For those looking for the "ultimate" trek in Bhutan (and perhaps the entire Himalaya), this is one of the rarest and greatest of Himalayan adventures! Few westerners (less than 50 trekkers a year, by official estimates) hike the thread of trail beneath icy summits to Lunana each year, and some years see no foreign visitors at all. The Wild Lunana Trek, which passes through an entrancingly remote district of northern Bhutan, is designed for, and should only be considered by, the most fit and flexible explorer. But for those who are up for the challenge, the well-earned rewards are lavish.

Before embarking on the trek, we enjoy a couple of days in Paro to acclimatize and stretch our legs with a number of day hikes. Then we hike northward, toward Chomolhari, Bhutan’s sacred mountain. The trail skirts the Tibetan border and continued north and east through stunning alpine terrain, punctuated with lapidary peaks and lofty passes, to the Lunana district. Along the way we ramble through secluded villages, enjoying Bhutanese hospitality and yak butter tea, keeping an eye out for blue sheep, luxuriating in carpets of wildflowers. After a well-earned rest day in Chozo, nestled beneath 20,000-foot peaks, we turn south and tackle a series of high passes, camping in the crystal air at over 16,000 feet, then a gradual descent through autumn foliage to the trek’s end at Nikka Chu. Here we are met by our vehicles and drive to Wangdiphodrang, Thimphu, and finally back to Paro, sampling Bhutan’s rich Buddhist culture along the way.

This is the most challenging trek offered in Bhutan. The hike includes a total of 24 days of rigorous hiking under high peaks in the Bhutanese Himalaya, and crosses more than five passes over 16,500 feet in elevation. Our company has been operating treks into the Lunana region since 1984, and we have vast experience in organizing and leading this truly expeditionary journey.

Day 1: Arrive Paro • Day: 2 Paro sightseeing • Days 3–25: on trek from Drukyel Dzong to Nikka Chu via the Lunana region • Day 26: end trek, drive to Wangdiphodrang • Day 27 drive to Paro • Day 28: depart Bhutan

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