You may have heard of Bhutan’s Snowman Trek, an epic trip that takes the better part of a month to complete. It’s been labelled as one of the toughest treks in the world, which puts it on the bucket list for travellers looking for a challenge. I think the fact that it is in Bhutan is irrelevant to Snowman trekkers. They are mostly here to tick boxes.

The trek to Mount Jomolhari and the high Himalayan village of Laya is actually the first half of the Snowman Trek and is a brilliant trail in its own right. It is twelve days of ever-changing landscapes, starting alongside the river that flows to Paro and finishing on the river that flows to Punakha. In between are extraordinary mountain vistas, with views of Jomolhari, Jichu Drake, Tsheringang, Masangang and Great Tiger Mountain.

The people who live amongst these snow-capped giants are mostly nomadic yak herders who bring their animals up to the cooler climate of the mountains during the warmer weather.

The trail also passes through several small villages. Our gregarious guides are as curious as us about the lives of the local villagers and love stopping for a chat. Meeting the kids is always great. They all learn English at school as well as Dzongkha, the predominant local language. As a teacher, I can’t resist a look into the classrooms in the tiny schools, which sometimes is only a couple of rooms. Bhutanese kids are shy but super-friendly at the same time.

School uniforms are always the traditional Bhutanese dress: the long, wrapped skirt for girls called a kira and the gho for boys, a bit like a dressing gown, worn with long black socks.

Depending on the weather, Different sections of the trail can be magnificent. It might be the side trip up to Tshophu, a stunning lake with some of the most spectacular views of the Himalayas, notably Mount Jomolhari and Jichu Drake. Or it might be the epic landscapes as you climb above Chebisa village to the Gobu La, with amazing views of Tshering Gang and Jichu Drake. We rate it as the best trek in Bhutan.