09/06/2026
So we did one around Brigdung la, locals call it Brubding Ya. After a spontaneous decision, and I called up our host Choki Dema to setup a local guide and gunned for it.
Pictures 1 & 2:
Choki’s husband Kuenzang Thinley was appointed by his wife to be our guide. This was a backpacking recce. However, he wasn’t impressed by our supplies of packet noodles, dried meat and processed food for the 4 days. He was adamant we should have proper food (rice) for at least 1 meal in a day. So, he threw in a pressure cooker, rice, other supplies and a bottle of Makgeolli, which he drank in lengthy gulps once at camp (lasted him 2 days), into his makeshift basket backpack. This made his pack about 5 kilos heavier than ours. We were reluctant to carry the additional weight but were grateful everyday for the breakfast he made us during the expedition. My favourite was rice with tuna stir fried in chillies, onions and garlic. In exchange we made dinner (mostly noodles accompanied by tuna or dried meat) and lunch (tea and roasted rice) along the trail.
Pictures 3, 4 & 5
Choki’s family are the last yak herders in these mountains. They own over 140 yaks, dwindling every year. Predators like Leopards, Wolves, and Tigers are the biggest threat to livestock around here. Our first stop on the first day was at Mesuung, at Ugyen Wangmo’s home (Choki’s younger sister). Welcomed by her husband Kuenga Tenzin and their son Nono. They had prepared a special lunch for us, courtesy of Kuenzang. Rice, mushroom chillies with fresh Yak cheese and Yak meat. People here place three dots of fresh butter from their latest batch on the pillars, doorways and stones as offerings to guardian deities. Something we would see repeated at our cave campsite at Tsemchi and Choki’s shop.
Trail notes continued in the comments
All pictures taken on
