Kitiphu Ridge and Owl trek
Bhutan

Typical Day On Camping Trek in Bhutan

We provide a comfortable experience on our camping style treks in Bhutan. Our team works hard to support you so that you can relax and enjoy the trek. We provide personal tents, mess tent, kitchen tent and toilet tent(s). The camp will be set up and dismantled by the trek crew. We bring along a cook and kitchen helpers to provide the meals.

The day starts with an early morning mug of tea brought to your tent by one of the trek crew. Before heading for breakfast you pack your overnight gear into your duffel bag. During breakfast the trek crew pack away the tents. The pony men load up the pack animals  and set off on the trail. After breakfast, between 7am and 8am, we start walking.

The pace of the trek is moderate as there is plenty of time in the itinerary to reach the camp for tonight. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, take photos and explore the local villages. Lunch will be around midday at a spot by the side of the trail. After lunch we continue the walk and on most days we arrive to camp by mid afternoon. Some of the trek crew would have gone ahead of the group to set up camp and to put up the tents. On arrival to camp you will get a hot drink and biscuits. In the evening our cook will provide a three course meal in the mess tent around 6pm.

After supper the leaders will discuss the plan for the next day. Afterwards people might stay in the mess tent chatting about the day’s events or playing cards. After a tiring day most people head to their tent quite early for the night. Tomorrow is likely to be very similar as today! The only difference is that if we are crossing a high pass or climbing to a summit we leave camp earlier in the morning.

Food provided on Camping Trek in Bhutan

While on a camping style trek in Bhutan we provide tasty and nutritional food. We make sure there is more than enough quantity to go around as trekkers will be hungry after a long day on the trail. Over the years we have worked on increasing the variety of the menus. We have expanded the list of ingredients provided to the cooks so they have more to work with.  Also in 2015 we purchased two food dehydrators with a vacuum sealing machine. We dehydrate a large number of different vegetables in Paro before departure. This has transformed the quality of food especially on the longer treks to remote areas.

For breakfast we provide porridge or cereal, toast or chapatis and eggs. There will be hot drinks including tea, herbal teas, hot chocolate and coffee. We provide fresh coffee from our Bialetti Moka coffee machine.

For lunch we stop at a convenient spot with water at the side of the trail. In Bhutan the cooks prepare lunch after breakfast before leaving camp in the morning. One of the ponies carries the insulated "tiffin" containers to the lunch place. After lunch we have time to relax before starting to walk again in the afternoon.

On arrival at camp in the afternoon you have biscuits and a hot drink such as tea or coffee. Around 6pm we serve a three course meal in the mess tent. The starter is often soup with popcorn or poppadums. We have a range of main dishes and carbohydrates including rice, potatoes or pasta.

We cater for a variety of dietary requirements. Our meals are suitable for vegetarians. If there is a meat dish then we also provide vegetarian options as standard. During booking we find out if you have any dietary needs and agree upon meal plans before departure. If you have any questions about the food provided please get in touch with us to discuss further.

Communications

We bring a Thuraya satellite phone for logistical, safety and personal use. Personal calls charged at £4 (US$5 or €4.50) per minute and £2 (US$3 €4.50) to send and receive SMS text.

Clothing and Equipment List for Kitiphu Ridge

For the safety of everyone in the group and to help ensure a successful trek, you are required to have the following items in our clothing and equipment list tailored for Kitiphu trek.

As a reminder, the weather on this trek will vary season to season and day to day as you ascend to higher elevations and you will experience the coldest temperatures in December would have overnight lows around -5˚C.

Each trekker should bring one backpack for gear required during the day. Your day backpack will contain items such as warm clothes, jacket, camera, water bottles, personal first aid kit and snacks. The maximum weight allowance for back pack is 5kg. The rest of your personal equipment packed in a duffel or kit bag will be carried by a pony. The maximum weight allowance for your duffel bag  is 15kg. Please ensure that your bag is marked clearly on the outside for easy identification.

We suggest you print the kit list and tick items off as you pack them then weigh your kit bag before you come on trek.

Footwear:

• Walking boots. A pair of water repellent boots with ankle support.
• Wool and liner socks.
• Trainers/sneakers or sandals. Can be used in camp during the evenings.

Clothing:

• Waterproof jacket and trousers (goretex or similar). For use if it rains or snows during the trek.
• Trekking trousers.
• Long sleeve shirts (not cotton).
• Micro fleece.
• Mid to heavyweight fleece.
• Sleeveless/ gilet or body warmer type fleece. This will help keep your core warm while not bulking when layering up. Gilet fleece can be used in combination with base layers, other fleeces and down jacket to provide maximum warmth and insulation.
• Thermals or base layer for top & bottom (merino wool or synthetic).
• Medium weight down jacket (eg Nuptse jacket by The North Face)

Handwear:

• Fleece gloves.

Headwear:

• Wool or fleece hat.
• Sun hat.
• Bandana or scarf. (eg. Buff Headwear or purchase a #myTMCbuff).
• Headtorch. Bring extra batteries.
• Sunglasses.

Personal Equipment:

• Sleeping bag. Maximum overnight lows will be around -5 Celsius.
• Fleece or silk liner for your sleeping bag. A liner protects your sleeping bag from getting dirty and helps by adding extra insulation to keep you warm at night.
• Sleeping mat (eg. Thermarest).
• Recommended size is 30 to 40 litres as you need to have enough space to carry water bottles, camera, snacks and extra clothing such as down jacket etc. It is also a good idea to bring a rain cover to keep the contents dry.
• Trekking poles (Black Diamond with “Flick Lock” are best). Having two poles is mandatory as required for your safety on steep and loose sections of the trail and for walking through deep snow higher up.
• Stuff sacks for keeping your gear dry and organised. Or even better are fold- drybags such as from Exped.
• Two water bottles (Nalgene wide mouth bottles are the best).
• Pee bottle. Highly recommended as means you do not have to get up to find toilet tent at night! For men you can use an old water bottle for women take a look at SheWee.
• Sunscreen and lipsalve with a high SPF.
• Insect repellent.
• Water purification tablets (Pristine, Biox Acqua or Acqa Mira).
• Favourite snack food.
• Books, phone and cards etc.
• Camera with spare batteries and memory cards.
• Insurance certificate.
• Earplugs (optional).
• Baby wipes (optional).
• Hand sanitizer (optional)

Travelling:

• Duffle bag or large backpack for your personal gear on the trek (carried by a porter). Bring a small combination padlock to secure the bag.
• Travel clothes. You will need casual clothing for air travel days and time spent in Paro, Punakha, Bumthang and Thimphu.
• Toiletry bag include toilet paper, soap, towel, toothbrush, etc.

Personal first aid kit:

Note: we provide a comprehensive group first aid kit but please bring personal medications and other items you might use regularly such as:

• Any personal medications.
• Blister treatment (Compeed patches are the best).
• Rehydration powder eg Dioralyte.
• Analgesics (paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin).
• Plasters and zinc oxide tape.
• Throat lozenges.

Risk assessment for Kitiphu Ridge

You should be aware trekking in a developing country involves a risk of personal injury or death. You must accept these risks and be responsible for your own actions and involvement. Adventure travel requires an open and flexible attitude. You may experience extreme conditions and unpredictable weather. There could be last minute changes to the itinerary beyond our control. The ability to work in a team is an important aspect of our trips.

We have performed a threat and risk assessment for our Kitiphu Ridge trek. Our trips have a degree of risk. This is part of the attraction of adventure travel and why so many people choose to join this type of holiday. By identifying the hazards we assess the level of risk. We have control measures in places to reduce this happening or to reduce the impact.

Our risk assessment is available to clients on request. We have listed below a summary of the significant risks and hazards identified by us:

• Falls and trips resulting in physical injury eg. slipping on ice or falling off the path.
• Altitude illness including but not limited to AMS, HACE and HAPE.
• Getting lost or becoming separated from the group.
• Severe bad weather and conditions when camping.
• Climatic injuries (dehydration, sunburn, heat exhaustion, hypothermia or heat stroke).
• Crossing a river with no bridge resulting in drowning and/ or a fall.
• Rock fall and landslides.
• Lightning strike.
• Wildlife, pack animals (e.g. donkeys or horses) or stray dogs. Pack animals can knock people off the path. Dogs can attack and bite. Discuss rabies vaccination with your doctor.
• Earthquake.
• Risk of fire in the hotel or lodge.
• Endemic local diseases. Discuss vaccinations with your doctor before departure.
• Physiological injury. Such as heart attack, appendicitis, hernia, toothache etc. in a remote area.
• Road traffic accidents.
• Contaminated food and/ or water.

This trip visits a remote area. You are away from the usual emergency services and medical facilities. Evacuation for a serious injury requiring hospitalisation could take up to several days. This delay could impede your ensuing recovery. Helicopters are the usual means of evacuation. They are not always available or hindered by poor weather and flying conditions.

Weather and conditions for Kitiphu Ridge trek

Kitiphu Ridge trek has a wide range of temperatures. This depends on the season, altitude and time of day. In the mountains between 2,000m and 3,500m the nights will be cool around 5 Celsius. During the day temperatures sometimes rise to 20 Celsius. At higher altitudes temperatures range from about 15 Celsius to -5 Celsius.

The trekking season in Bhutan is late September to May. October and November is generally recognised as having the best weather. Spring is a popular time of year with warmer weather than in Autumn. Also there is the advantage of seeing spring flowers and rhododendrons in bloom.

Dress code and cultural considerations for entering Dzongs

• Go for smart casual look such as long sleeved shirt with collar i.e no T shirts or short sleeved shirts.
• Full length trousers or long skirts (ankles must be covered) i.e no shorts, ¾ length trousers or short skirts.
• Shoes with socks covering ankles i.e no sandals or slippers.
• No hats and umbrellas allowed.
• Photographs are only allowed in the courtyard of most monasteries.
• Walk around Buddhist temples or stupas in a clockwise direction.
• Turn off your mobile/ cell phone and talk in a quiet tone.
• It is customary to give a small donation when visiting a monastery.

Ethics and etiquette in Bhutan

• Lakes in Bhutan are holy and inhabited by spirits. No fishing, swimming or throwing stones.
• Do not disturb or feed wildlife or do anything to destroy their natural habitat.
• Do not use detergent in or near rivers. For personal washing use biodegradable soap at least 50m from any watercourse.
• Do not give sweets, pens or gifts to children or distribute medicine to villagers. There are Basic Health Units operated by Bhutan Government throughout the country.
• Do not buy local household items or religious artefacts from villagers. Antiques may not be taken out of the country.
• Please respect the culture and traditions of local people. This includes trek crew, villagers and pack animal owners.