tented camp	High pasture

We supply tents, mattresses, a dining tent and a toilet tent. Pack animals carry the loads.

What the price covers

Included and not included

Included

Bhutan visa (USD 40) and the Sustainable Development Fee for every night
Hotels as listed, 3-star as standard, with 4-star and luxury upgrades on request
All meals in hotels and on the trek, cooked by our trek cook
A licensed trekking guide, plus a cook and camp crew
Pack animals for the luggage, tents, mattresses, dining and toilet tents
Trekking and park permits
Private car with driver for the road sections

Not included

International flights into and out of Paro (we can book them for you)
Travel insurance, which we strongly recommend
Sleeping bag and personal trekking gear (we can rent a sleeping bag)
Emergency evacuation costs, which your insurance should cover
Tips for the trek crew, guide and driver

Price on request

Tell us your budget and we will send our best price

We don’t publish one fixed price, because hotels, season and group size change the total a lot. Tell us your dates, who is travelling and the budget you have in mind. We will reply within 24 hours with our best price for this Nub Tshona Patta trek.

How we price

What decides the cost of this trip

Government fees

The SDF is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, plus a USD 40 visa. These are fixed by the Government of Bhutan and paid through us.

Hotels you choose

Group size and hotel style change the total most. Trek crew and permits are included.

Season and dates

Spring and autumn are peak season. Winter and summer dates are often easier to price well.

Group size

Guide and car costs are shared, so the price per person drops for two, three or four travellers.

We send a written, itemised quote before you pay anything. No booking fees.

Good to know

Planning your Nub Tshona Patta trek

How hard is it?

Nub Tshona Patta is a moderate trek. Most days are five to seven hours, with one long day of about 22 km up to the lake. The highest point is about 4,300 metres, and you spend three nights around 3,800 to 4,000 metres. You don’t need technical skills, but you should be fit for long days on hilly ground and have some experience of altitude.

Best time to go

The trek is open from late April to mid-November. May and early June bring flowers in the pastures, and October has the clearest skies. The monsoon, July and August, brings rain and mud. In winter the ridges are snowbound.

About Haa

Haa sits at about 2,700 metres near the border with Tibet. It was opened to tourists only in 2002 and still sees few visitors. People here farm wheat, barley and potatoes, and herders take yaks to the high pastures in summer. The valley is known for its buckwheat dumplings, called hoentay, and for the Haa Spring Festival in April. See our Haa festival tour.

Permits, guides and the trek crew

All visitors to Bhutan travel with a licensed guide, and on a trek you also need a licensed trekking guide and the route and park permits, which we arrange. Your crew includes a cook, camp staff and horsemen with pack ponies or yaks, depending on the altitude. They set up the tents before you arrive, serve hot drinks in the morning and cook three meals a day. Trekking fees and permits are included in our price, along with the SDF for every night.

Food and water on trek

Our trek cook prepares fresh meals every day: porridge or eggs and toast for breakfast, a hot packed lunch, and soup, rice, curries, vegetables and often a dessert for dinner. We can cook vegetarian, gluten-free or other diets if you tell us in advance. Drinking water is boiled and filtered at camp. Bring a refillable bottle and a few snacks you like from home.

Fitness and safety on trek

You walk six to eight hours on most trek days, often above 4,000 metres. Regular hiking in the months before makes a real difference. Your guide carries a first aid kit and watches for altitude sickness; the only cure for serious symptoms is to go down, and we always plan an escape route. Tell us about any heart, lung or knee problems when you book, and make sure your insurance covers trekking at altitude and evacuation.

What to bring on trek

Broken-in waterproof boots, a down jacket, thermal layers, a waterproof shell, a warm hat and gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, trekking poles and a four-season sleeping bag (we can rent one). Our crew carries tents, mattresses, the kitchen and all food. See our packing list for the basics.

Visa, SDF and guide rules

Every visitor except Indian nationals needs a visa, which costs USD 40 and is issued online before you fly. The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, with half rates for children aged 6 to 11. A Department of Tourism notice from April 2026 confirms that visitors travel with a licensed guide. We file the visa and pay the SDF for you. Read more in our Bhutan visa guide and SDF guide.

Flying into Paro

Only Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly into Paro, mainly from Bangkok, Delhi, Kathmandu, Kolkata and Singapore. Pilots land by sight between the ridges, so morning flights are the most reliable. We suggest a night in your hub city on the way in. Our flights to Bhutan page lists every route.

Nub Tshona Patta trek: questions

How much does the Nub Tshona Patta trek cost?

It depends on your hotels, group size and dates. Tell us your budget and we will reply within 24 hours with our best price, including the SDF, visa, hotels, meals, guide and car.

How long is the Nub Tshona Patta trek?

Five trekking days and about 65 km, starting and ending in Haa.

What does Nub Tshona Patta mean?

Roughly, the great lake in the west.

What is the highest point?

About 4,300 metres, on the ridges between the lake and Tsojo.

Is it a busy trek?

No. It is one of the quietest treks in western Bhutan.

When is the best season?

Late April to mid-November, best in May and October.

Who carries the luggage?

Pack animals carry the tents, food and your bags.