Bhutan Laya Gasa Trek - 18 mau lā

Welina mai i Paro! I kou hōʻea ʻana i Bhutan Laya Gasa Trek, e kiʻi aku kāu poʻe limahana iā ʻoe ma ke kahua mokulele.

He mau minuke wale nō ʻoe mai kou hōkele aku, kahi e hiki ai iā ʻoe ke hoʻomaha a hoʻopau i kāu huakaʻi.

Ke ʻae ka manawa, hiki iā mākou ke hele a puni ke kaona ʻo Paro i ke ahiahi, e ʻimi ana i nā kuhikuhipuʻuone kuʻuna o Bhutan ma nā alanui.

E hōʻike aku kāu alakaʻi iā ʻoe e pili ana i kāu huakaʻi aʻe, ʻo ia hoʻi ka Bhutan Laya Gasa Trek, a e hāʻawi iā ʻoe i nā palapala ʻae a me nā lako e pono ai.

E ʻai i kahi pāʻina hoʻokipa o nā meaʻai Bhutanese a e hoʻomaha maikaʻi i ka pō ma ka hōkele. E hoʻomaka maoli ana ka huakaʻi ma Bhutan i ka lā ʻapōpō!

Ke kālele nei kēia lā o ka Bhutan Laya Gasa Trek i ke kaʻina hana o ka hoʻomaʻamaʻa ʻana a me ka mākaʻikaʻi ʻana i kahi kaulana loa ma Paro.

I ke kakahiaka, hele wāwae mākou i ka Hale Pule Nui kaulana ʻo Tiger Nest, aia ma luna o ka pali pōhaku ma kahi kiʻekiʻe o 3,120 m.

Piʻi ke ala hele wāwae ma waena o kahi ululāʻau paina a me kahi ala hae pule a he 4-5 mau hola ka huakaʻi a me ka hele ʻana.

E hele mālie mākou i hiki ai i kou kino ke hoʻomaʻamaʻa i ke kiʻekiʻe. Ke komo ʻoe i ka hiʻohiʻona, e ʻike ʻoe i ka hale mōneka e kau ana mai ka maka pōhaku. Komo mākou i loko o ka hale mōneka a ʻike e pili ana iā Guru Rinpoche a me kāna mau kaʻao.

Ua noa ke awakea ma hope o ka iho ʻana i lalo a hiki ke hoʻolilo ʻia i kekahi mau mākaʻikaʻi māmā a puni ʻo Paro, e like me Paro Dzong a i ʻole ka Hale Hōʻikeʻike Lahui. ʻO kēia lā hoʻomaʻamaʻa ʻana e hoʻomākaukau iā ʻoe no nā lā hele wāwae hou aʻe.

Loaʻa iā mākou ka ʻaina kakahiaka i ke kakahiaka nui a laila kalaiwa i nā wahi neoneo o Drukgyel Dzong ma ke awāwa ʻo Paro, ʻo ia kahi hoʻomaka o kā mākou huakaʻi. Maanei mākou e ʻike ai i kā mākou hui hele wāwae a lawe i nā lako.

Hoʻomaka kā mākou huakaʻi hele wāwae iā Bhutan Laya Gasa me kahi hoʻomaka kūhelu, a ʻo ka mea mua, ma hope o ka hahai ʻana i kahi ala e piʻi mālie ana ma ke kahawai ʻo Paro Chhu.

Ke hele nei ke alanui ma waena o nā mahina ʻai mahiʻai momona a me nā kauhale mehameha a komo i loko o ka ululāʻau paina a me ka ʻoka.

He nani hoʻi ke alanui i ke mele ʻana a ka manu, a hiki iā mākou ke ʻike i nā mauna keʻokeʻo hau ma ke kua.

Ma ka hopena o ke awakea, hōʻea mākou i Shana, he wahi ākea ma ka muliwai. ʻO kou pō mua ma kahi hoʻomoana me ka lani hōkū o Bhutan, a ʻo ke kani o ke kūlohelohe e hoʻohiamoe iā ʻoe.

ʻO ke ala ma kēia lā o ka Bhutan Laya Gasa Trek e hele ana i uka ma ka muliwai ʻo Paro. ʻO kā mākou hoʻomaka ʻana ma ke awāwa o ka muliwai me ka rhododendron, birch, a me ka fir.

Ua ʻoi aku ka paʻakikī o ka honua i kēia manawa. E loaʻa ana kekahi mau piʻi pōkole a me kekahi mau kapuaʻi ʻoi ma ʻaneʻi a ma ʻaneʻi kahi pōhaku o ke ala.

ʻAi mākou i ka ʻaina awakea i hoʻopaʻa ʻia ma ka muliwai ma ke ala. I ko mākou piʻi ʻana i ke kiʻekiʻe, hoʻomaka ka lau nahele e lahilahi.

Ke manaʻo nei e akāka ke aniau, e ʻike paha kākou i ka mauna ʻo Jomolhari no ka manawa mua ma kahi mamao aku ma ke ala.

Hoʻomau mākou i ka hele wāwae a hiki i kahi kula ma Thangthangka. E ʻike ʻoe he hale liʻiliʻi i hana ʻia me ka pōhaku a me kahi ākea, ʻo ia ko mākou kahua hoʻomoana. Hiki ke ʻike ʻia ʻo Mount Jomolhari i kekahi manawa i kahi ahiahi mālamalama ma ʻaneʻi i ka napoʻo ʻana o ka lā.

Hoʻomaka mākou i ko mākou kakahiaka me ka piʻi mālie ʻana i luna, a i ko mākou puka ʻana i waho o ka laina lāʻau, ʻike ʻia ke awāwa. Ke kahe nei ʻo Paro Chhu i kēia manawa ma ke awāwa ākea ʻano U, a he mea maʻamau ka ʻike ʻana i nā yaks e ʻai ana i nā mea kanu kakaikahi.

Maʻalo mākou i ke awāwa ʻo Tegethang, kahi puʻuhonua hoʻoilo no nā kahu hipa hele wāwae, a hiki iā mākou ke ʻike i nā hale kahu hipa yak liʻiliʻi. E makaʻala i nā kahu hipa o nā hipa polū ma nā mauna, no ka mea, he wahi maʻamau ia no ka ʻike ʻia ʻana o nā holoholona hihiu.

I loko o kekahi mau hola, ua ʻike ʻia ka mauna nui ʻo Jomolhari (7,314 m). I ke awakea, ua hōʻea mākou i ke kahua hoʻomoana o Jomolhari, ʻo ia hoʻi ʻo Jangothang.

He kahua hoʻomoana nani loa ia ma ka huakaʻi hele wāwae, a hiki ke ʻike ʻia nā mauna ʻo Jomolhari lāua ʻo Jichu Drake ma ʻaneʻi.

Ua hoʻonohonoho mākou i kahi hoʻomoana ma kahi o 4,040 m. Ua lawe ʻia kā mākou ʻaina wela, a ua hele mākou e hiamoe me nā mauna hanohano ma hope o mākou ma kā mākou huakaʻi hele wāwae ʻo Bhutan Laya Gasa.

E loaʻa iā mākou kahi lā hoʻomaʻamaʻa ma Jangothang i kēia lā. Hiki iā ʻoe ke hoʻomaha ma kahi moe a hoʻomaha, e hauʻoli ana i nā hiʻohiʻona mauna kupaianaha, a i ʻole hiki iā ʻoe ke hele i kahi huakaʻi liʻiliʻi e hoʻomaʻamaʻa hou aku.

ʻO kahi huakaʻi maʻamau ka hele wāwae ʻana i kahi kualono a i ʻole kahi e ʻike ai i nā hiʻohiʻona ākea o Jomolhari a me nā mauna kokoke. ʻO kahi koho ʻē aʻe, ʻo ia ka hele wāwae ʻana i nā loko ʻo Tshophu ke makemake ʻoe e hana.

E inu mau i ka wai he nui a e hoʻomaha. I ke ahiahi, hiki iā ʻoe ke hele i kahi hoʻomoana o kahi kahu hipa yak ma kahi kokoke, a i ʻole hiki iā ʻoe ke noho wale a nānā i ka mālie. ʻApōpō, hou a hou, e hoʻomau ana mākou i ko mākou ala.

E piʻi like ana ke kakahiaka i ko mākou ala mauna kiʻekiʻe mua ma kēia lā o kā mākou Bhutan Laya Gasa Trek. Ma ke ala e piʻi ai, e neʻe mālie, a e hauʻoli i nā hiʻohiʻona i ko lākou loli ʻana. Hiki i ke ala ʻo Nyile La ma 4,890 m ma kahi o ke awakea.

Ma ka piko, ua ākea loa nā hiʻohiʻona me nā hiʻohiʻona o ke kahawai ʻo Lingshi a me nā mauna a puni. He ʻano piʻo ke alanui e iho ana i ke alahele a he pali iki hoʻi ma kekahi mau wahi.

Ma ke awāwa ʻo Lingshi, iho mākou ma nā pali mauʻu i ke kauhale ʻo Lingshi. Hiki ke ʻike ʻia ka Lingshi Dzong nui ma kahi mamao aku a ua hoʻohana ʻia e pale i kēia ala kālepa.

I ke awakea, hiki mākou i ko mākou kahua hoʻomoana ʻo Lingshi. E ʻike mākou i kekahi poʻe kamaʻāina ma ʻaneʻi a e inu paha i kahi kīʻaha tī pata mehana.

Hoʻomaka mālie ko mākou lā no ka mea ua emi ka mamao i hele ʻia i kēia lā. Maʻa mākou i kahi kauhale, ʻo Gom Yu, aia ma waena o ke kualono o nā pōhaku, a laila hele ma waena o ka ʻāina puʻu.

Kokoke i Chebisa, aia kahi wailele nani e kahe ana i lalo o ka pali pōhaku, a ua kaulana ke kauhale no ia mea. He awakea mua ia ma mua o ko mākou hōʻea ʻana i Chebisa.

He kauhale liʻiliʻi ʻo Chebisa o nā hale pōhaku a me nā ʻāina ʻāina—he wahi nani e hoʻomanaʻo ana i nā lā kahiko.

Ke hiki ʻoe i kahi hoʻomoana (ma kahi o 3,850 m), aia ka manawa e nānā ai a puni. Hiki iā ʻoe ke ʻimi i kahi ʻohana kūloko a hele wāwae paha i lalo o ka wailele e ʻike i nā hiʻohiʻona nani.

E hoʻolilo i ka pō i kahi mālie, me ka walaʻau kūlohelohe hoʻomaha i ka wā o ka Bhutan Laya Gasa Trek.

Haʻalele mākou iā Chebisa a hoʻomaka koke e piʻi i kahi puʻu piʻi, kahi e lawe ai iā mākou i Gogu La Pass (ma kahi o 4,400 m) i ko mākou Bhutan Laya Gasa Trek.

ʻAʻole paha he mea maʻalahi ka piʻi ʻana ma luna o nā pali mauʻu a me nā puʻu, akā hana mālie a paʻa mākou.

E hoʻomaha ma ʻaneʻi ma ka piko o ke ala a e nānā i nā hiʻohiʻona—ke nānā ʻoe ma luna o kou poʻohiwi, ʻike ʻoe iā Chebisa me kahi kīʻaha ʻōmaʻomaʻo i loko.

ʻAi mākou i ka ʻaina awakea ma kahi wahi nani a hoʻomau me kekahi mau piʻi a me nā iho ma luna o nā kualono.

I ke awakea, hōʻea mākou i Shomuthang a kūkulu i ko mākou kahua hoʻomoana. Hiki iā ʻoe ke ʻike i kahi ʻāpana o ke ala nui e hiki mai ana ma kahi mamao e like me ka mea i ʻike ʻia mai kahi hoʻomoana.

Hoʻomaka mākou me ka piʻi ʻana ma waena o nā mauna alpine ma hope o ka ʻaina kakahiaka a hiki i Jare La Pass (4,785 m).

Nalowale ka laina o nā kumulāʻau, a pani ʻia nā mauʻu o nā Alps i ko lākou wahi. I kou hōʻea ʻana i ke alahele, e hoʻokipa ʻia ʻoe e nā hae pule e puhi ana i ka makani.

A laila iho mākou i lalo me ke ala pali ma waena o ke awāwa ululāʻau ʻo Tsarigathang, ke kahua pāʻani kauwela o ka takin, ka holoholona aupuni o Bhutan. Ke hele nei mākou i ke kahawai ma lalo o ke awāwa, ʻai mākou i ka ʻaina awakea a laila piʻi iki.

I ka hopena, hōʻea mākou i ke kula pōhaku o ka muliwai i kapa ʻia ʻo Robluthang. ʻO kēia ko mākou kahua hoʻomoana no ka pō.

He lā lōʻihi, e hele hou ana i kahi hala, a hoʻomaha mākou iā mākou iho me ka ʻaina ahiahi maikaʻi a me ka hiamoe mua ma ka Bhutan Laya Gasa Trek.

ʻO ia kekahi o nā lā paʻakikī loa akā hoʻomanaʻo ʻia o ka huakaʻi ʻo Laya Gasa i kēia lā. Hoʻomaka koke ko mākou lā, a ke kū nei mākou i kahi piʻi lōʻihi i ka piko o kā mākou huakaʻi holoʻokoʻa—ʻo Sinche La Pass, ma kahi o 5,005 m.

He paʻakikī ke piʻi ʻana, a ua lahilahi ka ea. Ma hope iki, hele mākou a hiki i ka piko o ke alahele, kahi e hula ana kahi puʻu hae pule i ka makani hau. ʻO Sinche La a me nā pae mauna kokoke, e like me Gangchhenta a me nā piko ʻē aʻe i uhi ʻia i ka hau.

A laila hoʻomaka mālie mākou e iho i lalo. A laila alakaʻi ke awāwa i kahi ʻāina hānai holoholona i ʻike ʻia ʻo Lingmithang ma hope o kekahi mau hola o ka iho ʻana. Aia ma luna o ia mea ka piko kupaianaha o Gangchhenta (6,840 m) i ko mākou hele ʻana i kahi hoʻomoana.

Ua hoʻokumu ʻia ko mākou kahua hoʻomoana ma kahi kula mauʻu kokoke i kahi muliwai (ma kahi o 4,140 m). E ʻai i kahi ʻaina ahiahi maikaʻi ma ʻaneʻi ma kēia wahi nani, a hiamoe ma hope o ka hele ʻana ma ke ala kiʻekiʻe loa.

ʻAʻole ia he huakaʻi lōʻihi loa i kēia lā, a he pahuhopu kūikawā kā mākou e hōʻea i ke kauhale ʻo Laya.

Ke iho nei mākou i ke kahawai ma ke awāwa nani. Ke holo nei ke ala ma waena o nā pali ulu lāʻau, a ʻo nā limu a me nā lichens ma luna o nā lāʻau he hōʻailona ia e iho ana mākou i kahi pae haʻahaʻa.

I ko mākou hoʻokokoke ʻana aku iā Laya, ʻo nā hae pule a me kekahi mau hale i hoʻopuehu ʻia nā hōʻailona e hoʻokokoke hou ana mākou i ka nohona kanaka. Ke hele nei mākou ma waena o Laya (3,800 m), ke kahua noho paʻa kiʻekiʻe loa ma Bhutan.

He hiʻohiʻona nani me nā hale lāʻau a me ka pōhaku me nā hale mauʻu ma luna o kahi puʻu ma luna o ke awāwa. E hoʻomoana mākou ma kahi kokoke i ke kauhale. I ke awakea, hiki iā ʻoe ke hana i kekahi mau mākaʻikaʻi.

He mehana a hoihoi ka poʻe Layap; mai kahaha i ka ʻike ʻana iā lākou e hele ana e aloha iā ʻoe. Hiki iā ʻoe ke hele a puni ke kauhale a loaʻa paha i nā kamaʻāina i ʻaʻahu ʻia i ko lākou lole kuʻuna o Layap.

Hoʻomaha mākou i hoʻokahi lā hou ma Laya ma hope o kahi lā luhi o ka hele wāwae ma nā wahi kiʻekiʻe a me ka pono e ʻike i ka moʻomeheu kūloko.

He manawa kūpono loa ia e hoʻoikaika kino ai a e hoʻomaʻamaʻa pū i ke ʻano o ka nohona Layap. Hiki iā ʻoe ke hiamoe i ke kakahiaka a i ʻole e holoholo a puni ke kauhale.

Hiki iā kākou ke hele i kahi hale ma ia wahi—e inu ʻoe i ke kī pata a i ʻole ka aar (wai ʻona i hana ʻia ma ka home) a loaʻa iā ʻoe kahi manawa kūpono e ʻike maka ai i ke ola.

Ke ʻoluʻolu ʻoe, hiki iā ʻoe ke hele wāwae a puni ka wahi a loaʻa i nā hiʻohiʻona nani o nā mauna a me nā awāwa kahi e peʻe ai ʻo Laya.

A i ʻole, e hele wale a leʻaleʻa i ka lā a me ka ea hou ma nā mauna. Loaʻa i ka poʻe hele wāwae ka manawa o ko lākou ola i kēia lā hoʻomaha moʻomeheu ma muli o nā hoʻomanaʻo o ka pilina a me ka hoʻololi.

ʻO kā mākou aloha ʻana i ko mākou mau hoaaloha hou ma Laya e hoʻihoʻi iā mākou i ka wao nahele. He piʻi loa kēia ala i waho o Laya i ka hoʻomaka ʻana a alakaʻi iā mākou i lalo i ke awāwa. Ke hahai nei mākou i ke ala o kekahi o nā muliwai (ʻo Mo Chhu) i kahi ala.

Ke emi ko mākou kiʻekiʻe, lilo ka ʻāina i ʻōmaʻomaʻo a momona, a aia nā ʻōpala a me ka ʻohe ma lalo—he mea hoʻomanaʻo e hele ana mākou i nā wahi haʻahaʻa a mehana.

He mau hola ma hope mai, hoʻomaka mākou e piʻi hou ma luna o nā māhele kualono e hoʻokaʻawale ana i nā awāwa ʻaoʻao.

I kēia lā, he nui nā piʻi ʻana a me nā iho ʻana, no laila he ʻano hele wāwae ia me ka roller-coaster. Hiki mākou i ke kahawai ma kahi hoʻomoana, ʻo Koina (3,800 m), i ke awakea.

ʻO kēia ko mākou kahua hoʻomaha ma ka huakaʻi hele wāwae. He mālie loa ka nahele a puni—e hauʻoli, a e hoʻolauleʻa pū me kāu poʻe hana. I kekahi lā aʻe, ua pau kā mākou huakaʻi hele wāwae, a hele akula i Gasa!

Hoʻomaka ko mākou lā hope loa o ka hele wāwae me ka piʻi mau ʻana i ka hope o nā alahele. Piʻi mākou i nā lāʻau fir, nā lāʻau ʻohe, a me ka ʻoka a hiki i kahi ululāʻau ʻohe i kapa ʻia ʻo Bari La Pass (a i ʻole Bale La, 3,900 m). Hōʻailona ʻia ka piko e kahi chorten liʻiliʻi a me nā hae pule.

He lōʻihi ke alanui i lalo a he ʻeha paha i nā kuli, akā ʻo ka manaʻo o ka ʻauʻau ʻana i ka pūnāwai wela ke kumu e hoʻoikaika ai iā mākou! E waiwai nui ana ko mākou iho ʻana i ka oxygen, a lilo nā mea kanu i ululāʻau semi-tropical.

Hiki paha iā kākou ke ʻike iki iā Gasa Dzong ma kahi mauna ma lalo loa. I ke awakea, hiki kākou iā Gasa Tshachu, ka pūnāwai wela kaulana (ma kahi o 2,200 m).

Maanei, loaʻa i ka poʻe hele wāwae kahi hoʻomaha punahele ma nā loko mehana e loaʻa ana i nā minerala—he ʻano hoʻomaha hauʻoli ma hope o ʻelua pule o ke alahele.

Hele pū kā mākou poʻe hele wāwae me mākou i ka ʻaina kakahiaka, a ma hope o kēlā, haʻalele mākou i ko mākou ala a lele i loko o ke kaʻa i ko mākou kalaiwa ʻana i Punakha i ko mākou huakaʻi hele wāwae ʻo Bhutan Laya Gasa. He nani ka huakaʻi ma ke alanui, e hele ana i luna a i lalo o nā kuahiwi a ma waena o nā ululāʻau.

Ke komo mākou i nā ʻāina subtropical, e ʻike mākou he ʻokoʻa loa ke aniau; ʻoi aku ka pulu a mehana.

He mau hola ma mua o ko mākou hōʻea ʻana i ke kapikala mua o Bhutan, ʻo Punakha. E hele i kou hōkele maikaʻi a e ʻauʻau a hiamoe i ka mea e pono ai.

E lawe ke awakea iā mākou i ka Punakha Dzong nani, ʻo ia kekahi o nā pā kaua nani loa ma Bhutan a aia ma kahi e hui ai nā muliwai ʻelua.

He mea kūpono ke ʻike ʻia kona mau paia keʻokeʻo nui a me kona mau puka makani lāʻau i pena ʻia me ka pena kiʻekiʻe ke hoʻopuni ʻia e nā lāʻau jacaranda.

He nani nā hiʻohiʻona o ke alahaka kau ma mua o ka dzong, a hiki iā ʻoe ke hele wāwae pōkole.

E hele ana mākou i ke kapikala o Bhutan i kēia kakahiaka. Ke alakaʻi nei nā alanui ʻo Punakha i Dochu La Pass (3,100 m), nona nā chortens (stupas) he 108 i kūkulu ʻia no ka hoʻohanohano ʻana i nā koa Bhutanese.

Ke akāka ke aniau, e hāʻawi ʻo Dochu La i kahi hiʻohiʻona panoramic kupaianaha o ka pae mauna Himalayan ma ke ʻano he kua o nā chortens.

A i ka hōʻea ʻana i Thimphu, hele mākou i kahi huakaʻi pōkole o nā wahi koʻikoʻi o ke kūlanakauhale, ke kiʻi nui o Buddha, a me ka Memorial Chorten.

I ke awakea, haʻalele mākou iā Thimphu a kalaiwa i 1-1.5 mau hola e hoʻi ana i Paro ma kahi pōʻai piha ʻē aʻe.

E ʻai i kahi pāʻina aloha me kāu alakaʻi a me ka mea hoʻokele ma Paro. E noʻonoʻo i nā ala kupaianaha āu i hele ai—nā alahele mauna kiʻekiʻe, nā pūnāwai wela, a me nā puʻuwai moʻomeheu o Bhutan. Pono ʻoe e mākaukau e hele i ka lā ʻapōpō a hoʻopau i kā mākou huakaʻi hele wāwae ʻo Bhutan Laya Gasa ma aneʻi.

ʻO kēia ka manawa e aloha aku ai i ke Aupuni ʻo Bhutan ma hope o ka ʻaina kakahiaka. E lawe mākou iā ʻoe i ke kahua mokulele ʻo Paro International.

E aloha aku i kāu alakaʻi a me ka mea hoʻokele a nānā hou aku i nā mauna a puni o Paro.

Makemake mākou ua hauʻoli ʻoe i ka ʻike o ke ola holoʻokoʻa i ka wā o ka Bhutan Laya Gasa Trek. Huakaʻi palekana!