Jomolhari
Three days of walking beside the roaring Pa Chu, among rhododendron woods, dodging the yak-trains trudging up the trails with their bells ringing and their breath steaming in the cool morning air, brought us to the base camp of Jangothang, the magnificent snow-covered Jolmolhari looming over us, and all the other trekkers whose tents were scattered over the valley floor.
The highlight of our trek was a cup of hot, sweet yak milk tea served to us by Kelzang Om, the wife of yak-herder and village headman Pema Khandoor, whose family had just that week moved to their summer home in the high mountains, along with their 60 plus yaks. We got to meet three-month old baby Karma Dorji and his mother Ugyen, sister of our horseman, Tshering Penjor.
The rest of that glorious day, we walked along the steep shale slopes beside two deep turquoise high alpine lakes above Jangothang (14,500 feet), gazing upon herds of blue sheep and watching a pair of ruddy shell ducks as they made their journey to their summer home in the waters below.
If You’re Going to Jomolhari (adapted from San Francisco)
lyrics by Karma Wangchuck
If you’re going to Jomolhari
Be sure to take some sweets from Dhop Shari.
If you’re going to Jomolhari
You’re gonna meet some highland nomads there.
For those who come to Jomolhari
Springtime will be a enchanting there.
In the lap of Jomolhari
With primulas and gentians everywhere.
All across Jango Thang
such a sweet sensation
Eclectic emotion.
Finches and Flowers
With a new explanation
Eclectic emotion, Eclectic emotion.
Bhutan Days 